Horseriders

Helmets

The Horses (Protective Headgear for Young Riders) Act 1990 requires children under 14 years old to wear protective helmets when riding a horse on the road. It is the responsibility of the parent, guardian, horse owner or person who has custody of the horse immediately before a child rides it, or an employer of a child, to ensure that the child is wearing an approved helmet when riding on the road. Children of the Sikh religion are exempted while they are wearing a turban. The Horses (Protective Headgear for Young Riders) Regulations 1992 define approved helmets as ones which conform to one of the following: BS 6473:1984, BS 6473:1987, BS 4472: 1988 or BS 6863:1989 (for pedal cyclist helmets) or to a standard that provides an equivalent level of safety. However, BS 6473 and BS 4472 have been withdrawn from use, and the current recognised standards for horse rider helmets are BS EN 1384, PAS 015 and ASTM F1163. Although the Regulations permit the use of cycle helmets for horse riding, the BHS and RoSPA both recommend that riders use helmets specifically designed for riding horses. The law only requires children to wear helmets when riding on the road; however, it is strongly recommended that all riders of horses (or riders of other equine animals) on the road wear a helmet.

Conspicuity

All riders should wear high visibility (fluorescent and reflective) garments when riding on the road. Fluorescent and reflective ankle bands and stirrup lights are particularly effective in attracting the attention of motorists. The Highway Code (Rule 36) advises riders not to ride on the road at night or in poor visibility. Riders who must use the road in these conditions should ensure that the horse has reflective bands above the fetlock joints and carry a light, which shows white light to the front and red light to the rear.