A rider who suffered a collapsed lung in a fall after a bicycle overtook her on the inside has urged cyclists to be more aware of horses.
Karen was thrown from her 15-year-old mare Polly last Tuesday (14 August) as she was almost back at her yard, in the Warrington area.
Karen told H&H: “There was no traffic. I didn’t hear the cyclist and he didn’t shout to say he was passing – there were only inches between the edge of the road, him and me. He came so close he was just about touching my stirrup. Polly got a fright and jumped off all four legs across the road.
“I came off. I remember not being able to breathe or speak.”
Two vehicles stopped to help Karen and one of the passengers, an accident and emergency nurse, phoned for an ambulance.
“I could see the cyclist stopped but he never came over and then he was gone. He left me,” she said.
Polly was found back at the stables, 100 yards away from the scene of the accident.
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Karen spent four days in hospital and also suffered four fractured ribs and severe bruising.
“I’m very sore even on painkillers,” she said. “I left hospital on Saturday evening and still have a raspy voice from the chest drain they had to put in. It’s taking me a long time to get dressed and showered and I have my daughter staying with me for two weeks to help me.
The cyclists ignored the riders’ requests to slow down, spooking both horses
“Polly is very good at hacking but I’ll always be looking round to see what’s coming now. I’m going to look at protective clothing in case something like this happens again.
“Cyclists need to be more aware of horses and what can scare them. Just because they are on a push-bike with no engine it doesn’t mean horses won’t be frightened of them.”
A spokesman for Cheshire Police said: At 9.05pm on 14 August police were called to Newton Road in Winwick, Warrington following reports of a rider being thrown from her horse. The horse had bolted from the scene but was found safe and well. The rider was assessed by paramedics and was taken to hospital.
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
