Injured horse dies after path gates left open

A former Badminton Horse Trials competitor has had to put down her "brilliant" horse after three gates were left open, allowing the animal to escape and suffer serious injuries.

Beanie Sturgis, who lives in Great Somerford near Malmesbury in Wiltshire, said she found three of her horses missing after the gates were left open on Monday.

They were later spotted at a nearby concrete footbridge, with one, Jack, suffering serious injuries to his back legs after falling down and attempting to get up from the side of the structure.

Sturgis said Jack's injuries were unsurvivable and resulted in him having to be put to sleep, a decision which has left her family "heartbroken".

Sturgis said she had since closed a permissive path which borders their land in a bid to protect her remaining horses.

A dog-walker from the village had walked through the horses field on Sunday evening and noted the three gates were all firmly closed.

When they returned on Monday morning, they saw all three gates were open and alerted the family.

Sturgis said when Jack was discovered he had "no skin" left on one of his back legs, with another scarred "down to the tendons" as a result of the fall.

"The tragedy is that it didn't have to happen. This wasn't an accident, this was someone's negligence. When it's unnecessary, it is so heart-breaking," she said.

"Tragically, they were non-survivable injuries," Sturgis explained. "We had to put him out of his misery."

"He was a brilliant horse, wonderful friend. He had a great life until the last 40 minutes sadly."

The permissive path through the field allowed dog-walkers, hikers and villagers the chance to see kingfishers, swans, otters and other local wildlife.

Sturgis, who grew up in the Cotswolds and took 11th place at the Badminton Horse Trials with a horse called Lebowski, said closing the path was a last resort after 25 years of leaving the path open to the public.

She wants people to realise the "ramifications" of their actions and adhere to the Countryside Code while out walking.

"It's happening more and more," she claimed. "They are not gates that just swing open. They are well hung gates which you have to use strength [to open.]"

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