A horse lover is inviting others to join her on a special safety ride to urge drivers to drive at 10mph and keep two metres way from horses on the road.

Fleur Forer, of Tuell Down, will be at the event with the Tamar Trails Happy Hackers group with her gentle giant steed Taz leading the mass ride ‘Pass Wide and Slow’. The event, to which all riders are invited, is on Sunday, September 15, at 11am, from the horse transporters car park at the Tamar Trails.

She explained: “The aim is to the increase awareness of the need for motorists to pass vulnerable road users slowly and with at least two meters distance as advised in the Highway Code, when passing horse riders and other vulnerable road users.  Sometimes vehicles can alarm and cause horses to bolt if music is being played to loud inside or passengers shout or dogs insdie bark.

“The main aims are to encourage all members of the group and other equestrians to report cases of dangerous driving to the police so action can be taken and to encourage the wearing of head-cams so video evidence can be provided. Also to get more police forces onboard with accurately recording statistics for horse related incidents on the roads.”

The Tamar Trails Happy Hackers group has over 1,000 members in the Tamar Valley area who frequently ride on the Tamar Trails and it is hoped that around 25 riders along with a number of accompanying cyclists and walkers will be undertaking the ride.  

Fleur added: “We will be joining the B3362 towards the Cooper Penny pub and back down the road to rejoin the Tamar Trails at Scrubtor car park. Fleur added: “Drivers are often not aware of the importance of driving very slowly past riders on horseback or don’t know about the requirement in the Highway Code. Too many times drivers are impatient and driver too fast and too close which scares horses and can throw and hurt riders. It will add about 30 seconds to people’s journeys, but save lives.”

The ride is part of a nationwide campaign by the Facebook Group, ‘Pass Wide and Slow’ and 175 similar rides will be taking place nationwide.

Fleur thanked sponsors of the Tamar Trails Pass Wide, and Slow campaign who include: J.S. Electrical, of Launceston; Haycombe Farm Livery and Z’bra Creative Design.

Fleur opened one of the few specially built car parks in the South West for horse and riders on the Tavistock Woodland Estate last year. It is limited to permit holders who can bring their horses in boxes or trailers to the site. Here they know they have space to prepare their horses before and after rides, reducing the need for horses to be ridden on unsafe road and without interfering with other members of the public in a normal car park. Permits are available via the Tamar Trails Happy Hackers Facebook page.

The horse box park is at The postcode is PL198PB or what3words is: shedding.variances.sheds