Woman thrown from horse as appeal made for drivers to slow down

A HORSE owner has urged drivers to pass at slower speeds after a woman was thrown from her horse on Sunday and had to be taken to hospital.

Diane Taylor said it was the second time that a rider had been thrown and injured in the South Mainland of Shetland “in a matter of months”.

She said that herself and a friend were out on their horses on Sunday when a van passed them “far too fast”, causing the horses to become “badly spooked”.

One person was thrown off and injured, and has since been signed off their work for two weeks, she said.

A woman on their horse.

A woman on their horse.

“The driver did stop and the police are investigating,” she said.

“What was very clear though is that the driver didn’t seem aware of the Highway Code guidance around passing horses safely.”

Taylor told Shetland News that there “simply isn’t enough awareness of the Highway Code guidance, unfortunately”.

She urged drivers to slow right down, to 10mph or less, when passing horses on the road.

“Before the usual ‘horses shouldn’t be on the road’ comments, many of us in rural areas simply don’t have another option,” she wrote on social media on Monday.

“There are no networks of off-road tracks connecting everywhere we need to go.

“Horses, riders and carriage drivers have a legal right to use the road, just like cyclists, tractors and walkers.”

Taylor said that even the calmest horse could react suddenly if frightened, and that if a vehicle passed too fast or too close then people could be “seriously injured or killed”.

Drivers should avoid revving the engine, pass wide and slow and be patient and wait if needed to,” she added.

“A few extra seconds for a driver can prevent trauma, injury and heartbreak for riders, carriage drivers, horses and families.

“Thank you to everyone who helped at the scene. Your kindness is so much appreciated.”

Police Scotland has been contacted for comment.