UPDATE: Horse killed in Pontllanfraith road collision with van

3:24pm Sunday 24th February 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Melissa Jones

KILLED: The scene where a horse died following a collision with a van in Pontllanfraith yesterday KILLED: The scene where a horse died following a collision with a van in Pontllanfraith yesterday

A RIDING horse was killed outside a Valleys school after it ran loose on a road.

Police said the animal collided with a van on Blackwood Road, Pontllanfraith, the horse's rider was thrown off and it ran into an oncoming vehicle.

A man who works nearby said he heard the horse was spooked, bolted down the road and was hit at the roundabout by the junction with Penllwyn Lane, at around 1.30pm.

Barriers at the scene, outside Pontllanfraith Comprehensive, could clearly seen to be dented as police carried out a clean-up effort.

Pastor Phil Harris and his wife Jayne, from Markham Congregational Chapel, whose house overlooks the scene, said they heard a bang and rushed outside.

Mr Harris saw the horse lying on the ground, while its rider and her friend, holding her grey horse, looked on.

He said: "The poor girls were distraught. It was a traumatic incident."

The couple asked the people who had gathered at the scene if they wanted to come into their house, while other members of the community rallied round with cups of tea.

Mr Harris said it was a dangerous road, with cars often speeding towards Blackwood.

Their neighbour Les Herring, 88, said accidents were a regular occurrence and there had been several near misses.

"It's a bit of a blackspot," he said.

Both the rider and the van driver sustained minor injuries, while the driver of the oncoming vehicle was not hurt.

Blackwood Road was cordoned off for several hours after the incident.

Comments(14)

displayed says...
8:34pm Sun 24 Feb 13

Orse's and vehicles dont mix!

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gatty says...
8:35pm Sun 24 Feb 13

oh my god here we go again,mr harris said"it was a dangerous road, with cars often speeding towards Blackwood"so once again the car drivers get the fault,ive seen many young girls riding Horses and believe me no way would a grown up control a Horse no matter a child.i feel sorry for the Horse, and the van driver must have been in shock.young girls on these Horses its mad some law should be fetched in to control it.mr harris shame on you fetching up the car owners again i take it hes not got one.

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displayed says...
10:23pm Sun 24 Feb 13

"Mr Harris said it was a dangerous road, with cars often speeding towards Blackwood."
"Their neighbour Les Herring, 88, said accidents were a regular occurrence and there had been several near misses."

Well they would "know" if they live in the locality!


"no way would a grown up control a Horse no matter a child"

Like I "said", they dont mix!

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Davi says...
11:03pm Sun 24 Feb 13

I know the main road well, there is a roundabout there so traffic can't speed through like the locals say...and if the horses and riders were coming down Penllwyn Lane and it was the horse who went towards the main road after being spooked so traffic would not have caused this on Penllwyn Lane but a rider who couldn't control her horse..

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trav321 says...
1:13am Mon 25 Feb 13

i love it when people start spouting off without knowing all the facts, it was the IRRESPONSIBLE dog owner who couldn't be bothered to keep them on a lead and went for the horses that spooked them so before blaming the poor girl and saying she cant control her horse get ALL the facts

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Robodad says...
6:51am Mon 25 Feb 13

Thank you trav, now you have given us ALL the facts, it still looks like a young girl being unable to control a spooked horse on a public highway. I hope the driver has a good solicitor and the rider has good insurance....

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displayed says...
8:27am Mon 25 Feb 13

Young horse riders are not taught how to control a spooked horse, just how to ride them in ideal conditions!

Perhaps there needs to b compulsory training before they even set hoof on a public highway!

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ancientsolar says...
8:41am Mon 25 Feb 13

I live in Blackwood Road, I came out of house because all the traffic was turning around at the busstop as the roundabout was blocked up with vehicles. The police soon after stopped traffic even getting on Blackwood Road. ~ The silence that brings just adds to the lifelessness of the situation. Poor horse! Feel bad for the rider, the drivers and anyone who had to see that and deal with the situation.

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SuperTonic7th says...
9:08am Mon 25 Feb 13

Displayed; you know these things as facts do you? Are you horse rider then?

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ancientsolar says...
1:22pm Mon 25 Feb 13

I heard later this morning that dogs barking spooked the horse.

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displayed says...
2:00pm Mon 25 Feb 13

"that dogs barking spooked the horse."

Like I said, compulsory basic training!

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jesspower says...
10:39pm Mon 25 Feb 13

Displayed: u r a nob. sorry mate but compulsory basic traininfg they arnt riding push bikes! Animals are not machines! you cannot expect a dog not to bark at someone who might intrude and horses are flight animals, get startled and run; think later! I think drivers should have rural training, expect animals, tractors and horse riders! and cars and vans cause more acidents thrn anything else in this world and its idiots like u who think its other people to blame!

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bellinbeauty says...
12:20am Tue 26 Feb 13

Let me tell you now, that young girl you are talking about is a 37yr old women(with a young girl) who has had a lot of years experience with riding horses. It is not her fault that this has happened, this lovely person has lost the 1 thing she cherished"flash". I AM a horse rider of many year myself, if a horse spooks from something its natural instincts is to RUN, no matter where. You stupid idiot you know nothing when it comes to horses. You can't always control an animal when things like this happen and I'm talking from experiance, no two horses are the same some will run some will not. It is you who needs to go to training my boy, you need to understand animals better, you are just an ignorent waste of space, FACT...

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colski says...
9:09am Tue 26 Feb 13

Well said bellinbeauty!! and Jesspower I agree with your 1st statement, displayed is a Kn**. people jump to the wrong conclusions without getting the full facts of what actually happened. The location of the incident wasnt on a public road, it was on a field more than 300 metres away and the dogs frightened the horses and they ran.... So displayed get your facts right before you blame horse riders using the road or irresponsible drivers. It was nothing the horse rider could of done or the driver who it the horse. RIP flash

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