A HORSE rider is in hospital with serious injuries after a ‘speeding car’ caused her horse to fall on top of her.

Terry Jones has been left with a fractured pelvis after her horse toppled on top of her after a speeding car drove too close to them, according to witnesses.

The 68-year-old has been bedbound since Friday after the accident on Canvey.

Her friend, and riding partner of seven years, Karen Lodge, told the Echo that two vehicles had sped past in a matter of minutes. The 61-year-old, said: “We were riding towards Canvey lake on Friday morning.

“We had a scrambler bike coming towards us in one of the side roads.

“I put my hand up for him to stop but he just kept coming. So that upset the horses.

“We decided to make our way back, but as we got to the junction of Malvern and Haven Road, we heard a high powered car, with a loud exhaust, speeding from the traffic lights down Haven Road.

“Terry’s horse ran backwards and reared up, my horse spun around sharply.

“It happened so quick we didn’t get to see the car.

“I jumped off my horse and saw Terry on the road, her horse had sat on her. She wasn’t moving.

“I called a friend at the farm across the road to come and help. I also asked two dog walkers to help.”

Ms Lodge explained how frustrating it is for horse riders when cars do not give them a wide enough berth. She added: “It was very frightening and totally unnecessary.

“It is ignorance when they drive to fast or too close. We always thank any driver for slowing down.

“There is a lot of HGV traffic on Roscommon Way, which is also a bridleway.

“Some do use Roscommon Way as a race track, but the majority do slow down along there.

“I thought her horse had gone right over on her, but she had sat on her.

“It was so frightening.”