I keep my horse out in the Tiptoe area of the forest, and thoroughly enjoy living where I do and knowing how lucky I am to be able to mount my trusty horse and go out riding for hours on the forest. I do though have to travel up 3 fairly busy roads which I always make sure I give the respect and politeness to drivers as I would like them to return to me whilst riding up these roads.
What I couldn't believe the other day was, as I was driving I came across about a 35 vehicle traffic jam, moving very very slowley. When I got to the corner where I could see the hold up, to my surprise was 2 youngish girls (must of been late teens) walking down a busy main road 2 abreast!!! Why?? They both looked competent riders, with lots of 'gear' on the ponies, and busy chatting to each other, the girl on the outside was almost walking down the white line, consequently causing on coming traffic to have to slow to almost a stop to pass them. Even a young girl that occasionally accompanies me on rides knows that is not the way to ride up a busy road. Fair enough if one of the ponies was young/inexperienced, but there were no illuminous tabards to warn of this on either rider.
The family in the car in front of me were less than impressed, and at one time the driver attempted to overtake 3 cars and these 2 ponies, but when he saw the oncoming vehicles, he changed his mind.
I can totally understand now why some drivers are rude and don't slow down when they go past me, especially when they have to put up with behaviour like this, in fact I felt myself becoming very annoyed with these riders, and that is from a rider herself.

Must be the same girls I came accross about 2 weeks ago - young and 2 abreast in the Tiptoe area, the outside horse did a bit of dancing sideways - not leaving much room at all between car and horses!!

When I ride out on a road a like a car to overtake me as wide as possible. As you know it only takes a milli-second for a horse/pony to spook and jump out into the road and thus landing or crashing into a car causing injury to rider, horse and possibly car owner. When you have 2 horses abreast - where the outside horse is near the middle white line you really can not overtake on the other side of the road and at the same time to leave plenty of room between car and horse/rider. So really it makes sense and for safety reasons to ride singly or if riding abreast the outside horse go behind when cars approaching in either direction.

Do they ride 2 abreast so that the outside horse can be seen from approaching cars in either direction?? - especially when on a bendy road (as Tiptoe is a bendy road). What does the Riders road code (or whatever it is called) say about riding 2 abreast.

It was probably the same girls, as one of the horses was a bit more lively than the other, and was dancing along the white line. As you correctly put it, with her on the white line it really gives absolutely no room to pass from behind, without almost being right on their stirrup iron.
I think (and what I was taught, many years ago) was that you only go 2 abreast if there is a young/inexperienced horse/rider out on the road, apart from that there should be no other reason to do it.
What I found so annoying as well was that watching them when drivers were managing to get past, they didn't even stop gassing to each other to wave to say thanks to even one driver.

i think i know the road you mean, its the same one the burley villa horses use to go to the forest? must say even they dont go 2 abreast! and it is hard to see if one is in the middle of the road as you then make it difficult for the drivers coming towards you say well.
i dont ride but my daughter does and shes always polite to drivers waves to say thank you and she rides a youngster but doesnt go 2 abreast. unfortunatly its riders like you describe that gives other horse riders a bad name

As recommended by the BHS Riding two abreast is particularly recommended if riding a young or inexperienced horse, with the more experienced horse being nearest to the centre of the road.
If not it is plain common sense & courtesy to let the traffic past & in all cases thank them for slowing down or you risk getting all riders a bad name & the next poor innocent rider may suffer the consequences. I don't suppose they will get the message until they drive themselves.
The majority are fine, but I agree that it is very frustrating to slow down, pass wide & slow & get glared at for your trouble. A smile, wave, etc costs nothing & can even make horse riding seem fun rather than a punishment!

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Road Safety Test, they do it at pony club as I did years ago, I am shocked and appalled by the way some people ride, particularly on the road when next to open forest! Not necessary even a test but guidance for some may help.

I have even seen people riding up the road the wrong way into oncoming traffic!!

Makes life very hard for other riders such as myself when drivers are annoyed.

Got to agree - as a polite rider myself and an ultra polite driver to other riders I am getting more and more annoyed by the number who do not thank me for taking care of their horses. I am of course perfectly aware that a horse may be presenting a more difficult ride than the observer can see, but a big smile and nodding the head can still be achieved even with gritted teeth!

The only other time i would say riding 2 out is ok .. which i do! is when you have a blind corner as i'v found lately that lots of people like to overtake you on blind corners because they think they can 'just squeeze by' and its ok ... the majority of the time by riding 2 out people dont then overtake! however, 2 days ago i was riding up the road off of the forest from Ipers bridge and after the 4th car had squeezed past causing a car coming the other direction to slam on the brakes i decided enough was enough! so i rode out in the middle of my lane as the highway code does state that horses do still have right of way! (and my horse is good with traffic) i turned around and put my hand up to suggest to the vehicle behind to wait which it did for a short time but got impatient and went round me quickly followed by a huge Tesco lorry!!! (bearing in mind this is still on the blind bend) ... as you can imagine i was not impressed and neither was the car coming the other direction! the oncoming vehicle and i both shook our heads at each other ... i think the bottom line is people are too impatient! ... i have the lorry drivers registration and i intent to take it to the police and tesco!

i ride together with someone, we can were allowed and i will! if im on my own i ride in the middle of my half of the road, no one drives fast past me and i always thank them for slowing down

Whilst this isnt actually against any laws and sensible in some situations, they could at least occasionally let the traffic past by one popping behind the other, and be courtious and say thanks.

I have lost count of the riders i have stopped to ask about thier strange and dangerous riding on the roads. I dont care, i will question them, roads arent for mucking about on!

I met these two last night and it was near enough dark and every car had its headlights on and I know one is a young teen. For one, why would a parent let their minor out on a busy road (vaggs lane) in the dark? I had to wait with a trailer on with two aboard which is fine but I know these two and their horses are fine with traffic or they wouldn't be riding such a busy road. They were riding two abreast and not even thanking the passing traffic.I am annoyed with their behaviour ( or lack of it) and shall be telling the yard owner. Why should two silly girls let all of us other riders get a bad name that we really don't need?

lol kelly there must be another 2 cos i think the ones the other poster was on about ride up by the rising sun and only 1 is a teenager the other one isnt , it dont cost anything to nod if you cant wave i prefer to see a nod as it can get a bit tiring for the rider to keep putting up their hand