A 57-YEAR-old woman died after she fell off her horse and hit her head on a road.

An inquest at Herefordshire Coroner's Court heard that Janet Phillips from Craswall died on July 10.

Two air ambulances and two ambulances were called to the road between Longtown and Craswall outside Monnow Farm following the accident at around 10.15am on July 9.

Mrs Phillips was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol and underwent surgery but at around 3.30pm the following day she died from a traumatic brain injury.

Gareth Brown, a farmer from Craswall, said he had seen Mrs Phillips riding her horse before.

On the day of the accident he was driving a tractor with a mower on, which was in the upright position as it was not in use.

He said he could see Mrs Phillips in the distance as it was a straight road and he pulled in to a passing place so she could pass by.

Mr Brown said: "She was trotting up the road towards me. I was stationary. She came into a walk and went around the tractor and got somewhere by the back of the tractor. I was turning around to watch her go by and then it all kicked off."

He said he does not know why but the horse suddenly tried to jump over a gate two or three times and then shot down the road.

Mr Brown said the horse was snaking down the road and almost "bouncing" on all fours. Mrs Phillips fell forward over the horse's shoulder and landed on her back.

He rushed to Mrs Phillips, who was wearing a helmet, and called an ambulance. He said she seemed unconscious.

Ruth Watkins, who lives at Craswall, stopped to help after coming across the accident. She knew Mrs Phillips and said: "She had the horse several years and she was a very conscientious and keen rider so she did a lot of work with the horse but it was quite a lively mare. She was a capable rider."

Coroner Mark Bricknell said: "There is no evidence to suggest there were any complications in connection with other road users which caused the horse to act in a manner which meant that Mrs Phillips fell from the horse."

He recorded an accidental death.

Mr Bricknell added: "It serves as a reminder for all of us of the frailty of life and the care we need to exhibit towards other road users."