Motorists urged to 'slow down' after horse death
A group of horse riders are taking on a big riding challenge to raise awareness of road safety around horses.
Two horses and a pony are being ridden for five days from Lambourn Gallops to Windsor, Berkshire, as part of the Royal Windsor Horse Show which starts on Thursday.
The Equestrian Road Safety Awareness Ride has been organised by the British Horse Society (BHS) and Project Edward in memory of two-year-old racehorse Knockalla, which died after being frightened by a car.
Director of safety for BHS, Alan Hiscox, will be one of the riders. He said: "I think it is a lack of understanding, of how horses will react to something on the near side, or a vehicle passing too fast or too close."
In 2024, 58 horses were killed on the road and 97 injured, with 80 riders also injured, according to BHS.
Mr Hiscox explained the group wanted to highlight the 2022 changes in the Highway Code, specific to equestrians, which state: "If you see a horse on the road, slow down, pass slowly and give them a wide berth".
Mr Hiscox will be one of the three riders, along with Des Payne, from BHS, and BBC Sport presenter Lizzy Greenwood.
"In Berkshire, the number of incidents recorded with BHS went up by 50%," Mr Hiscox said.
"It's absolutely shocking.
"You would think, that with the Highway Code changes, that when drivers see a horse on the road they would just slow down and give that space.
"But, unfortunately not and we want that consideration.
"IIt is still a challenge to ride horses on the roads.
"The horses are not there because they want to be, neither are the riders, it's because there's not enough safe off-road access."
He added: "We're just asking for that respect and that consideration that when you see a horse on the road to slow down to about 10 mph and give them two meters distance."
You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Racehorse killed by car as drivers urged to take care
The British Horse Society
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
King Charles orders £160k electric car from Norfolk brand
King Charles is adding a new electric car to his collection of motors - and it is being made by a Norfolk company. The King has ordered a Lotus Eletre in a royal claret colour to use as his new run-around car on one of his country estates. The 164mph vehicle will be made by Lotus which has been based at Hethel near Wymondham since 1966. Prices start at around £90,000 for the car, with the King's bespoke order costing around £160,000. King Charles III was recently pictured at the Royal Windsor Horse Show (Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire) A royal insider told The Sun: "The Palace has hinted that if Bentley can't make limousines for official use run on electric, then they would look at other manufacturers. "The fact that Lotus can produce an electric SUV in royal claret really puts them in the driving seat. "The Royal Family had a Lotus Eletre last year on loan and it clearly ticked some boxes." The Lotus Eletre (pictured in Cinnabar Red colour) is the King's latest choice of car (Image: Lotus) The two existing state Bentleys will undergo a refurbishment so that they can run on biofuel, but this is believed to be an interim measure while discussions take place about the state vehicles being fully electric. In 1994, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived in the second State Review Range Rover on the beach at Arromanches, Normandy, for the 50th anniversary memorial service of the Second World War D-Day Landings (Image: PA Wire) The late Queen was a keen motorist and was often spotted driving visiting dignitaries around the Balmoral Estate in her Land Rover. The Royal Family has access to several Rolls-Royce Phantoms and Bentley State Limousines, the latter of which became more popular in the early 21st century. The Spirit of Ecstacy, gifted to the Queen in 2002, is armoured and blast-resistant and rides on Kevlar-reinforced tyres. This car is reportedly valued at £10 million. Prince Philip, also a lover of cars, crashed his Land Rover Freelander in January 2019 just miles away from the Sandringham Estate. Prince Philip crashed his Land Rover Freelander near the Sandringham Estate in 2019 (Image: Chris Bishop) At the time, Buckingham Palace said: "The Duke of Edinburgh was involved in a road traffic accident with another vehicle this afternoon. "The Duke was not injured. The accident took place close to the Sandringham Estate. Local police attended the scene." The 97-year-old Duke's Freelander overturned and came to rest on the driver's side. Eyewitnesses said the Duke was pulled from the car by passersby and although shocked and shaken, he was uninjured. Queen Camilla was spotted getting into a Land Rover Discovery at the Sandringham Estate earlier this year (Image: Paul Marriott/PA) Lotus cars have been used in many films during the last few decades. James Bond famously drove his S1 Esprit off the pier in Sardinia to escape the villain Anya Amasova and then used his built-in missiles to destroy her helicopter in The Spy Who Loved Me, released in 1977. The Esprit also made it back into Bond's hands in For Your Eyes Only, released in 1981. The Lotus Esprit in the James Bond films could travel underwater (Image: Steve Jurvetson/Wiki Commons) For the film Pretty Woman, Richard Gere's character drove a 1989 Lotus Esprit SE. The producers initially sought a Ferrari, but both Ferrari and Porsche declined to provide vehicles, and Lotus then stepped in with three cars for the movie. More recently, a Lotus Evora was used in the 2013 film adaptation of Stephanie Meyer's novel The Host, where the cars were wrapped in a chrome finish and fitted with special lighting effects. In the action film Red 2, which stars Bruce Willis and John Malkovich, a blue Lotus Exige S sports car was used.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Cycle safety event aims to keep road users safe
A collaborative cycle awareness event has taken place to help cyclists and motorists stay safe on Jersey roads. The joint initiative from Jersey Police, Jersey Sport and the government's Road Safety Team saw attendees get a refresher on the Highway Code, with officers on hand to answer questions. Participants were also able to bring their bikes for a free inspection from a mechanic to check they were road safe. PC Henry Woolley said he hoped the event on Friday would "help to reduce the number of collisions and casualties that we have". He said: "We do have a high volume of cars in Jersey and more people are thinking about sustainable transport, so there are more cyclists on the roads as well. "Our infrastructure probably isn't as good as we'd like it to be, so there are points where cyclists and motorists come into conflict because of those infrastructure challenges. "Anything we can do to promote the Highway Code and careful, considerate and safe driving and riding, from motorists and from cyclists, will hopefully help to reduce the number of collisions and casualties that we do have." According to the most recent data, 188 road traffic collisions took place in Jersey in 2023, with a total of 214 casualties. Earlier this year, the Government of Jersey published its first collision and casualty reduction plan which it said aimed to reduce the number of people being seriously injured or killed on the roads by 50% over the next decade. Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to Vicar begins 'monumental' charity cycle Jersey woman cycles 1,000km through Europe Police increase patrols to combat drink-driving Jersey Police
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Highway code to be brought up to date in autumn
"Long overdue" updates to the Manx Highway Code are expected to be published in the autumn, the infrastructure department has confirmed. It will adopt guidance and rules from the UK's Highway Code revised in 2022, with "Manx modifications" which include advice on sharing roads with horse trams. Changes will give pedestrians greater priority over cars at junctions and introduces a "hierarchy of road users", putting more responsibility for road safety on motorists. Infrastructure Minister Michelle Haywood said the code, which was last updated in 2014, involved a "cultural change" away from harm reduction and towards "safer roads in general". The details of the changes were revealed in response to a question for written answer put forward by Chris Thomas MHK. Under the new code, drivers will be encouraged to open their door with their left hand when exiting the vehicle, so that they have better visibility behind them. When overtaking, they would need to give cyclists at least 5ft (1.5m) and at least 6.5ft (2m) for people walking in a road with no pavements. The overhaul includes guidance for the positioning of cyclists on the road and behaviour when riding in groups. It also states cyclists should give way to pedestrians and horse riders on shared paths and bridleways but can overtake slow moving traffic on the left or the right, with appropriate care. Pedestrians crossing at side roads would have the right of way over vehicles or cyclists and the "hierarchy of road users" would ensure those driving vehicles have a responsibility for "more vulnerable road users". Haywood said the changes would need a "shift in mindset", which may "take a little while for people to bed in with". But the update was "really about focusing on road safety for the most vulnerable users", she said. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X. Manx Highway Code to be reviewed after UK changes Walking and biking prioritised in new Highway Code Isle of Man Government - Department of Infrastructure
