How much space should drivers leave when passing horses in Northern Ireland?

Leave a wide safety margin when passing horses; the key rule is generous space combined with very low speed rather than squeezing past.

A horse is much wider and less predictable than a bicycle and can shy sideways into the carriageway.

This is a vulnerable-road-user question, so the Northern Ireland Highway Code expects drivers to plan for people who may be harder to see, slower to react or more easily injured. The Code repeatedly stresses lower speed, wider clearance, observation and patience around pedestrians, cyclists, children and horse riders rather than treating priority as a licence to press on.

For this exact question — “How much space should drivers leave when passing horses in Northern Ireland?” — the practical point is: If the road is narrow or there is oncoming traffic, wait until the rider reaches a safer section before attempting the overtake. The answer should be applied to the actual signs, conditions, licence wording or parking rules in force at the time, because temporary restrictions and individual DVA decisions can change the ordinary position.