Back in the saddle with a message for the government to hoof it and rework transport legislation.
Members of Wakefield and District Riding Club NZ and Waimea Pony Club were stride for stride at Rabbit and Rough Islands last Sunday for the Pass Wide and Slow awareness ride.
The international movement educates other road users to respect those on horseback by reducing their speed and giving a wide berth, as equine-related animals could go haywire at any moment.
Local organiser Rosemary Lee-Oldfield says horse riders are required by law to be on roads, and the status quo means drivers have a free rein passing by.
“Last year we took the kids [from Waimea Pony Club] from Rabbit Island beach along the new track that Tasman District Council had put in for us, and then across the back onto Tic Toc Rd,” she says.
“That particular day, we had one motorist who verbally and physically abused us as we were coming down the road.
“[The driver] gave us some interesting hand signals and called something out the window, and we weren’t impressed.”
Rosemary says other drivers hadn’t obeyed the 30kmh speed limit on Tic Toc Rd.
“It’s a couple of seconds, slow down, give us room, we’ll give you a wave and a ‘thanks’ if you do that.”
Rosemary says both she and other Nelson Tasman horse riders are increasingly becoming skittish about riding on roadsides due to these risks.
Ultimately, New Zealand’s division of the Pass Wide and Slow movement wants the government to formally recognise horse riders as vulnerable road users in the Land Transport Act.
Rosemary says this would enable greater safety measures for horse riders, like inclusion in road safety and shared pathways initiatives.
“At the moment, if I want to ride from Richmond into Nelson, I’m legally obliged to ride either on Whakatu Dr or down Main Rd Stoke,” she says.
“I’m not allowed to ride down the grass verge of the cycle way because that’s for cyclists and walkers.
“I’m riding an animal that’s likely to get frightened and run into the road… so if we can also draw attention to the issues that we’ve got and ask councils to please look at providing provision for us when you build these cycle ways. Leave a strip of land alongside for us to ride on.”
