Kill your speed not my horse!

[bracken99]

i just watched this video on youtube. bascially it is about this girl who was hacking out with friends one day and noticed a car in the distance wasnt slowing down. #next thing her horse was on the ground, she had been hit. The vets couldnt do anything to help and her horse was put to sleep so she started this campaign.

thought i would spread the word.

type kill your speed not my horse into youtube for more info.

 

[mollymum]

Can't watch it, can't bear to. Our pony, Cindy, was killed last June in Somerset. The killer has just attended his FOURTH court appearance and is awaiting another one. I can't say his name, but watch this space, because as soon as I can, I'll tell everyone who he is AND the name of his taxi firm.

 

[Bettyboo222]

I watched it I also typed up a post about it on my FB, It had a picture of the 'Kill your speed not my horse' logo and this wrote

There are over 3 million horse riders in the UK, There are 8 horse related accidents every day and 5 riders are killed every year on the roads. Most accidents happen on minor roads. Motorists the recommended speed for passing horses is 15mph, they can get scared and spook easily. Don't take the risk, remember cars dent, horses die !

 

[milesjess]

I haven't hacked for a while. Went out today down a country lane, saw a car doing around 5mph towards us, despite stopping, signalling he flew past us! He didn't even look at us as he passed the coward! Some absolute loons out there!

 

[Holly Hocks]

I already have one of their T-shirts from a couple of years ago - unfortunately I dont think the logo is really big enough for cars to see until they are already too close...

 

[milesjess]

Sorry should say 50mph!!! I wish it was 5mph! Haha.

 

[Bettyboo222]

Sorry should say 50mph!!! I wish it was 5mph! Haha.

I saw that and thought 'I think we can trot faster than 5 mph '

 

[Charlotte150]

The fluorescent tabards with kill you speed not my horse are good but I have had a few comments with people thinking it means the horse is not actually mine "And that it doesn't seem to matter If I don't own the horse",The logo should be made bigger so its clearer from a distance.

 

[rhino]

I think it's more about raising awareness of horses on the road and how to act around them than simply reducing speed to be honest... Horses can be killed at relatively low impact speeds.

The statistics of road accidents involving horses are horrible (and I'm one of them, although luckily neither horse or I were seriously injured) and anything done to highlight it is a good step IMO.

I also think many, many horse riders could do with further eduction on how to keep safe on the roads and minimise accidents, as it will need action from 'us' as well

 

[Shantara]

After a near-miss on the road, where I had to choose between yanking the reins as hard as I could, or a 4X4 plowing into his hind legs.

I luckily chose the reins and I had done it so hard that he leapt to the far side of the verge. I was already walking on the edge, cars shouldn't be there! Even though he had jumped so far, I could feel the breeze of the wing mirror go past my knee.
She was on the phone too, going far too fast for a corner on a country road, right by a horse road sign.
I couldn't believe it! My heart rate didn't go down until well after I'd finished the ride.
I had already been interested in horse road safety (What rider isn't?) but after, I really wanted to get it out there, but everyone is ignoring me. I've written to several news programs and others plenty of times, but I get nothing in response.

The YO's horse was clipped by a van's wing mirror too and despite her yelling and being whacked by her wip, it didn't stop (The van, I mean! Not her horse!)
The horse was fine, but he wasn't impressed!

Another girl's horse was spooked by a flat-bed trailer and had gone over onto the trailer. (not from our yard) We saw the aftermath...there was blood EVERYWHERE! Both from the girl and her horse, who had run off. Luckily, both were fine and the horse was found trotting around in a panic and utterly exhausted.

I hope one day there'll be something done about it. I don't know how many lives it will take!

ETA: Agree with Rhino, I think it's about education on both parts, rather than just speed.
My personal incident was because of speed, but the other two I mentioned, I don't think speed was a factor at all, especially the van, thank goodness!

 

[PeterNatt]

Could you all report your accidents (however long ago they occured) on the www.horseaccidents.org.uk web site as this records them as to where the accident occured.

 

[Ali2]

I prefer the "cars dent, horses die' message:

https://sites.google.com/site/fundraisingforemwuk/emw-uk-sales
(About 2/3 down page)

And sales of them help EMW

 

[Grumpy Jewel]

I was out on the ride when this incident happened. It was an absolute tragedy, and it affected the whole yard. The incident received a lot of local media attention which meant that the owner had the opportunity to get the message across. I think she did an amazing job after such an awful event.

 

[touchstone]

To be honest I think that the message of killing a horse isn't enough to deter some people anyway, there are sadly some real horse haters out there that think they shouldn't be on the road at all anyway.
I think a better message would be getting across how hitting a horse could potentially kill them

 

[golden_revolution]

It is just on Facebook that the BHS have launched a new ramp sticker for horseboxes/trailers to raise awareness amongst drivers of what could happen to their car if they hit a horse... (WARNING- PRETTY GRAPHIC IMAGE, but certainly highlights the reality) http://pw.ly/i/pGrk

Only £10...I'm going to put on on my trailer. If anything the person following stupidly close to my backside waiting for that opportunity to overtake at the drop of a hat might just take note!

 

[golden_revolution]

Not sure the link works oops! http://ow.ly/i/pGrk Hopefully this will?!!

 

[sjmcc]

thats very sad . i had a youngster years ago and a stupid girl driveing with her sh,,,,t of a boyfriend hit him my poor lad had the right of way and i kept shouting stop she only stopped when he came down on he bonnet then she got out the car screaming and crying i only cared he was ok im sure they,d had a few drinks he was sat in the car sticking the v,s up and when i said im phoneing the police her drama stopped and she drove off with a sqaushed wing and a badly dented bonnet lucky my lad was unhurt and realy didnt get shock up about it

 

[Ali2]

Thanks for the link golden_revolution - I shall be purchasing one of those.

 

[VoR]

I've had a couple close ones, first two 'boy-racers' chasing each other along a country lane, came round a corner to find me and 16.2/3 of ID x TB in the road, how they missed us is still a mystery, the horse just stood his ground, either brave, stupid or it happened too fast to react (god bless him)!

The second on another country lane (hmmm, seems to be a common link ) hacking to a hunt meet, heard this vehicle banging towards the corner in front of me from the other direction, I stopped he came round, anchored on, I closed my eyes and waited for the impact .........thankfully he stopped just short then gave ME daggers (***), again, horse, my other one this time, didn't flinch (yet another good lad).

 

[benson21]

BUt unfortunately I dont think there is a strong enough penalty for these drivers, or there wasnt in my case!

 

[Grumpy Jewel]

There never is benson21. Unless a human is seriously injured or killed, does it then get taken more seriously. If you replaced our horses with a family out on a lovely sunny bank holiday bike ride, then the consequences would probably have been tragic, particularly if there had been a car I'n the other lane.

 

[benson21]

There never is benson21. Unless a human is seriously injured or killed, does it then get taken more seriously. If you replaced our horses with a family out on a lovely sunny bank holiday bike ride, then the consequences would probably have been tragic, particularly if there had been a car I'n the other lane.

But I did get seriously injured. I broke my back. And 2 horses died. And still the driver walks away with just a ban, and not alot more!

 

[Grumpy Jewel]

Wow!!!!!!! Sorry, that must have been prior to me joining. That is awful!! I will go and fine the thread to catch up. I'm so sorry to hear that.

 

[benson21]

Until the law is changed,these people will carry on with their speeding, without a thought to others. I think their needs to be so much more coverage in the media etc etc before anything will happen.
But obviously there are things riders can do to help themselves. Dont hack along busy roads, hack in single file, and always always wear hi vis for example.

 

[niagaraduval]

I have also seen this video. It is very sad. Totally agree - People should slow down !!

 

[stargirl88]

Agreed! I actually think people should have more explained about horse riders when taking their driving tests. Instead of considering them as an obstacle to over-take on the road. I understand that some people really have no idea about horses, and (incredibly stupid people aside) it's not really their fault.

Many moons ago a horse I was riding bolted full-pelt down a country lane after spooking, totally unstoppable. What did the 4x4 do that was behind me? He floored it and over-took me! I was amazed!

 

[benson21]

Before our accident, I was hacking one day when a learner driver came up behind us. Now I thought it would of been explained to her that she should pass slowly, but no, she carried on at the same speed she was going, ok, not really fast, but probably 30-35 mph. When we got home, I phoned the driving school and asked what they taught learners, and I was told, they didnt teach learners anything about horses on the road, because its very rare for them to come across them!!!!!

 

[.Redmerl]

Road hacking scares me so much. Horse is great in traffic and drivers near us are usually very good. Just don't like it

 

[Shantara]

Before our accident, I was hacking one day when a learner driver came up behind us. Now I thought it would of been explained to her that she should pass slowly, but no, she carried on at the same speed she was going, ok, not really fast, but probably 30-35 mph. When we got home, I phoned the driving school and asked what they taught learners, and I was told, they didnt teach learners anything about horses on the road, because its very rare for them to come across them!!!!!

One of my very horsey friends actually had to teach her driving teacher about horses on the road. She hadn't had many lessons, but it was like instinct kicked in and she drove past like a pro.

 

[Kenzo]

Agree with touchstone, too many drivers think horse riders shouldn't be on the roads, or at least unless the horse is unflappable so to speak, which will never be the case.

I think campaigning to driver instructer companies and the DVLA working with them to educate new drivers on the road about the possible dangers and accidents (graphic photos) that can be caused when passing a horse rider without passing wide and slow. Obviously we as horse riders have to consider the types of roads we choose to ride on and the times we use like avoiding busy times or dangerous roads.

We need to work with drivers rather than them against us.