Coldcroft Shires will no longer offer carriage rides from 2025 due to road safety concerns.

The Gloucestershire-based shire horse centre, which is run by Jamie Alcock, has been offering two-hour carriage rides around the local parishes since 2019 but will no longer operate them from 2025 due to the increased risk of being on the roads.

“The roads have never been brilliant but there has been a noticeable deterioration in the last 12 months and I’ve made the call that it’s just too dangerous out there,” said Jamie.

‘I’m not offering the experience people want’

“There were six occasions where we were nearly hit in one carriage ride recently. Before you might have had a bit of an issue once a week but now it’s every time I go out. It’s not fair on the horses, I’m not enjoying it and I’m not offering the experience people in the carriage want.”

Jamie has experienced many incidents of vehicles passing too close, tailgating, overtaking on blind bends and driving too fast.

“The roads around the farm are rural country lanes and there isn’t an awful lot of space. I tend to keep the carriage off the lanes which are too narrow and use ones with plenty of passing places but I noticed early on this year how aggressive drivers have become. They push past you so the nearside wing mirror is only a couple of inches from the horse, they overtake in places they wouldn’t risk overtaking any other vehicle and they drive too fast,” continued Jamie.

“I believe what’s going on on the roads is symptomatic of other things like the Covid lockdown and the cost of living crisis. People are a lot less happy, they are worried about money and these things contribute to the choices they make in every day life.”

From 1 April 2025, Jamie will offer shorter carriage rides around his farm in Taynton with the opportunity to stop for a picnic and there will also be the option to take the miniature Shetlands for a walk around the farm. His hands-on shire horse experiences will continue to take place.

“It is very sad to see that more equestrians feel challenged riding on our roads. Unfortunately, we continue to be regularly contacted by equestrians who have been involved in near-misses or incidents due to vehicles passing too close or fast,” said Alan Hiscox, Director of Safety at The British Horse Society.

“Part of my role, along with the rest of the BHS Safety Team, is to try and reach other road users to inform and involve them on what to do if they see a horse on the road. It is important that we increase awareness of the Highway Code guidance and to make more road users aware of why, and how, they should pass horses carefully.”

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