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Here where I live in Cheshire there always seem to be hundreds of tractors and vans labelled 'horses'on the road at weekends; you can't escape them.

I am convinced that they are all on top-secret Government contracts designed to make motoring a complete misery for the weekend motorist so we'll all stay at home.

Or am a getting a bit paranoic ?

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Good manners maketh a good motorist

There are three racecourses within reasonable distance - Bangor, Aintree (the one near Wigan if that's the right name) and Uttoxeter. That would explain the plethora of vehicles full of horses....

Haydock is the one near Wigan. Also Chester.

But I suspect the large number of horse boxes is more driven by mummy and daddy taking young gels and their mounts to horse shows.

I had a good drive around Cheshire yesterday and didn't notice any problem.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

I have thought for a long time that as people get more involved with horses they lose more of their common sense.

This theory seemed to be totally confirmed recently when driving around Lambourn. As I drove into Lambourne in the early morning darkness there were several race horses and riders on the road. They were almost invisible because they do not carry lights. As far as I can tell this is perfectly legal but it is bloody stupid. Some of the riders had reflective jackets but the trouble is they are eight feet off the ground and so not very visible.

My children often bring home "Be safe, be seen" stickers etc. from school. I think the same needs to be extended to horse people.

Here's a little contrast left home at 4:30-5ish still dark. I drive through a common area to get to A12, gent on horse, proper hi-viz jacket (i.e. wiothreflective tape), three led lamps, one on each boot, one on his jacket, head torch and a white led on front of his jacket, could be seen a mile of. along side the road was a grassed footpath, when cars came close he went up io the foot path not slowing anyone down.

This afternoon, two young girls one with a tabard (not hi-viz or reflective) saying caution new rider (the text being so small you had to get right behind to read), riding two abreast, the 'new rider' on a lead rein oblivious to the tail back forming behind them.

Both were on the same stretch of road.

As someone who used to ride, it really pissses me off to see this, the gent was making himself obvious, was aware and reacting to traffic, the girls oblivious.

Also when I learned to ride we were told that until we had at least a semblance of control of the horse we would not be let out of the manage onto the bridleways, let alone the road.

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