Teen rider sues after car crash kills prized horse Benny, ending Team GB hopes

On a rural lane in Wiltshire, 17-year-old Tinks Walker was riding her horse Benny when a car barreled around a curve and struck them, throwing Walker through the windshield and causing Benny’s fatal injuries. Benny, a four-star eventing gelding once partnered with double Olympic gold medallist Laura Collett and earmarked for future Team GB selection, was put down on the roadside by a veterinarian. Police concluded there was enough evidence to charge the driver but opted for a remedial driving course instead of prosecution, prompting Walker’s family to initiate civil proceedings for her injuries and the horse’s loss, valued at hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The family, supported by the British Horse Society, highlighted the high number of horse deaths on UK roads and urged tighter speed limits. Walker plans to ride in a charity race at Newbury on November 5 to raise awareness and funds for the society’s safety campaign.