Renowned Clydesdale trainer and breeder Ronnie Walker has been injured whilst hitching a horse to a carriage.

The accident happened on Sunday July 10 at Mr Walker’s farm Burncrooks, Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire, when a horse got spooked when a training cart was being attached.

Mr Walker said: “The horse jumped up so I pulled on the reins to coup it, but I perhaps pulled a little hard and it got a fright. The horse then jumped again pushing me to the ground. It then ran off whilst attached to the cart and it went over the top of me. That is when it did the damage. The horse would have weighed close to a tonne and the cart 300kg.”

Despite the injuries, Mr Walker bandaged up himself without pain relief before attending to the horse then finally headed to Wishaw accident and emergency. He then spent nine days in hospital where doctors found he had detached his right calf muscle and discovered a hole in his left leg.

Mr Walker said his biggest concern at the time was his twelve-year-old granddaughter who witnessed the incident. He stated: “It was just one of these stupid fluke things that happen. The chance of that happening again is one in a million. It wasn’t too bad as I am still able to walk.”

Mr Walker has seven Clydesdale horses and over 60 years of experience with the animals, and has featured in numerous films and period dramas. Once he has his fitness back, he will be heading to the World Clydesdale championships in Aberdeen in October.