If ever a post about horses’ being on the road appears on social media, in a non-equestrian group, you can guarantee some of the responses.
There will be someone saying “horses shouldn’t be on the road anyway”. Someone will moan about poo. Someone will advise riding in “all those fields” instead.
It will get heated. Arguments will start.
There will also be comments from riders saying we’ve got “more right” to be on the roads than cars. Someone will say “horses were here first”. I’ve seen people ask “why should we have to say thank you to drivers who pass properly?” and “why should we have to wear high-vis?” I’ve seen someone say any collision on the road is always the driver’s fault.
Yes, we should all be able to ride our horses on the road without fear of being hit by an irresponsible driver. But equally, we should all be able to own tack and equipment and not have it stolen by some low-life – but that doesn’t mean we don’t lock the tack room door. If you didn’t, and your tack was stolen, people would be sympathetic but they’d also ask why you hadn’t secured your stuff.
Do you agree? Let us know your thoughts by writing to hhletters@ti-media.com for a chance to see your views in H&H magazine and you could win a bottle of Champagne Taittinger (please include your name and address; letters may be edited).
‘We encourage riders to report any incident to the BHS horse accidents website, as we can use this information to
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
