TEMPLE – Neighbors and Touchstone Farm riders have reported an incident involving a young equestrian who was thrown by her horse, “spooked,” by a speeding car on Webster Road and Burton Highway on October 10.

A call was placed to The Telegraph by resident Shirley Haas of Temple, who also drives carriages at Touchstone.

Owner, trainer and coach Pam Falkins said cars “flying down” Burton highway is nothing new.

“I’ve been riding for 40-some years and last year, I decided not to go on the paved road,” she said. “It’s a very rural horse community. New Hampshire is in general. But it’s crazy and cars don’t listen to you. I do the ‘international’ sign for ‘slow down’ with my hand, and the cars don’t pay attention.”

Falkins said the incident on Oct. 10 took place at about 5:15 p.m., “when people are driving home on auto-pilot. People are busy. They’re not staying in the moment.”

A seven-year-old girl was thrown from her horse, Simon, during a “cool down,” after her lesson.

“We have done the loop in front of the farm for forty years,” said Falkins. “It even happens with construction vehicles. Last year I video recorded a guy. He slowed way down.”

The youngster suffered lacerations to her cheek, chin and jaw. She has been riding horses since she was three.

“There’s a corner across from the homestead,” Falkins continued. “I tell you, if you’re not paying attention and a car’s not paying attention – I have gone up on the embankment to get out of somebody’s way. It’s ridiculous and it’s dangerous.”

Falkins said a lot of times, if a car is coming towards the horse, or even the “whoosh” of a car speeding by will scare a horse.

“I have a horse that’s great but if a car comes fast, that horse is spinning in the street,” she said. “The front legs go up, the rear legs go up. Anybody would get thrown.”

As of press time, Falkins said they were reaching out to Temple police to monitor the situation.

“It is a country road, and there’s a “S” curve,” she said.

“I won’t ride there. I think it’s a 35mph zone. When I go home, I go slow.”