Another idiot motorist

[Sandstone1]

But to describe the whole estate as "scummy" is bigoted and insulting and certainly helps reinforce the stereotype of those who ride horses.

Exactly, and this does nothing to help people slow down on the roads for riders.

 

[fatpiggy]

I just can't get my head around it.

What would be the driver's excuse if the rider ended up dead as a result of their actions as a driver? That could end up in jail time for them, why risk it???

But the courts actually very rarely impose jail sentences, and it is often suspended even if they do. A human life is pretty worthless. You get more for refusing to pay the Council Tax. Generally the driver's solicitor tells them to plead guilty to careless driving which doesn't carry a prison sentence, and to save time and money the court accepts it. The fact that they were doing 70mph in 30mph limit and killed a family walking home from the shops on the pavement is neither here nor there. They might get a 12 month ban, but look how many people flaunt that?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We have to share the roads with all kinds of noise and nastiness, so it is on us, the horse-riders to do our best to get our horses used to this kind of thing.

I can't do anything about the Jewson truck which overtook on a blind bend on Saturday last (anyone coming the other way would have been dead, no question), but I was able to calmly nod hello to the 30 'hog' type motorcycles and trikes which we met the next day. Pony trusted me to keep him safe.

Not saying that there aren't some idiots out there, but it is on us to do our best to prepare our horses for the unexpected - and traffic noise, beeping horns and air brakes are normal. When an ambulance comes screaming past me with the sirens on, I don't want my horse's lack of training to be the reason it doesn't get where it's going.

I have to agree with this. I would be mortified if one of my horses reacted to car horn-blowing, loud music from passing cars or roaring engines. On the one occasion when one mare bucked at loud diesel engines, I called the vet because I knew there must be something wrong - she had a bad back! Riders must share the roads with other users, including pedestrians, and it is possible to de-sensitise to most things at home. I do think that in some cases the rider's tension transmits to the horse and exacerbates the problem.
Having said that, I know that we are lucky to live in an area with plenty of horses, where most drivers take care around them.

 

[zaminda]

Until we have someone being held seriously accountable for causing injury to a horse and rider nothing will ever change. They have the opportunity with the motorist who hit the horse on the way to a funeral to throw the book at them. Lets hope they do.
For me part of the problem is that people always look for someone else to blame, rather than admitting it is their own actions which have caused the problem. Rude car drivers, and sadly there are plenty, are likely to say that it is the riders fault for being on the road, rather than admit that it is their responsibility!
I would like to see mandatory insurance for all road users, including riders and cyclists, so that we can move away from the attitude of us not having a right to be on the road, and not insured either.

 

[Annagain]

How do you do this without going on the road though?

Personally, I won't buy one that isn't tried and tested on the road. I know that's a bit of a cop out in general terms as SOMEBODY will have done that work with them but I'm wiling to pay a premium for that. Some of the roads I have to hack on are far too busy for their design so it's not something I'm prepared to compromise on. If I had quieter roads I'd maybe be more prepared to do some work on it myself but I just can't take that risk where I am.

 

[shannonandtay]

I've lived on a "scummy council estate" I'd never drive like that and nor would most people who live there.
In fact the worst drivers are those in 4x4s.
You're very rude and very prejudiced.

Me too, one of the worst in east London, but neither myself or my family would ever do something like this, it's not about being horsey it's about common sense and decency to others.

 

[pennyturner]

It is much easier if you have the right kind of roads, the right kind of horses, and even the right kind of yard. If you hack straight out onto a nightmare road, then buying the horse ready-made is probably your only option.

We have paddocks right by busy roads, full of ponies who already know the score, so anything new quickly settles and ignores the background traffic.
When we hack out, we have quiet lanes, but we also have busy villages simply brimming with horse-eating monsters. The latter are the making of a nervous horse, particularly when accompanied by more experienced field-mates. There's a limit to how many cars, flags, bollards, dogs, cycle races, wheelie bins, buses and clanky trailers a pony is willing to put energy into avoiding, before they decide to go with the flow. Eventually, even the occasional traction engine doesn't get much of a look.

Anyone who is not sure how to get a horse used to traffic, I recommend watching a few of Barry Hook's videos on youtube. He trains driving horses for a living; they need to be rock steady.