WATCH: While Metchosin is known for its strong equestrian community a teenager who often rides there says disrespectful drivers are making the past time dangerous. She and her horse were injured last week when an object was thrown at them from a speeding vehicle. As Luisa Alvarez tells us it could be a while before she rides again.
Giving her horse Aurora kisses will have to do for now since Samantha Sifert won’t be riding anytime soon. All because of a nasty fall last week that didn’t need to happen.
“I have a sprained ankle, concussion and I might have a fracture going up my spine,” said Samantha.
and Aurora has a scraped face.
“People just don’t respect horses like they used to,” said Samantha.
Last Thursday Samantha and Aurora were on their way to Weirs beach riding down the 5100-block of William Head Road where the speed limit is recommended at 30km/h when what Samantha describes as an older model white Ford pick up truck with a green stripe sped by her and threw something out the window.
“That’s not ok that’s not normal people shouldn’t be throwing anything out their window especially at animals large animals like that and think they are just going to ignore it,” said Lisa Sifert, Samantha’s mother.
The object that was thrown hit Aurora right in the face she got spooked she threw Samantha off.
“Her back feet went up and she turned really quick and I couldn’t hold on so I fell off,” said Samantha.
Samantha said she filed a police report following the incident.
West Shore RCMP confirmed they received a report of the incident.
Even though there are signs warning people to share the road with horses Samantha says drivers just don’t care. And this incident isn’t their first bad experience with motorists.
A year and a half ago they were hit by a moving truck on Kangaroo road.
“It struck her behind and I had a paralyzed arm for a day and it was not fun at all,” said Samantha.
Samantha healed then and she will heal again but this latest fall is about more than just her physical injuries. She now has to delay starting her dream career of becoming a farrier.
“I was going to go in September but I have to go in April now because I’m not physically capable to do that anymore,” said Samantha.
For now, she will work with Aurora to get her comfortable again before getting back on the saddle and hopes her story changes how people treat horses on the roads.
Luisa Alvarez
