Does anyone have a link to the Maryland laws regarding riding on or along roads? I’ve tried googling and haven’t found what I want.
must have not been asking the question correctly, using “law regarding horses on public roads Maryland” gives you this link to Maryland Horse Council
“Rules of the road” for riding on roads
The Horse Council recently received an inquiry about what laws govern riding horses on public roads in Maryland. Thanks to MHC member, Kathleen Tabor, Esq. (www.ktaborlaw.com), here is the answer:
Basically the rider of a horse has the same rights and responsibilities as a driver of a car (minus having a license plate, turn signals, and other inapplicable provisions). See below:
MD Code Transp. 21-104 Persons riding animals or driving animal-drawn vehicles (Maryland Code (2013 Edition))
MD Code Transp. 21-104 Persons riding animals or driving animal-drawn vehicles (Maryland Code (2013 Edition))
(a) In general. – Every person riding an animal or driving an animal-drawn vehicle on a roadway has all the rights granted to and is subject to all the duties required of the driver of a vehicle by this title, except for those provisions of this title that by their very nature cannot apply.
(b) Special prohibitions. –
(1) Except in Charles, Worcester, and St. Mary’s counties, or as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person may not ride an animal or drive an animal-drawn vehicle on:
(i) Any divided highway where the posted maximum speed limit is more than 35 miles an hour; or
(ii) Any controlled access highway.
(2) In Anne Arundel County, a person may ride an animal on any part of a highway described in paragraph (1) of this subsection, other than on its roadway or shoulder.
HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 66 1/2, § 11-104; 1977, ch. 14, § 2; ch. 738.
http://mhc-legislative.blogspot.com/2013/04/rules-of-road-for-riding-on-roads.html
Are you helping someone prepare for a Pony Club rating? I know one of them requires the candidate to “know the rules for riding on a public roadway in your state”.
Weird, I thought I replied to this but I don’t see my reply.
I am not helping someone with a Pony Club thing. I found that if I rode my horse about a half mile from my barn along the road, I get access to a lot of trails that I had been trailering too. The road is nearly devoid of traffic and my horse is desensitized to cars/bikes/trucks/etc so I wanted to be sure I wasn’t going to get in trouble for going along the rode.
Thanks for the law link. I did find that but it seemed so simple that I assumed there must be more out there and I just wasn’t finding it.
Nope, your horse is a vehicle in MD, vs a pedestrian, so follows vehicle rules. That said, if there’s a nice wide edge on the other side of the street, or a particularly treacherous edge on the “right” side, I’ll switch sides. The safety of my horse (and myself) is more important than a law which drivers, and probably the police, don’t know.
[QUOTE=Mango20;8634550]
That said, if there’s a nice wide edge on the other side of the street, or a particularly treacherous edge on the “right” side, I’ll switch sides. .[/QUOTE]
Especially if in English tack
[QUOTE=clanter;8634588]
Especially if in English tack[/QUOTE]
?? I don’t understand this.
Does it mean that in English tack, if you are thrown, it is more likely to be to the left, and hence if you’re riding on the correct side of the road you’d be thrown into traffic? How would this be different for Western horses?
[QUOTE=quietann;8634641]
?? I don’t understand this.
Does it mean that in English tack, if you are thrown, it is more likely to be to the left, and hence if you’re riding on the correct side of the road you’d be thrown into traffic? How would this be different for Western horses?[/QUOTE]
I could be wrong but I think it was tongue and cheek- like being British and driving on the “wrong side” of the road
