A cab horse had to be put down yesterday because of the serious injuries it suffered when it bolted and hit two cars in Gżira.

The accident took place in Rue D’Argens when a karozzin was heading towards Msida at around 11.30am.

Suddenly, the horse gained speed and the driver lost control, a shocked eyewitness said.

The animal crossed into the opposite lane and hit a car being driven by a 65-year-old woman. The karozzin driver was thrown off the cab on impact. The horse climbed up on to the bonnet of the car, a silver Daihatsu, smashed the windscreen and fell between the Daihatsu and a parked car.

It made several attempts to get up but was pinned down because it was still tied to the karozzin.

Suddenly, the horse gained speed and the driver lost control

The horse was eventually freed but it was found to have suffered substantial injuries to its legs, which bled severely creating a large pool of blood on the ground. It was driven away on a trailer and later put down.

The cars, heavily damaged and dented, had blood splattered over them. The Daihatsu’s bumper was ripped off and its bonnet had crumpled under the horse’s weight.

The 65-year-old woman, her three passengers and the karozzin driver were all treated for shock.

This is the second collision between a horse and car in the span of two weeks.

On January 4, a horse escaped from its sulky in Attard and ran headlong into a car driven by a 27-year-old woman. It died of its injuries on the road.