Roads must be safe for riders and drivers

The Highway Code currently has seven rules for horseriders using Britain’s roads but only two provisions for motorists interacting with horses. The vast majority of drivers in the UK will never have to deal with the often frustrating overtaking or approach of a horse but with an estimated 3.5 million regular riders and one million horses being hacked, they should be aware of how to safely share the roads.

Various agencies give guidance – most of it common sense measures such as slowing down, giving animal and rider a wide berth and avoiding sudden movements and noises – but it is not tested or taught as a matter of course during lessons.

It should be in a largely rural area like Tayside and Fife, where horseriding is a common past-time and encounters on the roads are more common.

Perthshire woman Eileen Reid has a lucky escape when a car almost clipped her horse near Perth.

The driver was equally lucky – an accident involving an animal which can weigh more than a tonne will, by its very nature, be life-threatening for all involved.

The British Horse Society has reported an increase in reported near-misses of more than 100% in the past year. Who knows how many more go unreported. Where dozens of lives are being placed at unnecessary risk, it is clear that mandatory training in Scotland should be considered.