Local stable owner says some drivers need to ‘wise up’

OWNERS of a local stable are calling on rogue drivers to “wise up” and give riders and their horses due consideration before they cause serious injury – or worse still, a fatal accident.

John Robinson said there had been a number of “near misses” involving horses, stabled at Lissan Farm Stables, and their riders on surrounding roads.

Last week, an experienced rider was forced to slide off her mount rather than fall off following an incident involving a tractor and slurry tanker. To agitate the horse further, the tractor driver then blasted his air horn.

A few days later, a group of horses was spooked by a revving car. And before Christmas, a young rider was thrown off into the hedge and the horse bolted off back to the yard after a car sped by without slowing down.

While the young woman was badly shaken, fortunately she suffered nothing more than minor cuts and bruises.

The Robinson family farm, which is located on the Blackfort Road on the outskirts of Omagh, say incidents like this are becoming all to familiar.

“If it doesn’t stop, it’s inevitable there will be a serious accident or God forbid worse,” said Mr Robinson.

“Ninety per-cent of drivers are grand, but the other ten per-cent haven’t a clue. We need to educate the minority to slow down, be mannerly and respectful around horses. These people need to wise up. You would be amazed at some drivers who come up behind a horse and blow the horn.”

In the UK, a new Highway Code is due to come into effect this weekend. It has established a hierarchy of road users and offers greater protection for pedestrians, cyclists and those riding horses.

The new guidelines stipulate that when passing horses, drivers need to slow down to 10mph instead of 15mph. At junctions, drivers must also give way to horses irrespective who arrives first.

The new laws only apply to England, Scotland and Wales, but it is anticipated that Northern Ireland will follow suit in the not too distant future.

Irrespective of any future changes, Mr Robinson insists drivers need to understand the dangers around horses and vehicles on the road.

“It’s about common sense and respect. Our riders will pull in and let vehicles past at the first opportunity,” he continued.

“It takes very little to spook a horse, even a piece of paper falling out of a car can scare a horse. Blowing a horn is certainly a no-no.

“I have also raised concerns with the Farmers’ Union about modern farm machinery.

“Big tractors are often fitted with a couple of flashers, and it could be pulling a tanker that is also fitted with flashers.

“That tractor will also have working lights so ideally that vehicle probably needs to pull in, turn everything off and let the horses pass by.”

Riders from the Lissan Stables regularly use the Blackfort, Ballynahatty and Shanley roads.

On average, two horses are killed on UK roads every week.