Drivers Urged To Slow Down For Horses

Horse riders can do everything they can to make sure they’re visible to drivers and safe when they’re out on the roads. But even if they’re wearing high visibility clothing they don’t have the power to make a car slow down.

Speaking to Spalding Today, one experienced horse rider told of how a driver sped past her and her horse when she was recently out riding on local roads.

Jodi Dixon, from Quadring Bank, explained that she was terrified a driver was going to hit both her and her horse recently because the driver was going so fast.

“I put my arm up to wave at her to slow down and she literally braked at the last minute and the car wobbled from side to side because she was going so quickly,” Ms Dixon revealed.

She stressed that drivers need to understand that horses are animals and can therefore behave unpredictably, and get spooked by seemingly small things.

According to the British Horse Society, 38 riders and 222 horses were killed on Britain’s roads between 2010 and April this year. What’s more, 80 per cent of these tragedies could have been avoided by drivers slowing down or giving horses more room, or both.

In March, charity the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund shines a light on horse riding safety, by marking National Equestrian Safety Day. As well as teaching riders how to stay safe on the roads, it also helps educate them about the best safety gear and clothing to wear when out riding, whether in the countryside or along roads.