Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2008 | Page 80

life

EQUESTRIAN - Sponsored by Brickfields and Froghill Tack

Safety first
Models, horses, clothing & accessories in photo
opposite were kindly supplied by Froghill Tack,
Sandford. Tel: [phone]

The subject of horses on
the road is guaranteed
to cause controversy and
disagreement.
Many road users feel that
horses are a danger on the
roads, should be banned
altogether or at the very least
pay road tax. According
to The Highway Code, the
most vulnerable road users
are pedestrians, particularly
children, older or disabled
people, cyclists, motorcyclists
and horse riders. The British
Horse Society has been
campaigning for recognition
and safe conditions for riders
on British roads for over 30
years. While this may seem
insignificant to non-horsy
people, with in excess of four
million UK riders and more
than 25 million vehicles on the
roads, this work is vital.
The countryside population
has changed dramatically in
recent years with an increasing
number of people moving
out of the cities who have
little or no experience of
rural ways. The BHS offers
help and advice to all road
users in order to educate
and explain the dangers that
horses can pose on the roads.
All motorists should read the
newly revised Highway Code,
which contains advice on how
to drive safely past horses. The
sections that relate to horses
can be found on the BHS
website www.bhs.org.uk under
‘Safety’.
Motorists and horse riders
both have a right to use
the road, they also share a
responsibility to consider each
others needs.

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As a motorist you
should:
o Look out for horses being
led or ridden on the road
o Take extra care at left hand
bends and on narrow country
roads and keep your speed
down
o When you see a horse
and rider on the road SLOW
DOWN
o When behind a horse and
rider, give them plenty of room
and be ready to stop
o DO NOT sound your horn
or rev your engine. Horses
are powerful but vulnerable
animals, easily scared by noise
and may panic around fast
moving vehicles
o When overtaking pass wide
(as if overtaking another car!)
and slow. For extra safety,
riders may ride in double file
when escorting a young or
inexperienced horse rider.
o Watch out for horse riders’
signals and heed a request to
slow down or stop
o Look out for horses turning
right as they will stay to the
left of the road to avoid being
sandwiched between traffic
o Watch out for horse riders
on roundabouts, as they will
signal right when approaching
exits they DO NOT intend to
use.

As a rider you should:
o Wear fluorescent/reflective
clothing
o Acknowledge and return
courtesy, a smile and a nod are
enough if your hands are full
o Wear protective headgear to
current approved standards
o Read and learn from BHS
Riding & Roadcraft Manual
o Read the Highway Code
o Keep to the left, even when

turning right
o Avoid busy main roads
o Take the BHS Riding &
Road Safety Test
o Give clear and decisive
signals
The BHS Riding & Road
Safety Test is taken by more
than 4,000 riders each year
and has won three Prince
Michael International Road
safety Awards honouring
those who have contributed to
reducing road casualties. The
test has also been accredited
by the Qualifications and
Curriculum Authority as part
of the National Qualification
Framework. More information
about the test and leaflets on
‘Road Sense for Riders’ and
‘Horse Sense for Motorists’
are available from The British
Horse Society, Stoneleigh
Deer Park, Kenilworth,
Warwickshire, CV8 2XZ or on
www.bhs.org.uk.One of the
main problems encountered by
the Society is the lack of police
interest in road accidents
involving horses. Unless a
human is removed from the
scene of an accident and taken
to hospital, the police have no
compulsory accident reporting
process. Horses can be killed,
cars can be written off and
there is little that can be done.
Despite consistent lobbying,
local authorities continue to
view accidents involving horses

in the same way as they would
if a vehicle struck any other
beast or bird. In response
to this, the BHS posted an
accident report form on their
website that enables records to
be kept and accident statistics
to be compiled. In 2002, 117
accidents were reported to the
BHS in this way; 11 riders and
33 horses were killed and many
more seriously injured.
Despite police apathy in
connection with horse related
accidents, they do support
many BHS campaigns. The
Department of Transport
helps to educate and advise
many motorists about the
importance of driving
responsibly around horses
and have provided substantial
funding to enable training to
be carried out for both Riding
& Road Safety Trainers and
Examiners.
Access to bridleways and
tracks is key to enabling riders
to minimise the time they have
to spend on the roads. The
Society is constantly working
to improve the networks and
access to these across the
country. In the meantime,
mutual courtesy, care and
understanding between
motorists and riders is vital in
order to prevent intolerance
and improve safety for all road
users.

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