Whanganui, Aotearoa New Zealand · Affiliated with NZPCA · Central Districts Region Contact & FAQ

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Health & safety

Safety first — every rider, every rally.

Everything you need to ride safely with us: helmet standards and tagging, concussion guidance, road safety and how to report an accident.

Helmet standards

An approved, correctly fitted and securely fastened helmet must be worn whenever mounted. NZPCA accepts helmets certified to current recognised standards.

Helmet must meet a current approved standard
Must fit correctly and be undamaged
Replace after any fall or impact
Must be tagged before riding at club

Where to get helmets checked & tagged

Check Farm Supplies Whanganui for helmet tagging, available year-round. An approved checker inspects your helmet and tags it for the year.

NZPCA helmet policy ↗

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Accident / incident report

All accidents and near-misses must be reported. Complete our form below so we can follow up and keep records.

Open the form ↓

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Concussion information

Know the signs and the return-to-riding steps. If in doubt, sit them out and seek medical advice.

Concussion guidance →

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Road rules for horse riders

Hand signals, NZ Road Code rules, Pony Club Manual guidance, group riding and a full safety checklist — everything you need before riding on the road.

Full road rules guide →

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Change the Rein

A safe sport initiative promoting wellbeing and a positive, respectful environment for everyone in our equestrian community.

Learn more ↗

NZ Road Code

Road safety for horse riders

The following rules come directly from the NZTA NZ Road Code — Information for horse riders ↗. They apply whenever you ride or lead a horse on a public road.

📋 Full road rules guide — hand signals, group riding, Pony Club Manual reference →

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Rules for horse riders

Required Always wear a safety helmet — a fall from your horse could cause a serious head injury.

Required Ride on the left-hand side of the road, as far to the left as safely possible.

Rule No more than 2 abreast. Do not ride on the right of any moving vehicle.

Rule Keep to the road verge where possible — do not ride on footpaths, lawns or gardens.

Rule When leading another animal, keep it on your left, away from traffic.

Tip Wear brightly coloured or hi-vis gear — research shows it slows drivers down and increases your visibility.

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Night riding rules

› Wear reflective clothing and carry a torch when riding or leading at night.

› Horse-drawn vehicles at night must have a white light on the front right and a red light shining to the rear.

› Wherever possible, avoid riding on public roads after dark.

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What drivers must do

› Slow down and pass carefully, giving the horse and rider plenty of room.

› Do not sound your horn, rev your engine or pass at speed — this can frighten the horse.

› On bridges or narrow roads, slow down or stop. If the horse appears frightened, stop.

› At night, dip headlights when approaching a horse.

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Floating safely to events

›Light vehicles towing a horse float must not exceed 90 km/h on the open road.

›Allow extra stopping distance — a loaded float adds significant weight.

›Check trailer coupling, lights and tyre pressure before every trip.

›Make sure your horse is balanced and secured, with adequate ventilation.

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Read the full NZ Road Code

The official NZTA page covers all rules for horse riders on NZ public roads — bookmark it and share it with parents and drivers at events.

NZTA: Road Code for horse riders ↗

Accident / incident report form

Report any accident, injury or near-miss at a club activity as soon as possible. Submissions are recorded automatically for the Health & Safety Officer to follow up.

Form not loading? Open it in a new tab instead ↗, or report to first aid on site, or email wanganuipetreponyclub239@gmail.com.

What the form collects

👤Name of person reporting

📅Date & time of incident

🧍Person(s) involved

📍Location / activity

🩹Injury type

📝What happened & action taken

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