Asking to see horses on the road

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SpringArising

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If you were looking at a horse to share/loan/buy and asked to see it being hacked along the road, but the owner said they weren’t comfortable doing that as it’s a busy road with fast traffic (70-80mph), would you assume:

1) They’re hiding something/the horse is bad with traffic
2) They’re genuinely concerned for their own and the horse’s safety due to nature of traffic/the risk of accident isn’t worth it for a possible sale?
 
Being the cynical type I’d google the yard address that they gave for the viewing and check out the road.

but having kept a horse on a 60mph single carriageway road, main bus route & rat run between 2 major arterial roads just a couple of miles from an m25 junction I’ve ridden out very regularly so I’d still be questioning why they cant if the google results didn’t give the answer. It might be the rider that isn’t confident ... or it might be the horse.
 
Unless the horse looked perfect I would bother going any further with it ,if it was really special I would view only if they would travel it to somewhere more suitable if they would not do that I would not view
 
Blimey, 70 to 80mph - that's over the motorway speed limit! There's only one way that I'll allow my horse on a road like that, and that's travelling him in a horsebox.

I would however expect to see a horse on trial being hacked somewhere as part of my assessment of him, so wouldn't arrange a viewing if this isn't going to happen.
 
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It may well be that the road is bad but they must hack the horse somewhere so yes I would ask to see the horse ridden in traffic on a different road. They could even go out and make a video as surely every buyer will want to see it.
 
I would ask to be able to hack where they normally hack. I am lucky to have farm land and common. I do not do road hacking where I am however, as it is a windey 40 mph road which people often speed along, plus I don’t need to bother. But horses used to heavy farm traffic (tractors and vans daily and lorry deliveries to walk passed to field etc)
 
If they were genuinely on a fast main road then I would probably give the excuse benefit of the doubt.

If it’s a deal breaker for you I’d say you would expect the horse boxed off site on a second viewing so that you could see the horse on more suitable roads
 
My old yard we used to have huge amounts of off road hacking, but we were surrounded by 2 very fast roads which unless it was very early in the morning we didnt ride on. For viewings we would make people aware of this (so they could come very early if they wanted to!), but they were happy with someone driving past the horse on the yard drive and then standing at the end of the drive watching the traffic go past. We would try and get a vid from somewhere if we had boxed out to hack somewhere else as well to prove we were not making stuff up.

All of ours are very good on the roads, but there would be no way I would have let someone I didnt know ride my horses on those roads at 10am!
 
ihatework said:
If they were genuinely on a fast main road then I would probably give the excuse benefit of the doubt.

If it’s a deal breaker for you I’d say you would expect the horse boxed off site on a second viewing so that you could see the horse on more suitable roads
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I agree with this. Maybe the horse is transported off the yard to hacking sites. Ask for the horse to be transported to a road similar to the ones it would have to go along if you bought it.
 
If you are ever going to want to ride it on the road you have every right to see at least a video of it on the road before you commit. If they won't I wouldn't bother.
 
SpringArising said:
If you were looking at a horse to share/loan/buy and asked to see it being hacked along the road, but the owner said they weren’t comfortable doing that as it’s a busy road with fast traffic (70-80mph), would you assume:

1) They’re hiding something/the horse is bad with traffic
2) They’re genuinely concerned for their own and the horse’s safety due to nature of traffic/the risk of accident isn’t worth it for a possible sale?
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There are 3 very different scenarios, for a share you would assume you cannot hack so have to weigh up the benefits, for loan you can take a chance get it home and send it back if it proves to be unsuitable for you.
If buying then you ask a few more questions before going any further if hacking is important to you then if they box up somewhere they should a) tell you b) offer to take him so you can try.

I would not make a decision based on the info you have given, if the road is really fast that is fair enough provided they do not use it for that reason, it would also depend on the age of the horse, the job it was able to do, the experience of both the buyer and seller and also whether it ticked enough other boxes, sometimes you have the opposite problem go out on the quiet roads and see no traffic at all when trying one so have to make a judgement.
 
When I bought current horse there was no chance of riding him on the road as the only road access to the farm was the A1. However, it was very important to me that he was safe in traffic so I discussed with his owners who provided contact details for his previous owner. She hadn't had him long but confirmed that he had hacked round a busy industrial estate during his time with her. I was careful not to ask about traffic when I rang her as I didn't want to prompt answers but she volunteered the information and so I bought him.

He has proved great in traffic. The only thing that worries him is large peletons of racing cyclists but I'm with him on that!
 
The yard I’m on is off a 60mph road. I won’t ride mine along there, even though we’d only be only for a few minutes before getting to quieter lanes - probably seven mins. Longer to go around the block. I won’t risk my horse- some cars and motorbikes fly past, they aren’t expecting to see horses and I don’t think a lot of the general population know what to do if they encounter one.
Mine has done a few minutes down a lane to get to a bridle path but I try and avoid road work with her if possible, the roads are too busy by us and a rat run. Visited the Cotswolds the other day and commented the lanes perfect for riding, single track, visiability for miles, wide verges, low hedges and walls, passing places, so really depends on whereabouts in the country you live - i would have happily hacked round there but not near where I actually live.
I have ridden other horses out from the yard as their owners have been happy for them to go in the road.
When I trialled my loan horse, i asked about road work but again there was nowhere to ride out, schooled and jumped the horse, went for a short ride down a track and back and decided she was for me. Thin with loan and share you need to be more flexible and be prepared to put some work in yourself. If buying, as others have suggested ask if horse could be boxed somewhere suitable but be prepared for the answer to be No- if horse not used to it maybe something that needs work although if being sold as happy hacker, I see your dilemma!
 
I’d assume they were overhorsed hence selling. When I was selling my horse I told the person why and said I won’t be riding it for them, but they had my word he was good I had just lost confidence. They didn’t mind and bought him but I can see how it would have put off many a buyer.
 
Interesting, thanks!

I’m not the buyer, I’d actually be the seller in this situation. It was just a late night musing should I ever decide to sell.

My horse is actually a superstar to hack and isn’t bothered by aforementioned traffic in the slightest. We have miles of beautiful off road lacking literally across the road in question, but on the few times I’ve taken him down it, he didn’t bat an eye when cars (and motorbikes!) have gone past within inches at ridiculous speeds.

For me, the risk of something happening to either him or me just isn’t worth it, so I was curious as to what other people would think.
 
SpringArising said:
Interesting, thanks!

I’m not the buyer, I’d actually be the seller in this situation. It was just a late night musing should I ever decide to sell.

My horse is actually a superstar to hack and isn’t bothered by aforementioned traffic in the slightest. We have miles of beautiful off road lacking literally across the road in question, but on the few times I’ve taken him down it, he didn’t bat an eye when cars (and motorbikes!) have gone past within inches at ridiculous speeds.

For me, the risk of something happening to either him or me just isn’t worth it, so I was curious as to what other people would think.
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I don't see that as an issue, if they want to try him on the roads then I would walk with them and assist them across the road allowing them to go on for a way on the quieter road but waiting for them to return, in reality many people don't ask to go on the roads anyway and most would be happy to walk to the main road to see how he reacted to passing traffic, all irrelevant if you are not selling anyway.
 
My horse was on a yard right on a very busy, fast, main road when I went to try him. They insisted I took him out on it. I wasn't too keen on a strange horse but there was nowhere else and they were so keen for me to do it I figured he must be ok! Within 20 seconds a string of boy racers in Citroen Saxos came flying past at about 70mph activating their dump valves. A huge lorry then came in the other direction. He didn't bat an eyelid. I decided there and then to buy him. Not regretted it (traffic wise at least, his feet are another issue :rolleyes:) for a second.

In the seller's position I would offer to take him to a quieter road. As a buyer, I'd be worried tht it's not just the road that's the issue here. Unless they box up to hack elswhere regularly I would assume the horse doesn't hack very often and would worry about hacking in general, not just on the roads.

ETA - Just seen your update. I'd let them do it - as with my boy it's a huge selling point! Lots of hi-viz and accompany them to help them cross.
 
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SpringArising said:
If you were looking at a horse to share/loan/buy and asked to see it being hacked along the road, but the owner said they weren’t comfortable doing that as it’s a busy road with fast traffic (70-80mph), would you assume:

1) They’re hiding something/the horse is bad with traffic
2) They’re genuinely concerned for their own and the horse’s safety due to nature of traffic/the risk of accident isn’t worth it for a possible sale?
Click to expand...

I would check the road before deciding. If it is a fast road then I am with the owner. Years ago I hacked on the road all the time not now. You could ask to box somewhere with less traffic to assess the horse.
 
2). and Id expect them to offer to either show it hacking about fields +/- farm traffic or offer to box it up somewhere at a future time.
 
If the horse is stabled on a busy road then I would expect the horse to be safe in fast and heavy traffic.
I used to hack my horse along the green verge of the A1 with traffic passing him at speeds of 70 m.p.h and over and he never reacted to anything.
I recently bought a new horse and asked to see him ridden on the road. It was a very fast road with the M11 motorway passing over it. They hacked the horse along the road which he was quite happy to do. (I bought the horse)!
 
I'd have no problem hacking him for them where I usually go (the gorgeous countryside around the yard!). I just wouldn't take him on that particular road. It's not my horse reacting to something I'm worried about, it's the fact that it only takes someone to look down at their phone or the radio for a second and to go straight into the back of us.
 
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