Teenager seriously injured after horse falls on road
A teenager has been seriously injured while out riding on the road.
The 18-year-old was out hacking with two other riders at around 2pm on Thursday, 11 February.
They were riding along Coggeshall Road in Feering, Essex, when the accident happened.
A white vehicle was following behind the riders and then overtook them.
Both the horse and rider fell to the ground and the rider was taken to hospital with a serious leg injury.
“We are trying to establish the circumstances of what happened and would like to trace the driver of the white vehicle as they may have information that could assist,” said a spokesman for Essex Police.
“We would also like to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time who has information or saw what happened, particularly the driver of a silver Vauxhall Astra who stopped and helped the rider.”
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Anyone with information is asked to call Paul Barber in Essex Police’s casualty reduction section on 101.
Appeal for witnesses
Meanwhile, Durham Constabulary is also trying to trace witnesses after a rider sustained serious head injuries in a fall in the village of Littletown.
This incident is not connected to the accident in Essex on 11 February.
The 45-year-old woman was out riding with a friend on Coalford Lane between 11am and noon on 24 January.
As the women approached the junction with a single-lane track, leading to Coalford Lane Farm, they waited for a car to exit and drive onto the main road.
At this point, a second car — described as blue and possibly a hatchback — pulled up behind the riders on Coalford Lane.
As the first car drove off, the blue car started to accelerate away, causing the two horses to bolt.
The riders managed to regain control. However, one of the horses took off for a second time and his rider fell off.
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“We would like to speak to the drivers purely as witnesses, there is no suggestion they have collided with either horse or driven in an irresponsible manner,” said PC Ian Cousins.
“The [rider] has been left with potentially life-changing injuries and remains in a serious condition.”
An air ambulance and paramedics attended and the woman was taken to the James Cook Hospital, Middlesbrough.
Call police on 101 with information.
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.