An Isle of Wight woman is “beyond heartbroken” after her horse slipped on the main road surface just outside Yarmouth at the weekend and had to be put to sleep after breaking its shoulder.
Thirty to forty drivers are reported to have driven past Georgia Hedley-Ward without offering to help, after her horse of 15 years, Archie, fell onto her, trapping her underneath.
Georgia said Archie tragically had to be put down at the scene by the vet.
Drove on by
The incident happened at the brow of the hill on the main Yarmouth Road coming from Cranmore Avenue, just before Hamstead Road.
Georgia says she was in clear view of the drivers when Archie slipped and fell, landing on top of her. Whilst struggling to get free, she said 30-40 vehicles drove past without stopping to offer help.
Click on image to see larger version
Archie eventually managed to get up, but stood only on three legs, having broken his shoulder.
New road surfaces “dangerous for horses”
Back in November 2014, the Isle of Wight MP, Andrew Turner, arranged a meeting with representatives from Island Roads and the Council to allow horse owners to share their concerns over the slipperiness of new road surfaces.
The problem did not just affect horses, but also cyclists, as experienced by one of our readers.
Following the fatal incident, Georgia said,
“People have been complaining for years that these new cheap surfaces they are putting down are too slippy and dangerous for horses and now we’ve lost Archie because of it.
“Nothing will bring him back, but I just want them to see that this is a danger and it needs looking in to.”
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Archie just before the incident
OnTheWight will pursue the problem with Island Roads and our deepest condolences are with Georgia and her family.
