No ridden or accompanied horses sign: what it means
The sign with a horse and rider in a red ring means no ridden or accompanied horses. Horses must not be ridden or led past it.
What does the no ridden or accompanied horses sign mean?
A red ring means a prohibition. Know your traffic signs lists this sign as “no ridden or accompanied horses”, so it covers horses that are ridden and horses that are led.
Quick quiz
What does the sign at the top of this page mean?
- Horse riders may be on or crossing the road.
- Horse-drawn vehicles must not go in.
- No horses may be ridden or led past here.
Show answer
C. No horses may be ridden or led past here. A red ring with a horse and rider means no ridden or accompanied horses (Know your traffic signs). Source: Know your traffic signs: regulatory signs, GOV.UK; The Highway Code, rule 109, GOV.UK; Traffic sign images, Department for Transport, GOV.UK
Where will you see it?
On busy roads, bridges and paths where horses are not allowed.
What should you do?
Riders: take another route. Drivers: the sign is not for you, but you may still meet horses nearby.
What do people get wrong?
Confusing it with the red triangle with a horse and rider, which is a warning that horses may be on the road ahead.
Common questions
Is this the same as the accompanied horses warning sign?
No. The red ring is an order: no horses past here. The red triangle with a horse and rider warns that horses may be in or crossing the road ahead.
Can I lead my horse past the sign on foot?
No. The sign covers ridden and accompanied horses, so a horse led on foot is banned too.
Compare with
Accompanied horses signHorse riders may be on or crossing the road.
No horse-drawn vehicles signHorse-drawn vehicles must not go in.
Want to test someone else? Play a road-sign quiz with friends and family.
Sources
Checked on 4 November 2026 against Know your traffic signs (regulatory signs) and The Highway Code rule 109.
- Know your traffic signs: regulatory signs, GOV.UK
- The Highway Code, rule 109, GOV.UK
- Traffic sign images, Department for Transport, GOV.UK
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Traffic sign images are Crown copyright, from the Department for Transport. Sources and image credits.