From J Casswell:-

I READ the Globe while visiting family and was pleased to see that horseriders such as Elizabeth Steele (Mailbox, July 28th) are frustrated that some drivers of motor vehicles are oblivious to the fact that horses can kill.

One driver wrote (Mailbox, August 11th): "I wonder why 15-year-old Elizabeth thinks horses should be given preferential treatment by motorists?" The answer is simple: drivers would be furious if a horse was to spook and jump in front of their vehicle as a result of their own reckless driving.

As a driver and horserider, I realise that motorists do pay tax, but the countryside and lanes were originally made for horses and farm animals, not for cars, which now have the 'privilege' of using them.

Horses and riders need to go on the roads because housing estates continue to replace bridle ways. If we can not ride our horses, then we should have them as pets - and if we can not have them as pets then we should let them roam wild again.

And do people seriously expect riders to clean up after their horses? What's the matter? Don't people grow roses any more? Forty years ago, people would fight for the mess!

Reduction in speed would still guarantee your safe arrival, whereas a horse through your windscreen would end up in a serious accident.

In Germany, where I currently live, horses and cyclists are given ultimate right of way.

I am glad to see that a young rider like Elizabeth has respect for horses to write to a newspaper and express this common problem.

Willich, Germany.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.