Whether helping with transport, agriculture, or something else, horses have been important to humans throughout history. There are risks in being closely associated with horses though, and sadly two of my Scottish 4x great-grandfathers died in horse-related accidents in the mid-1800s.
David Hampton was an agricultural labourer working at a farm near Dun and Montrose, when he walked where he shouldn’t have. David was only 37 and his children were under ten years of age.
FATAL ACCIDENT. – A farm servant named David Hampton, in the employment of Mr. G. Hall, farmer, Glenskenno [sic], while endeavouring to catch one of his horses in a field on Sabbath last, and incautiously went behind the animal, and was struck so severely that he died in about 24 hours, leaving a widow and five young children to deplore his loss.
-‘Fatal Accident’, Montrose Standard, Friday 30 July 1847, p. 3.
Further north, 47-year-old John Smith was working for the oldest distillery in Aberdeen when he was involved in an accident.
On Saturday night, a drayman, named Smith, in the employment of Gilcomston Brewery Co., returning from the country with his horse and cart, when in Skene Street, the animal shyed and ran off. Dashing down the street, horse and vehicle came violently against the Infirmary wall, when Smith had one of his legs broken, and was otherwise severely injured. He lies in the Infirmary.
-Report of an accident, Aberdeen Herald, 10 October 1857, p. 5.
A month after the accident, on 14 November, John died at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. He left behind his wife and a houseful of children, the youngest just five-months-old.
Selected references
‘Fatal accident’, Montrose Standard, Friday 30 July 1847, p. 3.
Report of an accident, Aberdeen Herald, 10 October 1857, p. 5.
Death registration of David Hampton, 1847, National Records of Scotland, 28/150 199.
Death registration of John Smith, 1857, National Records of Scotland, 168/1 870.
Photograph of Punch, a William Younger dray horse, c1871, Scottish Brewing Archive, image out of copyright.
Untangled Family History 
My grandfather, George Goundry, had several horses. I remember the names Richard and Peggy. One was good, knew the route and the other was useless. I remember he had a stable and according to one story I was told, the house used to lean against him when he was brushing it. That was probably Richard. I also remember that my family said he was in tears one day when Peggy had to be put down. If you are interested I have a photo somehwere.
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