Bridleway Problem

AmyMay

AmyMay

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I found out last night that a small amount of land that runs alongside a bridleway I use is to have pigs put on it.

Don't get me wrong - I don't have a problem with pigs per se. However, in this particular instance it could cause a catastrophic accident, due to the siting of a road, a stream and a bridge.

Has anyone successfully lobbied their council over something like this?
 
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I think the owner of the land is perfectly entitled to keep what they want on that land, sorry

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Yep - no doubting that. I spoke to them last night, and they had actually checked it with the council themselves. Lovely people - but they have no incling of the impact it's going to cause........ Or the potential for real damage.
 
My uncle has kept his pigs off and on at the side of a bridleway with no problems, i regually ride this route and if i ride a strange horse past i have already done a few in hand walk pasts with another horse thats used to them being there, they soon get used to them even if they jog past eyeballing them !
 
I don't see why you have a problem with it
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It's not the issue of them getting used to them though SS. It's the siting of the land in relation to the bridelway and a road. A horse that takes fright will take it's rider straight on to the road, which is on a blind corner.

Bridleway Officer sounds like the way forward...
 
You could argue that with anything in the field though...sheep, donkeys, scarecrows... The only way to possibly avoid this is to have an empty field, and even then, what if a bird flies across it, causing your horse to spook?
 
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I don't see why you have a problem with it
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Because the only place for a horse that takes fright to go is straight out on to the road.....
 
Sorry but I think they are entitled to keep pigs in the field.

The day the council gets the opportunity go meddle in what livestock a farmer keeps will be the day I emigrate! My old horse used to be scared stiff of cows so that basis would you expect the bridleways officer to ban all cows along a bridleway?

I am sure your horse will get used to them quite quickly
 
I not sure your bridleways officer has much power over what people can keep in there fields but if it is situated in a dangerous spot then i do understand your reasons for not wanting them there. : )
 
Like the others I don't think there is anything you can probably do about the pigs themselves, but is there anyway the bridleway can be improved so horses can be prevented from shying onto the road - a gate, fencing etc?
 
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You could argue that with anything in the field though...sheep, donkeys, scarecrows... The only way to possibly avoid this is to have an empty field, and even then, what if a bird flies across it, causing your horse to spook?

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I think pigs are a paticular issue for many horses though - but agree with the sentiments of what you're saying.
 
on one of our bridleways it goes through a field which the farmer as constantly complained about the last time he tried to contest it he decided to put bullocks in it which would chase the horses , before this he only kept sheep in it . The bullocks in the end got used to us going through and just ignore us now so we are all wondering what he will put in next (lions or tigers) now that would be a problem!
 
Same as TGM and you could always ask if 'warning, PIGS' signs can be put up either end too as a warning to be ready for the unwary.
We've just bought three Saddlebacks, Milly, Molly and Mandy; they're in a paddock by our railway bridge and the horses are fascinated by them; the pigs are more frightened of them than the other way around!
 
If the people are as nice as you say, can you ask them if you can take your horse to meet the pigs in the field rather than on the bridleway. It would be a safer way to see how he reacts an if he spent a bit of time there he may chill out about it.
 
I'm actually not worried about my horse particularly. He's a bit of a saint. However, the bridelway is one of not very many in our area, and used by many different standards of riders. It's not really about meeting the pigs, more the siting of them right next to the bridleway. So from a health and safety aspect, given the aspect of the road, it is less than ideal.

I've just spoken to the bridleways officer. Who will refer it, with a view to asking the land owners to site the pigs a few meters off the path. That, I'm sure, would resove any issues that arise.

Many thanks all.
 
Maybe your local council,(rights of way dept I think) can help to make the bridleway a little bit safer, I'm thinking maybe a gate could be put by the road end of it to stop a horse running straight out. Our local council were very helpful when I requested they change a gate that was particularly difficult to manage close to a road on a bend, they have changed it and made it slightly wider so that it is now possible to open and close without dismounting or getting caught up in it. I managed to speak to someone who understood what I was trying to explain about the difficulties of managing a horse, a gate and fast approaching cars with only 2 hands and he agreed that it was an accident waiting to happen. The gate was changed within a month so I would say definitely try that route as Im sure the others are right, the landowner can put what they like on their own land.
 
never met a horse with pig problem yet used to keep my old horse in with 4 pot belly pigs he loved them lol but if u look back into why pigs are scary to horses i can understand why your worried best thing to do is see if your bridal path officer can place signs up saying "PIGS BY PATH" And see if a gate can be put up so if one should bolt its not out onto main road.
 
Is this really an issue? My horse hates pigs but there was a field of pigs next to a cross country I did at the weekend and even she went past them in canter with only a snort!

I don't think its fair to pressurise a landowner like this over what is a perfectly normal use of a rural field. I think both of Michelleice's suggestions are good ones.
 
My old gelding is a saint of a horse, 100% in heavy traffic, bird scarers etc but he HATES pigs. He is not afraid of dogs, cows, geese, Shetlands etc just pigs. I ride 2 lanes where I have to pass either a barn full of pigs or a field full of free-range pigs and I can feel his heart beating under my leg. I can only go these routes when he has company to go between him and the pigs.

I did a pleasure ride in the Spring which literally took us all around a huge outdoor pig farm, I was with my 2 hacking companions who are pig proof. Got to one point where he could see all the pigs and he completely lost it and took off with me.

He can smell and hear the pig farm in his field depending on the direction of the wind but after owning him 14 years (he is 19) including keeping him on farms with the odd pig, I know he will never get "used to them".

While I can see the landowner has the right to put whatever livestock he wishes in his field I also agree that it could be an accident in the making and that it will not hurt to have a word with the Bridleways officer.
 
There was a case last year where the bridlepath goes through a field with dairy cows and was quite narrow where the gate into the field was. A lady was riding and her horse was badly scared by the cows, the saddle was damaged (and I think possibly the horse also).

The Council Officer in charge of that area went to visit the farmer and asked him to do something about how it was fenced to make it safer for riders.
Landowners do have a duty of care towards people on their land, using the rights of way.

A farmer is entitled to use the field for whatever he likes, but it has to be safe to use as well.
 
One of our driving ponies who is 100% bombproof with traffic, hazards, just about everything is petrified of pigs. Knowing how horses with genuine pig phobia react, I'd have a problem with it too and it really annoys me that landowners have the power to make brideways unsafe by what they can put right next to them. We'll have nowhere to ride soon.
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frank is never bothered by pigs but really hates cows though has gotten better but I don't worry if there are cows next to our one and only 300yds of bridlepath whose entrance is off an A road because its my problem if I can't control him.
 
I'd rather ride past a few pigs than be greeted by a barking and growling dog running up to the fence. I used to have to ride my mare past some pigs, right beside the road with just a chainlink fence between us. She would always spot them snoring peacefully in the mud and flat refuse to go past, so I just dismounted and led her so that she could hide behind me. It never caused me any real problems and believe me, she was a Welsh, chestnut mare who could best be described as forward going.

We have hidden shotguns going off around our area - now that IS dangerous.
 
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its my problem if I can't control him.

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I don't think that's quite true Ester. According to the council, the landowner does have a duty of care. I specifically asked who I would sue if my horse or I were damaged as a result of an accident because of the pigs - and was told the landowner, as they had a duty of care to ensure that they do not make a bridleway or public foot path unsafe by their actions.
 
I know what you are saying but horses can be scared by anything, and different horses different things (I forgot the gangs of lambs are an issue too- I assume he had an urban upbringing!)

I would see it as duty of care would meam there would be nothing there that would chase me/eat me rather than scare my horse just by its quiet presence I say quiet because of possible issues with bird scarers, though ours dont seem to mind them or the clay shooting.

I would imagine in order to sue it would be quite difficult to prove that it was the pigs that caused the problem rather than say are darting rabbit or bird.
 
Oh absolutely, horses can be scared by anything. But it is well known that they have an irrational fear of pigs.

As I said previously, its the siting of where the pigs will be that could cause a problem - and I'm just keen to avoid what could be a tragic accident.

It'll certainly be interesting to see how negotiations turn out.
 
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