Safety campaign launched for horse riders (From Daily Echo)

Safety campaign launched for horse riders

12:10pm Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News By Echo Reporter

A CAMPAIGN has been launched after a spate of road accidents involving horses.

Hampshire has seen 41 road incidents reported to the British Horse Society (BHS) over the last 12 years.

These include four horse fatalities, two severe horse injuries, one rider fatality and six severe rider injuries.

The society admits that the figures collected could be far worse as currently there is no requirement for an equestrian related road accident to be recorded anywhere, unless there is human injury that requires hospital treatment direct from the scene of the accident.

A horse can be killed, or a vehicle written off and the accident may not be recorded as a horse incident anywhere.

Now the BHS has joined forces with road safety organisation, GEM Motoring Assist, to take a new approach to horse and rider safety on the roads.

With almost 10 per cent of reported incidents in 2012 resulting in a horse fatality and seven per cent causing serious injury to the rider, GEM, road safety organisation and breakdown cover company and The British Horse Society have come together to create a 'Horse Rider Safety' leaflet to promote road safety for both horse riders and drivers alike.

The society says that in Hampshire 21per cent of the total number of incidents, driver road rage was a contributory factor.

A vehicle passing too close to a horse was a contributory factor in 73 per cent of the total number of incidents reported.

In 39 per cent of cases reported the vehicle involved was going too fast for the road conditions.