Tragedy for Francesca and Her Beloved Horse Bart

As the British Horse Society send out a plea for road users to be vigilant following four horse deaths in six weeks, the stark reality of the dangers caused by inconsiderate road users is brought home when you read stories, such as Francesca’s, below:

Francesca and her beloved horse, Bart, were out on their usual ride when they were struck by a car.

Francesca said;

It all happened so fast. We were walking along when suddenly Bart was off his feet, with his back on the car. I fell off and hit the floor and Bart was next to me. I could see he was in so much pain”.

Francesca suffered torn ligaments and tendons, as well as nerve damage. If she had not been wearing a helmet her injuries could have been much worse. She was airlifted to hospital by the Great North Air Ambulance Service.

Bart was less fortunate and, due to his horrific injures, he was put down at the scene.

Francesca, who is now recovering well, is determined that Bart will not have died for nothing;

Bart was my best friend, and I am sure that the way that he took the impact saved my life. He was such a gentleman and was great with the younger horses. He never spooked and he would go out with the younger ones to show them how to behave on the road.

I have set up a go fund me page called Bart’s Legacy. The money that we raise will be split between the Great North Air Ambulance Service and for educational purposes. I am going to work with The British Horse Society to help raise awareness of the issue because if it can happen to me and Bart, it can happen to anyone.”

Francesca also has a message for drivers;

I would ask drivers to be considerate on the roads. Passing us slow and wide can make a real difference – it might just save a life”.

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Suzanne Ashton

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.