| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Roseanne |
Posted - 11 Feb 2013 : 10:14:46 PM
We've just got a story to investigate today about a horse being hit by a Tesco van!
It was only a couple of weeks ago I put up a 'funny' photo up on Facebook of two horses being chased down a hillside by a Tesco van, one shouting to the other to run!
They seem to have a reputation of being driven really dangerously and to hit a horse out hacking is dreadful!
I'll report back when we get any further news about who and where... |
| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Roseanne |
Posted - 14 Feb 2013 : 8:44:46 PM
Marion I'm amazed the rider wasn't injured. I can't imagine the effects of having the horse you're riding killed underneath you!
Tesco said they were 'very sad' this had happened and were in touch with the owner, which is the hunt. I imagine they are going to have to pay heavily for this. Or their insurance will! |
| KittyB |
Posted - 14 Feb 2013 : 1:44:58 PM
I feel for the grooms and the distress this has caused them. I wonder if Tesco would fund a TV ad now?
When I ride on the road, I always keep an ear out and when I hear something approaching from behind I always glance round to check its position in the road. I'm terrified of being crashed into from behind. I know it's not always possible though, particularly on a busy or bendy road and if you're riding and leading too. Poor horse.
Hope the BHS get involved and start a TV ad. |
| marionpack |
Posted - 14 Feb 2013 : 1:29:30 PM
Back in December we had 2 horses so badly injured that they where put down at the scene, the driver (believed to be over the limit)drove straight into the back of them without breaking. There was a third horse that was being ridden on the path and not injured, the 2 riders (mother and daughter and both very experienced) where taken to hospital, one with very bad facial injuries as she was thrown over the car into the gutter and the daughter with a broken arm. It isn't safe on the roads anymore, it only takes a few seconds to be considerate and careful, I don't think drivers realise how much damage a horse can do to their car, let alone what damage they can do to horse and rider |
| Roseanne |
Posted - 13 Feb 2013 : 3:47:21 PM
Well the story's up on our Facebook page, at least the front page is reproduced there, so I guess I can print the story here now. There is a quote from Tesco who said they were very sad about it and were in touch with the owner...
A horse was put down in a village street after its back legs were broken when it was hit by a Tesco delivery van.
The animal, believed to be based at the Warwickshire Hunt Kennels in Little Kineton, was one of a party of horses being exercised through Kineton's Bridge Street last Tuesday morning at around 10.30am.
Master of the Warwickshire Hunt, Sam Butler, said: "It caused a great deal of distress and it is very lucky no one was injured.
"A horse belonging to the hunt was being exerecised in the usual way. Three were being ridden and each one was leading another.
"Unfortunately one was hit by a vehicle resulting in a leg being broken. You can't mend a broken leg in a horse and it had to be humanely destroyed.
"Fortunately hunt staff werer less than half a mile away and were down there to deal with it as quickly as possible. they have the experience to deal with incidents like this and it was dealt with extremely quickly to ensure as little distress as possible."
Mr Butler said the rider of the injured horse had not been injured although all three grooms were extremely shocked and distressed.
"Police were called to the scene and thr grooms made statements. It is all in the hands of the hunt's insurers and the vehicle's insurers. It was very difficult and distressing," he said.
Owner of a shop nearby said the first she knew about the incident was when a customer came in and remarked that police were washing blood from the road surface at the bottom of Bridge Street.
"I was told it had been hit from behind by a Tesco delivery van," she said.
"Apparently the girl riding it was unhurt but was absolutely gutted. It was all dealt with very quickly. It is awful. The hunt horses tend to go out in a group and sometimes one is ridden and a second is led."
A Warwickshire police press officer confirmed that a Mercedes Sprinter box van had collided with a horse in Kineton and its severe injuries had meant it was immediately euthanased at the scene.
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| Roseanne |
Posted - 13 Feb 2013 : 3:09:26 PM
Good ideas KittyB. I wonder if the BHS would fund it? |
| KittyB |
Posted - 13 Feb 2013 : 1:52:31 PM
The Tesco drivers in my area are actually very careful when driving past us. They slow down and pass wide and slow, sometimes even stopping! Perhaps our man is a horse owner, or related to one.
I agree that a TV ad campaign is the only way - perhaps some photos of accidents might do the trick to get people to slow down - bit like the Bike and 30mph campaigns. Plus, perhaps some photos of what damage can be done to their precious cars by crashing into a horse? The BHS have done a sort of campaign, but I think they preach to the converted - it needs to be on national TV and not just in the horse press.
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| Fee |
Posted - 13 Feb 2013 : 11:50:46 AM
Yes, I can just imagine things like 'Tesco cutting out the middle man' etc
Fee
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| Roseanne |
Posted - 13 Feb 2013 : 11:32:25 AM
True, it was def Tesco's fault (hope I don't get sued!) as it hit the horse from behind and broke its leg. The groom was up on the horse and leading another to her nearside.
I'll be able to post the full story tomorrow once it's out in our paper!
I totally agree that they put dreadful pressure on the drivers to do a requisite amount of deliveries every day and they have to hurl those vans around. So dangerous. But this story is going to go national, and I can tell you with the horsemeat in Tesco foods thing, it's going to provoke a lot of mirth too!! |
| Sasha Melia |
Posted - 13 Feb 2013 : 10:51:53 AM
Hi Roseanne this is awful! I assume it was local?!
I blame Tesco for this as I bet they put their drivers under so much pressure to do a certain amount of deliveries in a day, that they end up HAVING to drive like nutters. Tescos greed has no end  |
| Roseanne |
Posted - 12 Feb 2013 : 10:36:05 PM
The latest is, the van hit the horse from behind in the middle of a village; it was a hunt horse and was one of six being exercised with one ridden, one led in a line of three. The horse had to be put down immediately as the van's impact broke its leg. Fortunately the hunt yard was half a mile away and they were able to put it down within a few minutes (obviously they have the 'expertise'). The rider was gutted and the matter's in the hands of insurance companies. The hunt master gave us the full story this evening.
For sure country roads aren't as safe as they used to be, especially with SatNav. And people have little respect for horses. We need a TV education campaign!! |
| george |
Posted - 12 Feb 2013 : 6:43:44 PM
I hate hacking out now because of dangerous drivers, I wear "please pass wide and slow" which I find has the most effect as some genuinely don't know "how" to pass a horse safely, but even with that there are some that will deliberately drive close and fast whilst revving their engine  Have you noticed that when they pass cyclists nearly all give them a huge space???? then pass a horse with an inch to spare |
| Judith S |
Posted - 12 Feb 2013 : 2:46:23 PM
If any delivery drivers come up the lane to us too fast they tend to find a tractor parked across the road when they get back to our neighbours with a very vociferous welshman berating them in no uncertain terms. |
| Suelin |
Posted - 12 Feb 2013 : 1:36:19 PM
The best way forward with delivery drivers is to e-mail the company they work for giving time and location and complain to them. We did this here with a Sainsbury's driver and they have all been ultra careful ever since. These companies want our business and consider that they have to convey a good image to keep it. The PO have also been spoken to regarding our Postman who thinks he's Michael Schumacher! I don't know if they've moved him or he's on holiday but it has been much safer here this week without him. |
| carole ferguson |
Posted - 12 Feb 2013 : 12:18:46 PM
A friend of mine in Surrey was hit on a bad bend - her horse had to be PTS and she was injured - the driver was an off duty police woman going home from work. |
| Roseanne |
Posted - 12 Feb 2013 : 10:16:14 AM
The traditional Tesco mad-drivers are legendary around here. When they race round the corner near our field gate, you can hear the plastic trays of goods whacking the side of the lorry.
I hear today the horse had to be put down at the scene; broken leg. Waiting for a call from the police to give us details...
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| Ryu |
Posted - 12 Feb 2013 : 10:14:15 AM
The home delivery drivers are some of the safest on the roads I have to ride on. I have found all of the so far to be really polite.
It's the mothers driving the little darlings to school I have to be aware of. They are the lethal ones....
Then there are the contractors in their tractors and the local farmers one of whom shouted "that thing shouldn't be on the road" at me last week when he tried to bump his sheep trailer past me on a country lane...
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| pinkvboots |
Posted - 12 Feb 2013 : 10:04:42 AM
How awful we have accado vans fly up the lane my house is on, I only ride one of my horses along this lane but have screamed at a few for going far too fast, Grace is brilliant on the road not worried by anything reason why only she is ridden on the road Arabi is lethal. |
| martha615 |
Posted - 12 Feb 2013 : 09:04:00 AM
I am so sorry to hear this. I am not surprised, however. So sad 
My horses and my kids seem to be used as traffic calming devices in my neighbourhood. I can't bear it, so I get up onto the pavement, into driveways, verges, anything at all to get away from the drivers. I get yelled at all the time, but if I think my horse is in danger, I don't care if I get yelled at.
I have a trailer now so will be driving to safer hacking when the weather gets better. When will that be, exactly?
Sometimes I am rather glad my welsh mare makes such a fuss over tractors and lorries. I cover her in hi viz and when she has a hissy fit long before the lorry emerges, it scares them into slowing down. Her hissy fit is so small that I am not worried, but they are terrified of her, which is great. My irish cob (totally bombproof) gave lorry drivers a false sense of safety to pass as close as possible to him. Once, during shooting season, some idiot in a landrover tried to NUDGE him off a byway with his car! I called out, "Can you please not deliberately hit my horse with your car?" and they just drove on! |
| littlearabians |
Posted - 11 Feb 2013 : 11:04:03 PM
In this area ASDA home delivery are lethal... really wonder if they never think they could kill someone...
I knew a show jumper years ago in Denmark that had the postman hit it and take off its leg I'll never forget that sight. |
