In 100 words....

C

Chestnut mare

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I have got a space in the local newsletter to write about slowing down for horses but only have space for 100 words. I could write pages :). Help me get my point accross short and sweet....
 
Shame you couldn't use a shocking image......they do say a picture saves a thousand words.

Just do your best, sounds like a great idea.... I might copy you there.
 
Horses don't dent they die.
Horses have a mind of their own and are prey animals with millions of years of evolution to make them swerve into the path of a car to avoid a potential threat in the verge.
 
Be very clear about the point you want to get across (plan where B is and get from A to B as simply as possible) Also get someone non horsey to read it before you submit :)

Absolutely avoid having anything about 'right to be there' etc. Enjoy :)
 
Might be more than 100 words, but you could chop it down a bit :)

"I feel I must try and make people more aware of horses and riders on the road.
With the roads becoming ever busier, I'd like to highlight the difficulties experienced by horse riders on the roads in trying to keep safe and prevent accidents. I totally appreciate that horses on the roads are an inconvenience to motorists, but in order to reach bridleway routes, some road work is unavoidable. That said, I must point out not all drivers behave badly, I have also had a lot of good experiences where drivers have seen my horse is in distress, stopped and turned off their engines until the panic is over.
I would also like to urge riders to make sure they are wearing hi-viz when riding on the road, in any weather, good visibility or not.
Drivers
 Pass wide and slow
 Don’t get too close behind the horse, it may kick out or become frightened
 Do not sound your horn or rev your engine
Riders 
Invest in some good quality High-Viz equipment for you and your horse
 Thank drivers for being courteous
Thank you for reading!!
 
when you see a horse rider on the roads think about a few things and don't be too impatient to get past them.

Give the horse a wide berth and drive carefully. They are after all unpredictable animals and consider the damage that could be caused to both horse, rider and yourself if you cause upset.

For the most part, horse riders would rather be off the roads on bridleways and paths. Sometimes it is necessary to do a stretch of roadwork, and for these occasions, lets both, riders and drivers, be considerate and patient.
 
You need to be aware that many people won't care about your horse. They care about their car, so personally I would focus on the damage that can be done if a horse lands on their bonnet as opposed to the danger to the horse. I know that sounds a bit callous but it hammers home the message that drivers need to not only slow down for the safety of the horse and rider but for their own safety too.
 
I think you need to use very...not sure how to word it but write it almost like a short scenario, from a non-horsey point of view.

Only have a moment to write this so not thinking it through but something along the lines of

"It's been a hard day at work. You're tired, stressed and want to get home. You steer your car quickly round the twisty lanes, perhaps just a little too fast. You see a shape up ahead and brake slightly. You realise its a horse, assume if its on the roads it's used to traffic.

You carry on. Suddenly there's a heart stopping jolt and the car skids sideways. Glass rains on your head and your airbag explodes in your face. Red liquid trickles through the broken windscreen. You get out in a daze, realise there's fur stuck to the wreckage of your car. There's a person, face down in a pool of blood. Not moving.

We don't have airbags or seatbelts. Our animals are trained but unpredictable. Think. Brake. Save a life."


No idea how many words that is and I would take more time to chose words to have the moat impact. But I would do something along those libes
 
Ahrena said:
I think you need to use very...not sure how to word it but write it almost like a short scenario, from a non-horsey point of view.

Only have a moment to write this so not thinking it through but something along the lines of

"It's been a hard day at work. You're tired, stressed and want to get home. You steer your car quickly round the twisty lanes, perhaps just a little too fast. You see a shape up ahead and brake slightly. You realise its a horse, assume if its on the roads it's used to traffic.

You carry on. Suddenly there's a heart stopping jolt and the car skids sideways. Glass rains on your head and your airbag explodes in your face. Red liquid trickles through the broken windscreen. You get out in a daze, realise there's fur stuck to the wreckage of your car. There's a person, face down in a pool of blood. Not moving.

We don't have airbags or seatbelts. Our animals are trained but unpredictable. Think. Brake. Save a life."


No idea how many words that is and I would take more time to chose words to have the moat impact. But I would do something along those libes
Click to expand...

:eek: wow very good writing and hard hitting as has been said!
 
Ahrena WOW! I always say to people a horse coming through your windscreen will hurt you to. And then explain horses are not machines. But Wow ahrena bloody good :)
 
That is very well written Ahrena. However, from the pov of informing drivers, I prefers Nah's. It states clearly how to drive past horses and also informs riders what they can do to be visible. My experience on the road is that people don't know they should slow down and give horses a wide birth. OP, it's great that you have an opportunity to inform and educate. Good luck with it.
 
I think we should get something written between us and then everyone send it to their local paper, village/parish magazine, letters page etc etc

Think how many people we could reach if we had a concerted effort:)
 
thanks :)

IMO I personally think most people do know really that they should slow for horses. Whether they really understand why is perhaps the issue. I personally think non horsey people would see a list and kinda glaze over it and in a newspaper you need something to draw people in.

Like a list of facts is great but i think you'd risk the target audience not bothering to read it. Only my opinion though, no offence intended :) just wanted to explain my thoughts!
 
I think drivers seem to think because a horse is ridden on the road it must therefore be used to cars. What they do not realise is that horses are unpredictable and whats in the verge could be more scary than the oncoming car, and no not all horses are used to cars. When a driver has driven past one horse at speed, he thinks he can do the same to all the rest.
 
Ahrena said:
I think you need to use very...not sure how to word it but write it almost like a short scenario, from a non-horsey point of view.

Only have a moment to write this so not thinking it through but something along the lines of

"It's been a hard day at work. You're tired, stressed and want to get home. You steer your car quickly round the twisty lanes, perhaps just a little too fast. You see a shape up ahead and brake slightly. You realise its a horse, assume if its on the roads it's used to traffic.

You carry on. Suddenly there's a heart stopping jolt and the car skids sideways. Glass rains on your head and your airbag explodes in your face. Red liquid trickles through the broken windscreen. You get out in a daze, realise there's fur stuck to the wreckage of your car. There's a person, face down in a pool of blood. Not moving.

We don't have airbags or seatbelts. Our animals are trained but unpredictable. Think. Brake. Save a life."


No idea how many words that is and I would take more time to chose words to have the moat impact. But I would do something along those libes
Click to expand...

Wow.... that made me go cold.... very hard hitting I like it.
 
Thank you all so nice of you to take the time to reply.

I have had my horse for 13 years and we have been at our current yard for 3 and a half years. I have always loved the quiet lanes and we do have some great hacking. My yard does not have a school so hacking has been our main riding over this time.

However the last 6 months I have been seriously put off hacking out, The main offender is the road out of my yard. It is very dark, narrow and windy and has become a main cut through which people seem to be using more and more. I have had abuse shouted at me and many, many cars have been going far to fast seeing us and then slamming on the brakes coming to a halt just inches from us (one of these was a local bus company!!!! could of been very nasty indeed)

I hack out alone mostly and being on a small pony cars will just force past us.

I feel very vunerable at the moment and feel very nervous everytime I hear a car approaching and worry about its speed.

Unfortunately not all riders and courteous to cars often riding two abreast, chatting, no hi viz and show no acknowledgement to the driver, when they eventually pull over they glare at you as if you are in the wrong and do not even say Thank You! ( I have had this experience on many occasion and I am a horse rider- I dread to think how it looks to a non horsey individual)

I always wear hi viz clothing including hat band and tabard for myself and flouresent exercise sheet and boots on my pony. I do all I can to be polite trot on to a gap and thank the driver.

I know not all drivers are inconsiderate and am very greatful to people who do pass us with care, I feel I am on a real mission with this now as it is an issue so close to my heart. I have got an article in the local paper.

I have contacted highways about trying to get some horse warning signs up in and around the village ( I am going to ask my friends to also do this as surely if they have many requests they will have to act?)
 
Well done for being given the space in the newsletter. Just thinking though, I live in a horsey area, parents live 3 miles away but we get different local newsletters. I also get an advertising mag round once a quarter. If this is what it's like in a small corner of Northumberland, perhaps we could have a concerted effort to get something in every newsletter we all get- let's go nationwide!
 
Found myself thinking about this whilst lying awake last night, so to get it off my chest:
Horse and Road Safety.
Horses on the road:
May react independently of their rider’s instructions. If two abreast, the outer one is “minder” to a novice.

Have 3 speeds :
0mph - waiting patiently, frozen with fear, or about to react.
5-10mph – probably happy with where they are going.
15mph + - are likely to be out of control.

Treat as if it is a toddler with no road sense and give it a WIDE berth.

Drivers: want to avoid losing license for dangerous driving, protect your no claims bonus and complete your journey? Pass horses and riders safely: Drive slow. Pass wide.
 
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not sure on wording or anything but something along the lines of it's better to be held up for 2 minutes for slowing down, passing wide and slow and being courteous than being held up for a day and possibly longer for racing past and having a new ornament on the bonnet (a horse).
 
Some of these suggestions are fab.

If you can, within the word limit, how about mentioning other road users? When I try to explain horses on the road non-horsey people, I like to make the point that it may not be a horse they come across, what about a tractor or lorry, cyclists or children? Not just us 'snobby' riders getting in the way...

I also make the point that if anything surprises the horse, even one stride sideways could end up in your car if you pass close - and regardless of the damage to me or my horse, odds are that my cob would kill a cyclist or at least severely damage a car in a collision...

I like the idea of giving them some tips on how to pass safely, and what they should expect from us as riders - and the point that we aren't on the road purely to inconvenience them, but e.g. to get between bridleways.

When I had an encounter with a lorry, I emailed the CEO of the haulage company, and the local police. I included a copy of the BHS leaflets :D

Maybe put in a link "For more information on 'riding and road safety' for all road users, why not look on the British Horse Society website www.bhs.co.uk"?

Out of interest, how did you manage to get the 100 words? Did you contact them directly asking about it?
 
Needs to be short and sweet because only a few will read it all once they realise its about horses.

Protect your car! Pass me wide and slow
I react I don't think

Don't sound your horn at me - I might sit on your car
I react I don't think

Don't pass too close - I may kick your care
I react I don't think

Give me time to get to a safe place - I may run into your car
I react I don't think

I carry a human life on my back
Pass me wide and slow
I thank you
 
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