bad manners from other riders whilst hacking out! rant!

charlie76

charlie76

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My 17 year old apprentice took our usually calm and laid back ex event horse for a quiet hack this afternoon. She is a good rider and has taken him out lots on her own. She was kitted out in reflective so easily seen.
Whilst on her hack she was walking along the road when two riders trotted very quickly up behind her and then hammered on past her without a single word, no asking if he would be OK, just went flying past her. Understandable her horse got upset about being over taken and started jogging side ways on the road getting more and more wound up until she had to shout to them to stop, they were more than aware of her problem and ignored her and carried on! In the end she caught up with them and said she would have to stay with them as he was so wound up, they wouldn't let her pass them and then shouted at her for upsetting their horses before trotting off away from her again leaving her behind once again!
Now I know people have their own plans and ideas when hacking but show some consideration!
My poor rider called me very upset asking what to do as the whole situation had wound the horse up so much he was a liability to ride back along the road.. Unheard of for this horse. In the end a friend went in the car and followed her with her hazard s on until I found her on my horse and bought her home. By this time the horse was foamed in sweat and shaking from head to toe.
So if anyone in bradfield, Berkshire today was the culprit please have some consideration for others when hacking, by all means enjoy yourself but pass other horses with care.. You nearly caused a nasty accident.
Rant over!
 
We have this problem sometime too, the local hunt horses get exercised by a pair of extremely rude girls. They just give me a condescending half-smile and look disdainfully at my Welsh cob when I say good morning to them, and wouldn't even consider stopping to walk. Doesn't bother my boy too much but has upset others on the yard.
 
Having a lesson in my own outdoor school at home, one of the local hunts appeared, off their own country and certainly without giving me prior notice of their intention to be in the area. What really annoyed me was the whip who gleefully shouted across to me, "End of dressage, then" There are lots of riders who need to learn some manners!
Chunkie said:
We have this problem sometime too, the local hunt horses get exercised by a pair of extremely rude girls. They just give me a condescending half-smile and look disdainfully at my Welsh cob when I say good morning to them, and wouldn't even consider stopping to walk. Doesn't bother my boy too much but has upset others on the yard.
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I met a rider out on a hack who horse was behind us about 100m and was getting upset. Me and my friend stopped waited for her to catch up and asked did she want to ride with us until we went our separate ways. She was really grateful. Thankfully my friends two horses were fine and didn't batter an eyelid when the horse left to go back home. I would hope someone would do the same to me if I needed it
 
And near me! My daughter was walking down a hill when a girl came bantering up, slowed to a trot to pass her, then cantered off! Fortunately my daughter's pony wasn't too bothered but it would have definitely upset mine.
 
I hope you find out who they are /what yard they are from. That is incredibly thoughtless behaviour. Hope horse and rider are not too shaken by the outing
 
Around my old yard there was someone I referred to as "medium trot lady" for the pace at which she seemed to think she should wordlessly pass everyone, regardless of the other person's situation.

I've been treated very disdainfully by a rider out on some big tall hot thing who just had to pass and barrel off, etc., sneering at us on our ponies who were obviously just plodding along...unfortunately, the plodding ponies were two fit endurance horses on a training hack, and being passed at speed was enough to convince them they were at a ride...fortunately, they're both used to being passed at speed, so we didn't lose control completely, and were able to redirect their energies along a different track until they calmed down. So no harm done; was very inconsiderate, though.
 
I met a cocky rider this week coming the other way down a narrow lane. No doubt she thought I was a twit on my sports horse and in my high viz. On the other hand I could be sure who was the most nervous as we passed each other, she shouted out something about her TB just coming back into training while my mare stood quietly for her to pass us like a pro and it wasn't us which made me smile.
 
I once met someone on a narrowish path we were both walking both hacking alone. About 200 yards appart she starts yelling at me hysterically that she's riding a stallion and for me to get the f out of her way. My horse was a gelding and not interested at all. I dont know quite what she wanted me to do - it was a fair way back to a wider place. I pulled over to give her as much room as poss to pass which she did after much fussing and cussing. The stallion btw seemed totally relaxed about the whole situation - people are odd!
 
I was riding out with a girl who used to be on my yard once, we were cantering along a track when I spotted 2 other riders about to join the track further along. I pulled up and shouted to her to do the same as thought she hadn't seen them. Got a mouthful off her for my trouble about how it's not our problem if other peoples horses can't handle us cantering past them and it's up to their riders to get on with it. I was a bit :o and apologised to the riders as we passed (in walk) about the girls bad attitude. Didn't go out with her again!
 
I wondered if was being over reactive but we actually thought he was going to have a heart attack he was so upset. Idiots! Oh and they were middle aged ladies.. Not teenagers!
 
Well they where very thoughtless .
However I am very cautious about letting my very Er mature ( sorry girls ) grooms defiantly not apprentices my two ride out alone unless I totally trust the horse they are riding to behave in all circumstances on my yard that horse would never be allowed out alone with staff again.
 
How rude! If I ever come across other riders I slow to a walk, ask if it's ok to pass, ask if it's ok for me to go faster, or I simply ride along at their pace having a good natter. Have made friends with most of the local horsey people around here that way, and it's good training for my horse too :) Never experienced what your apprentice did, very bad form of those ladies. My horse once got upset about some horses ahead of us so I shouted to see if I could join and the riders were very nice about it even though mine was wound up (very young at the time) and winding up one of theirs a bit. Manners cost nothing and being courteous costs nothing.
 
This is well out of order!! bullying and rude behaviour, it should be about supporting each other. There is enough to deal with what with crazy drivers and dogs. Some people really need bringing down a peg or two.....Grrrrrr
 
Seems to have been a day for it! Yesterday I had someone towing a horse trailer swoop past me and my horse at top speed as if we didn't even exist. Though you'd think horsie people would be the first to take it gently they so rarely do show that kind of courtesy to other riders. I know the lady who was driving but contacting her about it would probably be a waste of time. Like Voxhorse says, I wonder why we can't just support one another :(
 
Goldenstar said:
Well they where very thoughtless .
However I am very cautious about letting my very Er mature ( sorry girls ) grooms defiantly not apprentices my two ride out alone unless I totally trust the horse they are riding to behave in all circumstances on my yard that horse would never be allowed out alone with staff again.
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This horse has NEVER behaved in that way in his life so there was no reason to not let her take him out on his own, she spent several months riding him out alone during his re hab back from kissing spine surgery so she know him really well. I imagine any horse with half a brain would get lit of my two ignorant people hammering up behind and past him. Tbh she prob won't take him out on his own again but just wanted to state that if we thought he would be dangerous she would not have taken him. We have several other horses in the yard that I would,d not allow her to take out alone, this was never one of them.
Just to also clarify, she might be an apprentice but she isn't a novice rider, she can get on pretty much any thing with confidence and rides very well.
 
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fattylumpkin said:
Seems to have been a day for it! Yesterday I had someone towing a horse trailer swoop past me and my horse at top speed as if we didn't even exist. Though you'd think horsie people would be the first to take it gently they so rarely do show that kind of courtesy to other riders. I know the lady who was driving but contacting her about it would probably be a waste of time. Like Voxhorse says, I wonder why we can't just support one another :(
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One of the worst I know is a local yard owner - regardless of whether she's in her car or the lorry she will go past at far too fast with the attitude of 'if they can't deal with it they shouldn't be on the road'
 
charlie76 said:
This horse has NEVER behaved in that way in his life so there was no reason to not let her take him out on his own, she spent several months riding him out alone during his re hab back from kissing spine surgery so she know him really well. I imagine any horse with half a brain would get lit of my two ignorant people hammering up behind and past him. Tbh she prob won't take him out on his own again but just wanted to state that if we thought he would be dangerous she would not have taken him. We have several other horses in the yard that I would,d not allow her to take out alone, this was never one of them.
Just to also clarify, she might be an apprentice but she isn't a novice rider, she can get on pretty much any thing with confidence and rides very well.
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My horses might get a bit lively in such situations but they certainly would never melt down and they are have much much more than half a brain ,expect perhaps the six yo who would NEVER at this stage be out alone with a member of staff.
Sending staff out alone is something that needs to be done with extreme caution in this day and age .
 
I'd do the same back these days - having both a Trotter and a welsh cob, I can out trot most horses anyway, and flashing a trotter past a couple of rude riders causing a mega reaction is very satisfying to give them a taster of their own medicene....only way these "horse biatches" learn.
 
Very rude and no need for it.

I was out on my own once and five riders came up trotting behind me. I politely asked them to walk but apparently they were on a fun ride so had to keep going! This was a public road and no one had bothered to notify the yards in the area of the fun ride so we could at least keep out of their way. I am afraid that all five got a piece of my mind, I was not on a fun ride and did not want to get overtaken by five horses!
 
maisie06 said:
I'd do the same back these days - having both a Trotter and a welsh cob, I can out trot most horses anyway, and flashing a trotter past a couple of rude riders causing a mega reaction is very satisfying to give them a taster of their own medicene....only way these "horse biatches" learn.
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I am probably a fuddy duddy but I think two wrongs do not make a right. By copying their behaviour it could be seen by them as condoning it. You will never have the moral high ground again if you have to confront them re their attitude if you behave as they do (for whatever reason).
 
I would be furious, and would be asking around to find out who it was. On endurance rides, you are expected to ask if its ok to pass, and its generally written into the rules of fun rides too. I once had a dreadful reaction to coming up behind a riding school hack, I slowed down and wanted to wait to pass, and got an earful from the person escorting the hack. I went to see the RS owner, and suggested that although I wouldn't gallop past her rides in future, I could think of several local riders who would take this attitude, so she might want to speak to her exceptionally rude member of staff. I think what I' trying to say, is we all need to rub along with each other, and these women probably need to be located and spoken to about there behaviour before they cause a serious accident.
 
I've not red all the replies yet, just the OP's post.

I agree that the other riders could have stopped or shown some consideration in this incident, as out on the roads isnt the place to have a horse getting upset and bouncing about.

But i just wondered what you do when your at a comp, or lesson, or (if the horse is an ex-eventer) out in a field with this horse; surely he would be used to other horses trotting past or even cantering past him when he has been at other events?

If i were out hacking and someone asked to join me because their horse didnt like me going past, i probably wouldnt want them to join me either. I go out to exercise and have set plans of what im going to do. Although i would have walked past and then picked up trot after i was safely past. I do actually pass someone alot that has a horse that bucks and she always gets very worried and asks me not to pass, it drives me mad! Means i cant get on because she is too petrified to trot. I have to wait untill she is happy to let me past.

Its a tricky one i think. Both sides will have their idea of whats bad manners.
 
Whilst their behaviour could have been better and they could have passed with more consideration, do you all really expect a rider approaching at a faster pace behind to not over take if you don't want them too and remain at your pace the rest of their ride?
When I meet other riders going slower than me, I will always shout out 'coming up behind you' and slow down so I am moving only slightly faster than them, if they ask me too slow further or look like they are having trouble I will allow them time to sort themselves and move over and stop whilst I walk past, so I can move on again when well away, but I'm afraid I would not slow down and walk the rest of my ride just to avoid over taking them.
 
Happens so much now.

Had many encounters but one sticks to my mind.

Hacking out friend had one of the horses would kick out if you got too close to her bum.
An instructor came along on a riding school horse followed by two others (don't know if they were friends or clients..) and trotted up our horse bums!
we shouted, waved her to stop and even said wait five seconds and we will be able to pull out of the way, she wasn't listening kept doing it laughing loudly and generally working everyone and the horses up.
Had to swear for her to pay any form of attention,
(the f word but apparently i said ''see you next Tuesday!'') and when i went up to the yard she was an instructor at she stood a meter from me and scream c... several times in my face... in front of very young clients... she was a treat...

Sometimes im glad i don't ride anymore... Some people are too far gone..

but yes
 
burtie said:
Whilst their behaviour could have been better and they could have passed with more consideration, do you all really expect a rider approaching at a faster pace behind to not over take if you don't want them too and remain at your pace the rest of their ride?
When I meet other riders going slower than me, I will always shout out 'coming up behind you' and slow down so I am moving only slightly faster than them, if they ask me too slow further or look like they are having trouble I will allow them time to sort themselves and move over and stop whilst I walk past, so I can move on again when well away, but I'm afraid I would not slow down and walk the rest of my ride just to avoid over taking them.
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I agree, there is a balance to be had.
What OP describes is just rude/bad manners, but at the same time I don't think anyone can expect not to ever be overtaken.
 
I think it's really bad when people behave this way. Especially other riders who should really know better! I was out hacking on the roads by myself one day, my WB was quite relaxed & enjoying herself when she started to 'notice' something. I looked
Around but couldn't see anything so on we marched. A minute or two later I heard hoofs close behind so turned around to find a woman on a coloured cob trotting up behind me. I thought it was quite rude/irresponsible as it could have caused some horses to become upset. However, I ignored her even tho she was getting closer & as I turned down a road on the right (she kept going straight) i could hear her shouting at her horse & struggle while it napped & tried to follow us on our route......can't say I didn't feel a little smug!
 
burtie said:
Whilst their behaviour could have been better and they could have passed with more consideration, do you all really expect a rider approaching at a faster pace behind to not over take if you don't want them too and remain at your pace the rest of their ride?
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Why is that the only option? Why can't the rider at the back call out, alert the others to his presence and walk fast to overtake the front riders who can halt and wait? When he's out of sight he can pick up a trot again.

If I were to meet a horse that really lost the plot about my going off in the distance I would sympathise with the rider because horses can be really unpredictable and yes I would offer to stay with her for the rest of the ride to keep her safe - these things happen with horses.
 
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