THANKFULLY the foot and mouth crisis seems to be waning and after being "confined to barracks" for the past ten weeks many horse riders will be taking to the roads again.

Bridle paths in this area are still closed and so we have no other option but to ride upon the roads. Please, please may I take this opportunity of warning readers to be extra vigilant when driving around country lanes. Many horses will not have seen traffic for many weeks and for young or nervous horses cars speeding past them could prove extremely dangerous. Also at this time of year hedgerows are high and green and can partially obscure vision. If you are riding your horse please make sure that you are wearing a high visibility tabard - according to the BHS this gives a driver an extra 60 seconds of recognition. However this is no excuse for the majority of drivers who seem to have forgotten that horses are legally entitled to be ridden on the road and who insist on driving too fast and far too close to us.

Last week I was riding my young horse out in the company of a friend of an older more experienced horse. We were riding down a narrow country lane approaching a village. We were both correctly attired, including high visibility tabards. Suddenly I could hear a large, fast vehicle approaching us. A bus was bearing down upon us, being driven at a totally inappropriate speed, considering the narrowness of the lane and the presence of two horses. We repeatedly signalled to the driver to slow down but to no avail, he just kept coming. Luckily both horses remained calm but throughout the rest of our ride we were appalled by both the speed and proximity of cars we encountered. The only reason we can think of for this is drivers have become used to not seeing horses on the roads because of the foot and mouth crisis.

Therefore please do remember if you are a car driver on country lanes, watch out for horses and riders. On the other side of the coin riders remember to advertise your presence by wearing high visibility clothing. A dark brown horse being ridden by a rider dressed in navy can blend very well into the scenery - wear a high visibility tabard or hat cover please!

MRS ALISON BRAIN, School Road, Hampton.