Staffordshire Safety News

Riding & Road Safety Update

After 1st January 2010, the administration of the Riding and Road Safety exams will move from the Safety Department to the Training Department (which runs all the BHS stage examinations).   The Safety Department will continue to work with the Highways Agency and other safety matters.

BHS Chief Executive, Graham Cory, has stated that he hoped to reduce exam fees and increase examiner’s fees in line with other examiners, if sufficient funding allows.

The Riding & Road Safety exams can now be extended to 10 candidates per session, but owing to the complicated paperwork, it is unlikely that two exam sessions would be able to run on the same day.

Exams have been successful in the county, with our usual high pass rates at most centres.  Dates are being booked for exams in the New Year and a training day is planned at Rodbaston in the spring.

For exam dates, check the diary pages   or contact Eileen Foy, Region Safety Officer on 07710 749457

Candidates must be aged 12 or over and, as stated in the Highway Code able to control their horse/pony.
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Safety Issues This Winter      

Instead of me banging on as usual about dark nights, reduced visibility, the need for Hi-Viz gear, hats of the correct standard, light coloured gloves and boots that will not get stuck in your stirrups, can we take it that you are aware of the dangers and know what the recommendations are?

The subject I would like to broach is your personal safety when doing the usual chores as the days shorten. How safe are you on your yard? How many go trudging off through mud and mire to bring in their horses or turn them out before daybreak? Who else is on the yard, do you have you phone with you, have you a contingency plan in case of accident or attack?

As most yards are quite isolated, surrounded by thick hedges and trees, how safe are you? Should someone unknown approach you when you are on your own on the yard how would you deal with it, and how would you know if they were about to attack you? If you do not know the answers to any of the above it might well be worth considering having a day course for your yard from State 11 Ltd. The Safety Conference at Coventry earlier this month had a demonstration from this company which was invaluable and hilarious, certainly the highlight of the day and, though dealing with a very serious subject, they made it memorable. They also run a Junior Cavalry 3hr session for younger riders.

On a similar safety front, just have a look round your yard - how hazardous is it? Are there wheelbarrows, jump poles, bales of hay or straw in the way of gates/access routes that could cause problems? Is there a contingency plan in the event of fire? When evacuating the stables where would the horses be safest?

Recently when attempting to school in a waterlogged manage on a blustery day when all the goblins and trolls were hiding behind every jump post I noticed that some kind person had parked the hay tedder next to the railings between the manage and the adjoining empty field. Doing a quick risk assessment regarding the likelihood of either jumping over the rails or my being thrown over the rails due to the aforementioned trolls and goblins, I decided that discretion was the better part of valour and we schooled furthest away from the machinery.

Be alert, highly visible and don’t have nightmares! (But are geldings that much safer?)

Eileen Foy
Regional Safety Rep
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Horses on Public Roads – Doug Smith

There have recently been several radio and TV programmes and some articles in the press concerning the presence of horses on the roads - the inference from many of them being that horses should not be on our roads. 

The horsey fraternity has, as would be expected, reacted with horror and affirmed their right to ride on public roads.  Of course it is true that horses and riders do have an absolute right to be on roads, except obviously for motorways and some dual carriageways.  However, with rights go responsibilities; to ensure that horses are insured at least against third party risks, to check that all equipment for the horse is in good condition and that riders wear appropriate protective and high visibility apparel.

Just as important is the training of the horse to deal with situations that can occur whilst riding out and the manner in which the riders not only ride but conduct themselves.  Having seen the behaviour of some horses and riders on the roads whilst driving my car I can, to a certain degree, see how many people could form the opinion that horses should not be allowed on our roads – and the remedy is in our own hands!  If a horse and rider cause problems for other road users it is amazing how a simple ‘Thank you’ goes a long way – even a nod of the head will do.  We are, after all, a nation of animal lovers.  The BHS Riding and Road Safety Test is a way for all riders to become more conversant with rules, regulations and manners when out riding. 

The other issue which must be addressed is how horses are ‘trained’ not ‘schooled’. The ‘bombproof’ horse does not exist – many are steady and take more stimulation to ‘wake up’ but once they do the same problems exist as with the ‘sharp’ horse.  It may well come as a shock to the rider who has not experienced any problems with the horse before and is unaware of how to deal with them.  This is especially true of the more nervous or novice rider who has bought a ‘steady’ horse.  The idea must surely be not to stop any horse reacting to what it sees but to deal with the ‘recovery rate’ so the spook becomes just a flick of the ear.  One of the most common issues is riders who ‘school’ the horse very nicely in the manage and then as a ‘reward’ take the horse out onto the roads, which statistics show is the most dangerous place you can possibly be on a horse. 
This change from a relatively safe environment to one which is far more hostile in itself raises the pressure on the horse.  It is at this point the rider often almost totally relaxes contact with the horse (as the reward) and becomes virtually a passenger.  Therefore in a situation where the horse needs most support to deal with problems which may be encountered he is ‘abandoned’ by his rider.  From this horse’s perspective he is thus being given tacit permission to respond in whatever manner he sees fit to anything which may provoke a reaction.  The animal then does what comes naturally, the problem is that the response may well not be what the rider wants or is expecting.  The rider then has to regain control, often punishing the horse (consciously or otherwise) whilst doing so.   The next time the horse sees whatever provoked his initial response he will be bothered not only by the stimulant but also the reaction of the rider which he knows will follow.  This double fear makes an even bigger issue for the animal.  From then on it becomes a steady downhill progression for both rider and horse as they enter the realm of the self – fulfilling prophesy.  Each observe a problem and know they have an uncomfortable time ahead.  This is just one of the many issues that can affect the safety of not only horse and rider but other road users.

As with the ‘bombproof’ horse the ‘perfect’ rider does not exist (although I am sure we all know riders who would disagree strongly with this!!).  The aim of this article is to stimulate some inward looking thought by riders who use the highways and bye ways of Staffordshire to examine the preparation and training of horses before considering taking them out.  We, like everyone else have responsibilities, both moral and legal, to those around us on the roads – and indeed in some cases the pavements.

Of course the one insurmountable problem we all have is that horses do not read articles like this or training manuals!!

Staffordshire British Horse Society supports responsible horse ownership and riding throughout the county.

Doug Smith spent over 20 years as a Mounted Policeman riding the streets of the West Midlands, performing varied duties and competing.  He is currently a Director of The Riding for the Disabled Association and a Regional Instructor
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