Cars hitting horses is a common problem for riders

Three young girls on ponies were hit by a car on a country lane in Taunton on Sunday. The girls were aged between 8 and 12. Two of the horses were hit, but neither of the riders were knocked off their horses.

The British Horse Society says that road safety incidents involving riders has remained steady, with 32 in 2013 and 9 so far this year. BHS Senior Executive Sheila Hardy is keen to emphasise that many further incidents go unrecorded and the statistics do not reveal the true extent of the problem. She urges drivers and riders to behave safely on the road.