BULLOCKS! -livestock on bridleways

phoebeast

phoebeast

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so i went for a ride this morning on my new lovely fit ex racehorse beau. decided to go up to the top bridlepath for a bit of a trot and canter.
trotted all the way up the steepest hill in somerset and onto the bridlepath.
got through one gate and through a very boggy field.
got through another.
got to the third and was confronted by a huge group of horned bulls stood around a feeder right in front of the gate onto the road! i tried to get her to walk on but they crept up very slowly to her and she started to sketch out. turned round, walked on, then it happened- a stampeed behind us. i had to get off and lead her through the next field and when i got back on she danced as she was desperately scared, so had to get off and lead her back down the hill to a quiet spot before i could get back on.

i just wondered what your experiences/opinions were on livestock on bridlepaths. generally i've been fine apart from today. i know not many people use this path and of course it's a field used by a fam but i thought at least there could have been a sign on the gate or something as it was a bit dangerous!
 
Get in touch with your council, as bridlepaths and public footpaths have to be by law free of dangerous animals!! This means cow's, loose horses, sheep ect ect. They may take a while but if you kick up a fuss and make sure they listen then they should sort it out.
 
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Get in touch with your council, as bridlepaths and public footpaths have to be by law free of dangerous animals!! This means cow's, loose horses, sheep ect ect. They may take a while but if you kick up a fuss and make sure they listen then they should sort it out.

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I don't think that's strictly true - there are some animals that are not allowed to roam free on footpaths (dairy bulls for example), but generally speaking it is common for footpaths and bridleways to run through fields of livestock. The owners do have a duty of care I believe. Is that right?
 
Gosh, glad you got away unharmed!!! You were lucky the horse did not run off with you, I know mine would have!

We only have one bridleway around here and the farmer always puts bullocks in the first field. Personally I won't risk it. OH and I tried walking it once and we got into serious trouble with the bullocks, it was very scary.

By all means try the council, but don't hold your breath! Around here they could not care less. When I called them I was told (by the same person): "it couldn't have been bullocks, nobody keeps bullocks"
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and then "it couldn't have been that bad"
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and finally "we'll call you back"...you can guess what happened
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.
 
We have some fields near us that often have young bullocks in - have never had an issue. Yes sometimes they do get a bit giddy and run after you but generalylthey are harmless and my horse couldn't care less. My sister's hrose was a but concerned when we first got him but he soon got used to it and if they get too near any gate we're trying to open we herd them away.

I have only ever felt threatened (and only on foot) by cows with calves and some rather excited and large young bulls kept in the field behind our house. Generally though I do not find problems with cows/bulls or bullocks in fields with bridleways running through.

Normally a farmer wouldn't put a bull with cows or cows with calves in a field where a bridlepath or footpath crossed. Bullocks are pretty harmless as a rule, certainly when you're on horseback.
 
Under normal circumstances there is very little you can do about bullocks or cattle.

If it was a bull, a stallion or even a domesticated animal such as a dog your first call of port would be to contact the Access Department of the local County Council and advise them of the problems you are having.

If they have no success with the landowner/owner concerned then the District Council can take action against the landowner/owner concerned using the Environment Act (as ammended) and then the animals concerned would have to be fenced well away from the boundary with the public right of way.

When you contact them do it in writing and enclose a map which shows the exact location and send it by the Royal Mail Signed For service so that there is no doubt that they have received your letter.
 
I don't think that all cattle are classed as dangerous, and they are permitted on land with paths running through. When I checked with the NFU about cattle in a field with a footpath running through it I was told that dairy cattle are OK, as are beef cattle, beef bulls (with a herd) and any other livestock. the ONLY animals NOT permitted are Dairy bulls, with or without cows.

When I asked what happened if I was charged etc by the bull, a stonking great Charolais, they said, "Oh, we deal with that as and when" Great! Actually he was a placid beastie but I still stayed near the hedge.

Herds of cattle can upset horses I know, but unless a farmer is actively preventing access or creating a situation that could cause accident or injury then I think walkers and riders have to respect that we are walking/riding, in, on and around someone's livelihood and have to deal with it accordingly.
 
thanks guys, i think nobody's totally clear on it, i'm not particularly upset about the situation was just in a bit of shock about it all and wondered if there were any particular rules. cows are herd animals and they're naturally curious so they're bound to be intimidating to horses, especially on their own. maybe there should be clearer rules on it? especially as bridleways are meant to keep horses off the more dangerous roads.
 
Went for a ride about a month ago and a huge bull was standing by the track. I just took the lead, as my horse is used to cattle, and we all walked past. The bull looked a bit surprised (if you could tell from his little piggy eye) but he didn't move and we kept straight on and we all got past OK.

Cattle are very curious but they aren't vicious. The only time cattle will deliberatly harm a person is if they feel very threatened, just like a horse or a dog. Sometimes a person will get knocked over by cattle, but it won't be a deliberate malicious act. Just you bad luck if you happened to be in the way, or if its head connected. They can kick too. A cow will obviously defend its calf and should give you warning by shaking its head at you or lowering its head, My son has had to climb quickly up a barn wall before now, but the cow and calf were in a restricted area, so the cow had no option but to charge as she felt the human might be a threat (although some of them are very calm and not bothered by people at all, even when they have a calf). We once had one that tried to bite, which is very unusual. That one was in a cattle crush and didn't like it.

A group of bullocks and heifers will come galloping over to see who or what has entered the field. If you horse is brave enough you can ride them off, but of course not all horses will do that, and even a very quiet horse can be frightened by a bunch of cattle. On foot, I have found that waving my arms and shouting "Shoo" has stopped them so far!
 
Cattle arent dangerous unless its cows with young calves at foot.or a dairy bull due to their upbringing.Very few farmers will put cows with calves on a bridlepath.Dairy bull's arent allowed.

Cows are curious creature's they like to know whats going on on their patch.Most of them are complete wimps though.

Basicly stand tall wave your hands,and roar at them and most cattle will hightail it out of there.If your very concerned use a large stick in your hands to make yourself seem bigger....obviously not as easy on horseback as walking but even just shouting tends to help.
Cattle and horses can exist quite happily once there used to each other.

The basic rule when dealing with beef bulls is just dont get between them and their wimmen and they will have no issue with you.
And of course be very very careful about bringing a dog into a field with livestock.That can turn ino a nasty situation with a mob of cows but thats just common sense.Large prey animal plus predator will either get a stand and fight responce or a run for the hill's one.

As your walking or riding across land that someone is farming its up to you to understand the danger's that you may come across not the farmer
...most farmers just assume that people know how to deal with cattle.....
i never realised that people were so unaware of how to deal with stock until i joined this forum.and i dont come from a farm.But i guess ireland is just more agriculture based.

At the end of the day the axcess hasnt been blocked,the farmer is upkeeping the bridlepath.He is just using the land he owns for...farming,his lively hood.
it is up to you to teach your horse that cattle arent horse eating monsters.
I found that turning horse out with cattle for a few days usually cure's there fear even if it is just a field next door.Either that or walk them in hand by fields of cattle let them check eachother out eventually they get over it...
 
Sorry but as a farmer's daughter I really do not think that there would be "a huge group of horned bulls" in one field. Usually only one bull per group of lady cows.
Most probably young beefstock.
It is the farmers' land - and their prerogotive actually as to what they put in THEIR fields. Yes, maybe there is a bridlepath but respect the farmer's land through which it runs please. A sign could be advisable to warn half-wits who cannot recognise a bone fide "bull" when they see one. Why not ask the farmer if he could put one up?
 
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Under normal circumstances there is very little you can do about bullocks or cattle.

If it was a bull, a stallion or even a domesticated animal such as a dog your first call of port would be to contact the Access Department of the local County Council and advise them of the problems you are having.

If they have no success with the landowner/owner concerned then the District Council can take action against the landowner/owner concerned using the Environment Act (as ammended) and then the animals concerned would have to be fenced well away from the boundary with the public right of way.

When you contact them do it in writing and enclose a map which shows the exact location and send it by the Royal Mail Signed For service so that there is no doubt that they have received your letter.

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Would it not be more neighbourly to have a chat with the farmer first?
 
The herd of bullocks I came across felt very threatening. They were in the far side of a very large field when we entered, we kept right by the hedge line, but they still came cantering up to us, they were trying to circle round us, they were tossing their heads and stomping forwards a few steps, they got to almost within touching distance and they would not back off from waving arms, shouting, etc (and I consider myself a confident person around large animals). We had to back off step by step all the way out of the field and it was really scary.

This was a public bridleway which was effectively obstructed by the animals in it, so I can't see why the farmer had a right to do this.
 
How scary and it is scary.

Alot of our bridle paths where we are have cattle in them, alot of them are really young too and come bounding over, tossing their heads and playing around. They are incredibly curious and just want to see what's going on and thankgod (and I don't know how as I am sat there shaking violently being pretty afraid of cows) my mare isn't afraid of them but a friends horse is and I have to ride into them to push them off saids horse which isn't pleasant...

It is annoying for riders, having so little places to ride bar our arena's only to be confronted with cattle to handle and get past unscathed but from the farmers point of view we are in their field which they own for a reason. I wished I lived near more sheep as they tend to run away regardless who it is!

However, I would be pretty afraid if I was along and they came over, so i think you were brave! I would of probably died of a heartattack there and then!! lol
 
As a member to a local bridleways group (www.midsussexbridleways.org.uk) may I suggest that you contact your local bridleways group (affiliated to the BHS) - they may already know of this problem of feeder being too near the gateway etc and they may also be able to have a friendly chat with the land owner (if they know who owns it) and ask the land owner politely if they could move the feeder over slightly as its causing a few problems with users, or you may be able to do this yourself... but please keep the conversation on friendly terms as its their land you are riding on and their livehoods; and you may want their help at a later date you just never know!
 
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