Woman suing an animal charity.

[criso]

But the horse tripped after spooking. The spook itself didn't cause her to fall. The trip could have happened at any speed.

I think they are saying that the spook unbalanced her and the trip finished her off.

Swans aren't that common place, either, so most horses won't be de-sensitised.

The one I met was a river a rode alongside at least a couple of times a week for several years and only once did I meet a swan. It was on the path facing me and just as we were about to pass it, it lifted its wings and hissed at us and Frankie's courage failed him. He span but I got him back and turned him round but he wasn't for having another go. Then the fisherman who's gf had a horse appeared and walked between Frankie and the swan and we got past.

It is all to do with the wording of the Animals Act and characteristics of an animal at certain times. Much complicated.

The phrase "abnormal propensity to spook" was used in the article in relation to this particular horse however a swan is unusual enough to cause many horses to react who would not usually spook.


They also seem to be making much of the size of the horse but a small one could spin even quicker and it'd be even more difficult to stay on board.

 

[I'm Dun]

Swans are tossers! I obviously meet a lot of them living on a boat. For about 3 days I had to keep going out and shooing one off the path as it was scaring everyone and no one would walk past it. I had to use my very best angry lady voice and be very firm as otherwise it was going nowhere!

 

[Rowreach]

They're like flying sheep round here. We have literally hundreds of them grazing in the fields all winter. The horses are absolutely fine with them when they are being sheep, but when they turn into swans and take off en masse over your head as you're hacking along a lane, it can be quite dramatic. Hopefully they'll all bog off back to the lough soon.

 

[Apercrumbie]

Reading the article I don't think she has much of a case - I don't think any equine expert would argue that a horse is unusually spooky if they spook at a swan coming at them. I've known some pretty bombproof horses in my time but that would challenge most of them I reckon!

I do feel for the lady - it sounds like she has life-changing injuries and it's a long old life if you don't have enough money to make it easier. I really doubt she will win this one and as awful as it sounds, I don't want her to. Sadly it's the risk we take when we get on a horse and from the description in the article, I don't think anyone has been negligent here.

 

[humblepie]

Swans are tossers! I obviously meet a lot of them living on a boat. For about 3 days I had to keep going out and shooing one off the path as it was scaring everyone and no one would walk past it. I had to use my very best angry lady voice and be very firm as otherwise it was going nowhere!

That made me laugh though wouldn’t want to have to go past a swan guard to go out.

 

[HeresHoping]

I have all those symptoms but I haven't fallen off a Suffolk Punch. Just the menopause...

 

[silv]

S*@# happens. Not a concept that seems to be accepted these days. Where an injury is a result of a deliberate act or negligence, yes, there should be a right to recompense, but often accidents just happen and often there is no one to sue. Just a further example of life and luck.

You are correct, I feel sorry for the charity, stupid woman would have known any horse can spook at a something unexpected and trip, no wonder riding schools are giving up.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

 

[[167546]]

Hi,

I've been following this tread for a while and need comment on information that seems to be missing.

A lot of people and especially the press have missed an important point that the horses seem to owned and shown and shows by Sarah Potterton's husband, Ben Potterton. Ben is a trustee of The Otter Trust that manages Dickleburgh Moor and Earsham Wetlands Centre where the accident took place. The horses have been kept at Earsham and Dickleburgh Moor.

I know Ben and a few people in his circle of friends. Some are no longer friends because they have dared to voice an opinion.

As I understand Sarah Potterton was advised not to ride any of these these work horses (there are three horses in total). I understand she had ridden one of them on occasions prior to this accident and that this was an accident waiting to happen.

While insurance is in place for accidents I wholly disagree that Sarah Potterton should be claiming for this accident through the insurers of The Otter Trust.

If I was told not to ride a horse that maybe easily spooked by swans and flying birds and I fell off because because I ignored all common sense and advice when the horse was spooked it would be my own stupid fault. This was on a wetland centre and guess what? There are flying birds and swans there that might spook a horse. For the Sarah Potterton now to claim compensation from the landowners insures for injury where Mr Potterton is a trustee stinks of a fish... Or would that be otters? Mind you I've never seen an otter at Dickleburgh Moor on any of my hundreds of visits there.

None of what I've written here should be taken as factual evidence. It is my personal opinion and information based hearsay from people that used to be friends of the Potterton's.
_________________________________
A statement from The Otter Trust reads:
Statement from the Otter Trust
We are aware of some media coverage this week as part of an ongoing investigation into an accident at our Earsham site in 2019.
Our responsibility to our Trustees, Staff, Volunteers and visitors is always our priority, and it was our former chairman who originally reported this accident to our insurers.
We can not comment specifically as this is an ongoing case, but we fully support our colleague and are disgusted by the vile abuse that she and other staff members have received on social media following the press coverage.
As a Trust we will not tolerate any form of bullying or harassment and are therfore equally disturbed by the behaviour of a small group of people, who specifically share misinformation, photograph our staff and visitors, troll our social media and harras our stakeholders in relation to our Dickleburgh Moor Nature Reserve.
We thank everyone who has sent us messages of support and will pass these sentiments to our colleagues.
Roger Walsh - Chair of the Trustees
_________________________________

 

[Parrotperson]

Hi,

I've been following this tread for a while and need comment on information that seems to be missing.

A lot of people and especially the press have missed an important point that the horses seem to owned and shown and shows by Sarah Potterton's husband, Ben Potterton. Ben is a trustee of The Otter Trust that manages Dickleburgh Moor and Earsham Wetlands Centre where the accident took place. The horses have been kept at Earsham and Dickleburgh Moor.

I know Ben and a few people in his circle of friends. Some are no longer friends because they have dared to voice an opinion.

As I understand Sarah Potterton was advised not to ride any of these these work horses (there are three horses in total). I understand she had ridden one of them on occasions prior to this accident and that this was an accident waiting to happen.

While insurance is in place for accidents I wholly disagree that Sarah Potterton should be claiming for this accident through the insurers of The Otter Trust.

If I was told not to ride a horse that maybe easily spooked by swans and flying birds and I fell off because because I ignored all common sense and advice when the horse was spooked it would be my own stupid fault. This was on a wetland centre and guess what? There are flying birds and swans there that might spook a horse. For the Sarah Potterton now to claim compensation from the landowners insures for injury where Mr Potterton is a trustee stinks of a fish... Or would that be otters? Mind you I've never seen an otter at Dickleburgh Moor on any of my hundreds of visits there.

None of what I've written here should be taken as factual evidence. It is my personal opinion and information based hearsay from people that used to be friends of the Potterton's.
_________________________________
A statement from The Otter Trust reads:
Statement from the Otter Trust
We are aware of some media coverage this week as part of an ongoing investigation into an accident at our Earsham site in 2019.
Our responsibility to our Trustees, Staff, Volunteers and visitors is always our priority, and it was our former chairman who originally reported this accident to our insurers.
We can not comment specifically as this is an ongoing case, but we fully support our colleague and are disgusted by the vile abuse that she and other staff members have received on social media following the press coverage.
As a Trust we will not tolerate any form of bullying or harassment and are therfore equally disturbed by the behaviour of a small group of people, who specifically share misinformation, photograph our staff and visitors, troll our social media and harras our stakeholders in relation to our Dickleburgh Moor Nature Reserve.
We thank everyone who has sent us messages of support and will pass these sentiments to our colleagues.
Roger Walsh - Chair of the Trustees
_________________________________

Well if this is the case it come to light in court.

 

[AmyMay]

Well if this is the case it come to light in court.

Precisely.

 

[skinnydipper]

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[Orangehorse]

My horse was never worried with pheasants that flew up in front of him, but he didn't like ducks. I was cantering along the side of a stream when a couple of ducks flew up from the water, completely out of sight until then. He shied, tripped slightly, I went flying over his head and the fall resulted in broken ribs, I reflected later that if I had landed on my back instead of my side I might have broken my back. I recovered.

That was a horse that was very quiet in most circumstances, but even a horse like him could take fright. It is a horse, not a rocking horse.