horses ridden along the road.

The warning follows an incident on Sunday afternoon involving a horse and a car.

The horse was being ridden along Vesey Street in Devonshire when a car suddenly appeared in the opposite direction. Police reported that the horse was startled, and the driver of the car was forced to swerve off the road to avoid a collision.

Nobody was injured in the incident and the car sustained minor damage. Said a Police spokesman yesterday: "Even the most gentle horses can become alarmed by noise and sudden movements, so we offer the following advice to motorists: "Don't sound your horn in the vicinity of horses.

"Slow right down when you see a horse and, if overtaking, accelerate gently and leave plenty of room.

"Be prepared to stop if the rider is obviously having problems controlling the horse, or if signalled to do so.

"Large trucks and vehicles towing trailers should be even more cautious as their size can often frighten horses.''