Horse Crossing Sign: Meaning and What to Do
The yellow diamond with a horse and rider silhouette warns that equestrians use or cross the road ahead, near a trail crossing, a riding stable, or a rural road where horses are ridden along the shoulder. It is the equestrian member of the crossing sign family.
Horse Crossing Sign
A horse is a living animal that can startle at engine noise, a horn, or a fast pass, and a startled horse can throw its rider into the road or bolt into traffic. The sign asks for the kind of caution you would give a child on a bicycle, not just a slow-moving vehicle.
What to do when you see the horse crossing sign
Slow down well before you reach the horse, do not sound your horn or rev the engine, and pass wide and slow only when the rider has seen you and the road is clear. If the rider raises a hand, stop; it usually means the horse is nervous. Never spray gravel or splash water as you pass.
The signs it is confused with
Tests group it with Deer Crossing and Cattle Crossing; the rider on the horse's back is what distinguishes this symbol. It is also contrasted with the Bicycle Crossing sign, since both warn of a road user who is vulnerable and slower than traffic.
Signs are one topic of ten on every test
Every state practice test covers signs, signals, and markings among its ten topics, with every answer explained. Pick your state and see how its exam asks about signs like this one; it is free, with no sign-up.
Choose your stateQuestions about the horse crossing sign
What does the horse crossing sign mean?
Horses and riders use or cross the road ahead. Slow down, pass wide and quietly, and be ready to stop.
Can I honk to warn a rider I am coming?
No. A horn can spook the horse and throw the rider. Slow down and let the rider notice you; they will usually wave you past when it is safe.
What if the rider signals me to stop?
Stop. Riders signal when the horse is unsettled. Wait until they have it under control and wave you on.
Do horses have the right to use the road?
Yes. Ridden horses are lawful road users in every state, usually treated like slow vehicles, and drivers must pass them safely.
How does this sign appear on the written test?
As an animal-crossing symbol, and in sharing-the-road questions asking how to pass a horse and rider.