A frustrated horse rider who says she has been repeatedly threatened and sworn at has pleaded with impatient drivers to follow the Highway Code.

Leanne Hodges says she faces verbal abuse once a week while out riding her mare Zula - a cob shire cross - out on the roads in Rainham.

"We get quite a lot of aggression," the 38-year-old said. "It comes from when we ask drivers to slow down, they do not seem to like it.

"On the lane where our horses are kept, somebody threatened to punch and pull me off my horse recently.

"The driver was coming up towards us and we were just walking down to pull in to get out of his way. He was revving his engine so I looked at him.

"As I had not immediately thanked him for waiting, he started to get really aggressive. He asked me what I was looking at and I was just trying to ride my horse and get out of the way.

"He then threatened to punch me and pull me off my horse. My friend starting apologising to him but we had done nothing wrong.

"It is quite common and we feel like we need to apologise but we should not."

Leanne, who lives in Coppertree Walk, Lordswood, rides her horse two to three times a week and says at least once she will face some sort of abuse from other road users.

She said she frequently gets sworn at, people beep their horns and rev their engines and then speed past.

Last year, 2,943 road incidents involving horses were reported to The British Horse Society and 126 people have been injured because of them.

"It is not enjoyable some days," Leanne added. "We just want motorists to understand the horses have their own brains and we do our best to train them and keep them under control but they are not machines and sometimes react to things.

"If we ask drivers to slow down or stop it is not because we are being rude or trying to domineer the road, it is because we have seen or heard something we think the horse may react to.

"If people could give us space and a bit of extra time it means we can all get to where we are going safely. If we can pull in we will do that.

"It takes a few seconds to slow down but if not and the horse is spooked it could be catastrophic. Me and my horse probably weigh around 750kg, you do not want that landing on your car."

The horse rider said there are no bridleways in suitable riding distance - the nearest being in Capstone which is a 40 minute journey - so they are forced to use public highways.

She explained the horses need regular exercise to build stamina and bone strength which they cannot do in the yard so need to take them out onto the roads.

They are also not allowed to use fields which are usually private land.

Leanne is now pleading with motorists to abide by the Highway Code, which states: "When you see a horse on a road, you should slow down to a maximum of 10 mph. Be patient, do not sound your horn or rev your engine. When safe to do so, pass wide and slow, allowing at least two metres of space."

She has organised a Pass Wide and Slow campaign across Hempstead and Wigmore on September 18 to help spread the message. The annual, national event will see 200 rides across the country.

Around 40 horses are expected to join the ride in Medway this year.