As more and more of us are having to hack out on roads to get to bridleways, we ask solicitor Rebecca Stojak if horses have right of way on the roads.
The Highway Code gives guidance on how various road users should safely use highways and byways, but doesn’t say that a horse has priority or right of way.
Ultimately all road users have a duty of care to each other to act in a safe manner and do their utmost to avoid endangering other road users, regardless of who has right of way.
Section 215 of the Highway Code sets out how road users should act when there’s a horse on the road. It says that:
- Drivers should take ‘great care’ and ‘treat all horses as a potential hazard’
- Drivers should ‘pass wide and slowly’ when passing a horse and always listen to a rider’s request to slow down or stop.
If a driver doesn’t slow down or drives in a dangerous or inconsiderate way around horses on the road, try to get their number plate and report it to your local police station.
Are you a keen hacker? Here at Your Horse we’re launching a new campaign called #hack1000miles and we want you to track your miles out hacking and encourage others to get out the arena and into the great outdoors!
