A rider whose horse “ended up sitting on the bonnet” of a car says she no longer wants to ride on the roads.
20-year-old Jodie Shearman from Colchester was riding her 14.3hh cob Hank on the road with a friend on 2 August in Tolleshunt D’Arcy, Essex, when her horse became upset.
“I tried to slow the traffic down as Hank was in the middle of the road at this point. I turned round and a woman driving a car was trying to come past us. She tried to overtake but couldn’t get past and slammed on her brakes but it was too late,” Jodie told H&H.
“I heard the tyres skidding behind me and the car went straight into the back of Hank, he ended up sitting on the bonnet. I heard the bonnet crunch and the driver then sped off without stopping so I don’t know what the damage is like. I didn’t manage to get the number plate.
“Hank jolted forward, went up a verge and nearly into a ditch. By the time I had him sorted the driver was long gone.”
Neither Jodie nor Hank was injured in the incident and the matter has been reported to the police.
“We were wearing high-vis and other drivers said we were perfectly visible,” Jodie said. “Because Hank was spooking I knew if someone tried to come past he could end up damaging a car. The driver of the car was just impatient – she was trying to fit through a gap that she couldn’t which resulted in her hitting Hank.”
Jodie is now reluctant to ride on the roads.
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“I’ve now got to start again to build up Hank’s confidence,” she said. “I feel completely different about going on the road now. I love going out hacking so it’s such a shame.”
Essex Police said they are appealing for any witnesses who saw the incident to come forward.
A police spokesman said: “A woman reported she was riding her horse when a silver sedan-style car attempted to overtake her and was in collision with the horse, nearly knocking both horse and rider over. The driver made no attempt to stop. The incident happened between 6.30pm and 6.50pm on Station Road Industrial Estate and we are appealing for any witnesses to call 101 quoting incident 534 of 03/08.”
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