I am writing to you in hopes to make people aware of why it is important to drive safely when horses are out on the roads. Nothing gets me more upset than when we hear the roar of an engine and can see dust a-flying more than half a mile away.

Will they slow down in time? Will we have time to get out of their way? Will we have to get into the ditch for our safety? We can only hope they see us in time to slow down. Slowly and safely doesn’t mean letting off the gas. It means putting your foot on the brake and driving slowly by us.

My family and my neighbors have horses. Most of the time we ride in our rural neighborhood and we don’t want to ride in fear!

It is spring and everyone feels it — even our horses. We trust our horses, but on any given day there could be something like a bird, a dog or a mailbox that could make them do the unexpected in front of a speeding truck, car or a tractor. A split second can change everyone’s life!

My 4-year-old grandson has started to ride with us; that is, with his helmet on. Once in the saddle, I start to wonder how safe will this ride be for him and his sister. I also think about who or what we will encounter as we ride off. We want to be safe at all times!

So please just slow up and give us a chance to enjoy our ride with family and friends. We will be glad to share the road with you!

 

Dedee Bergstrom

Austin