‘I wouldn’t want this on someone’: rider significantly injured in street crash that killed her horse


  • A rider who used to be significantly injured in a street collision that killed her horse stated she “would no longer want what I’ve been via on someone”.

    Rubrics, a 13-year-old former racehorse owned by means of Sarah Cunningham from Handsacre, Staffordshire, needed to be put down after the incident involving a 4×4 on a lane in Nethertown in December 2022. Sarah suffered 4 damaged ribs and 6 different fractures, and had to make use of a wheelchair for 12 weeks.



    At a listening to at Stafford Crown Courtroom on 15 December 2023, the uninsured motive force of the automobile used to be sentenced to 120 hours’ group carrier and an 18-month group order. He used to be fined £300 and used to be banned from using for one year. He had pleaded accountable to inflicting critical harm by means of careless or thoughtless using.

    Cathryn Godfrey, specialist critical harm legal professional at Irwin Mitchell who represented Sarah, stated: “The previous 12 months has been extremely tough for Sarah as she makes an attempt to come back to phrases with the have an effect on of her accidents.

    “Understandably, she additionally stays heartbroken by means of the lack of her liked horse Rubrics. She used to be not able to mention good-bye to him because of her accidents and suspected spinal injury on the scene.

    “Whilst Sarah continues to growth together with her restoration, she faces many demanding situations. We’re decided to give a boost to her so she will be able to get right of entry to the remedy she wishes to transport ahead together with her existence as best possible she will be able to.

    “Horse riders are a number of the maximum susceptible of street customers, and street visitors incidents may cause no longer most effective critical bodily accidents but in addition emotional trauma for the rider and life-ending accidents to the pony. The have an effect on will also be devastating and stay with the injured individual life-long.”

    Sarah suffered a head harm in addition to the damaged ribs, and fractures to her proper shoulder, left ankle and left foot.

    She stated: “I’m nonetheless haunted by means of the collision and dropping Rubrics so all of sudden because of any individual else’s movements. It used to be devastating. He used to be my horse of an entire life and I in reality fight to believe myself ever getting again to using with out him.

    “I’ve spent the previous 12 months that specialize in my restoration. Driving used to be my primary passion, however I used to be additionally a runner, and loved going to the fitness center and boxing. I’ve no longer been in a position to go back to those actions but.

    “I in reality want I may just flip again the clock and alter what took place that day, however I do know that’s no longer imaginable. All I will do is proceed to paintings onerous on my restoration. I’m hoping that by means of sharing my tale, I will urge street customers to be protected and take care always.

    “I wouldn’t want what I’ve been via on someone.”

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