Campaigners highlight road safety on Berkshire ride
A group made the journey from Lambourn to the Royal Windsor horse show
An awareness ride has taken place is taking place to remind drivers to slow down, give space and to take care around horses.
The British Horse Society’s DEAD SLOW campaign and Project EDWARD (Every Day without a Road Death) have collaborated in a ride to help drivers understand what it is like to be on a horse on the road and the reasons why it is important to follow Rule 215 of the Highway Code. The rule, in addition to Rule 163, introduced in 2022, asks drivers to slow down to 10mph and to give two metres’ space around horses, as well as being patient, not revving engines, sounding the horn or making other loud noises.
Killed
Alan Hiscox, Director of Safety for the BHS, said: “The numbers are alarming; 58 horses were killed on the roads in 2024. We attend many events around the country where we talk to drivers and our estimate is that at best awareness of the Highway Code guidance on how to pass horses safely is at 5%. The BHS Horse i App where equestrian incidents are recorded finds that around 30% of drivers use road rage and abuse towards equestrians on the road as well as 81% passing too close and too fast. This ride aims to change all that.”
The ride, which involved five horses and took place between Lambourn gallops in west Berkshire and the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Lambourn was chosen as the starting point for the ride, as the racehorse Knockalla was killed on the road there in 2024 by a car driver going too fast.
Sensitive
James Luckhurst, Founder of Project EDWARD said: “It only takes a few seconds to make a safe pass around a horse yet it makes a huge difference. These animals are sensitive and one bad moment can change a life forever; let’s all be kind, patient and share the roads safely.”
During the week, Project EDWARD and the BHS also launched a training resource for police officers whose role is to review video footage of unsafe behaviour submitted by riders and other roads users through the scheme known as Operation Snap. The resource is designed to provide an understanding of what it is like to be on a horse on the road as well as achieving consistency among all police forces in how different offences are dealt with.