Car flags, is it just me?

TheoryX1 said:
Sod being patriotic, yes I want Engerland to win as much as anyone else, and I dont see why I have to hack just when a match is on, or off road only - I dont have much choice but to hack on the roads.
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Because the whole nation doesn't serve just to please the horse [or rather hacking] community and make life perfect for them. To put it bluntly. Hacking and riding out is not a necessity, it's a perk and hobby.

Honestly, if any other sport or anything non-equestrian complained as much as the horse community does, for example, a car driver demanding 'Ban horse lorries on roads during peak rush hour times on the roads as it slows everything down and makes people late getting stuck behind them' I'm sure we'd see it as ludicrous as I'm sure the 'banning flags' would seem to a non-horsey football fanatic.

It's a little piece of plastic that takes about 3 seconds to go by if that. For all it's worth, it could be the same as a bird flapping out the hedge or a a can being thrown out of a carwindow going by and spooking your horse...life goes on, deal with it as far as it concerns me.
Wonder how many non-horsey people get fed up with how congested it gets when Badminton, Burghley, HOY's, Windsor, Epsom Derby, Grand National, etc is on...adds up to quite a lot to tolerate when you think how many 'big' events there are in the year equestrian compared to a world cup once every 4 years.

Edited - For the record. I detest football. And I still hack out whenever I want. Not one of our horses are bothered by the flags...there's a far lot more to be exposed to when they're out at counties and other shows!
 
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Where I keep my horse is all quiet single track lanes and 99.9% of the drivers are great and slow right down. The only people who don't are the old people and I think that's just because they don't actually see me until they are up my backside and I generally try to get out of their way first anyway. Has anyone actually just tried riding a bit further into the road and putting their hand up into the "stop" sign to get the car to stop so that they can attempt to ride the horse around the devil flags? If we show a bit more courtesy to the car/van/tractor drivers, they might become a bit more tolerant to horse riders. Another trick if they come too close is to carry a really huge schooling whip in your outside hand and when the car comes past, bang the schooling whip loudly on the roof of the car. The driver panics because they think they might have touched you. Of course you have to be sure that your horse won't react, but it was a really useful trick taught to me by a riding instructor when I was about 16, and it has worked really well ever since and has resulted in lots of apologies from drivers....
 
Alibear said:
OK I have a spooky horse and the car flags will be an issue. I have bought two and am working on it.

But those who say it's only a falg.

Erm no it really isn't a flag up a pole is one thing a flag waved by people is also fine neither make much noise and movement is limited.

Car flags are flapping in 30/60mph winds right at my lads eye level and make a god awful noise that you can hear approaching from a long way.
Mr car driver has no idea of this.

Trying to desensitize to that is a big challenge even my old Mr Dependable lad had palpations with them 4 years ago.

If people have flags on their cars that fine, but I would dearly love it if they could realise they racket they make and so seriously slow to a crawl when passing horses.

Oh and they also need to realise they make their cars wider and allow for that too.

Fat chance I know.
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Exactly the situation I face. It's not a noise you can replicate in the school!

And sometimes you cannot desensitize a horse whatever you try - 8 years on my horse it still petrified of tractors and motorbikes. Luckily with consideration from both sides we manage!

I am a bit suprised at OP's attitude about keeping off the roads.
 
ischa said:
excuse me . but many horse riders and horses have as much rights to be on the roads then cars .
more so i think have more rights considering they where generaly used before cars where invented . i think football should be banned conserdering the amount of fights and drunken people there are when footballs on
and i never get the reason for flags and all the c*rap that comes with football
and may i add the most bombproof horses can bolt if unshore of something, horses are flight animals you can never be sure that a 100% even with the most bombproof ones but i do agree that young or inexerienced horses should be limited to save the risk of accidents
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Funny post!! :D:D
 
Sedgemoor Chaos said:
Ban the flags, ban fireworks, ban tractors, white vans and motorbikes, ban people cutting their lawns, ban dogs, ban low flying planes, ban birds from flying out of hedges, ban rabbits from running out in the fields...in fact ban everything that might interfere with horse riders enjoyment of a quiet hack in the countryside.

We should be allowed to ride 2, 3 or 4 abreast, whilst chatting on a mobile phone with no saddle, maybe no stirrups, sod it even a bridle or go the whole hog and even a hat. We don't have to say thank you to considerate drivers but come on these forums and tar all drivers with the same brush because one idiot drove too fast, too close or with their window open an inch!!!

Yes horses have a right to be on the roads but so do cyclists, motorbikes, cars, vans and tractors and if people want to pimp their rides with tacky flags, large exhaust pipes, stickers or alloy wheels then that's up to them and coming on here moaning about it, scaring people with your near miss horror stories or fighting between each other because of a difference of an opinion isn't going to change anything.

The flags will be here for 4 more weeks and then put away for another 4 years...That gives you 4 years to whined yourselves up into a frenzy for another rant...
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And Breath...... :p :D


Dare I say there is a car in my drive with a flag attached to it's window...........someone shoot me now!! :rolleyes: ;)
 
I think riders and drivers have a shared responsibility to keep the roads safe. Responsible riding like not going out on busy roads with an inexperienced or nervous horse, and wearing high visibility clothing are vital. Likewise drivers must take on the responsibility to maintain their awareness at all times while driving, slow down around horses and pass carefully.

I recently purchased an RS-tor (http://www.rstor.co.uk) - a rider safety device which gives me something to hold onto when my horse spooks and helps to prevent me falling off. It also gives me peace of mind which in turn means i ride more confidently as I'm more relaxed. Might be worth a try if your horse is worried by the flags?
 
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