CLUNES' Emily Mau - a self-described equestrian enthusiast and trainer - enjoys riding her horses around the many quiet and picturesque streets in her town.
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A recognised horse re-trainer through Racing Victoria, Ms Mau mostly trains off-track thoroughbreds to prepare them for their new riding careers.
A horse trainer of 10 years, she takes her horses on different tracks and roads to ensure they are fully trained and prepared to enter new life stages at homes such as pony clubs or as 'pleasure mounts' for people who like to ride trails.
"It is good to get horses out for different experiences and ride them in different environments," Ms Mau said. "The horse will then be comfortable and aware of its surroundings no matter where it is. Riding around the roads exposes them to different elements."
But recently Ms Mau and her mare Star - a quarter horse she has been working with for seven months - have had a couple of scary encounters.
Just last week she was riding Star on the road when she had an encounter with an angry road user.
"I was out on the road with my young mare and a lady came flying around the corner. My horse was already agitated because she had been distracted by a chicken and then the lady almost ran into me. She then went on to abuse me - even though she saw the horse was playing up," Ms Mau said.
"I was trying to move [Star] off the road but the car was nudging us from the front. So my horse just couldn't move because this car was honking its horn and pushing us forward. It could have ended in disaster - I could have ended up on the bonnet or through the windscreen."
Ms Mau grew up riding horses around Clunes. Though she moved away for a short period, she recently returned with her own family - who she worries about if something was to happen to her while riding her horses as the animals can bolt or run backwards if spooked.
Ms Mau has friends in the horse riding community around the state who have been involved in bad accidents with cars while out riding. And she is not the only one to have had an encounter with a car in Clunes.
"I know there's a lot of horse people around here who enjoy riding out and about and I'm not the only one who has had a close call with cars before," she said.
"I've got a young family I'd like to come home to at the end of the day."
Ms Mau wants to raise awareness about road safety around animals, specifically around horses on roads, throughout the region.
People need to understand that when you drive a car, you're in control but when you're on a horse you are not. It can be quite dangerous.
- Emily Mau
"We wear high vis and make ourselves visible - we aren't hiding behind trees or anything like that. It's important that people are aware of the fact that a horse is an animal and we put our trust in them."
She wants road users to be aware of the laws so she and other riders can take their animals out safely.
"If it is safe to do so, slow down and pass slowly and quietly. Don't rev your car or honk the horn. And if you do see a horse playing up, pull to the side of the road if it's safe and turn your engine off and let us pass."
Acting Sergeant Jackie Loveday from Ballarat Highway Patrol said that horses were considered vehicles and so must obey the road rules but cars were required to pass horses slowly and with a wide distance.
She said riders were able to take horses on footpaths and nature strips but must give way to pedestrians and if riders are travelling two abreast, they must not ride further than 1.5-metres apart.
If a rider is under the age of 18 it is a legal requirement for them to wear a helmet.
Acting Sergeant Loveday urged all riders to wear reflective clothing and a head lamp at night, if possible, and to also consider buying reflective clothing for their horses.
"Even though helmets aren't compulsory for adults, I'd highly suggest people wear them."
She said horse riders had a right to be on roads and it could be considered an offence if drivers did not obey road rules around them.