Police and two leading equine welfare charities have joined forces to produce a collection of short films to help prevent collisions and near-misses involving horses on rural roads.

Key safety messages shared by Devon and Cornwall Police’s Rural Affairs team and the British Horse Society (BHS) are featured in the new series of bite-sized horse road safety films filmed at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s Upcott Park Rehoming Yard near Holsworthy in North Devon.

Released on February 13, the films feature PC Lucy Wyatt from Devon and Cornwall Police’s Rural Affairs team and Lisa Supple, development officer for BHS, along with horses and handlers from The Mare and Foal Sanctuary. They give clear, easy-to-follow guidance for riders and drivers alike and focus on road etiquette, clear hand signals, safe passing distance and speed, visibility in all weather and light conditions, and recording and reporting of incidents.

Rural Affairs Officer PC Lucy Wyatt is the lead for Equine Crime at Devon and Cornwall Police. She said: “I grew up riding horses and have experienced, first-hand, how dangerous it can be when motorists pass too fast or too close. When approaching horses and riders on the road, drivers should slow down to no more than ten miles per hour, avoid revving their engine or honking their horn and then pass slowly when safe to do so, allowing least two metres of space between the horse and vehicle.”

In a Parliamentary debate on horse and rider safety in January 2026, MPs from across the country called for stricter road safety requirements to protect equine road users; citing British Horse Society figures showing 3,118 road incidents involving horses in 2024 with 58 horses killed. MPs highlighted that equine road safety is not a “niche issue” but a growing national concern.