Anyone else have to put up with inconsiderate people on the bridlepath?

JFTD said:
This came up in AAD the other day.

According to one poster, people with fear aggressive / potentially aggressive dogs that they don't want approached should walk them away from ALL other dog walkers or in the middle of the night :rolleyes:

Personally, I think people should just keep their beasts (whatever they may be) under control when in public.
Click to expand...

It's stupid! Annie will not do anything unless the dog is right up in her face and she snaps at another dog nearly every walk we go on that's away from my village (lovely little village, they all know and love Annie!) I had to actually return a dog to it's owner today, as it'd run off and apparently Annie was it's target, it would not leave my poor girl alone and it got enough warnings from her! The owner was quite a way away and didn't even notice her dog was gone until I brought it back. I'm all for letting your dog have a run, but make sure you actually know where it is and it'll come back!!

EDIT: Also, she doesn't like kids and will snap (again, never bite, just warn) and I ALWAYS warn parents "She may snap at your child, so it'd be best if they don't pat her" and I start to walk her away (or move her closer if I'm sitting down) the amount of people who say "It's ok! I'm sure she'll be fine!" No! She won't! I have known my dog for 11 years, you have spotted a cute border collie and thought it's a great childs play thing.
Another rant over :P
 
Last edited:
No matter how bombproof you think your horse is, unexpected things can happen. My pony is a lot less spooky to hack now than he was 3 years ago, and that's mainly through continued exposure to potentially spooky situations. He's now generally fine with noisy fast dogs, racing bicycles in groups smaller than about 8, prams, two-headed four-armed monsters (that shout "Daddy, pony! Pony!"), men with golf accoutrements, and Medium Trot Lady, and has even stopped neighing at golf umbrellas.

However, last week, we also had an encounter with a parent and two small children, one on a tiny bicycle, the other on a push-scooter. The bicycle one wobbled splashily through a puddle immediately beside the pony, who ignored him, and the scooter one was more or less wobbling directly towards us. The scooter really worried the pony, so I asked the little child to please slow down. No reaction, even after 3 times. I contained the pony's bouncing and the child passed safely, and then the parent stopped to declare that they had a right to be there. I retorted that while this might be true, common sense or courtesy would suggest that if a rider asks that you slow down, for your safety you should probably comply. He then told me that I oughtn't to take a horse where it might possibly be frightened (so where would that be, nowhere, then?). I did point out that a small amount of mutual consideration would have allowed us to pass without problems.

As far as I'm concerned, I did what I ought in the circumstances: when I sensed the horse's worry, I moved him over to the other side of the path, made sure he didn't bounce off, and asked the scooter child politely to slow down. (Next time he meets a scooter, the pony will probably either ignore it, or want to investigate its rider for treat-dispensing potential...) Entitlement Parent, on the other hand, was too busy harping on his "rights" to consider that regardless of same, letting his children wobble into the path of a worried horse was possibly not the safest plan.
 
I have to put up with an inconsiderate yellow pony :mad: (incase you hadnt guessed we are not friends right now :p).

Today we met a farmer who was training his dog on a long line who was very considerate and called his dog back to sit with him untill we were long past :) thank you mr farmer.
We also met a dog from the house near the farm, the owners were chatting out side and were not expecting us and were very appologetic when their dog came running towards us barking (credit to the pony he did stand still and not try to leg it in the other direction or take the dog out).

TBF he can cope with most things as long as I can stay with his sudden sideways movment well enough to keep my leg on :cool:

Finally in response to the why are so many horses not good with dogs? yellow pony has always been nervous even though there were dogs on his old yard untill the day one inconsiderate dog walker refused to put her collie that was nipping his back legs on a lead as it was 'just hearding the horses' as I put him out in the field. Then the same week he got chased by another well known local dog and thats him now on the defensive with any medium sized dog. Its a work in progress but he is better now.
 
You're preaching to the converted, Annielusian, I regularly want to kill both dog owners and child-owners in such places. I avoid them like the plague. I do think people have a responsibility to make sure their dogs are well adjusted and tolerant of others in their space - but this is not always possible with older acquisitions and doesn't give people (or their dogs) the right to invade their space uninvited.

My personal bug bear is people who make a fuss of your dog when you're calling it back. DT was never a problem because he was old enough to know better. Dalek-dog's a nightmare because he's cute and fluffy and people encourage him over / come up to him on the lead and make a fuss uninvited. I don't want my dog thinking that everyone's his friend - I want him to ignore other people and listen to me, and it takes twice as long to train that if others interfere constantly.
 
I must be lucky as hardly see anyone on bridlepaths near me. Recently I encountered a massive fallen tree over a narrow path so had to double back, but can hardly blame anyone for that! Today I went on a ride that I've not done for about 20 yrs & when I got to the last field found the gate padlocked! Had to escape via someone's garden that handily had a gate through to the field I was trapped in!
 
I'll never forget riding down the bridleway by our yard with my friend when a large loose dog came bounding over towards us with the owner watching. I don't think the dog was being aggressive or anything but this bloody thing looks more like a bear than a dog. A great bumbling wooly thing charging at them was enough to send both horses back in the other direction and both horses were normally fine with dogs.

The woman regularly walks near us and she usually has it on a lead now so I don't know if other people had problems.

OP, the best you can do is to work on yourself and your coping mechanisms but there will always be occasional situations that present challenging times out hacking (try not to run anyone over either ;) ).
 
Last edited:
JFTD said:
You're preaching to the converted, Annielusian, I regularly want to kill both dog owners and child-owners in such places. I avoid them like the plague. I do think people have a responsibility to make sure their dogs are well adjusted and tolerant of others in their space - but this is not always possible with older acquisitions and doesn't give people (or their dogs) the right to invade their space uninvited.
Click to expand...

You're totally right! Like I said earlier, it's like youths harassing an old lady! They are far too rough with her and some even try to mount her :O My poor old girly!! The owners don't care when their dogs are hurting mine, but as soon as Annie snaps, it all changes! Thankfully, quite a few respond with "Oh, no worries! Dogs will be dogs!"
She's very good with other dogs if they walk over calmly to say hello, I can go on good walks with my friends and their dogs and she can walk with kids if they respect her space.
 
I'm lucky in that my horses are not too bad with dogs, unless of course they come up from the ditch or bounding out of hedges and startle them.

Had an incident a few years ago with a young bouncer whose owners couldn't call it away from my mare, my OH was on foot and I managed to hop off as it was bounding all around her back legs and she was lashing out with both back legs determined to get it. OH couldn't even manage to get hold of the dog.

If I see a dog come bounding at me or even up behind me I will tend chase it off with the horse, ie turn the horse at it and set off at a trot at the dog and keep chasing it away making sure it can't get behind the horse.
 
We met some very considerate cyclist just before te bridle path. They were allowing us to go down he path first, obviously we de lined and said no no you first, (don't want you whizzing up behind me) but halfway down there was a tree down and bless em they all got off and moved it safely away from the path for us. Gives you a little faith back!
 
It annoys me when people walk dogs on bridleways when the dogs aren't good with horses. They are tons of footpaths near me and not so many bridleways. I met one man with a German shepherd barking and running at my horse. Horse not bothered, he is fine with dogs running underneath him, behind him, even jumping up and putting paws on him. I stopped to allow man to get his dog. He then looked at me like a piece of ***** and said my dog hates horses! I felt like saying why walk it off lead on a bridleway then!! Made me feel like I was one who shouldn't have been there.
 
amymay said:
What training would you expect these dog owners to undertake?

Do you help in any way when you meet dogs like this?
Click to expand...

I expect dogs on bridleways / public spaces to be on leads if their owners cannot control them off the lead. Recently on the byway near me an elderly man's old dog (on the lead) was attacked by another out of control dog off the lead and nearly died as a result of his injuries. If there is any doubt about the behaviour of a dog it should be kept on the lead.

Personally yes I do anything I can to help with dogs, stand still for nervous ones and talk nicely when passing and at home I have allowed dog owners to let their dogs sniff the horses over the gate, walk the horse up and down so the dog gets used to it etc (same with kids and nervous people!)

With more aggressive dogs I cannot believe the number of owners who say I wish your horse would kick my dog and teach it a lesson, rather than keep everyone safe by keeping their dog on a lead and socialising it with large animals.
 
Last edited:
Amymay, I ask my horse to stand and wait until said owner has regained some control over there dog. As stated my horse is fine with dogs but if you know your dog isn't fine with horses why walk it on a bridleway and have it off the lead? Or if it is off the lead you should at least be able to control it. Too many people have dogs that they have no control over. I have 4 dogs. One is not good with horses. Therefore I do not let him run around off lead if any are likely to be about.
 
Copperpot, it's the same by us, loads of footpaths but not many bridleways, and the two main bridleways are linked by footpaths, which makes a circular route nigh on impossible. My friend and I were leading our ponies in hand along a bridleway once (in single file, at a walk) and we were met by a man with an Alsatian. When we said, "Good morning", we were greeted with, "You shouldn't bring bl**dy horses along here; they churn all the mud up." This particular bridleway is a wide one, not single track except at a couple of points much further on, and it very rarely gets muddy. I made the mistake of attempting to converse with this man and asked him where he thought we should exercise the ponies. He shrugged. After that, it seemed none of us could go out with a horse without meeting this man and him "having a go" whilst his untrained dog belted around on the bank above the horses, showering soil, twigs and leaves on us. Thankfully, he now seems to arrive to walk his dog about an hour later than he used to, which gives us all a break! Why he walks there when he has hundreds of horse-free paths, not to mention an entire beach, I have no idea!
 
We walk on bridlepaths, with the dog off-lead (shock horror:p), and the worst thing we generally meet is people cantering along when they can't see what's ahead of them. Nothing to get the blood flowing like the sound of fast moving hooves thundering towards you around a blind bend, and having to do an emergency recall really enlivens the walk!

No problem at all with a good canter, but surely it's common sense to make sure you can see your path is clear before you kick on?:o
 
I wonder if there is a dog forum asking why so many horse owners take their horses out on public rights of way when they are not good with dogs?
 
Copperpot said:
Amymay, I ask my horse to stand and wait until said owner has regained some control over there dog. As stated my horse is fine with dogs but if you know your dog isn't fine with horses why walk it on a bridleway and have it off the lead? Or if it is off the lead you should at least be able to control it. Too many people have dogs that they have no control over. I have 4 dogs. One is not good with horses. Therefore I do not let him run around off lead if any are likely to be about.
Click to expand...

I don't disagree - but I guess that's the way of the world.

I do wonder sometimes at the staggering self righteousness of horse riders, as evidenced by the OP, general lack of control over their horses, and their expectation that when they are out woe betide any other walker or user of the path who isn't in full control 100% of whatever they are walking...... When the horse rider themselves is in even less control.

Do so many people genuinely have such poor riding skills that anything unexpected that's thrown on them causes such pandemonium?????
 
I have no issues with dogs off lead on bridlepaths if they are good with horses. All I was saying was if they aren't and then owner can't control them because of this they have no right to moan at the person riding the horse. I'm happy for dogs to meet my horse especially one's who maybe unsure. What I'm not happy about is having a large dog running up barking etc and owner doing nothing about it or moaning at me for being on a bridleway!
 
Copperpot agree entirely. But having been on the recieving end & a witness to many horseriders arrogant attitude to anyone else on the bridlepath I'd guess they possibly lump us all together.
 
Copperpot said:
I have no issues with dogs off lead on bridlepaths if they are good with horses. All I was saying was if they aren't and then owner can't control them because of this they have no right to moan at the person riding the horse. I'm happy for dogs to meet my horse especially one's who maybe unsure. What I'm not happy about is having a large dog running up barking etc and owner doing nothing about it or moaning at me for being on a bridleway!
Click to expand...

And I suppose equally, the rider on the horse that spins everytime they come across a dog that may bark at them, rush at them equally shouldn't complain if they can't control their horse.

Bottom line is we all share the same spaces. Yes, I agree, dogs should be under control - but so should horses (not having a go at you Copperpot). Just sick of riders who really shouldn't be let loose out of a school - then have the temerity to complain when their horse is out of control simply because they can't ride it......!
 
Amymay I agree with that too. You horse should behave as well as you expect other people too :) being on a horse doesnt give you automatic right to be out of control lol :)
 
Spudlet said:
the worst thing we generally meet is people cantering along when they can't see what's ahead of them. Nothing to get the blood flowing like the sound of fast moving hooves thundering towards you around a blind bend, and having to do an emergency recall really enlivens the walk!

No problem at all with a good canter, but surely it's common sense to make sure you can see your path is clear before you kick on?:o
Click to expand...

THIS!!!

I hate it when I'm riding and people come thundering round a blind bend into you.

So many riders give the rest of us a bad name.

I must comment on a rude rider earlier today. I was following this rider down a single track lane for quite some time earlier today despite her having plenty of driveways she could quickly have popped into to let me pass. I was very polite and kept the engine just gently turning over, keeping my distance. She could not have failed to hear me as I was in a diesel Jeep towing a 1970's rice trailer over bumps so there would be some noise! :o:o But no. She mooches along, one hand on the reins. Doesn't even glance back or use her spare hand to acknowledge me. There were no control issues at all, just pure disdain.

Eventually she turned off down another road, glanced back at me (without a smile, nod anything), and peed me off even more by trotting off down there. So now she is no longer blocking a road she'll trot on... :mad:

No acknowledgement, thank you, anything.

If it wasn't for me being a nice sensible person, I would be tempted to rev up her horse's bum next time and hoot my horn. No wonder non-horsey people drive a similar way around riders if that's the attitude they encounter.

I, on the other hand, when out hacking thank all and sundry. I'm often to be seen riding at the back of the group turning my whole body round to make eye contact and smile at the kind people behind so show we appreciate their driving. They then pay attention to my hand signals either holding them back or sending them on through as they realise I am doing it to help them rather than just being an a&&e insisting traffic stops because I am on a horse!

Anyway, rant over.
 
Last edited:
amymay said:
Just sick of riders who really shouldn't be let loose out of a school - then have the temerity to complain when their horse is out of control simply because they can't ride it......!
Click to expand...

That is what I was ineloquently trying to say last night. I think the OP should reassess their control over their horse before they cause an accident.
 
amymay said:
I don't disagree - but I guess that's the way of the world.

I do wonder sometimes at the staggering self righteousness of horse riders, as evidenced by the OP, general lack of control over their horses, and their expectation that when they are out woe betide any other walker or user of the path who isn't in full control 100% of whatever they are walking...... When the horse rider themselves is in even less control.

Do so many people genuinely have such poor riding skills that anything unexpected that's thrown on them causes such pandemonium?????
Click to expand...

I totally agree with this and it showed today. When riding with the YO and another woman, we encountered 2 trucks with flashing lights parked quite close together but on opposite sides of the road, so we had to walk between them to get past. There were men busy working and throwing stuff into 2 skips (They even threw a window which made a lovely loud smashing sound) now, we didn't ask them to stop, we pushed the horses on even though the horses were a bit worried.
However, one of the nice men stopped us and jumped in the truck on our side of the road and moved well out of our way :) We were perfectly happy to push the horses on past it, but it just shows how kind people can be!! The other bloke who was throwing stuff in the tip, didn't stop, but I don't blame him! The owner of the house was watching them and he certainly isn't paid to stand around waiting for horses to pass, so he carried on regardless. The horses did have a little wobble, but not a proper spook. If the horses had decided to act in a way which would have endangered lives, then I think we would have asked him to stop, but they didn't. We remained in control and next time they see men working, I'm sure they won't have an issue.

I think some times people should have to stop for horses (such as cars, if there could be a dangerous situation) but the entire world shouldn't have to grind to a halt.
 
Last edited:
After a few incidents with people and stupid dogs including one ripping her back boots to shreds (Clarendon ones so not cheap) I now ride with my dog who is the size of a small pony funny how they quickly get control when the dog turns and growls. Annie isn't bothered in the slightest only by idiot drivers. She is very good off road and if need be we stand still but we do meet rude riders and rude walkers think it is the way of the world. Btw my dog is always in control and I will get off and lead both dog and horse if need be.
 
Last edited:
I think the core here is, if the track is shared use horses and dogs then if the dog is bothering the horse it should be able to be recalled; thats not unreasonable, I dont have a problem with people struggling to get the dog back when they do recall them, but I do expect them to try!! Yes horses need to cope with dogs running around them but not being chased/attacked.

And I do object to a local chap who walks (poss a dog walker) 7 dogs and cant recall them when they descend as a pack on my horse when I hack. If you walk 7 dogs, you need them to have recall or they need to be on leads!

Nipping and biting the horses, well Im sorry but they would get one warning (since I think everything deserves that) and if it happened again I would be reporting them.
 
Sadly a lot of hostility towards riders is caused by the ignorant riders who get the rest of us labelled as snobs. I always acknowledge drivers and thank people, even if the speed and distance they pass me at isn't ideal. We have lots of tractors and trailers round here and my pony isn't in the least bothered by them as there's mutual consideration. I get out of the way into a gateway or well into the side and the tractor drivers pass steadily - these people are working and I don't expect them to stop every two minutes. But sadly with horses it can take just one bad experience to spoil them. A friend's horse was fine with tractors until the day he was confronted with a huge one taking up all the lane coming at full speed towards him round a blind bend - there could have been anything there, a car, walkers, mum with a push chair and the driver would have just mown them down. Horse had a lucky escape but was never the same with tractors ever after.
 
just to confirm my boy isnt scared of dogs running between his legs, barking at him, running at him. Its only this one dog i've encounted before which bothers him as its the first one he's come across which is properly agressive and actually bites his legs.

I've found out today this lady has also been reported to the police before for having an out of control dangerous dog and she now has to muzzle it and keep it on a lead. I may call the police next time I see it loose with the muzzle round its neck not fitted. :confused:

Thanks for some of the replies too all, feel better knowing i'm not the only one losing my mind sometimes to local lunatics on the bridlepaths!
 
Ollie's Mum said:
It always seems a bit of an injustice to me that footpaths are just for the walkers but riders don't get a dedicated path of our own and have to share them with walkers and bikes :( In the area where I ride we have dozens of footpaths and very few bridleways - it doesn't seem a lot to ask for us not to have to share.
Click to expand...
Like!

To be fair round my way everyone is very considerate, including the riders.

Also my horses are fine with my dog - Ollycob hacks out with him regularly and Millie will when she is reliably hacking on her own. However when dogs come towards him in "attack" mode then he will try and bugger off with me. How hard is it to get your dog under control?!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top