A rider is urging both drivers and riders to exercise caution and courtesy after an accident left her scared to hack out on the road.
Julie Bolton was riding Daisy, her 16.2hh Irish draught/thoroughbred at around 5.15pm on 16 October 2013 when the accident happened.
The pair had stopped in a lane in Suckley, Worcs, to talk to a friend in a car. As her friend pulled away, Ms Bolton saw another car approaching.
“A split second later, I heard a loud bang,” she told H&H. The car hit Daisy from behind, throwing Ms Bolton onto the grass verge.
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“I landed as if I was still sat on a horse — on my hands and knees with my face in stinging nettles. I started screaming and ran after Daisy,” she said.
The friend in the car heard the commotion and came back. He collected Ms Bolton and took her back to the yard, where Daisy had gone home.
The six-year-old mare, who was well-behaved in traffic, had a five-inch cut on her off-hind leg that needed stitches.
Ms Bolton suffered bruising, but was not seriously injured, and both have since made a full physical recovery.
However, the accident has left Ms Bolton feeling unsafe on the roads.
“It has affected me more than I thought it would,” said Ms Bolton. “I have never been a nervous rider before.”
An out-of-court settlement for £9,600 was reached on 18 August.
Ms Bolton also said she urges riders to thank drivers when they show consideration.
Despite the driver initially apologising profusely, he later contested his liability and said that as he passed them, Daisy started to “dance around” and clipped his wing mirror.
HorseSolicitor, representing Ms Bolton, argued the driver “should have exercised more caution” when passing the pair.
Ref: H&H 3 September 2015
