On Wednesday May 25t 2016, 28-year-old horse rider Rosie Archibald, was struck by a tractor, whilst riding her horse, Rio. The incident happened while Rosie was riding along Bretforton road with her friend Vicky Tomkins. The Honeybourne rider was taken to the Alexander hospital in Redditch, where after a MRI and CT scan, it was confirmed she had sustained a broken c6 vertebrae. Her horse Rio, who is a 17hh ex racehorse, is described as gentle, suffered deep lacerations and cuts from the incident.
In a statement from Worcester news, Rosie’s friend Vicky Tomkins who witnessed the incident said:
“I have 25 years’ experience in riding and Rosie has 10 years. Both our horses are quiet and good in traffic but when this tractor came along it was very noisy, “she said. “It was an old tractor and rattley. It was probably going about 20mph and Rosie waved it to slow down but it just kept coming. The next thing was seeing her horse knocked off his feet and Rosie coming off. She fell to the road onto her head. She was badly injured but if she had come off on the other side the horse would have fallen on her and killed her. It was really frightening.”
Rosie, who is mother to three children, said of the incident:
“I am really angry about this. My horse, who is so quiet and used to tractors from being on a farm, was badly injured. He has had to be stitched up and will now be stabled for a month so he can heal.
“We wear hi-vis vests so we can be seen easily. All horse riders ask is that drivers respect the horses and slow down when they approach them. This accident will have really shaken him.”
The police are appealing for anyone who witnesses the incident or who has any information to contact 101 with incident number 155 of May 25.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.