Rider’s appeal after her horse is ‘spooked’ by van
AN experienced rider has pleaded with road users to slow down and show consideration after her horse was ‘spooked’ in the latest of a series of ‘highly dangerous’ encounters.
Clare Halstead, from Bacup, contacted the Free Press to raise awareness of the growing issue - which she fears is getting worse and could lead to a serious incident - especially as summer approaches.
Clare, 32, was riding on Rochdale Road with her sixyear-old mare Midnight on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 5 when she says a large white van sped past her so close that it actually brushed past her and caused the petrified horse to bolt down the road.
She said it was the third similar instance in the space of a fortnight.
She said: “I nearly came off. It really scared the horse and all the cars had to make an emergency stop because she was flying down the road. It absolutely terrified me. About five or six people actually saw it happen.
“People have found me on Facebook to check we are okay. My horse is ‘bombproof’, but he must have been going at about 50mph and got so close to me that it touched my whip.
“I didn’t panic too much, but if I had fallen off it could have been a lot worse.”
Clare says it’s not only motorists who can be a menace - inconsiderate pedal cyclists can also cause havoc if they don’t warn riders when they are approaching behind by ringing a bell or calling out.
She said on another recent occasion she took her little boy out for a ride and they were nearly ‘taken out’ by a taxi.
“My friend owns a riding school and she took a few children out a few months ago and she said the same thing happened to her,” added Clare.
“I do think over the past few months since the lockdown it’s got a lot worse. A lot of people just don’t have the knowledge with horses.
“They get too close and it happens a lot of the time around this area. They think they’re robots; they’re not, they’re animals.”