A question for all those who work with/ride horses for others...

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What would you do if you were asked to ride and lead out on a busy main B road, with two horses which were bad in traffic (especially with really big traffic)? Would you risk it or not?

I ask as I have just decided against continuing a job after narrowly missing what could have been a very nasty accident this morning with above horses. I was told only one of them was a bit nervous with big traffic but it has turned out that both of them are. First of all we came across an electric wheelchair on a country lane and I couldn't get the horses within 10 feet of it. Both spun round and tried to canter back the way we had came several times and once the horse i was on realised I wasn't going to take them back, he reversed at speed, heading for the ditch! :eek: In the end I managed to make them stand whilst the wheel chair went out of sight and we continued on our way. All was fine until we met a very large HGV lorry travelling at speed towards us. Both horses immediately went very nervous and so I asked the lorry driver to slow down and he ignored me and carried on speeding towards us (he was doing at least 50!) :mad: :eek: Ended up with horse I was on running backwards at speed and turning a full circle with me still hanging onto the lead horse. I still don't know how I managed to not let go of the lead horse. Tbh, I thought the horse I was on was going to go up! I consider myself to be a fairly competent and confident rider and I have experience riding and leading and with riding horses which can be nervous/difficult on the roads.

Anyway, this has left me rather shaken to say the least. I took them back home after this and the owner has since told me that they both can be a bit funny and they should be better when they are back in full work. (They are unfit atm as they have been turned out all winter and just come back into work.) I would have thought they would have been worse when fit. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I have just rang up and said I will not be returning as I do not feel safe riding and leading these horses. I offered to ride them out individually but he would rather someone ride and lead as then he only has to pay one person. He didn't sound very happy with me to say the least but at my interview none of this was mentioned! I am not willing to put myself at great risk everyday. I know horses are unpredictable but these two are clearly not traffic proof and are not likely to change as they are both in their teens.

So anyway, I just wondered what you would have done in the above situation. I didn't want to sound like I was giving up too early but they have both played up both times I have taken them out together and there comes a time when you have to ask yourself 'is this really worth risking my life for?'

Any opinions welcome. Sorry this is so long! :o
 
Whoever you are working for and whatever you ride safety is paramount, nothing else matters.

I'm not sure I would have quit in these uncertain times but I certainly would have had a chat saying I won't be doing anything I consider risky like that again.

Any employer should also have your safety in mind.
 
Just a note about the horses being better when fit- mine is terrified of big traffic, but he improves the more he's ridden and exposed to them- I would assume this is what the owner meant.

However, using see why you couldn't ride out individually until it was safe to ride and lead again???!!! Tight sod!!!

You made the right choice for safety's sake :) Thats the important thing. It's not worth killing yourself to ride someone elses horse!!!
 
ShowJumping Superstars said:
So anyway, I just wondered what you would have done in the above situation. I didn't want to sound like I was giving up too early but they have both played up both times I have taken them out together and there comes a time when you have to ask yourself 'is this really worth risking my life for?'
Click to expand...

Not the same situation - but similar principle. My first job with horses (a LONG time ago - The Beatles were still new and 'daring'!:D) was with a National Hunt trainer. First morning I was asked to ride 1 - lead 2 (all fit racehorses.) Trainer watched as I trotted them around the outside of a LARGE - rather rough field! Then he asked me to canter - THEN he told me to gallop!!

Galloping one fit racehorse on a purpose built/maintained racetrack can be hairy - riding 1 and leading 2 - at speed - on rough undulating pasture is bloody well terrifying! After the 'experience', I politely told him I didn't feel happy working 3 together at that speed - and offered him a week's notice. His response was along the lines of: "*******ing useless girls who think they can ride - pi** off now!" So I did! And I'm still alive and relatively healthy!

Funny that the people who ask you to do these things never actually DEMONSTRATE how to do it!:rolleyes: You did the right thing! Taking two out - ride and lead - on ANY road is not that safe! On a busy B road, forget it - even if horses are BOMBPROOF in traffic!
 
I think you have done completely the right thing, your safety is paramount.

I wonder if the owner takes them out ride and lead?
 
i would not feel comfortable riding and leading on the roads fullstop no matter how safe they were. and im fairly sure its illegal to ask an employee to do it as i would assume your insurance is void, but could be wrong?
 
I suspect you aren't the first and won't be the last he's tried that one on. Totally unsafe, and when the inevitable accident happened it would be your insurance that was called on to pay for it.
 
Owners/employers that expect you to perform miracles yet haven't sat on a horse for the past 20 years - dont you just love them!:rolleyes:

Save your own skin and get out of there!
 
I think that you did the right thing, not only for your safety but for that of the horses. There must be another job out there somewhere?
 
I think you did the right thing! It would, at the end of the day (aside from your personal health) be your neck on the line if they caused an accident (which is why its important to be insured to be a groom!!).

Also I bet you have other jobs aside from this one? If you were injured you would have to stop and if a grooms job potentially loose your job as they would need to get someone else in asap. I know I wouldnt do it as have three different jobs (groom, swimming instructor, cleaner) and couldnt risk not being able to do any of them as desperatley need the money!
 
As everyone else has said, I think that you did the right thing, and the owner was out of order expecting you to do that. Even with good horses, I don't like riding and leading on busy roads. I'm lucky that we have enough quiet lanes for riding and leading.

Something else will come up.
 
You did the right thing, you have to look after yourself 1st.

Though had to smile as reminded me of my days working for a fox hunt and one especially interesting pairing a chestnut mare Tizzy and a black mare Spook, it was all roadwork and one route went under a low railway bridge...........I was under a railway bridge with the pair when a train went over................still have no idea how I kept hold of both/didn't knock myself out on the ceiling of the bridge/stay on and manage not to bolt home.:D
 
Personally I wouldnt ride and lead ANY horses on the roads these days,far to dangerous,people are in far to much of a hurry these days!He obviously isnt concerned about his horses welfare either!
 
If you work as a groom and want to stay alive you have to draw the line somewhere sometimes! This employer is the equivalent of a transport company sending drivers out in lorries with faulty brakes and dodgy steering. You are more than justified in refusing to ride his horses on the road. They may get better when they are back in regular work but you could be dead in the meantime. I could not justify to myself asking anybody to take such a risk.
 
my boss wont let us ride and lead on the road, eventhough all the horses are really well behaved. Too dangerous she says. so i think that your in your right to say bog off to that. I wouldn't. X
 
Id have done the same as you, i ride and lead alot but with riding school ponies and with lead ponies having rider aboard - even that can be scary at times if you have a pair who dont go great together or you meet silly drivers. I also used to ride borrowed horses on yard to lead my own boy out but dont do that very often now after meeting a tractor while sitting on a big warmblood, that wasnt fun but was actually more my own (usually very quite and bombproof) horse who caused the issue - which just goes to show that even the quietest horse can still be frightened and cause problems
 
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