Dear Motorist,
I'd like to tell you about my horse. Like all horses he is a flight animal; that means his first reaction is to run from danger.
He has taught me that horseback riding is inherently dangerous and that there are significant risks involved with horses. He is a powerful and potentially dangerous animal.
Any horse may, without warning, and for no reason, may jump up, forward, backward, or sideways. He may become uncontrollable, run wildly, buck, bite, kick, or rear up without warning.
When he becomes tired, stressed, or cantankerous his behavior is unpredictable. He may trip, stumble, and/or fall down when being ridden, led, or otherwise attended to. His eye sight is very different than yours. He sees motion faster, but he does not see things as clearly. He sees separate images on each side of his head, but he has a blind spot directly in front of him and directly behind him. (to learn more see A basic safety guide for horse folks)
Weather, terrain, other animals, people and motor vehicles may adversely affect my horse's behavior. He is afraid of car alarms, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, sprinklers, manhole covers, unusual concrete structures, things that are very black, things that are very white, blue plastic tarps, cardboard, balls rolling, flags, suddenly appearing dogs, skateboards, motorcycles, trains, tractors, and about a thousand other things he hasn't seen yet.
If you saw a loose dog in the street you would probably slow down. When my horse is scared he is just as likely to jump in front of your car as a loose dog.
In general my horse can cause property damage, bodily and personal injuries, paralysis, and death to you or members of your family if your automobile hits him. That's why the vehicle code gives equestrians to right to advise you to slow down or stop when we know our horse may be uncontrollable...
California Vehicle Code and Horses 21759 VC requires the driver of any vehicle approaching any horse drawn vehicle, any ridden animal, or any livestock shall exercise proper control of his vehicle and shall reduce speed or stop as may appear necessary or as may be signalled or otherwise requested by any person driving, riding or in charge of the animal or livestock in order to avoid frightening and to safeguard the animal or livestock and to insure the safety of any person driving or riding the animal or in charge of the livestock.
This means, the riders are legally authorized to direct traffic.
Vehicle Code Section 21050 - Every person riding or driving an animal upon a highway has all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this division (11) and Division 10 (commencing with Sections 20000) except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application.
Division 10 of the Vehicle Code deals with reporting of accidents and Division 11 is the rules of the road section. You are not required to have lights since by their very nature, can have no application.
Basically, you ride a horse like you'd drive a vehicle.
21654 VC Since you will be considered a slow moving vehicle, you must travel in the right lane.
21656 VC If at any point you are on a two lane roadway you have to pull to the right if you have 5 or more vehicles behind you.
21705 VC Since you are not motor vehicles, the laws on caravans do not apply. That would make you have 100 ft between each horse.
