‘She took a hell of a bang’: event horse hit by car *warning: graphic image*
A rider hacking home on a quiet country lane was hit by a car at 7am on Friday (17 June).
Julia Booth was walking her 16.3hh bay mare Cistinia when she saw a “a BMW coming at speed“.
She was wearing high-vis gear and the visibility was good.
“I put up my hand for him but he just kept coming,” said Mrs Booth.
“He hit her upper forearm, the shoulder then got caught in the wing mirror and we seemed to travel with the car.
“The next thing I knew I was 21 feet down the road with Cistinia struggling to get to her feet,” she said.
The homebred nine-year-old mare has competed in four novice level BE events, being placed at her last two.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
On her last outing at Brandhall (4-5 June) she jumped double clear in the novice regional final.
This weekend she was due to compete at Catton in the novice class but that “obviously won’t happen” said Mrs Booth.
The horse was 100 metres from home when hit so she was led back, and the vet was called.
Mrs Booth, who was stiff but uninjured, called Cheshire Police.
She said the driver told officer he was travelling at 20mph and that the horse had reared.
“Cistinia has been ridden down that road since she was broken in five years ago and has never reared,” said Mrs Booth, who keeps the family’s two horses fit for her daughter Holly to compete.
The vet is coming back this weekend to check if the shoulder needs an x-ray.
Related articles:
- Horse killed and rider seriously injured in road accident
- Mounted officer’s accident inspires road safety campaign
- ‘I thought he’d stop’: rider breaks neck in collision with tractor
“It is too early to see how superficial the wounds are. She’s taken a hell of a bang,” said Mrs Booth.
“I hope she will return to a competition career, but don’t know how the muscles or bones have been damaged.”
The incident is being investigated by Cheshire Police.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
