Project Description
In a powerful call for road safety and Highway Code awareness, the British Horse Society (BHS) and Project EDWARD joined forces for the Lambourn to Windsor Ride. The ride took place from Monday 12th May to Friday 16th May 2025, and aimed to highlight the dangers horses, riders and carriage drivers face on today’s roads – and promote safer driving around equestrians.
The ride, to honour all horses and riders lost or injured in road incidents and to raise awareness to help prevent future tragedies, started at the famous Lambourn Gallops in memory of Knockalla, a racehorse killed on the road in 2024.
What we achieved
Awareness amongst riders, other road users and policy makers
Education about horses on the road
Reach through social media, print, broadcast and radio topped many millions
Profile, credibility through the calibre of the campaign and Defender’s backing
Momentum and traction for the campaign – spin offs going forward
Connection and engagement with road safety partners and the community
Why it matters
In 2024 alone, 58 horses died, 97 were injured, and 80 people were hurt in incidents involving horses on roads. Alarmingly, 81% of reported cases involved vehicles passing too fast or too close, and around 30% involved driver aggression.
Despite changes to the Highway Code in 2022 – introducing Rule 215, which advises drivers to pass horses slowly (10mph) and at a distance (2 metres) – as well as rule 163, awareness among drivers remains critically low, estimated at just 5%.
The Lambourn to Windsor Ride wasn’t about blame – it was about raising understanding of horse behaviour, encouraging empathy, and promoting safer sharing of the roads.
Day 1: From Lambourn Gallops
Every day, 3 horses, including the pony of BBC Sports presenter Lizzie Greenwood-Hughes (who documented the journey for Horse & Country TV), travelled along the route.
Alan Hiscox, BHS Director of Safety, who also rode said “The number of near miss incidents involving horses on our roads is shocking. Greater awareness on how to pass horses safely is much needed.”
Day 2: Chieveley
Key moments
Monday 12th May: Launch at Lambourn Gallops with support from jockeys (such as Hollie Doyle, Tom Marquand, and others), trainer Tom Ward, media including BBC Breakfast, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley Police, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue, Lee Dillon MP and key figures from the racing world.
BBC Breakfast piece #1: 12/05/25 06:45
Reporter: Tim Muffett
Amy Hilton’s story about Archie
Alan Hiscox, BHS
James Luckhurst, Project EDWARD
Tom Ward, Knockalla’s Trainer
BBC Breakfast piece #2: 12/05/25 08:51
Reporter: Tim Muffett
Amy Hilton’s story about Archie
Alan Hiscox, BHS
Hollie Doyle, Jockey
Matthew Barber, Thames Valley PCC
Wednesday 14th May: Community engagement day at Yattendon, supported by the local school, Riding for the Disabled, Thames Valley Mounted Police and Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue
Day 3: Yattendon
Day 4: Sonning
The team that rode into Windsor
Alan Hiscox is the Director of Safety for the British Horse Society. He’s responsible for the award-winning Dead Slow campaign of which the ride is a part and was also instrumental in achieving the changes to the Highway Code in 2022. Alan served for 32 years with the Police; 28 of those being with the Metropolitan Police Mounted Unit; one of the largest mounted police units in the world and for 12 of those years he was Chief Equitation officer sourcing and training all of London’s police horses and serving as Mounted Policing operational and tactical commander. In addition, he led the Display Rides at venues such as the London International Horse Show at Olympia and here at Windsor for the late Queen’s Golden Jubilee jumping through hoops of fire!
Des Payne is the BHS’s Safety team leader. He implements the equine safety objectives for The British Horse Society. Des is passionate about improving the safety of horses, riders and carriage drivers and leads on Equine Transport, Dogs, Fireworks, Low flying Aircraft and of course supporting the BHS Dead Slow campaign. He served with the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment for nearly 30 years. He became part of the riding staff, a team of 12 permanent staff who trained the military personal and horses for all ceremonial occasions and performed over several years on the famous musical ride. Finishing as the Officer Commanding, Captain at the Defence Animal Training Regiment, he overlooked the training of military riding instructors and farriers, as well as procurement of all military horses and their retirement. Des has been in the BHS safety team since 2018.
Lizzie Greenwood Hughes is Safety Ambassador with the British Horse Society and a BBC sports presenter rode her own Wincy and made a programme about the ride with Horse & Country.
James Luckhurst, who also rode during the week, is the Founder of Project EDWARD and was at the wheel of the Defender for the final day.
Day 5: White Waltham to Royal Windsor Horse Show
Friday 16th May: The grand arrival at Windsor via the iconic Long Walk, escorted by Thames Valley Mounted Police. The ride culminated in a parade in the Castle Arena at the Royal Windsor Horse Show , interviews at the Entertainment Hub, and a meet-and-greet at the BHS marquee with supporters including Martin Clunes, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue representatives Paul Scott and Steve Lee, Commander Kyle Gordon from the Metropolitan Police, Debbie Lee from Land Rover Defender to name but a few.
Thank you to our supporters
The team conducted the ride together with the very kind and generous support of Land Rover Defender. The Defender escorted them all the way along the roads over each of the five days.
The high-viz clothing was generously supplied by Woof Wear. The mounted escort was by Thames Valley Police who escorted the horses along the Long Walk and into the Castle Arena with the very kind permission of the Royal Household.
Commander Kyle Gordon of the Metropolitan Police was present in the arena on behalf of the National Police Chiefs’ Council for Roads Policing along with representatives of Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Paul Scott and Steve Lee. The Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber attended on Monday and Wednesday.
The ride was featured on BBC Breakfast on Monday morning with a great turnout of jockeys and trainers and also on the Jeremy Vine Show on Radio 2 on Wednesday in a special piece about equestrian road safety. Horse and Hound’s Eleanor Jones also rode a section of the ride on Friday. Martin Clunes attended on Friday and showed his support for the ride in his role as President of the British Horse Society.
The team are extremely grateful to every single person who has helped, supported, cajoled and backed the cause and were very privileged to have had the opportunity to ride into the Royal Windsor Horse Show on the final day.
Sample of media coverage
- BBC Breakfast 6 million viewers
- Jeremy Vine 7 million listeners
- Horse and Hound 1.2M monthly users
- Horse and Country TV 1 million +
- Regional BBC Radio 60,000
- Radio Badminton 77,000 total connections
- BBC Online 6 million
- Good Motoring 50,000
- Horse and Rider 150,000
- DJ Sara Cox reel in support 499,000
- 128 regional Radio stations 44 million inc drivetime
- Over 620,000 shares of Project EDWARD and BHS social media posts
