Update
GEORGE NEWS - The sight of young boys riding horses on public roads is increasing and is being regarded with great concern among the public.
An incident in Beach Road in February shocked the community when a 13-year-old boy was seriously injured and the horse he was riding died after they were hit by a car.
According to Manon McDonald, acting director of Protection Services at George Municipality, horse riding on public roads is legal, but the rider is bound by the same regulations that other road users must adhere to.
"Horses can be ridden on all roads unless otherwise indicated, such as is the case with most freeways and toll roads, and where it is stated with signage. Our traffic officers will zoom in on the use of animals on a public road. It appears more and more young people ride horses in public streets."
Last year, George Herald journalist Kristy Kolberg reported on an incident in which children had stolen a horse and had almost ridden it to death. It had to be euthanised.
Sixty incidents of abused horses had been reported to the Garden Route SPCA between January and September 2017.
Half of these complaints were of children riding horses without the necessary tack. In many incidents, rope was used as a bridle and pieces of wire as bits.
SPCA manager Frieda Janse van Rensburg could not provide statistics of incidents from September 2017 to date before the paper went to press.
In the February 2018 incident in Beach Road, the horse was without a saddle and bridle.
According to the police, the horse and rider had been at a full gallop upon entering Beach Road from Kerk Street. The boy was not the owner of the horse, but had permission from the owner to ride it, police said.
The by-law regarding horses states as follows:
No person shall:
Permit the working equine to any public place whilst being incapable of pulling an animal-drawn vehicle or unreasonable load.
Permit the equine to constitute a hazard to traffic or in a public street and / or be likely to constitute a source of danger or injury to any person using a public street.
Permit the working equine to be on any public street or public place, except when under his control.
Work with any working equine which does not have the name, telephone number and address of the owner on its vehicle.
Permit any working equine to draw any vehicle, or use any harness which does not comply with the permitted standards and criteria.
Read a previous article: Horse dies, rider injured in collision
'We bring you the latest George, Garden Route news'
