HORSE.RIDING RULES OF THE ROAD

THE ASSOCIATION OF IRISH RIDINC CTUBS

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BEFORE you tale to tie rcad you should be a competentdder and obtain special training in the skills of mad craft.You will need a tho$ugh knowledge and understandingof tle Rules oftle Road and its advice to all rcad users.when you ride on the rcad ]ou arc subject to rules andrgulations like other trafic. Beforc you confonn to theserules and rcgulations (and you are breaking the law ifyoudon't) 'ou must become familiar with them.The booklet IThe Rules of the Road" is available ftomC,ovemrnent Publications Office and post offices and costsE2.OOParcnts, guardians and riding instructo$ hare arcsporuibility to see that the young rider develops asound larc'\ iedge of the Rules ofthe Road. Carc, courtesyand consideration play an important part in Road Sefety.

You must stdve to lqlow your horse or pony. Discover thethings that tend to upset him,iher, e.g. sudden molement,loud noise, a plastic bag blo$n in the wind, etc. As the oldsaying goes 'rForcwarned is foreamredr'.Iflour animal is nervous or traffic-shy go out only in tlrecompany oi steady horses. ltroid main mads and healytraffic.

A horse or pony should never be ridden on the madwithout a bridle or saddle. All tack must be fittedcorEcdy. rgularly inspected for damage and kept ingood rcPair.Stiffup ircns which ale too large or too small for therider's foot arc dangemus. Make surc ]our ircns arc thecon€ct size. Check your ho$es' or ponies' shoes forlooseness e\€rv time vou take himfter out.

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Be safe- Be seen. Both horse and dder should be cleatlyvisible to other mad users in poor light. Wear somethingbright. "Ideally a fluorcscent \,€st incorpoEting somercflecLi\€ matedal. Your horse or pony should weatfluoEscent-cum-rcflectile lesbands.rr

You must alwa]E wear a co[€cdy fitting hard hat whentou ride. For maximum pmtection, this vital part of }!urequipment should coDform to Bdtish Standards Instituteup to date r€commendations - cu!rcntly BS 6473 or BS4472 (the joclqskull cap)and beaN t1le BSI kite mark asevidence.CaIe should be talcn that the hat fits correctly and isalwa,s securcd on the head. The job ofcorrectly fittitg ahard hat, especially to a cbild. is one for an o(pert.

Be considerate of pedestdans. Your holse may frightenthem. You must give way to pedestrians in all siilations inwhich other tlaffc must gi\€ way to t]lem. See Rules oftlle Road.

Ride on the grass verges where tiis is pmctical. Do notride on palements elen wheF tle pa.vement has a glassslr1D.

A gmup ding on tie rDad should never consist of morcthan eight dders. The gloup should include twocompetent maturc dders, expedenced in rcad safety.One should ride at the head and t}Ie other at the tail ofthegmup. Young, nervous or haffc-shy animals should bepositioned on the inside (nearcst the edge ofthe rcad) and

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in the middle ofthe gmup. Thesame aPPlies toJ,OUng, nervous ornovice rideff.The safe distanceto be kept be-tween a horse inthe grcup and theone following isat least four feet.The maturc nderat tie fiDnt haso\4rall charge ofthe gmup andshould place thequietest horses infiDnt on the out-side. This shi€ldstfle lervDus orless o(penencedand helps tieirconfidence.

The rider incharge and his/her assistant attie tail must keep t}le gloup together and gire handsignals to otler Ioad use$. Rrders in the group whodisobry ttre instructions of either of these two peopleshould be shictly disciplined, as their actions put not onlythemselves, but every meDber of the gmup at risk Thepace should be such that it can be maintained safely andcomfortably by e\'ery member of tle gtoup.

I}IE OBSTRUCNON OF OTHXR ROAD USERS MUST BEAVOIDED.

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WheE traffic is heavy or the mad bends or narrowssharply. a single line should be formed. To do this, ridersin the outside line, with the er(ception of the leader andassistant leader, should mole in betlreen t}1e Illor€nerurus and inexperienced horses and riders.The grcup should be kept together and never allowed tosplit into smaller goups. This is most important whenhorses and ponies turn for home. Some animals tend toquicken tieir pace when tiry head for home. Roads andjunctions should be cFssed as a contrglled grDup,monitoGd by tie person h charge.

You must ride on the left hand side of tie Ioad at alltimes. Keep to tie edge of the mad and dde straight.Riders ale advised not to ride too close to t}re edge ofthercad, but to take up a position wherc tlrry car be seen.Vehicles will then ha\€ to slov,/ dowD to otrer-tal(e them.Don't let ]our holse move sideways into traffc comingftom behind.Ride using both hands and keep a length on ]our Einswhich allohrs ',ou to keep )our horse under control at alltrmes.

Iooh listen and think ahead at all times. Be alert forpossible hazards, particularly fiom behind; you cannotlook behind too often to check that all is well. Bea! inmind the things which might fiighten ]our horse and bealert for them.Ifyou spot possible touble ahead then make a detour toaloid it- lf this is not possible then wait until the souEe ofthe touble is gone a!!d the Ioad is clear. Attempting toteach ),our horse disciplilte iD ftaffc is stupid, dangemusand quite unfair to )our horse and to other mad users.

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I intend to pull inor turn tomy left

Please sloM, do{rrnol stop

Never forget thatthere arc othe$using t1le mad.Sefety demandsthat you let themknow in good timewhat ]lcu intend todo.Beforc ]Du mo\re -check in ftont andbehind to ensurcthat it is safe to doso. gi\,e the cofiectsignal, check theroad again and ifsafe, carry out themanoeu\4e crisply.Signals should begiven clearly anddecisively. For leftand right handturns, the amshould be tully e)(tended, t}Ie handflat and the finge$closed.Remember do notmove off unless itis safe to do so.Never take achance. Alwa)6check around be-forc moving- Try tomake ele contactwith the other madusels when givinga signal.

I intend to move outor turn to my right

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Alwa].E ride in a single file unless in exceptionalci(ulDstances then - NEIER RIDE MORE TIIAN TwOABREA,SI

Beforc ]ou pull out to pass a stationary \,ehicle, STOPCheck tlat the load in ftont is clear. when the mad isclear, signal clearly, tlen with both hands on the rcins,move oul gradually ar a crisp walk. W}en passing aparked car, rcmember the door may open suddeDly- LearcIoom for this and also be prcpar€d fo! the efiect it mightha\,e on yout home.Wherc tie lehicle is a truck or a tEctor, thelE is a goodchance tiat somebody may be working close by. Call outso that such a person is awarc ofJour prsence and caoavoid sudden molement or loise which misht stardeYou! horse.

Be alert at alljulctions. When you wish to crcss the roadat a junction, flrst STOP, Look right, left and ght again.Signal your intention clearly. Wait quietly for trafnc to

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Mslortodo

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pass- While waitirg, do nothing to male Jeur horsefidgety. when t}te Ioad is clear, welk crisply on.On no account must Jtou let l,our horse rush forward.horse can quickly leam this dangeDus habit.

tfnot dore pmperly, tulniflg right is tle most dangerousmanoeuvTe on the load,

STOP AT POSnON ILARKED ' signal and wait uDtil load isdear before cmsstlg.Do not mo\/e offat any time unless it is safe to do so.

Walk arcund Comers. Road surfaces on cornerstelld to beslippery fiom oil and tramc wear which polishesthe rcadsurface.

X Stop hore,r ignal and w6ltuntll rcad ii clerr

Follow theprth lhown

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wlren you have to pass noisy machinery - SIOP - beforeyou come to ttre soure of the noise. The operator of tllemachine may then notice )Du and shut off the machineuntil you hare passed. ACIO,IOIMLEDGI TT{I COURIESYSHO\ll lfyou must continue past the noise or an objectwhich may make your horse shy. tlen \dait until tlle madis clear, turn the holses' head away fiom tlle hazard anddo not look at it }!ursef. Apply )/our dght leg to preventthe animals' quarteN fiom swinging out acmss the mad,and taking time to calm and reassurc ]our horse, ridecalfi y aod coDidendy on,2 ensudng tlat both hands arcon tJre rcins.Ifyour horse will not go on, get another horse to ghe youa lead. "If another horse is not available then dismountand lead ]our horse past the hazard. AlterDatively tateanother route.rr

Beforc cmssing Ioads and at junctions, the peNon incharge should get tie gmup to close up and STOP Whentl}e mad is clear he/she should dircct tlle group to cmsscrisply, waiting until the last rider is safely acmss beforccmssing and rcturning to the head of the gloup.

When leading a horse on a mad, either mounted or onfoot. it should be done so on the LEFT-HAND side ofthercad. Children should not be allowed to lead a horse orpol1y when mounted, only experienced riders should dothis, keeping the horse between themsehes and the leftside of the mad.Placeyourselfbetween the tra.ffic and tie led horse. l-ead ahorse in a bridle rather than in a head collar or a halter.Tale tie rcils o\.er the horses' head. uDless heishe iswearing a runrdng martingale in which case tal<e hold ofboti rcins some four inches fiom tle horses chin. Do not

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w:rap the rcins arcund your hand.

In darlaress or conditions or poor visibility you shouldavcid ding out. Wherc tlis is unavoidable 'ou must takesteps to ensurc that dri\.'ers can see you aI a reasonabledistance. The illusftation below gives details of theequipment available to make you highly visible at night.

Dudng lighting-up times tie leader of a gmup who

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should ride at t}le offside flont must sho^/ a white light tothe front. His assistant dding at the offside rear mustshow a red light to the Iear.Don't fide out when roads arc dangercus fiom ice andsnow, but if you ale caught out alrd the mad becomesslippery and you ale in any doubt then dismount and leadJ/oUr horse.

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when leading a horse on an icy mad concentrate onkeeping your own footing. Walk straight ahead and do nottry to pull the animal along.In icy conditions ride as close to t}le kerb as you canbecause the grit and rubbish which tends to collect tfleFwill give your horse a better grip underfoot. Gile lourhorse tlle full use of his head and neck and let him \,valkon.On icy mads ]ou should ride with your feet out of tllestilrups. This leaves ]ou rcady to dismount quickly in tlleelent oflour ho$e slipping.Do not dde out in fog or mist. At those limes of the yearwhen fog and mist can suddenly descend you should takeprccautions against this. These pFcautions arc tJ1e sameas those )ou should take for night dding.

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