{"id":682,"date":"2021-06-15T12:39:22","date_gmt":"2021-06-15T11:39:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ravenhallrural.co.uk\/?p=682"},"modified":"2023-11-17T13:39:46","modified_gmt":"2023-11-17T13:39:46","slug":"a-safer-ride-for-horse-riders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ravenhallrural.co.uk\/a-safer-ride-for-horse-riders\/","title":{"rendered":"A safer ride for horse riders"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As many horse riders take to the roads, keeping themselves and their horses safe while sharing road space with fast moving vehicles is a key concern. Increasing development and traffic volume in rural areas have made road riding a necessity for some riders. For others, road riding is their only option to combat the repetitive arena riding or to get the place they want to be with their horse.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Why it\u2019s important to have safer roads for horse riders<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>1,010 road incidents\u00a0involving horses have been reported to The British Horse Society<\/li>\n<li>Of these,\u00a046 horses\u00a0have\u00a0<strong>died\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0118\u00a0have been\u00a0<strong>injured\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>130 people\u00a0have been\u00a0<strong>injured\u00a0<\/strong>because of road incidents<\/li>\n<li>45%\u00a0of riders were victims to\u00a0<strong>road rage <\/strong>or\u00a0<strong>abuse\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>80%\u00a0of incidents occurred because a vehicle\u00a0<strong>passed by too closely<\/strong>to the horse<\/li>\n<li>43%\u00a0of incidents occurred because a vehicle\u00a0<strong>passed by too quickly<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cii.co.uk\/\">Chartered Insurance Brokers<\/a> and a team of experienced equestrians, <a href=\"https:\/\/ravenhallrural.co.uk\/\">Ravenhall Rural<\/a> understand the importance of creating a safe environment for all road users. With this article, we have provided some advice for horses riders and vehicle users to ensure everyone is safe whilst using the roads.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Tips for being road safe as a horse rider<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Be safe and road aware<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Are you ready to head out on a hack? Are you confident and capable of controlling your horse if there\u2019s a problem on the road? The BHS have created a \u2018Ride Safe Award\u2019 which you can receive after taking part in a Ride Safe assessment. This assessment can give riders the confidence to ride on roads. Find out more <a href=\"https:\/\/pathways.bhs.org.uk\/ride-safe-award\/\">here.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Warm up your horse with a ride or a lunge at home or in a safe area &#8211; let them release any pent-up energy in a safe, familiar environment.<\/li>\n<li>Choose your route wisely! Some roads can be dangerous to ride on because of shoulder width, traffic speed, or volume of traffic. Make sure you choose the route with the widest road, the lowest speed limit, and the least amount of traffic where possible.<\/li>\n<li>When crossing a road, select a safe spot to cross. Choose an area to cross where approaching cars are easily seen and heard. Dismount and lead your horse if you are unsure of your safety in the saddle.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Be seen with your horse<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Highly visible clothing for the rider is a must when riding out on the road. Ensure all riders are wearing bright colours and a reflective vest if possible. Fitting your horse with reflective leg wraps, brow bands, breast collars and stirrup bars make your horse as visible as possible.<\/li>\n<li>Another great visibility aid if you\u2019re caught out after dark is a flashing LED safety light that may be attached to your saddle or clothing. These lights were designed for cyclists, but also work great for riders. The intermittent flash of the light attracts a driver\u2019s attention making you more visible and them more aware.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>If riding in a group, let the most visible and experienced person ride closest to approaching traffic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Be aware and stay safe<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you feel unsafe in the saddle, dismount and walk your horse instead. However, most experienced riders will agree that when your horse is frightened, you are usually safer in the saddle than on the ground. If you\u2019re on the ground, a frightened horse might jump right into you, stepping on you or knocking you down. But if you are nervous in the saddle, your own nervousness may frighten your horse even more, so in that case it may be safer to hand walk your horse until you reach a point where you feel safe to remount.<\/li>\n<li>Watch for animals along the route, such as barking dogs that may suddenly dart out, cows, pigs, or other farms animals that your horse isn\u2019t accustomed to. Even another horse behind a fence, especially one that is running, can frighten your horse.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">How can vehicles pass horse riders safely:<\/h2>\n<p>Many horse riders may also be car owners, and in which case have a good understanding of how to pass horses safely. However, to keep the roads safe for everyone, there are a couple of things drivers can do.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Reduce your speed and be ready to stop. This can give riders a chance to spot the car and prepare their horse for your passing. Speeding past a horse can cause incredible danger for both the rider and the horse so be patient and give them room \u2013 at least a car\u2019s width and pass slowly.<\/li>\n<li>Cyclists can also be particularly frightening to horses because bicycles often approach very quietly appearing to the horse like a \u2018predator\u2019. If you are aware of a cyclist approaching, ask them to speak to you. Hearing the human voice from the \u201cpredator\u201d will help ease your horse\u2019s fear.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid any actions likely to spook the horse such as splashing them with puddles, sounding your horn or revving your engine.<\/li>\n<li>Watch out for signals from the rider to slow down or stop. By slowing your vehicle down, you should be able to spot these signals.<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t expect all riders to raise their hand in thanks when you drive considerately \u2013 if it\u2019s not possible to take a hand off the reins and maintain control, most will smile or nod their thanks instead.<\/li>\n<li>Accelerate gently and give the horse and rider a wide birth as you pass. If you\u2019re approaching a bend in the road or a hill, please stay patient and hold back.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Join in with \u2018Ride out UK\u2019<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-683 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/ravenhallrural.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/RideOutUK-Facebook-Banner-2021-300x124.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"382\" height=\"158\" \/>Between May and October 2021, The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhs.org.uk\/\">British Horse Society<\/a> are fundraising for \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhs.org.uk\/our-work\/access\/campaigns\/ride-out-uk\">Ride Out UK\u2019<\/a>. This scheme has been created to raise money to restore and repair equestrian routes across the UK. There are many ways that you can get involved, including taking part in Rideathon, a 70km hacking challenge, or attending an organised ride. Find out more \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhs.org.uk\/our-work\/access\/campaigns\/ride-out-uk\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Are you insured?<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for\u00a0any further help or advice, <a href=\"https:\/\/ravenhallrural.co.uk\/contact\/\">contact our team<\/a>. Ravenhall Rural offer <a href=\"https:\/\/ravenhallrural.co.uk\/equestrian-insurance\/horse-insurance-rider-insurance\/\">horse and rider insurance,<\/a> which can give you the additional piece of mind when using the road.\u00a0 It is important to ensure that you fully understand the cover options available to allow you to make an informed decision. As Chartered Insurance\u00a0Brokers we can provide you with the best possible advice on products from a wide range of insurers. Our specialist team of equestrian advisers are on hand to ensure that you have the right product for your needs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As many horse riders take to the roads, keeping themselves and their horses safe while sharing road space with fast moving vehicles is a key concern. Increasing development and traffic volume in rural areas have made road riding a necessity for some riders. For others, road riding is their only option to combat the repetitive &#8230; <a title=\"A safer ride for horse riders\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/ravenhallrural.co.uk\/a-safer-ride-for-horse-riders\/\" aria-label=\"More on A safer ride for horse riders\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1783,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[55,42,45,13,15,36,16,38,48,17,56,18,20,57,58,22,59,60,23,61,62,49],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>A safer ride for horse riders - Ravenhall Rural<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ravenhallrural.co.uk\/a-safer-ride-for-horse-riders\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A safer ride for horse riders - Ravenhall Rural\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As many horse riders take to the roads, keeping themselves and their horses safe while sharing road space with fast moving vehicles is a key concern. Increasing development and traffic volume in rural areas have made road riding a necessity for some riders. For others, road riding is their only option to combat the repetitive ... 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