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Campaign on Black Isle to make roads safer for horses and riders on country lanes


By Staff Reporter

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Pass Wide and Slow..Launch of road safety campaign warning drivers to slow down when driving past horses...Young rider Brooke Mackenzie,MSP Kate Forbes,Lindsay Ross and Albi,Suzanne Gowdy and Kaiser and highlighting cyclist is Xander Ross...Picture: Gary Anthony. Image No..
Pass Wide and Slow..Launch of road safety campaign warning drivers to slow down when driving past horses...Young rider Brooke Mackenzie,MSP Kate Forbes,Lindsay Ross and Albi,Suzanne Gowdy and Kaiser and highlighting cyclist is Xander Ross...Picture: Gary Anthony. Image No..

EQUINE enthusiasts on the Black Isle have been taking part in a national campaign raising awareness about the need for motorists to give horses and their riders more consideration when passing them on country lanes.

The Pass Wide and Slow campaign is aimed at educating drivers about how to safely approach horses they may encounter on the road.

Lindsay Ross and Suzanne Gowdy regularly use the Cullicudden Straight on the B9163 to get from their stable to popular areas of the countryside where they go riding.

“There were 67 rides throughout the country promoting the campaign at the weekend which is effectively to educate drivers about how to safely approach and pass horses and riders when they encounter them,” Mrs Ross said.

“It is recommended they should not pass them at more than 15mph and give them a wide berth of at least two metres.

“We have had drivers pass us at 60mph then they stop and give us abuse. I think a lot of drivers just don’t realise we don’t want to be on these roads but riders often have to use them to get access to the areas they are going riding.”

Mrs Ross said there was also a danger that local drivers who are familiar with horses and riders on certain routes drop their guard because they “know” the horses.

“It’s important to be aware that there is always a risk when passing horses even if you think you know them and their riders,” she said.

“Horses are very unpredictable and it’s not only traffic that can spook them.

“A bird simply moving in a hedgerow can cause a horse to react and that is why drivers should be aware at all times.”

The British Horse Society has reported 2900 incidents involving motorists between 2010 and 2018 and 230 horses and 39 riders have died as a result of accidents with cars.

The society stressed that not all horse riders have the luxury of off-road tracks or access to farmer’s fields.

“Horse riders do not take lightly to going on the roads and do try and make themselves safe by wearing high-visibility clothing for maximum visibility and head cameras to support any incidents when reporting to police,” said a society spokesman.

“Horse riders also ensure their horses are accustomed to traffic as best they can, but unfortunately it can take just one dangerous manoeuvre by a driver to spook a horse.”


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