The Weekly Gripe

Car drivers, horses and the Highway Code
Reckless drivers keep horses off the road

Cars and Horses

Rightly or wrongly, it is currently legal to ride horses on the road in the UK. Drivers are urged to pass horses wide and slow, taking particular care when travelling round left hand bend.



There are 12 accidents PER DAY on our roads involving horses - thankfully, some of these are minor, but the majority of these range from serious to fatal for horse and/or rider.

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Posted Comment Visitor
30-5-2008Dear All - please be advised that Nikki does not represent the majority of horse riders opinions.Horse Lover
19-5-2008Start of MY rant, T !! How do you expect riders to reach the bridleways? Fly ? Very few people are lucky enough to have a convenient bridleway at the back of their yard. I think you will find that riders do not expect you to slow down to a 10 mph crawl on approaching a left hand bend (don'...moreNikki
19-5-2008Horse riders are a menace on the public highway. I concede that it may be safe to ride a horse on certain roads through villages or towns, but when it comes to country roads with national speed limits, horses should be outlawed. To expect a driver to slow down to a 10 mph crawl on approach to every...moreT
19-5-2008Horse riders are a menace on the public highway. I concede that it may be safe to ride a horse on certain roads through villages or towns, but when it comes to country roads with national speed limits, horses should be outlawed. To expect a driver to slow down to a 10 mph crawl on approach to every...moreT
30-4-2008Hi Nikki, im pleased to hear that your ok! Having ridden horses years ago and then been involved with motorbikes and cars, it just plain obvious that everyone should take care on the roads especially on blind bends. Anything could be on that bend, not just people on horse back. For future reference...moreCaz x
28-4-2008Thanks Caz, you speak wise words indeed. My chin is well and truly up, as always !!Nikki
28-4-2008I know what your goin through Nikki, the same happened with my brother and my mother, my mother never got over my brothers death, she hated the driver of the car that killed him till the day she died. No one can ever tell you any different unless that have been through something like this themselves...moreCaz x
23-4-2008I know, I made the mistake of watching it. I didn't realise that there was going to be a virtually identical replay of my accident ... except I lost my beloved horse, my job and my health. The two lucky riders on the programme tonight kept their lovely horses. Just when I thought I was beginn...moreNikki
23-4-2008Hi Nikki just popped in to see how you are luv? Thought of you this evening, a prog on tv, all about motorcyclists a motorcycle accident involving a horse and rider. I felt sick just thinking about it! Hope your well and keepin your chin up! XCaz x
06-4-2008Lolly: you need to find out whether the owner of the horse had third party liability. He should have, but as mad as it sounds, it is not mandatory to have third party liabiity insurance for your horse when riding on the road, or indeed driving in harness. If the owner has not got such insurance, ...moreNikki
05-4-2008I love horses and two of my nieces go riding every week at a very good riding school. However, last week whilst my car was parked outside my house a horse (with a carriage attatched!) had escaped it's owner and bolted down my street crashing into the side of my brand new car causing alot of dama...moreLolly
27-3-2008Realist: I absolutely agree with you. Horses are indeed beautiful, majestic and erratic, and most certainly do not belong on the public highway. Unfortunately, though, horse riders have no choice but to ride on roads to reach the precious few bridleways that exist in the countryside. Very few of...moreNikki



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