Terrifying footage shows the moment an animal activist was left seriously injured after being mowed down by a HORSE during a hunt stampede. <br /><br />Sam Morley, 37, says he is lucky to be alive after a huntsman ploughed into him in Ash Magna, Shrops., leaving him hospitalised on Saturday afternoon (15/1).<br /><br />The hunt saboteur had been monitoring the North Shropshire Hunt when the group of around 15 to 20 riders "deliberately" rode towards him in a field. <br /><br />Shocking video captured the moment the 600kg (92 stone) horse smashed into Sam sending him crashing to the ground in agony. <br /><br />Paramedics and police were called to the scene before the factory worker was transferred to hospital on a spinal board.<br /><br />He has been left with concussion, a swollen temple as well as muscular trauma to his neck and upper back and has been unable to work since. <br /><br />Sam, of Stoke-on-Trent, said: "We had been monitoring the group to make sure they were not hunting foxes and I was on a public footpath through a field at the time. <br /><br />"A group of around 15 to 20 horses galloped closely to us from behind at first, I guess in an attempt to intimidate us.<br /><br />"If that wasn't enough, they then turned back around and started charging towards us. <br /><br />"We are told to stay still in these circumstances as you can never second the guess the direction the horses will go and the onus is on the rider to avoid a collision.<br /><br />"But this horse has crashed straight into me and I heard my bones crunch as it did so. I have no doubt it was deliberate and the footage speaks for itself. <br /><br />"I lost consciousness twice for a few seconds. These are 600kg animals and it's like getting hit by a car. <br /><br />"It wasn't a full gallop but it was going at a canter, I would say it must have been about 20mph and the impact just knocked the stuffing out of me completely. <br /><br />"Paramedics were called and I was taken away on a spinal board as they were concerned about the damage to my neck.<br /><br />"I had a CT scan which showed I had muscular trauma and I have been unable to go back to work since. I'm on anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers and bedbound. <br /><br />"Police were shown the footage and I'd like to think there are grounds for ABH or GBH charges - he has clearly used his horse as a weapon. <br /><br />"This isn't the first time this has happened either but it was the first time I've caught it on camera. <br /><br />"It's pretty frightening when these horses bear down on you. They are bred for stamina and speed and they are huge animals."<br /><br />Staffordshire Hunt Saboteurs released the dramatic footage on social media where it has been viewed almost 50,000 times in 24 hours.<br /><br />The video shows how Sam takes the full impact of the horse while a colleague shouts out: "We've got a sab run over by a horse."<br /><br />Sam can be heard saying: "I felt everything in my back and neck crunch. Where am I bleeding? It's all on camera."<br /><br />A spokesperson for the group said the huntsman fled from the scene laughing while Sam was left stricken on the ground. <br /><br />They added: "Thankfully the horses' hooves somehow missed the sab's body and his injuries are consistent with severe impact. <br /><br />"The sab attempted to walk but fell to the ground repeatedly, at one point losing consciousness briefly. <br /><br />"He was then able to walk for assistance and wait for an ambulance where he was told he was lucky to be alive.<br /><br />"We believe much of the anger from the hunt yesterday came from sabs successfully moving hounds away from woodland where a fox had been sighted, which the huntsman was attempting to flush with hounds. <br /><br />"Consistent pressure from local sabs and monitors has repeatedly kept the hunt from killing this season.<br /><br />"Thank you to every one who has wished our sab a speedy recovery. <br /><br />"We hope he will be back in the field soon, and we will continue to work alongside the police in their investigation."<br /><br />POS MFL - STATEMENTS FROM HUNT / AMBULANCE / POLICE
