Mrs Steven and her trusty steed Dusky will take to the road next Sunday to promote a worldwide Pass Wide and Slow campaign.
Horse riders around New Zealand have registered at least 35 separate campaign rides on September 14 and 15, promoting the message that motorists should give horses a 2m-wide berth and overtake slowly.
Similar events are happening on the same weekend in other places around the world.
Mrs Steven is a member of the NZ Equestrian Advocacy Network [NZEAN] and is among more than 4234 people who have signed a parliamentary petition for Vulnerable Road Users.
NZEAN wants the Land Transport Act to be amended to include horse riders as vulnerable road users and set rules around speed limits and minimum distances when passing.
It was submitted to Parliament in July by equestrian advocate and former TVNZ journalist Julia McLean, of Canterbury, and closes on October 14.
It will then go to a select committee for consideration and a report or referral to the Minister of Transport.
Mrs Stevens says the Ministry of Transport’s Road to Zero Road Safety Strategy fails to mention horse riders.
While road safety messaging about passing a stopped school bus at 20km is clear, nothing is said about what to do when overtaking a horse, she said.
"I have had people go past at high speed, not acknowledging me at all," she said.
"The other day a motorcycle did slow down and all kudos to him. Truck drivers are also usually good. But I have heard horror stories from overseas about people honking or yelling abuse. That is not funny. Horses are a legal road user, along with vehicles, bikers and walkers," Mrs Steven said.
Participants in the Pass Wide and Slow Campaign will be wearing high-visibility jackets with campaign messaging on the back.
"It is not a protest, or anything like that. We don’t need a traffic management plan or police support or anything like that because it is not an event and we are legal road users," she said.
New Zealand horse riders were also legally able to use public spaces, such as marginal strips, Department of Conservation areas and local authority recreation reserves, and shared trails, unless signage expressly showed they were banned, she said.
