Stronger protection for horse riders: Why Government action is needed

For the years, I’ve represented numerous horse riders whose lives have been devastated by serious, often unavoidable, road collisions – sustaining life-threatening injuries and psychological trauma.

Beyond my legal work, I’ve worked with the British Horse Society for several years, delivering road safety talks. I also serve as a trustee of the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund; a charity providing vital support to riders affected by horse-related injuries.

Life-threatening situations are not rare, they’re a daily reality for riders. That is why it is essential that the Government introduces stronger measures to improve public safety and reduce risks for horses and riders on UK roads.

What’s Happening – The Road Traffic (Horse and Rider Safety) Bill

On 14 January 2026, Mr Lee Dillon MP secured a parliamentary debate calling for stronger protection for riders and their horses on the road including making some of the rules in the Highway Code relating to overtaking horses mandatory rather than advisory. This is of particular importance when the data shows 81% of incidents and near misses involve a vehicle passing too fast or too close to a horse. 

He is also championing the Private Members Bill - The Road Traffic (Horse and Rider Safety) Bill which has its 2nd reading on 16th January.

I was proud to share with Mr Dillon my concerns, thoughts and proposals for change, which he then raised in parliament during the debate.

The Government’s recently announced Road Safety Strategy aims to cut road deaths and serious injuries by 65% over the next decade but misses key opportunities to better protect horses and riders.

According to the British Horse Society, in 2024 alone, 3,118 road incidents involving horses were recorded, with 80 people injured and 58 horses killed.

Behind every statistic is a person, a family and a beloved animal. These proposed changes will not eliminate collisions but go some way to reducing what should be preventable tragedies.

Why This Matters – My Perspective

This debate is close to my heart. As a former horse owner and rider, I regularly used public roads to access bridleways around Leeds – often single carriageways with 60 mph limits. I experienced frequent near misses, either vehicles passing too closely or too quickly, sometimes with oncoming traffic approaching.

Even now, as an occasional rider, the prospect of riding on the road gives me considerable concern. My children also rode for a time, and during supervised rides, I witnessed dangerous behaviour from drivers – overtaking too closely or pulling into the line of horses. These situations posed obvious risks to children and their leaders on foot.

The Reality for Riders

Despite the Government describing its Road Safety Strategy as taking decisive action to make our roads safer for everyone, it barely acknowledges horses. There is no mention of tougher motoring-offence penalties, leaving serious doubts about how rider protections will be improved in practice.

Mr Dillion brought up my points in the debate, where I was able to highlight the psychological trauma riders experience, often feeling immense guilt and grief that the horse bore the impact of the collision. 

Mr Dillion urged the Government to use the consultation on the new Victims’ Code to ensure riders and owners who lose horses are properly recognised in relation to the impact the loss of a horse in these circumstances can have.

The Human Cost – What I See Every Day

I have represented riders after catastrophic collisions – cases where horses were hit from behind, fatally injured, and riders left with life-changing injuries. 

Common themes include:

• Drivers passing at excessive speeds or too closely.
• Motorists explaining they “did not see” the horse and rider – even on straight roads.

The psychological impact is profound, including flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and in many cases, riders giving up riding entirely or incurring extra costs to avoid roads.

I would urge the Government to listen to the debate and ensure that horse riding safety is properly considered as they push forward with their new proposals. Simple changes will save lives, reduce suffering and make our roads safer for everyone. 

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell’s expertise in supporting people seriously injured in incidents involving horses. If you’re an equestrian and want to speak to me about an accident you or someone you know was involved in, contact me on 0113 2186470 or by e-mail at cathryn.godfrey@irwinmitchell.com.