Horse dies in trainer’s arms after head-on collision tears off side of vehicle ‘like sardine can’

‘He was a kind horse that only ever wanted to please’

Racehorse Rockwood died in his trainer Karen McLintock's arms after the horsebox he was travelling in was involved in a collision with a van in Lincolnshire. (Graeme Scantlebury)

A racehorse died in his trainer’s arms on the way home from a competition after a van smashed into his horsebox, ripping the side off “like a sardine can”.

Horse transporter Graeme Scantlebury, 56, posted pictures of the aftermath of the head-on collision on the A15 near Caenby Corner in Lincolnshire on Wednesday.

He was driving the horse called Rockwood and its trainer Karen McLintock back to their home near Newcastle when he claims a van travelling in the opposite direction began veering on to the wrong side of the road before hitting them head-on.

Their vehicle was flipped on to its side, but Mr Scantlebury and Ms McLintock escaped serious injury. Rockwood, known as Rocky, was not so lucky.

Racehorse Rockwood died in his trainer Karen McLintock's arms after the horsebox he was travelling in was involved in a collision with a van in Lincolnshire. (Graeme Scantlebury)

Posting an emotional account of the accident on Facebook, Mr Scantlebury, who runs AGS Horse Transport, said: “We entered the A15, a road notorious for crashes and fatalities, we were driving along at 50mph as Karen was on her phone thanking everyone for their birthday wishes when she hears me shout 'f***'.

Racehorse Rockwood, who died after the horsebox he was travelling in was involved in a collision with a van in Lincolnshire. (Graeme Scantlebury)

“The reason being that there was a van travelling in the opposite direction veering onto my side of the road.

“I made the split-second decision to put my horse’s box into the ditch as you can see from the photos. I had all four wheels on the grass.

“Sadly, this was not good enough and the van still hit us at probable a combined speed of over 100mph.

“The impact was so hard it flipped my 2500kg wagon carrying a 450kg horse onto its side, completely ripping the side off like the top of a sardine can.

“We ran around the wagon to find poor Rocky breathing his last breaths as Karen, the most caring of trainers, became inconsolable as he died in her arms.”

Mr Scantlebury said Rocky was “a kind horse that only ever wanted to please” and that he “did not deserve to die”.

He thanked everyone who stopped to help on the day, while Ms McLintock thanked those who have sent messages and condolences.

Lincolnshire Police said there have been no arrests or charges in relation to the incident.