Campaign urges motorists to leave horses plenty of space
Sussex event part of national Pass Wide and Slow initiative
Horse riders gathered for a special ride last week to encourage cars to drive past them carefully.
They set off from Ditchling Recreation Ground at 11am last Saturday and were joined by Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne OBE.
The event was part of the Pass Wide and Slow Campaign, which held 200 rides across the country on Sunday, September 19.
The Ditchling version took place a day earlier to avoid clashing with the London to Brighton Cycle Ride, said organiser Rachel Williams, an equine ranger who lives in Burgess Hill.
It went through the village and then towards Notcutts garden centre. The circuit then went clockwise along Common Lane, before turning onto Folders Lane and back to Ditchling on Spatham Lane.
Rachel said the ride was to raise awareness about vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists, but mainly horse riders.
“Horses are flight animals,” she said, adding that the slower cars drive past and the more distance they give, the safer it is for everyone.
“We can see over hedges so we can see whether there’s somebody mowing their lawn or a dog barking,” said Rachel.
“Drivers can’t and a horse will dart sideways if something is upsetting them,” she warned.
Rachel said a horse weighs about half a ton and the speed of one darting sideways could seriously damage a vehicle.
It could also have tragic consequences, said Rachel, referring to an accident in Ditchling in 2017 when horse trainer Beverley Berrill’s animal had to be put down.
Rachel advised drivers not to beep their horn or sit directly behind a horse within kicking distance.
She also asked drivers to watch for riders’ hand signals and to wait for horses to go around drains carefully.
“We’re not talking about keeping somebody behind us for ten minutes,” she said, adding that most riders do not want to be on the road.
“If we can move off the road to let somebody pass we will.”
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