2/3 of Riders ‘Have Had Near-Misses on The Road’

Taking care while out and about with your feet in stirrups is vital, especially when you’re on the road. According to new research, over two-thirds of horse riders have had near-misses with cars while out riding, so make sure you take all necessary precautions when near highways and byways.

Conducted by Duchy College in Cornwall, the study found that 66.2 per cent of riders have almost had run-ins with drivers, while wearing reflective equipment or clothes appeared to have little effect in reducing the chances of an incident.

What was discovered was that patterned horses such as skewbald or piebald were less likely to be involved in a near-miss, a finding that the group will now be using to design new safety products for horses and riders.

Research masters student Rose Scofield, who worked on the project, said: “The discovery of this significant factor has led the team to design a rider safety tabard in the pattern of a broken coloured horse and we intend to market it at some point. The design is now pending patent. We plan to extend this to other equine equipment such as exercise sheets, but first we need to secure some funding.”

As a rider, you do have a right to be on the road but it’s vital that you take extra care. Make sure that you wear helmets, high visibility garments and other accessories like body protectors to help you stay safe while riding on the road.

When a car approaches, make sure you have good control of your horse and where possible avoid busy roads and difficult junctions.