A rider who asked a council to install horse awareness road signs has said it feels like a “slap in the face” after a sign warning of cattle was put up instead.
Lynn Flynn approached Sheffield County Council to ask for signage to be put up in the area following a hit and run with her thoroughbred gelding Newton last October.
But the one that appeared at South Street, Sheffield, last week featured a cow instead.
Lynn told H&H: “I had been away but a lady on the yard sent me a message and said I’d laugh when I saw what had gone up – she sent a picture and I said ‘are you joking?’”
“I’ve had Newton for 10 years and there’s been no cattle round here for years.”
Lynn emailed the council to complain and received a reply advising the sign was an “unfortunate oversight” by a contractor but it does not affect the provision of the signs she has requested, and the transport planning department intends to investigate the cost of having the cattle sign replaced with a horse sign.
“Another yard had asked for signs too but the council put that up. I requested the signs to make people aware there are people riding and to slow down.
“We want to give people awareness there could be horses around here – not cattle.”
Lynn said her accident with Newton, where he was struck by a trailer being towed by a van, has “really affected” them both, although he has recovered from his physical injuries.
“Newton has been a nightmare since the accident, everything is spooking him all the time. He’s now frightened of everything – he had an incident in January where a dog ran toward him with a flashing collar and he spooked and fell down an embankment and ripped his leg on barbed wire,” she said.
“I’ve been riding with friends but a couple of times I’ve panicked and jumped off. I had someone else ride him because I thought it was maybe just me making him feel that way but the rider said he was the same with her.”
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Lynn is waiting for a further response from the council on when the sign will be replaced.
“I’m quite annoyed. They need to get it right – how many emails do I need to send? It’s not rocket science – they must know what’s around the area.”
H&H has approached Sheffield County Council for comment.
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