Mum killed by own horse when it kicked her in the chest on walk
A mother-of-two has died after being kicked by her horse whilst walking it in a field, an inquest has heard.
Sixty-one-year-old Susan Morris experienced "catastrophic injuries" and multiple fractures when the animal, Peg, hit her in the chest. An inquest into her death revealed that there were no witnesses to the incident, in a field in Mulbarton, Norfolk. However, several locals saw Ms Morris lying on the ground and called the emergency services.
Four medical crews, including those from the air ambulance, tried to save the former midwife's life, however she died at the scene due to cardiac arrest initiated by blunt force trauma. At the time of her death, she was surrounded by friends.
Her two children, Claire Barnard and Matthew Morris, have attempted to reach Mulbarton, after they were informed of the accident, but they were caught in traffic. Ms Morris passed away before they arrived. At the time she died, Ms Morris had five horses and at several stages, four dogs and two rabbits. Her family stated she was "besotted" with the horses, and the idea of living in a horse-riding community in Rockland St Mary was appealing.
An inquest into her death revealed that there were no witnesses to the incident, in a field in Mulbarton, Norfolk (Alamy Stock Photo)She loved spending time with her seven-year-old granddaughter - who, according to her mother Claire, was "as obsessed with horses as mum". Her family said she understood "safety was paramount" while horse-riding and made sure she was wearing an armoured body suit and helmet.
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Her family read a statement out loud in court, which said: "When we heard she had been in an accident, we thought she might have fallen. We didn't understand how [an accident like this] was possible." After her death, the family had Peg responsibly put down, and the remaining four horses were rehomed.
Ms Morris' children paid tribute to their mother, describing her as a "wonderful" person. In a joint statement read out in court, the family said her death had "a huge impact on us all" and marked the "end of a golden chapter in our lives".
Yvonne Blake, the coroner, ruled Ms Morris' death, on July 22, 2023, was "accidental" caused by "catastrophic injuries" sustained while she was leading her horse. In a tribute following the inquest, her daughter Claire said: "We were like the three musketeers.
"She was supportive and offered unconditional love - not just for her children and grandchild but also our friends and family. She was also an amazing role model for me as a mother."
St Mary Magdalene church, Mulbarton, seen across Mulbarton Common in the middle of the village (Alamy Stock Photo)Ms Morris was originally from West Sussex, and dedicated her life to assisting others. She worked as a "highly respected" nurse, and spent her career working across multiple health sectors. She gave ten years of her life to researching HIV and AIDS, championing gay rights in a time of "extreme homophobia" and even setting up a sexual health clinic in Crawley.
She later cared for drug addicts and alcoholics in Hampshire and studied midwifery at the University of Southampton. Her son Matthew said: "She always wanted to help people.
"It didn't matter who you were or what your story was." In 2009, Ms Morris followed her daughter Claire to Norfolk and settled in Rockland St Mary, where she started work as a health visitor for newborn babies. In 2015, she helped with the delivery of her granddaughter Marcie Barnard on a bedroom floor, with her family closeby. Later she became "eager to retire" to spend more time with her family and animals.
Her daughter Claire said: "She had amazing life. Some people say she managed to fit the life of a 100-year-old into 61 years." In addition, Ms Morris kept a diary from the age of 14 up until the week she died. According to her children, this will help her their small, but close family "relive her amazing life and our lives together." Her son Matthew added: "She was an amazing and kind-hearted person.
"There was no judgement, she just wanted to help people. An absolute gem to this world."
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