Police forces have teamed up with the British Horse Society (BHS) to make roads safer for those hacking a horse as part of a recent operation in Devon.

Devon and Cornwall Police’s Rural Affairs officers and Roads Casualty Reduction team joined forces with the BHS and the Mounted Section at Avon and Somerset Police to educate motorists about the importance of passing horses safely.

Last year, the BHS recorded 3,118 road incidents involving horses, resulting in 97 horses being injured and 58 losing their lives.

According to the charity, 81% of these incidents occurred as a result of a driver passing too closely or too quickly.

The Devon ‘close pass’ operation took place in and around Bampton in Devon, and involved Mounted Officers from Avon and Somerset riding along the roads in plain clothes. This allowed them to identify any drivers passing horses too closely or quickly.

The Mounted Officers shared their experiences with the Devon and Cornwall policing teams who intercepted vehicles and gave advice to drivers.

Officers said many drivers seemed unaware of the correct way to pass riders on the road, with many incorrectly believing they had done so safely.

Rural Affairs officer PC Lucy Wyatt leads equine crime in Devon and Cornwall and was responsible for organising the operation.

“I grew up riding horses and have experienced, first-hand, how dangerous it can be when motorists pass too fast or too close,” she said.

“We have to remember that horses are animals with their own brains, and they can become spooked if a vehicle passes at an inappropriate speed or distance, and this can have devastating consequences for everyone involved.”

During the operation, the team identified several drivers who passed the horses too quickly or without allowing enough space. The team also identified a motorist using a mobile phone whilst driving.

“When approaching horses and riders on the road, drivers should slow down to no more than ten miles per hour, avoid revving their engine or honking their horn and then pass slowly when safe to do so, allowing least two meters of space between the horse and vehicle.”

PC Wyatt recommended that horse riders wear high-visibility and reflective clothing and stay alert to their surroundings. She also encouraged riders to use clear hand signals to indicate their intentions and be courteous and polite to all other roads users.

“This is the first of many collaborative operations we’ll be carrying out,” she added. “I hope that our actions have helped to educate drivers about the importance of passing horses safely and provided reassurance to horse riders that we are committed to reducing the number of people – and animals – killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“Everyone has a right to use the road. Let’s look out for one another and make sure everyone gets home safely.”

Footage of unsafe driving, including dangerous overtaking of horses, can be submitted to Devon and Cornwall Police via Operation Snap.

Images by Devon and Cornwall Police

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