New figures published by equine charity, British Horse Society (BHS), have today revealed the ongoing dangers faced by equestrians on South West roads, with 151 horses killed since 2016.

In total, 2,757 road incidents involving horses have been recorded over the last decade, including 336 incidents in 2025 alone. This is the highest number of incidents recorded in any one region across the UK and the second highest number of fatalities.

BHS has collated statistics on the number of equestrian-related road incidents since 2016, as part of its Dead Slow campaign.

Overall, 19,500 incidents have been recorded on BHS’s Horse i app across the UK since 2016, with the percentage of those passing too quickly rising by an eye-watering 168 per cent since 2018.

Alan Hiscox, director of safety at British Horse Society says: “The Highway Code rules, which came into force on January 29, 2022, were meant to mark a significant shift in road behaviour across Britain. After lots of hard work, lobbying and collaboration, the advisory speed for passing people riding horses or driving horse-drawn vehicles at 10mph was finally included, along with advising drivers to allow at least two metres of space.

“Additionally, our community were set to benefit from a new Hierarchy of Road Users, with horse riders, alongside pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, recognised as road users most likely to be injured in the event of a collision.

“Despite this, we remain disappointed to see that not nearly enough has been done to reinforce these behavioural messages and to make the public aware of the urgent importance of driving carefully around horses. You only have to look at the statistics to know this.”

In its continued mission to stop horses from being killed on the roads, the charity is calling for the government to invest more into a stronger awareness campaign so that we can keep this issue firmly on the national agenda. This call has been backed by MPs during a recent parliamentary debate on horse and rider road safety.

Alan adds: “Behind every statistic is a devastated, traumatised owner and a community that feel that loss deeply. We’re incredibly grateful to every MP, particularly MP Lee Dillon who led January’s debate, as they come together to amplify riders’ voices and push for practical, common-sense solutions to protect our community.

“But we need to see greater collective action if we’re going to make a real difference to equestrian safety. We continue to be overlooked, which is evident in the recently released road safety strategy where horses are still not included in the targeted measures for vulnerable groups. Until this changes, we won’t stop pushing for meaningful progress and an approach that combines education, prevention and enforcement of the rules. We owe it to everyone who loves horses as much as we do and every horse in our lives.”

The charity is urging the general public to report any incidents they witness on the roads using the Horse i app, which gathers data to help strengthen the equestrian community’s voice when implementing positive changes.