# just heard some very sad news :o(



## sophiebailey (5 July 2012)

A horse has been found fully tacked up floating down the river severn through our village  

No sign of a rider yet, but given how swollen the river is, they could have fallen in miles up stream and horse floated down. 

I feel awful, this rider probably started tonights hack making the most  of a rare bit of sunshine thinking it was just another ride out by the river  now (ignoring the worst case scenario) s/he's lost her best friend in a horrific way

Its making me feel very 'mortal' 

RIP brave horsie. I hope its nobody I know from the village


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## irish_only (5 July 2012)

That sounds horrendous - poor person. I hope they are ok.


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## janineangel (5 July 2012)

how dreadful poor horse and poor rider hope they have survived they will be devasted what a horrid thing to happen


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## 3Beasties (5 July 2012)

Oh no, how awful 

I really hope the rider is safe and well


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## kirstyl (5 July 2012)

janineangel said:



			how dreadful poor horse and poor rider hope they have survived they will be devasted what a horrid thing to happen
		
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Poor horse. Let's hope the rider is safe


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## Red30563 (5 July 2012)

How awful! RIP beautiful horse. Hope the rider is found safe and well.


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## RubysGold (5 July 2012)

How awful   
I really hope the rider is ok, although they will be devastated


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## guido16 (5 July 2012)

That's just so tragic. 
Did they manage to bring the horse ashore? (I know it's not alive)

I presume the emergency services are now looking for the rider. I really hope he/she is ok..


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## Capriole (5 July 2012)

oh not nice not nice at all


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## Archangel (5 July 2012)

How awful, poor horse and poor rider.


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## EmmaC78 (5 July 2012)

That really is awful. I hope the rider is ok.


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## stencilface (5 July 2012)

Awful, poor horsey rip 

Hoping the rider made it


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## Goldenstar (5 July 2012)

That's terrible I hope the rider is ok.


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## LollyDolly (5 July 2012)

This is truly dreadful, RIP to the horse. 

I really hope that the rider is found safe and well!!


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## sophiebailey (5 July 2012)

As far as I know there's search + rescue boats on the river and helicopters scanning the river. Not sure if they've managed to bring horsie ashore. It was stuck in some bushes and think they had to dislodge it before attempting to bring it out of the river


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## Jnhuk (5 July 2012)

Makes you realise how fierce mother nature can be.

Hope they find the rider.

Will make me more wary crossing fords....


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## DressageCob (5 July 2012)

Poor pony  I hope the rider is ok. This will be very tough for him/her to get over, if they were just swept away by the river on a hack. So many "what ifs" in there


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## Kellys Heroes (5 July 2012)

How awful 

I will give my girl an extra big cuddle tomorrow. Horrid news like this makes you realise just how lucky you are 

RIP horse, I hope the rider is found safe xxx


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## Bettyboo1976 (5 July 2012)

Rip poor horsey  run free with the best!!


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## rara007 (5 July 2012)

Grim


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## cindydog (5 July 2012)

Very sad news, its the waiting now to find out if rider is ok.


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## raspberryripple (5 July 2012)

That's awful  I hope the rider is found safe.


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## MileAMinute (5 July 2012)

Oh how horrible 

Don't know why but it really made me feel funny when you said it was all tacked up. Poor owner too.


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## TiddlyPups (5 July 2012)

Oh my


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## SuperCoblet (5 July 2012)

Wow how awful 
Where was this? I'm around the river Severn!
Rip horsey


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## TheShark (5 July 2012)

Horrible. I hope the rider is safe.  

Poor, poor horse.


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## Fools Motto (5 July 2012)

Very sad. 
Really hope the rider is found safe. Poor poor person.


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## sophiebailey (5 July 2012)

Iamsanta it was in ironbridge, telford that the horse was found but not sure if that's where the horse/rider were from


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## Bridie&theMinis (5 July 2012)

How awful. Yes, it is much worse that it was a tacked up horse-not a nice find for anyone. I really hope the rider is okay


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## SuperCoblet (5 July 2012)

Omg that's not very far from me at all!


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## Racergirl (5 July 2012)

God, thats horrible. Really hope the rider is ok, so so sad.


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## Tarte Au Citron (5 July 2012)

So sad  RIP horse and fingers crossed the rider is found safe and sound.


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## ladyt25 (5 July 2012)

Awful and quite bizarre. Hope rider is found safe and well. Can only imagine they were thrown and horse somehow managed to fall into the river


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## starryeyed (5 July 2012)

Oh god, how horrible  Poor, poor horse - everything crossed the rider is found safe and sound. I was near there today & know what you mean about the weather being so lovely, perfect for a ride, even with all the rain that's been around recently I wouldn't be overly worried about rivers as the ones I've seen have been so calm - just shows how easily accidents can happen - the river severn seems to take so many lives doesn't it  
Will give mine an extra cuddle tomorrow, please keep us updated with any news x


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## Pidgeon (5 July 2012)

RIP horse awful way to go, hope the rider is found safe and well.


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## Moomin1 (5 July 2012)

How horrendous for the family of the rider to be waiting for the news.  I cannot imagine what they must be going through.

I also just tried to imagine how I would feel to hear that had happened to my horse, and it nearly broke my heart just thinking of it.  I really hope the rider is found and safe.

OP please keep us updated.


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## sophiebailey (5 July 2012)

I will let you know if I hear anything, feel like I can't go to sleep until I know the rider's been found, I feel so awful for them. 

Heartbreaking


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## diluteherd (5 July 2012)

Absolutely terrible, lets hope the rider is found safe and sound, like moomin said please keep us updated


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## Moomin1 (5 July 2012)

sophiebailey said:



			I will let you know if I hear anything, feel like I can't go to sleep until I know the rider's been found, I feel so awful for them. 

Heartbreaking 

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Was it rapid water?  Are the police/rapid water teams/fire out looking still?  Doesn't bear thinking about what the horse and rider have been through.  Just hope that the rider is alive still.

What time did this happen?  (Sorry for all the questions!!)


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## Amaranta (5 July 2012)

Just awful - I hope and pray that the rider is safe


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## sophiebailey (5 July 2012)

The horse was found behind my friend's pub at the other end of the village, she's gone to bed so my source of information is asleep! She said when she was speaking to police they had launched a 'search + rescue' mission so I'd imagine that'd still be going on? It was about 9pm when she texted me to say helicopters + boats were out, but if horse had floated from upstream they could have been looking further up the river for much longer.

Said friend is good friends with the local PC + CSO so I'm hoping they'll fill her in tomorrow.


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## rockysmum (5 July 2012)

RIP Horse, that is terrible.

It doesn't sound good for the rider though.  They would have reported the horse missing pretty quickly if it had just escaped.  In that case the police wouldn't be searching they would just recover the horse.

Sounds like the rider went in with the horse or had a nasty fall before the horse went in.  Either way not good for the rider.

Really hope they find whoever it was.


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## Moomin1 (5 July 2012)

rockysmum said:



			RIP Horse, that is terrible.

It doesn't sound good for the rider though.  They would have reported the horse missing pretty quickly if it had just escaped.  In that case the police wouldn't be searching they would just recover the horse.

Sounds like the rider went in with the horse or had a nasty fall before the horse went in.  Either way not good for the rider.

Really hope they find whoever it was.
		
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Those are my thoughts too Rockysmum.  I just didn't want to say it. :-(


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## sophiebailey (5 July 2012)

The search + rescue is for the rider not the horse, I think the police are also of the opinion the rider went into the water with the horse


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## Moomin1 (6 July 2012)

sophiebailey said:



			The search + rescue is for the rider not the horse, I think the police are also of the opinion the rider went into the water with the horse 

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I think what Rockysmum means is that if the rider was ok they would have rung other people to report his/her horse missing, which they obviously haven't done yet, so seems as if the rider hasn't been able to contact anyone.


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## Kellys Heroes (6 July 2012)

This will certainly leave me with a 'chilled' sort of feeling tonight 

I will keep my fingers crossed for the poor rider.
K x


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## sophiebailey (6 July 2012)

Oh my apologies I misunderstood! Yes that's what the police said, no rider found or heard from yet. So I'm hoping there's not some poor man/lady in the woods somewhere with a broken leg and no phone


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## Moomin1 (6 July 2012)

sophiebailey said:



			Oh my apologies I misunderstood! Yes that's what the police said, no rider found or heard from yet. So I'm hoping there's not some poor man/lady in the woods somewhere with a broken leg and no phone 

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If anything that may be a more positive outlook on things.  At least they would be able to drag themselves some distance to a sheltered or safe place.  My worry would be more that they have gone into the river with the horse.  

I wonder if they have tried to cross a certain part of it and the footing has failed.


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## smokey (6 July 2012)

This is so sad. Is there any news at all on the rider yet? Their poor family must be beside themselves


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## Oldenburg27 (6 July 2012)

How awful really hope the rider is found safe!!


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## Emilieu (6 July 2012)

How horrible. I hope the rider is found safe.

RIP horse x


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## millhouse (6 July 2012)

How terrible.  Rest in peace dear horse.  I too hope the rider is found safe and well.


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## SaharaS (6 July 2012)

Devastating news, feel uncomfortably chilled to the core at this. Poor,poor  horse, I hope it didn't suffer or feel any pain/fear. I hope the rider is found safe & well..doesn't even bare thinking about. I hope if they are injured its something where they are conscious and at least able to drag themselves somewhere to await rescue and that it wasn't a head injury or something..hypothermia sets in fast with shock & injury..praying its just that they are stranded too far from contact and walking their way home..I just googled and sadly it seems many have lost their lives to the Severn, horses included. The race horse in 2008 was found 30 miles down stream. Positive thoughts going to all concerned.. I hope the rider also has family or loved ones to be able to miss them and that the horse was not the first sign 

Rest peacefully horsie xx


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## Carefreegirl (6 July 2012)

How awful. 
Any news on rider yet ?


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## LauraWheeler (6 July 2012)

RIP poor horse 
I hope they found the rider last night.


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## merrymeasure (6 July 2012)

That is terrible! made me go cold just reading it! I pray the rider is found safe. The poor horse, what an awful way to go. It must have been terrified. RIP  poor horse. Any news on the rider?


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## PomPomFeathers (6 July 2012)

how truly devastating and chilling to the bone.  Brings back horrible memories of a flash flood we had at our stables, my wee guy is only 11'2 and it could have ended terribly.  Thankfully all involved were quick to action and we got them out of the stables and onto high ground... my poor little one had to be helped to jump over stable door as water was too strong to open it 

I hope the rider is safe and well, this is such a traumatic event


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## mcnaughty (6 July 2012)

sophiebailey said:



			The horse was found behind my friend's pub at the other end of the village, she's gone to bed so my source of information is asleep! She said when she was speaking to police they had launched a 'search + rescue' mission so I'd imagine that'd still be going on? It was about 9pm when she texted me to say helicopters + boats were out, but if horse had floated from upstream they could have been looking further up the river for much longer.

Said friend is good friends with the local PC + CSO so I'm hoping they'll fill her in tomorrow.
		
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Oh my goodness!  Shropshire again!  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-18724251 this poor soul lost his life last week in flood water up there!  So sorry, I really hope they find the rider.  I suppose if you fell off your horse you might not think to report it missing to the police - rider could be safe somewhere - please god I hope so.  RIP pony.


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## missmatch (6 July 2012)

Just read this and it made my blood run cold. I hope the rider is found safe and well


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## Devonshire dumpling (6 July 2012)

How terribly tragic!  Any news on the poor rider yet? X


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## MrsMozart (6 July 2012)

So sorry to read this!

Rest in peace horse. 

Everything crossed that the rider is found very, very soon. Not sure I hold out much hope though. Either rider is lying hurt somewhere, or s/he was with the horse when it went in, or s/he saw the horse go in and tried to get it out. Swollen and fast flowing rivers are so dangerous 

Everything very tightly crossed.


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## measles (6 July 2012)

Chilling and sad beyond words. Like others hoping against hope for the only good news there could now be. Please do let us know if there is any update.


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## Odd Socks (6 July 2012)

Yes, please let us know if anyone hears anything.  This is truly tragic! Rip beautiful horse - run free in the clouds.  Really hope the rider is found safe.  The alternatives don't bare thinking about


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## ELFSBELLS (6 July 2012)

Hoping and praying for the rider, so sad, R.I.P Horse x


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## Booboos (6 July 2012)

What an awful accident. I hope the rider is safe and well.


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## Vetwrap (6 July 2012)

So tragic. There really isn't another word for it.

Hopes and prayers for the rider.  God knows what those immediately involved are going through.


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## charleysummer (6 July 2012)

How terrible, what a horrific experience for all involved. Really really wanted to get to the last page and see that the rider had been found


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## Ibblebibble (6 July 2012)

what tragic news, i do hope there is some news of the rider soon


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## nagseastsussex (6 July 2012)

dreadful news, has anyone any up dates on whether the rider has been found? RIP poor horse what a way to go.


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## Kokopelli (6 July 2012)

Moomin1 said:



			Was it rapid water?  Are the police/rapid water teams/fire out looking still?  Doesn't bear thinking about what the horse and rider have been through.  Just hope that the rider is alive still.

What time did this happen?  (Sorry for all the questions!!)

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Severn is always rapid water. Even in nice weather with little rain I think even the strongest of swimmers would struggle to negotiate it but with all this rain we've been having it's lethal. 

RIP poor horse and have every thing crossed for the rider.


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## Briony&Anakin (6 July 2012)

How horrible, I can't even imagine what everyone involved is going through today  rip the poor horse


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## MurphysMinder (6 July 2012)

Such sad news.  I have just looked on the BBC Shropshire website and there is nothing about it yet, so hope that, sad as it is, it is just the horse that was lost.  Are you North or South of Shrewsbury sophie?


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## LisaS (6 July 2012)

How awful, poor horse.

Fingers crossed that the rider is found ok.


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## domane (6 July 2012)

Oh goodness!  I'm in Bridgnorth which is downstream to Ironbridge.  Just got back from seeing my mini-herd and had to drive over the Severn to get there and back.  Hate to think what may have been passing underneath me at that very moment.  How very sad and terrifying


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## guido16 (6 July 2012)

Nothing on the police website either. Fingers crossed.


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## ivandenisovich10 (6 July 2012)

Got my fingers crossed for good news before too much more time passes.


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## Bluepegasus2802 (6 July 2012)

That's dreadful, poor horse


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## sophiebailey (6 July 2012)

I haven't heard anything about the rider as yet, my friend who owns the pub is going to speak to the PC who responded to the call last night and see if he knows what happened to the rider. I'll post if I hear anything  

And we're in east shropshire murphys minder


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## Cheiro1 (6 July 2012)

This sent shivers down me. 

Thoughts are with everyone involved and praying for the rider, however if he/she is still missing it doesn't look good


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## sophiebailey (6 July 2012)

They may have been found and we just haven't heard yet (I'm hoping!)


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## Finn (6 July 2012)

This is so sad 

I do hope they find the rider and he/she is ok.

I have everything crossed for some good news


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## dia121 (6 July 2012)

Thats such sad news.  Not far from us either....it's my worst nightmare!  Poor pony.  Hope the rider is safe.


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## Django Pony (6 July 2012)

Any update on what's happened? Can't find anything about it in the news.
Really hope the rider is ok.
RIP horse


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## Muddy Wellies (6 July 2012)

Oh my! Only just read this.  Don't dare to think how scared the rider and horse must have been when whatever happened, happened. I do hope she is okay and they find her soon. RIP horse, how tragic


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## Merrymoles (6 July 2012)

Very grim - hoping to hear good news about the rider


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## Littlelegs (6 July 2012)

That is so tragic. Fingers crossed the rider has been found.


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## SuperCoblet (6 July 2012)

This rain won't help things either


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## lyndsayberesford (6 July 2012)

oh god how awful to read about this! 

gutted for the horse and rider, just hope there hasnt been much suffering! 

god damn mother nature!!!


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## dia121 (6 July 2012)

It's on facebook but nobody seems to have any news yet.  Fingers crossed for good news and the rider is safe.


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## caitlineloise (6 July 2012)

How awful. Hope the rider is found safe and well.


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## sophiebailey (6 July 2012)

Where abouts on facebook dia? Still waiting to hear something


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## sophiebailey (6 July 2012)

Oh I've just found the posts on Telford Horse Sales apparently it was a 12hh grey pony they recovered but no-one has posted any info about the rider


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## Gleeful Imp (6 July 2012)

Oh this is just terrible. So heartbreaking. I'm not religious but am praying for the rider being found alive.

RIP horse, run free to rainbow bridge xxx


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## Gleeful Imp (6 July 2012)

Oh Christ a 12hh? Was it definitely riding tack or could it have been driving tack?


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## FionaM12 (6 July 2012)

sophiebailey said:



			Oh I've just found the posts on Telford Horse Sales apparently it was a 12hh grey pony they recovered but no-one has posted any info about the rider
		
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Was it definately tacked up? It sounds like a child's pony. If a child was missing surely it would be on the news by now?

Nothing comes up on any news items re google. Let's hope that that means the poor rider is safe. If there was still a search going on you'd think the news would be on the internet by now wouldn't you?


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## Wagtail (6 July 2012)

sophiebailey said:



			Oh I've just found the posts on Telford Horse Sales apparently it was a 12hh grey pony they recovered but no-one has posted any info about the rider
		
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OH my! It will be a child then. Surely the parents would have reported them missing and it would be all over the national news, so I expect they are probably safe. Fingers crossed.

Poor little pony. What a horrible way to go.


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## sophiebailey (6 July 2012)

I'm not 100% sure but my friend said the police officer mentioned a saddle and bridle x


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## SaharaS (6 July 2012)

So 12hh either means small petite adult or small child/teen. I'm hoping the rider is older than younger..my worry now is, were it a child, the news would be far & wide if a child had not got home..so could pony have bolted before being mounted?I hope to God it was just the one poor pony and this doesn't unravel into something far far worse if the pony was ridden in company. Mother nature can be so so cruel.Lets have some positive news soon please x


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## SuperCoblet (6 July 2012)

I hope this works...
http://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...&notif_t=feed_comment_reply&__user=1192837093


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## MollyMoomin (6 July 2012)

Link doesn't work for me 

Poor horse (pony?) - RIP, another who has gone cold reading it. Truly hope the rider is OK.


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## sophiebailey (6 July 2012)

I'm getting conflicting information now  people on facebook saying it was a grey pony in riding tack and the police have told my friend it was a brown/bay pony in a harness and trap and so the search for a rider is called off ! 

Hoping its the latter to be honest


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## SuperCoblet (6 July 2012)

Oh, well if you search 'Telford horse sales' on facebook it's on there too x


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## FinkleyAlex (6 July 2012)

Keeping all fingers and toes crossed, what a horrid thing to happen.


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## SuperCoblet (6 July 2012)

Surely the search for a rider would be called off once they establish what happened and the family/ owner of the horse is found


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## Gleeful Imp (6 July 2012)

Surely if in a trap there would have been a driver?


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## sophiebailey (6 July 2012)

That's what I thought, I'm very confused and just wish I knew if everyone involved (rider/driver) is safe.


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## Inthesticks (6 July 2012)

It makes me shudder but does anyone remember about 6 months ago, people pushing a pony in harness into a lake to drown it, all strapped up to the cart? I think they found it to be local travellers, it happened twice in the same place within a few weeks of each other.

I obviously hope its not the same sort of thing, just sounded a little too much like that incident though


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## sophiebailey (6 July 2012)

Oh I hope that's not the case! Somebody else has commented on facebook that pony was in full tack for pulling a cart but no sign of a cart and no-one has reported a pony missing.

Not sure why they'd stop searching for a driver if they hadnt found the cart/owner?


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## Gracie21 (6 July 2012)

This has sent me cold. I really hope the rider/driver is found, I will be keeping an eye on this all day now! 

Hope you are ok OP, not a nice thing to happen so close to you x


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## dia121 (6 July 2012)

Its on Telford Horse Sales on Facebook.  Apparently the pony was 12.2 and in full driving tack, no sign of owner yet :-(


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## SaharaS (6 July 2012)

Looking at the Telford sales comment, one of the posters OH was called out to the job. She later stated the pony was in driving tack..but no trap or signs of rider. I would presume pony became detatched from trap and rider either bailed out/went in/or was never intending on staying with pony if it was similar to the others mentioned 6 months previously..none of it is easy to think about...I just hope it is all resolved and either a happy ending or an arrest..I'd prefer a happier ending.


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## Orchardbeck (6 July 2012)

Any more news on this?


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## sophiebailey (6 July 2012)

No sorry still just speculation. I'm not going to post anymore until somethings published in the news as I don't want to be seen to be gossip mongering. 

If any 'official' statement is issued i'll be sure to post it here. I haven't been able to concentrate at work all morning I just feel so terrible for the poor pony and whoever it's owners may be... for some reason it always makes you feel more upset when it's close to home 

xx


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## nat_1 (6 July 2012)

i havnt stopped thinking about this since i read it at 8am,i hope its not the same as mentioned what happen 6 mths ago iit just makes it even worse to think about


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## cindydog (6 July 2012)

Our stables were flooded out too, river overflowed and covered our whole bottom fields, we had a lame horse that the vet was attending to when field started to flood ( quickly ) vet and owner had to turn horse out.
the rest of field is uphill onto flat open fields 35+ acres so horses can well get out of way, only poor vet and owner had to wade through the water to get their cars out of the way, just so scary and fast.
That poor pony R.I.P x


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## Bright_Spark (6 July 2012)

That's made my blood run cold


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## Sparkles (7 July 2012)

Any news?x


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## Moggy in Manolos (7 July 2012)

That is very sad, I hope they find out soon what has happened and if there was a rider or not, just terrible


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## MurphysMinder (7 July 2012)

There was nothing in our local paper that I could see, although it does just cover north of the county, possibly something in the issue covering OPs area.


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## LisW (7 July 2012)

Still no news? Can't stop thinking about this.


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## jools123 (7 July 2012)

i am gonna put the cat among the pigeons;

is this actually true? (i hope not)
its been 48hrs (ish) since it was first on here and nothing in the papers/on the news.
i woul have thought something would have been reported somewhere by now


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## Lil Ferg (7 July 2012)

jools123 said:



			i am gonna put the cat among the pigeons;

is this actually true? (i hope not)
its been 48hrs (ish) since it was first on here and nothing in the papers/on the news.
i woul have thought something would have been reported somewhere by now
		
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It was reported on Radio Shropshire yesterday with an interview with the Landlord of a local pub who saw the search and rescue helicopter.


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## Holly Hocks (7 July 2012)

jools123 said:



			i am gonna put the cat among the pigeons;

is this actually true? (i hope not)
its been 48hrs (ish) since it was first on here and nothing in the papers/on the news.
i woul have thought something would have been reported somewhere by now
		
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I did wonder the same thing as well - but maybe there is a reason they re not reporting it, or maybe if the driver/rider has been found they don't consider it worthy of a news item.


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## sophiebailey (7 July 2012)

Hiya, I've not actually heard anything factual yet which is why I haven't posted. 

The landlord that gave the interview is my friend's dad. According to the police (so far) nobody has reported an escaped/missing pony and no-one has reported anybody (rider or driver) as being missing, so what happened to the poor pony is a mystery. 

The story changes depending on who you speak to - some people say the pony was in driving tack, some people say it was in saddle + bridle. Some people say it was a grey, some that is was a bay.

Having not actually seen the pony myself I can't comment further  the only positive to come from this is that it doesn't appear anybody was seriously hurt as a result of this incident. 

Somebody has rightly pointed out that the waters in the river severn are very fast moving and so poor little pony may have fallen in aywhere between wales + here and been transported down stream.

Wherever the owner is, they have my thoughts with them. 

If I hear anymore about the situation I'll be sure to post but I don't want to post 'rumour' as I wouldnt want  the pony's owner to maybe read my speculations  

God bless you little pony xx


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## MurphysMinder (7 July 2012)

My brother lives overlooking the Severn in Shrewsbury, he says when the river is high there are often sheep and even cattle bodies washed down stream , so as thank heavens it appears no rider or driver has been injured I suspect this poor pony is not newsworth which is why there has been nothing in the paper.


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## smellsofhorse (7 July 2012)

This is very sad, poor pony.

Strange thougg no one has missed it and no rider/driver.


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## FinkleyAlex (7 July 2012)

Sadly if the pony was wearing a harness and nobody has reported it missing or its driver missing then it sounds like someone may have tried to drive it into the river in an attempt to drown it...very sad.


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## *hic* (7 July 2012)

FinkleyAlex said:



			Sadly if the pony was wearing a harness and nobody has reported it missing or its driver missing then it sounds like someone may have tried to drive it into the river in an attempt to drown it...very sad.
		
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Even though some people treat ponies as that disposable it's unlikely they'd have wanted to lose the harness


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## rhino (7 July 2012)

Dee O'Dorant said:



			Even though some people treat ponies as that disposable it's unlikely they'd have wanted to lose the harness

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I think people are remembering this case Dee
http://www.thisishampshire.net/news/9131727.Pony_drowns_after_being_pushed_into_lake/


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## Queenbee (8 July 2012)

Murphys minder... Ive heard that too, there have even been the occasional missing 'jumpers' off a bridge turn up a week or so later floating through shrewsbury after going missing and then the bodies becoming dislodged after a downpour. Rip little pony


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## nagseastsussex (9 July 2012)

Has anyone heard anything further?


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## MHOL (9 July 2012)

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/9805146.Dead_horse_pulled_from_river/?ref=mr

Dead horse pulled from River Severn at Worcester


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## FionaM12 (9 July 2012)

MHOL said:



http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/9805146.Dead_horse_pulled_from_river/?ref=mr

Dead horse pulled from River Severn at Worcester
		
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No mention of tack. I guess we'll never know.

Poor horse.


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## sophiebailey (9 July 2012)

Local police have no further information apparently, still no local reports of missing/escaped ponies or missing persons so they've said its likely the horse fell into the water miles up stream and so they've made other authorities aware that they've recovered a horse.

What has happened to the poor pony seems to be something of a mystery (  but at least it seems as though no-one was hurt/injured


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## Feathered (9 July 2012)

I was just coming to post that link to the Worcester News. 

Looks like a different horse if it was pulled out this morning, how sad.


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## FionaM12 (9 July 2012)

Feathered said:



			Looks like a different horse if it was pulled out this morning, how sad.  

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Unless this was the first opportunity to get it out of the river? Maybe it was spotted a few days ago, but washed further down the river since?


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## Phil56 (9 July 2012)

The wife and I out walking Saturday evening  saw a pony trapped in the branches of a willow tree in the Severn at Bridgnorth.
The poor creature was obviously beyond help and was of a pale brown colour and appeared to be wearing a Red bridle and the wife said she saw a strap of some description around its middle.
Its something you dont expect to see and after the stark realisation of what we had seen we then took a photograph to aid relocation later but by then he/she had slipped under the water. 
We reported it to police and they informed me that a search had already been made.
Not being able to get this out of my mind we visited the same place on Sunday to find that it was no longer there.
I understand a pony has been recovered from the river in Worcester. Apparently this animal was brown in colour but did not have a red bridle
but was still harnessed to a cart of some description.
I'm sure we saw a red on its face but lets just hope that it is the same pony and not 2 have lost there lives.


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## FionaM12 (9 July 2012)

Phil56 said:



			The wife and I out walking Saturday evening  saw a pony trapped in the branches of a willow tree in the Severn at Bridgnorth.
The poor creature was obviously beyond help and was of a pale brown colour and appeared to be wearing a Red bridle and the wife said she saw a strap of some description around its middle.
		
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How dreadful for you. I can't imagine how horrific that must have been.

Are you sure it was a bridle? Red's an unusual colour for a bridle, but a common one for a headcollar... Not that it matters to the poor pony, it's just it would throw some light on the circumstances leading to its loss. 



Phil56 said:



			I understand a pony has been recovered from the river in Worcester. Apparently this animal was brown in colour but did not have a red bridle
but was still harnessed to a cart of some description.
		
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I don't think we know any of this for sure. There's hearsay and a brief press report, but no official police statement.


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## Phil56 (9 July 2012)

Hello Fiona,

   I'm a lover of horses but not very knowledgeable and not familiar with names of various pieces of tack so please excuse me.
After seeing all this we wanted to find out how and why this could happen.
A google search took me to the news item in the Worcester news

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/9805146.Dead_horse_pulled_from_river/

 and your good selves on here and so we thought we would share the information we  had.
I have spoken to someone from the fire service and they have confirmed the pony was brown in colour and was wearing leather and gold straps ( they could very well mean brass) and was still attached to a cart. 

It was  an awfull thing to see and we just hope the poor animal did'nt suffer to long.


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## FionaM12 (9 July 2012)

It would seem the press report's been updated since it was first posted. It now says the poor thing did have a trap attached. 

Poor, poor little horse.


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## MurphysMinder (9 July 2012)

Yes its on the fire service website too

http://www.hwfire.org.uk/news_events_pubs/news.html

Poor animal, just seems so strange it hasn't been reported missing.  I read somewhere (could have been on fb) that a pony and sulky was seen in Cressage last week .  It could all be speculation but the area is right for it to be washed down the river and if the owner was of the type suggested (trying to be pc here) then possibly they didn't bother reporting it.


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## Phil56 (9 July 2012)

FionaM12 said:



			It would seem the press report's been updated since it was first posted. It now says the poor thing did have a trap attached. 

Poor, poor little horse.
		
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My source was reliable then. I was told this at 8.45 this morning.
Ain't it a shame, poor little thing. Pony wandering from a field and into trouble is one thing but in a trap


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## OLDGREYMARE (9 July 2012)

This is such a tragic story and I hope the owner of the pony,who obviously has missed the pony if it was attached to a trap,has trouble sleeping for a long time.


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## merrymeasure (9 July 2012)

OLDGREYMARE said:



			This is such a tragic story and I hope the owner of the pony,who obviously has missed the pony if it was attached to a trap,has trouble sleeping for a long time.
		
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Completely agree. Poor little pony. RIP little pony.


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## SuperCoblet (10 July 2012)

More news.
http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news...CA_puzzles_over_horse_and_trap_river_mystery/

Sounds like travellers to me 

ETA, also sounds like 2 different horses as 2 locations?


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## mandwhy (10 July 2012)

Very sad, rip poor pony :-(


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## R.A.H (10 July 2012)

Very sad. I just keep thinking how that poor pony felt.


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## LollyDolly (10 July 2012)

So this may have been a deliberate act?

Without seeming like a total idiot, I don't see the benefit from doing this. I mean for one thing losing the trap and the tack, as well as the potetial sale/value of the pony. 

Surely someone wouldn't do this for 'fun'?


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## SaharaS (10 July 2012)

LollyDolly said:



			So this may have been a deliberate act?

Without seeming like a total idiot, I don't see the benefit from doing this. I mean for one thing losing the trap and the tack, as well as the potetial sale/value of the pony. 

Surely someone wouldn't do this for 'fun'?
		
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I think their fun would lie somewhere in spending the insurance claim..after the 'break in where pony, trap & harnesses were all taken' Sending the guilty parties many angry eButterflies..to begin the butterfly karma phenomenon for that little pony..may they get everything they deserve.

Just to ad.. I am confused now..is this the same pony and trap we knew about last week..as I thought fire crews recovered that pony last week and then this one on sunday..one was one too many...but please can it just be one:-(


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## MurphysMinder (11 July 2012)

I think it was just one.  There was never any report of the earlier one being pulled out of the river, it said in the paper that the river was searched but nothing found.  The severn is incredibly fast flowing at the moment, it is quite conceivable that the poor creature could have been washed down to Worcester.
I drove a good length of the river on Sunday, it was still over the fields in many places yet there were still horses grazing in adjacent fields.  If they had been mine they would have been moved pdq.


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## SaharaS (11 July 2012)

MurphysMinder said:



			I think it was just one.  There was never any report of the earlier one being pulled out of the river, it said in the paper that the river was searched but nothing found.  The severn is incredibly fast flowing at the moment, it is quite conceivable that the poor creature could have been washed down to Worcester.
I drove a good length of the river on Sunday, it was still over the fields in many places yet there were still horses grazing in adjacent fields.  If they had been mine they would have been moved pdq.
		
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I swear i saw a photo of crews rescuing a grey-clearly too late and in a paper since the first one this post was started about?Also one comment on fb was by a wife of a crew member..if theres one thing that terrifies me its open water of any sort..particularly anywhere remotely near livestock:-(


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## PollyP (11 July 2012)

How very very sad. Poor little thing, I just keep thinking how terrifying it must have been for the poor pony.
If this was done on purpose there are no words for those that did such a disgusting and frankly horrific thing. RIP little pony x


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