A LEADING equestrian centre is helping to promote road safety for horses and riders.

The Riding and Road Safety Test was introduced by the British Horse Society to encourage riders to take responsibility for themselves and their horses when they ride out on the road and to ensure that they act in the safest possible way.

And on Saturday, October 29, dozens of riders will be taking the test at the North Worcestershire Equestrian Centre, where they will be put through their paces by examiners and stewards from the British Horse Society.

The British Horse Society has about 300 riding and road safety examiners and 850 riding and road safety trainers. The test is taken by more than 4,000 riders every year and helps to educate them in road safety in order to minimise the risk involved when riding on the roads.

Ruth Holt, the commercial manager of the North Worcestershire Equestrian Centre, at Romsley, near Stourbridge, is expecting so many riders on the day that two tests have been organised.

"We hold these tests three or four times a year and they are always well subscribed," she said.

"Some riders will have done up to 12 hours training before their test which is so important now that there is such a lot of traffic on the road. We would be delighted to hear from anyone who wants to take their test because we feel it is so important."

Training is available to all riders, from 12 years of age up to 70 and is supported by the Department for Transport.

The BHS's Sheila Hardy said: "It is the only test that any rider will undertake that has the potential to save not only their own life but that of their horse and other road users as well.

"Many of the people who take the test are leisure riders because they want to ride correctly and help prevent accidents. You do not have to be a member of the society to take the test."

The BHS recommends that all candidates undertake a course of training with an approved BHS riding and road safety trainer before taking the test.

The minimum recommended training is eight hours, but some candidates may need considerably more time and homework may even be given.

For further information on riding and road safety in Worcestershire and Herefordshire contact The British Horse Society safety department on 01926 707782 or email safety@bhs.org.uk You can contact the North Worcestershire Equestrian Centre on 01562 710245.

what the road test involves

THE test is split into three sections. The theory test is a written paper with 10 questions testing knowledge of the Highway Code, the BHS Riding & Roadcraft Manual and the generally accepted rules of riding on the road.

The candidate must get eight of the 10 questions right before they are allowed to go forward to the second section - the simulated road route. This takes place in an enclosed off-road area and is designed to give the candidate the opportunity to show the examiner that they know how to ride on the road, giving the right signals and dealing with other hazards.

Again, the rider needs to achieve an 80 per cent pass rate in order to move forward to part three, the road route.

In this section, the candidate will follow a set route that has previously been assessed to ensure that it is safe to use.The candidate needs to convince the examiner they are safe to be on the road alone and the examiner must award them at least an 80 per cent pass mark in order for them to pass the test and be awarded their certificate and badge.