Nasty accident - horse and car

J

JaneMBE

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My friend had a nasty accident last evening.
Out on a hack, not far from the yard, the girth broke (will disuss this later) and the horse bolted straight into a speeding car (not a main road, a side road)
I think the horse turned to avoid it or protect the rider, but he landed on his neck. The rider, Tracy (Wps on here) was flung and dragged and somersaulted into the car (open top).

The horse kept on running for a bit and appears to be ok, very shaken. Has quite a few cuts and his neck has a lump where he landed. Tracy has gone to casualty this morning (should have gone last night but was really shaken and upset obviously) Just awaiting to hear how she is, she was limping and her leg was a bit swollen and bruised.
Horse was checked over last night, and someone is coming out again this afternoon to check swelling etc. I gave him a nice big bed to settle in, he is eating ok although a lot quieter than usual. He is obviously shaken still.

There was no good reason for the girth to break as it did! It is fairly new and has no signs of wear and tear. I won't mention the brand/company, but you will see from the photo. I am going to email the company as this shouldn't have happened, for both bits to come off like this.


Girth:

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The poor Horse (Jeddah)

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You can't really see the swelling in the photo.

Can we have some gentle hugs and vibes, because not sure how Jeddah is and what the swelling is (internal bruise?)


The car driver ok, shaken, the car a bit damaged. He wasn't in total control of his reactions and was driving too fast.
 
Blumen hell! never seen a girth break like that! and for BOTH straps to break is appauling! Hope both horse and rider feel better soon
 
Omg how awful for all involved, how weird for a newish girth to do that? Baffled, Lets be glad it wasnt worse as it easily could have been.
 
Jesus, how lucky were they???

I must admit I am fanatical about checking my tack but if it's a fairly new girth then that's just disgraceful.

Massive hugs & infinite vibes for both of them.
xx
 
Initial reaction OMG I ride in those girths on all my horses!!

2nd reaction, I am a horrible person, 1st thought should have been for that poor little chap with his nasty looking gashes and lump and for your friend.

Good luck to you all
 
Thank you
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I have these girths too and will be tugging at them everytime now, I am hoping this is just a really bad manufacture fault, will see what the company says. There is no fraying or wear on the stitching that I can see, apart from the thread you can see in the pic.

Not horrible cai, my first reaction was to say, it shouldn't have done that.
The osteo is coming out at 3 to see the horse too, so will know more about Jeddah then.

Hopefully Tracy can clam her nerves and get back on a horse asap, it has really knocked her confidence (as it would)
 
I would be doing more than emailing the company .I would be informing the company I was getting legal advice , and sending them the vets bill .
Hope they all mend , terrible thing to happen.
Always use knee and brushing boots ,I like the westhrop ones .
 
The best wishes ever to your friend for both her and her horse as this is the stuff of nightmares! I hope you get to the reasons for this as it seems like a totally unpredictable horrifc accident. One minor point but in your photo the make is visible so just check the photo.
 
I used to use that girth (brand name visible in pic)
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but am now using an aerborne humane girth.......

Not sure I would trust that again..... they are easy to over tighten because of the elastic half, but I wouldnt think it should break like that
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Poor horsey and rider.... vibes to them and hope they recover quickly
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[ QUOTE ]
I would be doing more than emailing the company .I would be informing the company I was getting legal advice , and sending them the vets bill .
Hope they all mend , terrible thing to happen.
Always use knee and brushing boots ,I like the westhrop ones .

[/ QUOTE ]

How afful. I agree also legal advice is a must.
 
Thanks. I will amend the photo. Jeddah normally wears boots, brushing ones, not knee ones (I think) not sure if he was last night
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Those photos have really upset me, the poor, poor horse. None of it was his fault. And poor Tracey, too, of course - I hope she's not too shaken up and the accident will have done no lasting damage to her nerve.

This is just awful.
 
God God, no girth should break like that. That is quite clearly a mahoosive manufacturing error. You absolutely MUST send it back and make a strong complaint.

Poor Jeddah, and poor Tracey, I hope they are both on the mend soon. I am glad that the car driver was OK as well - even if he was a muppet and speeding, no-one is ever prepared for seeing a fleeing horse coming straight at them.
 
Oh no, I do hope T & J are both OK
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Are the ends of the girth elasticated straps? If so then I would hazard a guess that the company are going to say they were overtightened and refuse to get into discussion about it
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I have just emailed them, with photos, as I am dealing with this for Tracy. Have told them they can examine the girth after I have an independent person look it over (not sure who yet though! Maybe a saddlery?)
I shall go back to yard in a bit, to see how everyone is. The people on the hack also were very shaken up. Will stay until Jeddah has been seen (we don't see eye to eye but I am a real softie and don't like to see him injured and not himself. Would rather he was launching himself at me over the door lol)
 
Oh dear this is terrible!
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Hope they both make a full and speedy recovery. I cannot see the pics due to work computer not allowing me but im sure they are bad reading some of the replys. I will have a look when i get home.

{{{{healing vibes}}}} for both of them.x
 
((((((hugs)))))) for both
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and I would be very careful to get that girth independently checked first, and then make sure that if you take it to the manufacturer, that it returns with you and doesn't accidentally 'vanish' since if it becomes a legal issue then that's your evidence.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Oh no, I do hope T & J are both OK
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Are the ends of the girth elasticated straps? If so then I would hazard a guess that the company are going to say they were overtightened and refuse to get into discussion about it
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[/ QUOTE ]

I think I am inclined to agree Weezy
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OMG That is sooo awful, they were very lucky though, glad everyone is ok but loads of hugs and carrots being sent their way...
I use those girths as well
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bit worried now
 
I'd get trading standards to look at the girth - they have clout that a normal saddler wouldn't

hugs to both horse and rider
 
Ye Gods! Both of them were incredibly lucky, and fingers crossed that both are OK and live to fight another day. I'd certainly take more action than just getting in touch with the manufacturers - both horse, rider and driver could have been killed.
 

JavaJane
Chillidragon has made a very valid point. Your friend is going to need that girth if it comes to be used as evidence. Do NOT send the company the girth. Send them photographs and a detailed report and tell them that they are welcome to travel to you and examine it. If you send them the only piece of evidence, you will never see it again and it will leave your friend without a leg to stand on should the case go to court.
 
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Has your friend got enemies? That girth looks af it has been cut

[/ QUOTE ]

thats what i was thinking..

no freyed edges of cloth or elastic???

could they have been tampered with??
 
If it helps at all we had a similar issue with a retracting lead. I hate them and never wanted one but Hubbs wanted a go and so we bought one. The dog weighed at the time 76KG and the lead was stipulated:
'for a strong dog' up to 90Kg.
Within a month the lead broke. We were walking the dog with about 1 metre of lead and the rachett went and terrified the dog. He ripped the lead out of hubbs hand and in panic fled (he was only 2) Several people witnessed this and he ran for over a mile with the hand unit smacking into him. We lost him for around 1/2 hour but thank God he had run away from the road and the usual route we would have taken. We found him exhausted and bleeding (dew clew ripped) We took the maufacturer to task and they were made to pay all vets bills, recall the unit and the price of the original unit. I mentioned court action and they did pay up. The main stipulation was that they reviewed the unit. It could have been a lot worse. I hope you get some satisfactory answers and do not be fobbed off.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Has your friend got enemies? That girth looks af it has been cut

[/ QUOTE ]

thats what i was thinking..

no freyed edges of cloth or elastic???

could they have been tampered with??

[/ QUOTE ]

You have both said what I was thinking when I first saw it
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but didn't want to say. But, the bits go inside the leather and are stitched? Will take close up pics when I get back from yard.
 
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