Horse & Hound
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Police are appealing for information after a man followed two riders out on a hack, hurling verbal abuse at them.
Hampshire Constabulary is investigating a report of two riders’ being verbally abused by a man on the Isle of Wight on Saturday (30 January) afternoon.
A spokesman for the force confirmed the report related to an incident near Bellwood Riding Stables in Wellow at about 3.30pm.
“An unknown man followed the two riders, who were at the rear of the stables, and began to become abusive towards them,” the spokesman said.
“He was described as a white man, in his 30s, approximately six feet tall. He was seen wearing black or blue-rimmed glasses, a hoody, a green coat and a black mask.
Scroll down for video. The incident happened on Saturday in the Wellow area and left the two riders feeling shocked. The two women said initially, the man berated them for being out riding during Covid lockdown. Despite them explaining they were within British Horse Society guidelines, they say he was aggressive and they tried to de-escalate the situation. They continued down Dodpitts Lane but he reappeared and followed them for around a mile. One of the riders said: At this point he became even more aggressive and threatened to pull us off the horses. He was abusive and started filming us.