‘We don’t know if she has a viable future’: event horse injured in yard fire

Event rider Emily Pope is appealing for information after a fire broke out at her yard in Newbury, Berkshire, causing injuries to her young event horse.

The 20-year-old rider said a “considerable amount of tack” was also stolen including saddles, bridles and other equipment on Wednesday (11 November).

“We don’t know how much exactly was taken as the events to follow destroyed whatever was left,” she said.

A lorry at the yard “went up in a blaze”, which then spread to the tack room and on to the stables destroying most of the tack room, wash area and the stable next door.

Emily’s mother was woken by the noise and called the fire brigade.

“We managed to evacuate all the horses and get them far enough away from the danger of the oil tank exploding,” she said.

Her young eventer Coevers Gamble (Brindy) was burnt in the fire and Coach House Vets arrived to attend the horse. The horse, who is eight, has been recently competed at BE100 and Emily was hoping to move up to novice.

“Vet Keeley Metcalf has come out morning and evening since as Brindy needs sedating to change her dressing. We don’t know if Brindy has a viable future or not as it will depend on how much skin she loses due to burns but she is a fighter and in good spirits,” Emily said.

“The other horses are relatively unharmed apart from Biz my old dressage pony who has minor burns to her head and neck.

“I would hate for anyone else to go through what we have been through.”

H&H has contacted the police for further information.

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