Horse licence?

[Blackthorn]

We have quite a number of 'horsists' in this part of the world and it frightens me when I see a young kid, maybe ten years old, trying a control a large horse in traffic. Agreed, drivers should take more care but, round here, I see riders doing the stupidest things with no regard whatsoever for the rules of the road. Recently a young rider was severly injured and a horse had to be destroyed following an accident, apparently the owner is insisting that a particular driver was responsible and will not accept that the rider was at fault.
My point is, is there any legislation to rule who can ride a horse, i.e those with a certain level of competence, or a minimum age?

[horselady]

Bit harsh that RoaldoM. Obviously your personal opinion, but to class all road riders as idiots is a bit extreme. Most drivers slow down and give way without any fuss, even if they hate horses they want to stop their car being damaged by a possible collision. Agree though that there are some completely arrogant riders who behave badly on the roads and never acknowledge a driver who slows down, height of rudeness that.
In answer to your question Blackthorn, the only legislation is that all riders under 14 must wear a riding hat! Any adult horse owner/rider worth anything would make damn sure a child is competent and that the horse is bomb-proof, as police horses are trained to be, but unfortunately there are people in all walks of life that think they know best and can handle any situation, sometimes with awful consequences.

[badcompany]

dont give the government any ideas about licenses for horses,next thing you know we'll be having to fork out for litter fines for horse dung taxes on hay,horse shoes water and a congestion charge directly outside the stables!

[horselady]

Horses in some places in USA and I think, in Rome have to wear nappies!!

[badcompany]

WOW! do they also have giant dummys/pacifiers made from sugar? haha!just kidding!

[horselady]

Lol!! Wish I could draw, that would make a brilliant cartoon!

[simonruss]

like tractors they should stay off the roads!!! pain in the a**e the lot of 'em!

[badcompany]

haha and intead of pulling a carriage,you could have it pulling a giant baby buggy,the equestrian gags are endless!

[sigma]

Sorry RonaldM but horses do have more right on the road than motor vehicles and traffic should give way to them. When the rules of the road were drawn up there were more horses than motor vehicles and this influenced the Highway Code. You will find that horse drawn carriages don't even have to obey road signs, Stop, Give Way, traffic lights etc, but they would be crazy not to. So next time you come across a horse don't be an arrogant motorist and slow down.

[horselady]

Well said Sigma!

[Schutzengel]

How on earth would any work get done if farmers couldn't access roads with a tractor. What's more where would the food they produce come from then. Most tractor drivers are very considerate, and when they see a car behind them they pull in to the nearest available space, to let the traffic pass them. Hands off our tractors, thank you.

[flip_flop]

That's a specious argument sigma - you can't seriously be suggesting that horses have more right to be on our roads than cars.

What's the annual cost of the road fund licence for a horse?

Horses on the road doesn't particularly bother me as it is so infrequent that I come across them - however, I am surprised at the number of times I get stuck behind a damn horsebox. These things are right pain in the backside, always holding up the traffic.

I believe they should only be allowed on the road overnight. Same with caravanists - that way they can each hold each other up instead of getting on everybody elses tits.

[sigma]

It's not specious at all. I didn't say "they have more right to be on the road"

What's road tax got to do with it?

As for horse boxes and caravans, it's usually the vehicle directly behind them that causes the hold up by not positioning them selves correctly ie. following too close and not in a position to overtake.

Yet another motorist who thinks it's their God given right to be on the road. I'm surprised you didn't pick on HGV's, cyclists, pedestrians and the multitude of road users who aren't in a car.

[Ethel]

It's because motorists have to licenced that horse riders have more right to be on the road.

A horse riders right on the road is absolute and can't be taken off him; a motorist can have his licence to drive removed

[TCL-MUMPING]

RonaldoM wrote "Anyone who rides a horse on a public road must be certifiable, even on country roads. I find most of them seem to think that traffic should give way to them and crawl past as if they have more right on the road than motor vehicles. Idiots the lot of 'em."

In The Highway Code, it states

214

Animals. When passing animals, drive slowly. Give them plenty of room and be ready to stop. Do not scare animals by sounding your horn, revving your engine or accelerating rapidly once you have passed them. Look out for animals being led, driven or ridden on the road and take extra care. Keep your speed down at bends and on narrow country roads..."

215

Horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles. Be particularly careful of horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles especially when overtaking. Always pass wide and slowly. Horse riders are often children, so take extra care and remember riders may ride in double file when escorting a young or inexperienced horse or rider. Look out for horse riders� and horse drivers� signals and heed a request to slow down or stop. Take great care and treat all horses as a potential hazard; they can be unpredictable, despite the efforts of their rider/driver."

Who's the idiot?

[horselady]

It amazes me how some people really do think they have sole rights on the road. Why should caravaners, horse-boxes or anything else for that matter only be "allowed" at night just because someone doesn't approve of them?! Good lord, live and let live, there's room for all of us and we're as important as each other.

[flip_flop]

Sorry, I mis-read your post - you didn't say horses had more right to be on the road, but you did say;

"Sorry RonaldM but horses do have more right on the road than motor vehicles and traffic should give way to them".<i/>

I don't see how you can say that - your justification doesn't stand up to any scrutiny (or at least it doesn't make any sense to me, but perhaps I'm missing the point).

I flippantly mentioned the road fund licence as I assume (I don't know, it is merely an assumption) that horsey people don't have to pay for the privilige of riding a horse on the road that I and my fellow motorists do pay for

[flip_flop]

Final two paragraphs weren't meant to be in italics.

[B00]

They dont flip flop- so does that mean that because they don't pay a licence they have less rights than you, the licence paying car owner?

That's quite interesting. We could use the argument that children dont pay taxes toward the NHS so therefore they have less rights for hospital treatment than tax paying adults.