A TIMBERSCOMBE woman is calling for motorists to cut their speed near horses after her teenaged daughter narrowly escaped injury when a car collided with her pony.

Cath Roberts of Beasley Farm said 14-year-old Jessie Evans was riding along an unclassified lane that runs between the B3224 and A396 last Thursday afternoon when the incident happened.

"It was a straight piece of road and Jessie saw a silver car racing towards her," said Mrs Roberts.

"She started to flag it down so that it would slow down but the driver didn't respond.

"Eventually when it was too late, he slammed on his brakes and slid across the road, hitting the pony's back right leg."

Luckily the impact did not unseat competent rider Jessie nor did it cause serious injury to the pony, but she was left shaken and in a state of shock.

"Jessie said the driver got out of the car and went and sat in the back seat of the vehicle," said Mrs Roberts.

"He was obviously in a state of shock as well. Eventually he did get out and ask her if she was all right but he never asked about the pony and then he just got into his car and drove off.

"Jessie carried on down the road but was in floods of tears. Fortunately a woman in a blue car came along and noticed the state she was in and stopped to help her."

The woman suggested Jessie and her pony get off the road and into a nearby field and helped flag down traffic to avoid any further incidents.

But nine-year-old Ennis, a 14.2hh Connemara bought by the Roberts family two years ago, was in such a skittish state that he bolted through the gateway, ripping his saddle.

Jessie was finally able to make her way home across the fields but Mrs Roberts said Ennis is now terrified of traffic.

"The first I knew about it was when I found Jessie in the yard in hysterics. I know it could have been much worse, that she could have ended up on the bonnet of the car and that the pony's leg could have been broken.

"Luckily he is just badly bruised and a bit lame. He has a lovely temperament but we are now left having to deal with his fear of cars and a pony who, frankly, is a danger on the road at the moment.

"I just want motorists to realise that they need to show more consideration for horses and riders on the roads.

"This driver had plenty of time to slow down but, for some reason, he didn't and the consequences could have been far worse."

Mrs Roberts said Ennis could only be walked at the moment because of the bruising to his leg and could take months to lose his nervousness in traffic.

She said she was very grateful to the woman who had helped her daughter but annoyed that the driver of the car involved in the collision had not shown more concern.

Advice from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents warns motorists that they should look out for signals from riders and be ready to slow down or stop near horses.

It said that although there were no accurate statistics available, the British Horse Society had predicted that there were around 3,000 accidents a year involving horses, around half on minor roads.