Image shows a female rider wearing a high vis jacket riding a black and white horse along a track

These are the new road rules protecting horses and riders

Did you know the Highway Code is changing to protect horses and riders?

From the end of this month, a new ‘hierarchy of road users’ – designed to protect the most vulnerable from injury – places responsibility on those who pose the greatest risk of harm to others. Although horse riders still need to ride responsibly, the new rules mean drivers and cyclists will need to take great care around horses and horse-drawn vehicles.

The new road rules suggest drivers:

  • slow down to below 10mph to pass horses and riders
  • give horses and riders at least two metres space when overtaking them
  • don’t overtake horses and riders until they can give a two-metre clearance
  • give extra space when passing horses, riders, and horse-drawn vehicles at night or in bad weather
  • not cut across horse riders or horse-drawn vehicles when turning into or out of a junction, or changing lane

And when riding around horses, cyclists should:

  • slow down and let horses and riders know they are there, by ringing the bell or calling out politely
  • give way to horse riders on bridleways
  • not undertake horses and riders
  • remember that horses can be startled, and prepare to slow down and stop
  • not ride closely to horses or horse drawn vehicles, or at high speed

The rules apply to non-ridden feral and semi-feral horses, such as New Forest, Exmoor and Dartmoor ponies, too.

Horse riders and horse drawn vehicles will now have a responsibility to reduce danger to pedestrians. They must give way to people on foot on zebra crossings, and to pedestrians and cyclists on a parallel crossing. Plus, there’s a new suggestion that inexperienced horse riders or those who haven’t ridden for a while should consider taking the British Horse Society’s Road Safe Award training before riding on the road.

Subject to final sign off from parliament, the new Highway Code comes into effect on 29 January 2022. Although advisory and not legally binding, failure to follow the Highway Code can be used as evidence in court to establish liability. Causing a collision by not following the rules can lead to prosecution for careless driving.

— Page last updated 19/01/2022