TyreSafe Launches UK’s First Equine Tyre Safety Campaign

TyreSafe has launched its first equine tyre safety campaign with the British Horse Society and support from The Pony Club. Filmed at Solihull Riding Club and Lancashire Constabulary’s Mounted Division, the campaign pushes a simple message: tyre safety is animal safety. Free resources, how-to guides, a video and social assets—aim to help owners and transporters build tyre checks into routine horse care across the UK, starting now.

Why tyre age matters for horse transport

Horseboxes and trailers often sit unused for long periods. Rubber hardens and cracks, reducing grip even when tread looks legal. For horseboxes over 3.5 tonnes, UK law bans tyres aged 10 years or more on front steered axles (and sets related rules across other vehicle classes).

Owners should read the tyre’s DOT/Date code and replace ageing rubber before travel.

Field findings: ageing, damage and under-inflation

At a British Riding Club Championship event, In’n’Out Autocentres found tyre age was the standout issue on horseboxes and trailers. Inspectors also saw embedded objects and sidewall damage typical of narrow lanes and rough tracks. Under-inflation was common, underscoring the need to adjust pressures for animal load and journey length.

Incident data points to a wider safety gap

TyreSafe, citing National Highways’ ControlWorks data, reports towing-related incidents rose by 16% between 2022 and 2024, with horseboxes making up 21.9% of these cases on the motorway network. The Strategic Road Network covers only about 2% of England’s road length, suggesting true volumes may be higher on rural routes more commonly used by equestrians.

What owners and drivers should do (before every journey)

• Check tyre age: replace anything approaching 10 years; don’t run aged tyres on steered axles of heavier horseboxes.
• Set pressures for the vehicle, trailer and expected live load; re-check warm.
• Inspect condition: cuts, bulges, cord exposure, embedded stones/nails and valve damage.
• Confirm tread depth and even wear; rotate/align as needed.
• Carry a calibrated gauge, torque wrench and a fit-for-purpose spare where applicable.
• Build tyre checks into loading checklists alongside welfare steps (hydration, ventilation, rest stops).

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“When it comes to transporting horses, tyre safety isn’t just about vehicles, it’s about the wellbeing of the animals inside them. We’re urging owners to check not only air pressure, condition, and tread, but also the age of their tyres. It’s a vital part of animal care that’s too often overlooked.” Stuart Lovatt, Chair, TyreSafe

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“With education and welfare at the heart of The Pony Club it is vital that our Members and the families supporting them are fully conversant with the safe transportation of their horses and ponies. We are proud to be working with TyreSafe to support our Members in ensuring their transportation is fit for purpose for the welfare of themselves and their horses.”  Marcus Capel, CEO, The Pony Club

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Further reading

TyreSafe’s wider education push has accelerated in 2025. See our coverage of TyreSafe Briefing 2025 and its focus on practical road safety actions.
For equestrians specifically, earlier collaboration with Pass Wide & Slow highlighted risks around rural roads and towing, issues mirrored in this campaign.
TyreSafe’s work has also been recognised this month with an IMTD 2025 Award for driver education.

Legal reference: Full guidance on the UK’s 10-year tyre age restrictions for heavy vehicles and some minibuses is available via GOV.UK

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Tagged with: tyre safety, equine tyre safety, horsebox tyres, trailer tyre checks, tyre age, British Horse Society, The Pony Club, National Highways, TyreSafe, ControlWorks data

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