Naked horse protest highlights road safety

Sonia Withers joined more than 50 semi-naked horse riders at the weekend as they paraded through Morecambe to raise awareness.

The 49-year-old has said drivers’s attitudes have not changed since she lost her horse Rocky 13 years ago in a horrific car crash.

Rocky had to be put down at the scene on Hasty Brow Road, Lancaster, whilst Sonia suffered major bruising.

Mrs Withers said: “It has got worse since my accident. The more cars on the road, the more dangerous it is for us. People think all horse riders are posh but we are not, we work hard for a living.

“This protest is the first of many, we do need somewhere to go. What about us?”

The horse riders protested through the town centre on Saturday September 12 from York Bridge.

Organiser of the protest, Sharon Monks, is urging Lancashire County Council to take more notice.

Mrs Monks said: “I’ve asked the council to put horse signs up on the cycle tracks because we have right of way as well.

“We want to let people know we are supposed to be there without the abuse. Everybody was fine with the nakedness, I didn’t ask anyone to do something they weren’t comfortable with.”

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: “We would like to increase the number of bridleways in the county as we recognise that there is only a limited number of paths open to horse riders, and will take every opportunity to secure new routes whenever possible.

“However, we have received a lot of complaints about the use of horses on the cycle path between Lancaster and Morecambe over the years, and would need to take this into account in considering any proposal to allow horses to use this path.”

More pictures to follow.