How many people have been hit by cars out riding?

Have you had an accident with a vehicle

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happyhack

happyhack

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I got hit by a car in 2005.I was out hacking on my own on a counrty lane and a car was coming towards me. I pulled into a gateway and this car accelerated and drove towards me and K at speed and her flight instict took over. She backed up into a tree then launched forwards and spun to try and get away from it. As she spun, the side of the car hit her quarters and managed to completely remove the wing mirror, and all its wiring etc and it smashed all over the road.

I can honestly say it was one of the scariest moments of my life. I couldn't ride her home, even though she wasnt lame, as she was freaking out every time we saw a car. I had to stay at her head the whole way home (about 2 miles away) to keep her calm. A couple of lovely people did stop and offer to go back and get their trailers and give us a lift but it was hardly worth it.

The driver gave us his insurance details and admitted fault straight away. Luckily K didnt need any veterinary treatment, so we didnt have to deal with him again, and we felt there was no need to call the police.

I am just interested to see how many more of us on here have been involved in accidents of this nature?
 
HH it would be really interesting if you could do a poll too - get EVERYONE that looks at the thread to answer yes or no to the above question, then we could get some statistics :)
 
yep.

last winter out hacking on my then 4yro on a narrow country lane.
very nearly home and a 4x4 came towards us. i moved Millie up onto the verge to walk past and as we were halfway past the 4x4 either decided to move or his foot slipped off the clutch and he lurched into us.

Millie and i both ended up on the floor and when she got up she galloped off in the direction of a main road. thankfully she came back to me and i had to get back on and ride her home (crossing the main road).

only minor scrapes to Millie and i had concussion but she is now v.wary of traffic coming towards her- particularly if they are nice and stop as she thinks they are preparing to pounce.
 
I have had a few near misses in my time. I always carry a long schooling whip and if they get too close I wack the car, that usually makes them move away and hopefully teaches them to stay further away the next time they drive passed a horse and rider.
 
My horse and I were hit last October, and apart from one cut down his side mercifully escaped almost completely unscathed. Driver, young girl aged about 17, came round the corner and was blinded by the sun, couldn't see either me or the friend I was riding with, all I could hear for a couple of seconds was this car approaching and me screaming at her to stop. Next thing I knew was this horrible crunching sound, and me on my back on the road. I was convinced that my horse would be in bits on the road, but incredibly he was pretty much untouched, and was galloping down the road where he soon stopped and came back to mum. My friend was not hit but her horse spooked and she landed on the road much more heavily and took ages to get up. The air ambulance was called, full works, but she was OK as was her horse. We were both back in action the following weekend.

We and our horses were both SO lucky. We were both hi-vized up to the eyebrows too.

The girl who caused this was horrified and badly shocked, particularly as she has a horse herself, and lives in the village. We've become quite matey as a result!
 
Never actually been hit, but remember many near misses.

Once hacking out with my mum (both riding) and we were waiting on an awful corner not far from home to cross (trafic coming up behind could see us, but not traffic coming the opposite way which would have to come around the bend first). Could hear a car coming so waited, mums pony well on our side of the road, my pony between Marble and the hedge. Sports car came whizzing round the corner STRAIGHT under Marble's head! If it'd have been any other car, it'd have killed her outright more than likely. Guy was that shocked he actually stopped, glanced back and then put his foot down as we had a load of people waiting behind us who must have seen. Marble didn't even bother though, she was good like that!

And a few weeks ago, when I had an incident with 2 separate impatient bus drivers, one of which according to my mum drove as close as 12-18 inches from my horses hind quarters - apparently he thought he could push us down the road!? Then tried to over take us when we had traffic coming towards us down a road that is hardly wide. O.o

Could probably think of more. I HATE hacking!
 
Never been hit but one VERY close miss. Was riding down a typical cornish road, car coming up behind us and also a lorry coming towards us. Car behind tried to overtake but wouldn't make it, pulled in behind us but didn't slow down til last min. If i hadn't started to trot on we would have been hit.
 
Luckily I've only had a tiny, little accident - nothing compared with the nightmares people have already written about! We were on a single lane road, the driver was impatient and would not wait for a wider stretch and as he went past his wing-mirror clipped my leg. Luckily the horse did not mid at all and my foot was OK, but it was unpleasant and unnecessary!
 
I have. About fourteen years ago now. I was cantering on a bridleway that was new to me, when it just ended at a main road - no sign, and you couldn't see the road until you were in it. :(
The horse I was riding was killed, and I broke my back, wrist and cheekbone. The poor van driver was in shock.
There was a campaign to make this junction safer, because I wasn't the first, or last, to have an accident there. Now there's a huge mound of earth in the mouth of the bridleway so riders have to stop and the junction is visible.
Shame it takes fatalities to make things safe.
 
I've only had near misses, thank god. They have usually involved young boy racers in cars or on mopeds or old boy racers seemingly going through a mid-life crisis speeding round the country roads in their sporty little numbers and souped up racing cars. The village my horses are kept and the surrounding areas I hack in has quite a few livery yards, some rented fields and a few people who are lucky enough to keep their horses privately so it's not like horses are a rare sight.

Although, my massive bugbear at the minute involves the school run mums in their chelsea tractors who campaigned like mad for 20mph through the centre of the village (great idea as loads of the kids from the primary school walk/ cycle/scooter to and from school) but who seemingly insist on speeding when school is shut and not bothering to slow down for other road users :confused:
 
Years ago, whilst riding down a wide B road, there was a line of traffic stopped at some road works on the other side of the road and a parked motorbike on the inside of our lane. I was at the head of a line of 3 ponies trotting along to reach a pull-in so we could let the cars behind us past when a car tried to push past us. As he got to me my pony stepped out literally one side step to go around the motorbike, the next thing I knew I was literally sat on the roof of the car and my pony was off his legs :eek:, I somehow managed to push myself back on board and Jack managed to get his legs back under him, and the car driver left the scene.
We got back to the yard which was nearby in one piece but all a bit shaken up.
What we didn't know was that the driver had gone to my home (don't quite know how he knew where it was as it was the other side of town!?) and told my mum that my dangerous pony had kicked his car and look at all the damage it had done :confused: - it was a brand new volvo and the passenger side rear door was caved in. Thankfully he didn't try and take it any further when we told our side of the story but I still can't believe he tried to blame me and the pony when apart from anything else he blatently didn't try and pass "wide and slow" - if we'd been a vehicle he would never have tried to go through the gap but because we were on horses apparently it was fine... grrrr :mad:
 
I was hacking in a quiet country lane on New Years day (morning) in 1997. This is a typical narrow Devon lane with high banks either side. I was riding uphill into bright sunlight and a white van just came up behind us and went into the back of my horse, which literally pushed him up the hill on his backside.

Thank God we were both fine; apart from a slight 3" cut on my horse's bum, but it could have been so much worse I know. Even the dogs, who usually trot on behind, had gone off ahead after a rabbit (again Thank God - someone was looking after us all that day I know) and so they were well out the way.

The driver said that he'd not seen us, which I can believe as it was very bright sunlight and he was coming up the hill and would have had very little visibility; but to say you can't see something as big as a horse is taking the P*** in my opinion. That road is used by little kids sometimes so if they'd been there it would have been a fatality for sure.

I rang the police who asked whether I had been injured. When I said not, they said there was nothing they could do, sweet FA in other words. When I'd got home and got the vet out and all that, and sat down and thought about it (plus stiff drink) I did wonder whether the driver might have tested positive for alcohol, and I suppose if I'd had my mobile with me and called the police on a 999 it might have shown he might have been over the limit, but I was amazed the police didn't want to know. Par for the course I suppose, perhaps they just couldn't be bothered. If it had been a pedestrian or a cyclist it would have been hell to pay.

I was wearing a green jacket on a bay horse at the time, and it made me really think about what I wore out riding, so now its hi viz all the way for me and my horse. It amazes me to still see people out (professional riders are the worst I'm afraid) out with bay/brown horses and neutral shades. If you've ever had the awful experience of having something hurtling towards you and your horse and you KNOW its gonna hit you and there's nothing you can do, you'll get yourself some hi viz believe me.
 
I took a 17.2hh eventer out for some exercise with a friend and two girlies in a fiesta rolled slowly into the horses back legs whilst wewere stopped at a junction, horse promptly sat on her bonnet ( massive dent ) and she got out and cried at the side of the road for 10 mins. Horse was fine by the way.
Teresa
 
I 'hit' a car rather than the car hit me! It was 1978 and my pony bolted up a main road straight into a car head on. We were both lifted in the air, me going one way and the pony the other. The car was a right off but I was fine and my pony was severely winded but got up after a minute or two, shook herself and I hacked her home!
 
Booboos said:
Luckily I've only had a tiny, little accident - nothing compared with the nightmares people have already written about! We were on a single lane road, the driver was impatient and would not wait for a wider stretch and as he went past his wing-mirror clipped my leg. Luckily the horse did not mid at all and my foot was OK, but it was unpleasant and unnecessary!
Click to expand...

I've had the exact same happen to me; the wing mirror scraped along the side of my foot, caught the stirrup and pinged it forwards, snapping the wing mirror back with it. It hit my horse's neck and startled her but she thankfully held steady. Bit of a freak thing to occur but imagine how close he must have been to us to manage it! :eek:

We were wearing hi-viz and he'd clearly seen us, just couldn't wait 20 more seconds for us to reach the next gateway. :rolleyes:
 
I have had lots of near misses but luckily never been hit.

Just ordered some more hi-viz gear today as more and more I feel unsafe out on the road because of the idiot drivers out there.
 
way back in 93 i was hacking out on a old pony that was liveried at my grandparents & i was knocked off by a bus (well wingmirror!) bus approached from behind & rather than wait for the tractor to pass from other direction he tried to squeeze through (at speed) he clipped the back of my head & shoulders with his wing mirror, all i remember was looking at the wide verge 20 yards away & thinking i will get off the road there for him & then bang i was sat on a neighbours lawn looking at Bess's nose & legs. she had this look of "what ya doin there?" on her face. tractor driver owns said garden & driveway & is a good friend so picked us up and walked bess the 50 yards home.
bus company got a right royal roasting from my nan (& not even the travellers in our area mess with her!!!) but they still speed down that road even today.
 
Im not sure this counts but will post it anyway. I didnt get hit but the horse did, it had been spooked by a motorcycle and whilst we were hacking, by the time I got onto the road to find him he had been hit by a car and had to be PTS. I think really that was just an unfortunate accident on both parts but they could never ascertain the speed of the car as he didnt break.
 
I've had my foot hit by a car wing mirror riding along an open single carriageway country road. There was a cyclist coming towards me, and I was aware there was a car coming up behind me quite fast. The car did not slow down, but tried to squeeze between me and the cyclist. The cyclist had to swerve into the field (coming off his bike) to avoid being hit, and the car wing mirror hit my foot. The car did not stop, despite the cyclist having fallen off his bike, and having left his wing mirror hanging from my foot!!!!! Luckily my horse was extreemly sensible throughout.
 
Its terryfying to read how many of you have been hit, and to see how high the poll is for the amount of horses hit by cars or near misses.
Really makes you realise how high the odds are of getting hit every time you ride out.

Thank god I'm moving to a new yard next month where I wont have to ride on the roads any more.
I think everyone should try and be based at a yard where they can avoid roads if possible.
 
When i was about 7 out hacking my pony we got hit by a milk float! It lost control coming down a very steep driveway and just went straight into the side of my horse. Luckily we escaped any major injury but it shook the horse terribly.

Slightly off topic, I had a nasty incident a couple of weeks ago out hacking. Was riding down a fairly busy road (unavoidable where my yard is unfortunately) on my just backed 4 year old. It is a straight road and the weather was perfect so good visibility. A car had slowed behind me at a sensible distance as there was a car coming towards us. Just as the car is level to my horse i hear the loudest bang i think i have ever heard, i swear i thought it was a bomb going off!!! Looked around and a car (obviously speeding and not paying attention!!) had run into the back of the one behind me and my horse and completely smashed the front of his car up. Thankfully my baby is about as bombproof as they come (literally i guess lol) and she barely even flinched at the noise, but it does make me sick to think what might have happened if the person behind me had done what so many do and sat right on our heels... My horse would certainly have got hit from the impact the car had from the one running into it!!
 
Not sure if this counts as I wasn't riding and technically my horse hit the lorry ......

I used to be at yard 4 years ago where we had to lead our horses 200yrds down a road to the fields. Well my friend was turning my horse and her own out. My horse -at the time- was a perfect angel in traffic so he always went on the 'outside' and friends horse next to the kerb. Its a village road but used as a rat-run by commuters.
A lorry (massive one) came up on the heels on the horses, reeved its engine and then procceded to overtake, so close that my (now terrified) horse in his panic bounced into the side of the lorry. At this point both horses bolted and somehow made it to the field without being hit by anything else!

No-one got lorry's numberplate. However no-one was injured. Thank goodness!

My horse has been petrified of lorrys/buses/anything large ever since. Its taken 4years but I can get him to stand on a verge now whilst a lorry etc goes very slowly past. It took ONE idiot to do this to him :-(
 
not your 'normal' hit by car senario...infact we hit the car...or infact sat on it!
in my younger days on my lil pony, whilst out hacking 'spice' decided he needed an itch, i mean desperately needed an itch....so wandered out onto the road toward a very inviting itching post (happened to be the passenger side wing of an old citreon!). Fortunately the car stopped to allow Spice a good long itch on his wing, I had jumped off at this point and was trying to pull him away but with no luck!
There was minor damage to the car, the majority from spice actually sitting down on the bonnet at one point....but a huge dent in my pride !
 
seabiscuit said:
Its terryfying to read how many of you have been hit, and to see how high the poll is for the amount of horses hit by cars or near misses.
Really makes you realise how high the odds are of getting hit every time you ride out.

Thank god I'm moving to a new yard next month where I wont have to ride on the roads any more.
I think everyone should try and be based at a yard where they can avoid roads if possible.
Click to expand...

While I'm not disputing the dangers of riding on the road you have to bear in mind the low numbers responding to this poll compared to the number of people riding on the road - not to mention the fact that the nature of the content is going to attract more people who have had problems than not.
Yes there is a risk to riding on the roads, but the odds of getting hit are not as high as this poll suggests.

I'm sure most people would love to be based at a yard where they didn't have to ride on a road but that just isn't realistic for most of us.
 
Oh, maybe I should include the damage to my own car when my own horse decided to sit on it!

b5mcdh.jpg


Some eejit had left a ladder propped up against the end of the stables, B was tied up on the yard when the wind blew the ladder down with a very loud bang. She pulled back, broke the rope and ran backwards to squash my car. :rolleyes: Good job the car was old enough and ugly enough to have the dent knocked back out with a hammer, horse was fine thankfully!
 
Never been hit, but had a very near miss.
Was hack round a corner when a car came flying up behind us, going too fast to stop so swung out to pass us. There were cars coming in the opposite direction so she had to swing back in just as she drew level with us. Luckily my horse panicked and bolted, so she didn't hit us, but it was very near.

My friend had someone purposely nudge her horse's back legs several times because it couldn't pass her. Her horse kept stumbling and it wasn't until she turned round to see why that she noticed what the car was doing!!
 
My friend had a car run into the back of her and her horse a few years ago. Bright morning, around lunchtime, she was riding through the village. She was thrown into the hedgerows and uninjured. Horse was rushed into vets on trailer, but sadly had too many internal injuries and was put to sleep.
 
no thank goodness though i believe riding on the roads is so dangerous it's generally down to luck. :( so sorry to hear about these stories. back lanes should all be 30mph speed limits IMO.
 
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