Bomber was SCARED!!!

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parsley

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today when we hacked over the bridge that goes over the A14 (2 lanes each way). It was very strange to feel him jittering all the way over - poor chap it took him ages to settle afterwards. I found him a different way to get home (and got told off by a man for riding along the edge of the village green
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). I only wanted to go over the bridge as I thought the hacking might have been good on the other side but it was Cr*p - just goes to show that the grass on the other side of the A14 isn't always greener
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OH doesn't want me to go over again either - I think he has visions of me plummeting to my death

Does anyone else have to cross motorway type bridges - how does your horse get on.?
 
Yes we do, quite a bit. We cross the A249 (dual carriage way) on a footbridge to get to our local riding centre. Our horses couldn't care less, never have, Otto has never been bothered by traffic, he's more worried about the ponies in the field down the road from us.

I’m sure Bomber would get use to it but if the hacking isn’t any good over the other side why bother!
 
When I tried my mare I had to go straight out and over a motorway bridge, in gale foce wind and rain and freezing cold, she didnt bat an eyelid and I knew then she was a brave lady!

Bombproof doesnt cover it, she squeezes herself through gaps between lorries!
 
Poor little ponio! Maybe he has vertigo?
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Depending on which way I go, I have to cross a narrow bridge which goes over a mini gorge with a road at the bottom (only way i can think to put it) and the bridge is made of metal which clangs as the horses go over it. Mine had a bit of a shock the first time when he heard the noise but he's not bothered by it now.
 
I never had any problem with motorway bridges until my mother watched The Omen. From then on we were supposed to dismount and lead them over, just in case like the movie they reared up and we fell off onto the carriageway below....
 
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I HAVE A BIG HORSE NOW

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Show off!
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One of my passengers yesterday asked what happens if the horse gets tired, and I told them I get out and help pull - then they would have two stallions pulling them - they smiled.
 
we had to go over the bridge of A31 with surrey union i am on the 3rd horse from red coat The horse behind me (as u can tell) is freaked out but my boy took it in his stride and stretched his neck!

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they smiled.

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How are you with the difference between a smile and a smirk?
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I am actually very impressed by your big horse - I like percherons - and I am impressed by your abilty to find a decent part time job
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I haven't seen the omen - but I bet OH has - no wonder he suddenly started to get all jittery when I said I was going to try and ride over the bridge
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I am actually very impressed by your big horse - I like percherons - and I am impressed by your abilty to find a decent part time job
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Yeah, it has worked out rather well!! And I have to agree Chico is a dude - I am going to try and ride him in the coming weeks. He has not been ridden ever.
 
We go over three motorway bridges regularly, a bit scary at first but we got the horses used to going over them before the new motorway opened so that helped. I find underpasses much worse, the horses get very spooky at the echoing noises.
 
The trouble is that if I got off I would have to walk for the whole ride - Bomber is big and I have a very unflexible back so the only way I could get my foot in the stirrup would be to put it so low I won't be able to get my other leg over the saddle
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The noise over the bridge was deafening - shouting encouragement isn't so effective as being able to be all soothing
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The only way we could get home without going over a bridge was to go under the A14 - he was a bit spooky but not too bad at all.
 
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He has not been ridden ever

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Take some pictures of it!!! If you wear a cowboy hat you could pretend you were at a rodeo on a very surprising wild horse
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To be truthful I like Bomber when he is all calm and relaxed so I wasn't keen on him being jittery and I HATED the noise - it made me feel all jittery - I really wouldn't want to go over on a motional tb!
 
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He has not been ridden ever

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Take some pictures of it!!! If you wear a cowboy hat you could pretend you were at a rodeo on a very surprising wild horse
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He will be fine - if you can be overtaken by police cars with lights and sirens on about 3 meters away, you can deal with me on your back.
 
When I was a kid (oh many moons ago) we had to cross a motorway bridge just to get off the farm. It never bothered us at all. You just dont realise the dangers when your young do you. I'd never ever take my new boy across one. He'd have heart failure, a trip down the nature trail is about as much excitement as he can take at the moment. Very very spooky boy.
 
My current hacking route on a Sunday am is over a railway track, under a railway bridge and then back over another bridge.....jeez cars are bad enough but intercity trains bear down on you pretty quick!!! As they go past fairly near the yard the horses are used to the noise but flippin eck I don't half rush over/under them......
 
lOL! I went over a railway bridge last weekend - and first I made sure there weren't any trains coming
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The railway does run by the yard but too far away for them to really get used to trains.
 
I do a bit of riding for a YR sjer, all young foreign warmboods, most of whom have never hacked before- first time across the motorway bridge is aways a little scary and we gte off and lead them first time just in case but have never had a problem- they somehow just seem to accept the M5 running beneath them!!
 
The more you do it the more your horse will get used to it. Try doing it with other horses that are happy plodding accross it and are used to it and he will settle quickly and before long be happy to do it by himself. Where is this bridge you use over the A14 as there seem to be a number of crossings that go accross the A14 where riders sadly have to go across the A14 carridgeway?
 
I can go across the little bridge from Tostock, the bridge from Beyton or the Woolpit bridge - so there is plenty of choice
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