Horse hit by car (minor injury, damage to car...)

Are you in West Yorkshire at all? A guy posted on a Leeds facebook group describing what sounds like the same incident...he was the driver.
 
I had almost the exact incident not so long ago. We were hacking along a narrow lane and there was a car behind. We chose to pull over to let the car past. Unfortunately, just at that moment a dog shot across the field behind the hedge, spooked my husband's horse who swung his arse out and booted the wing of said car in! We were mortified, we had only had the horse 6 hours and I had yet to insure him himself. Luckily he was unhurt ( lesson learnt!) Fortunately I have third party with the BHS. I called them, explained that it was my horse but my husband was on him, told them what happened, gave them the drivers details. The next I heard was the driver text me thanking me for getting his car fixed. Super service from the BHS!
 
TBH sorry I think your at fault - your horse reversed into his car... But if he didn't stop I'd not have reported it I have to say!
 
Tell your insurer ASAP.
Although how badly behaved horse reverses in to road and kicks car can be described as horse hit by car is beyond me .
My OH was hit by a horse when a racehorse reversed into the road and sat on the car he was passing slowly when the horse became fractious and reversed he stopped the horse sat on the car .
The horses owner paid to repair the car ( a range rover ,bit of an painful bill ) without question.
 
As I understand, the horse began reversing but the car didn't stop, it carried on coming and trying to over take. If the car were stationary it'd be a different matter, but doesn't sound like it was.
 
B
Lévrier;12936253 said:
The Highway Code and relevant legislation states that a car driver should pass an animal when appropriate (or words to that effect, can't be bothered to google and find the exact wording) - when a horse is walking backwards into a road doesn't strike me as an appropriate time to pass on a narrow lane? The driver should have been going at an appropriate speed to avoid the contact with my horse, as it was he was merely focused on getting past as soon as possible for whatever reason.

ETA - well there you are, I googled it....

"215
Horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles. Be particularly careful of horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles especially when overtaking. Always pass wide and slowly. Horse riders are often children, so take extra care and remember riders may ride in double file when escorting a young or inexperienced horse or rider. Look out for horse riders’ and horse drivers’ signals and heed a request to slow down or stop. Take great care and treat all horses as a potential hazard."
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Thank you for that levrier. Never seen that bit about you can ride double file I knew you could do it on a wide road but not on abend or narrow road. i've always only looked at the section about horseriders never scroll down to the bottom to see that section of things need extra care been so long since I've done my driving test lol. I think people should remember that quote and remember that section of the highway code so they can quote it to people when they shout out the window that you shouldn't ride in double file



We get so many drivers shouting out the window ride single file you should be in single file, so now I'm going to go and read Clause 215 of the Highway Code. Also I think it's common sense that if your driver and you see a horse jumping about and spinning round it's common sense not to try and squeeze past it for fear of spooking it or damaging it or having your vehicle damaged.
 
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Lévrier;12936155 said:
I don't think the driver will want to pursue damages from me or he would have stopped at the time, he has of course committed an offence by not stopping and exchanging details/reporting the incident to the police.
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Not necessarily, he only has to stop if one or more of the following has happened:
• A person, other than him, is injured
• Damage is caused to another vehicle or to someone else's property
• An animal has been killed or injured, except in your his vehicle or trailer

If he thought that both you and your horse were OK there would be no obligation on him to stop.

To be honest you have made it sound in your post that this accident was predominantly down to your horses action.
• He came up behind you at an appropriate speed
• He stopped whilst you pulled onto a wide verge (presumably to let him pass)
• He started to pass (which is what you intended him to do) and your horse swung round, backed up and double barrelled

Re your actual question, you should notify your insurance company immediately as failure to do so may invalidate any claim.
 
MungoMadness said:
As I understand, the horse began reversing but the car didn't stop, it carried on coming and trying to over take. If the car were stationary it'd be a different matter, but doesn't sound like it was.
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Exactly this - no further comment will be made, I know the full facts and any casual reader is reading between the lines and drawing their own conclusions which, to be honest, I'm really not interested in. Thanks to those who actually answered my question instead of waffling on about who was to blame!
 
Lizzie I'm sorry, that's rubbish. If he were driving with due care and attention he would have noticed the horse moving again and waited.

Have you heard anything yet, Lévrier?

Ax
 
Lévrier;12936531 said:
Exactly this - no further comment will be made, I know the full facts and any casual reader is reading between the lines and drawing their own conclusions which, to be honest, I'm really not interested in. Thanks to those who actually answered my question instead of waffling on about who was to blame!
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When your driving you have to be aware of your surroundings and potential hazards that could cause you to swerve or stop suddenly.

Loose dog
Child
Debrie. Flying around or on the road.
Bike
horse.
Wild animal

If you ignore the hazzards - you run the risk of it running over it- crashing. Into it. So you have to reduce your speed and take evasive action.

In my opinion the driver did not do this they took the risk they did not slow down.

As I said time and time again on this forum people are quick to judge and criticise when they have no idea what it was like in your particular situation. You always get one that says all I wouldn't do that I would do that but it's different when it is that you in that situation

Your horse started acting up for whatever reason it felt the need to react the way did, the driver should have been watching the road and paying attention that the animal before him was stressed or acting to something it is heard or seen and thus it was moving about over the road unpredictably the driver,therefore should either stopped and pulled over to the side and wait for you to regain control and move your horse on the journey or to get the horse off the road or he could of got out and see if you needed any assistance.

I would have stopped my car and waited for the rider to beckoned me on or wave at me to say that they needed help , this driver reacted impatiently and thought that that he had to get onto his journey and it warranted pushing past an animal which was in a fight flight mode.
 
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I hate this predicted text as it wrote down part of what someone else spoke as I spoke.


Reviewed with my wording


When your driving you have to be aware of your surroundings and potential hazards that could cause you to swerve or stop suddenly.

Loose dog
Child
Debrie. Flying around or on the road.
Bike
horse.
Wild animal

If you ignore the hazzards - you run the risk of it running over it- crashing. Into it. So you have to reduce your speed and take evasive action.



As I said time and time again on this forum people are quick to judge and criticise when they have no idea what it was like in your particular situation. You always get one that says all I wouldn't do that I would do that but it's different when it is that you in that situation

Your horse started acting up for whatever reason it felt the need to react the way did, the driver should have been watching the road and paying attention that the animal before him was stressed or acting to something it is heard or seen and thus it was moving about over the road unpredictably, the driver therefore should have continued to wait for you to regain control and move your horse on the journey or to get the horse off the road or he could of got out and see if you needed any assistance.

I would have waited for the rider to beckoned me on or wave at me to say that they needed help , this driver reacted impatiently and thought that that he had to get onto his journey and it warranted pushing past an animal which was in a fight flight mode, instead of waiting just a few minutes for you to get the horse back under control
 
But, differing opinions notwithstanding this has been an interesting post.

Would you mind posting an outcome? I appreciate you may not have posted up all the minute details, but suspect that it will simply come to a person a's version v person b's. I.e no external proof so insurance would go 50/50.

I have to say at had that happened to me and horse was OK, if the car had driven off I would have assumed they made the decision that there was no damage and no further action would be taken. Thank you for putting me right on that aspect!
 
AmieeT said:
Lizzie I'm sorry, that's rubbish. If he were driving with due care and attention he would have noticed the horse moving again and waited.

Have you heard anything yet, Lévrier?

Ax
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As we don't appear to know the full details then none of us can be sure.

However if I as a driver have stopped the car as the horse is playing up, the horse and rider have gone on to a wide verge to allow me past, I have gone slowly past and the horse has then spun as I have drawn level, I may well have decided that actually carrying on past is actually the safest option.

Accidents happen and to be honest with the facts we have been given the driver seems to have done nothing wrong other than potentially not stopping if the horse did damage his car.
 
Yes, its not likely there will be a follow-up.
We had a great incident one morning, [no one hurt], we took the racehorses out every morning, we asked the driver [a regular, to slow down, but he was too busy shouting abuse out of his open window, one sharp colt took exception and double barreled the driver, right thru the window, that was what one calls a close shave. Next day he slowed down and no more abuse :)
 
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