Council spends £32k on improvements H&H story

[teapot]

https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/new...on-concrete-steps-to-improve-bridleway-901051 Someone's posted a video of how it rides, can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10237993687196511&id=1090520948

I don't think I've ever seen something like on a bridleway - I thought resurfacing the old Meonstoke railway line was bad enough. Is anyone local to this?

 

[Dave's Mam]

That's an absolute joke.

 

[Sanversera]

It's many times better than the local BW s near me. Four are totally unrideable because of what the council or local farmers have done and no one on the council is interested in making things better. It's far worse here than anywhere else I've lived.

 

[Beausmate]

I wish they'd do that on some of the tracks near me. Much better than trying to negotiate channels cut into rocks, loose stones and slippery, uneven surfaces.

 

[HopOnTrot]

A wet and muddy stream crossing sounds more risky than concrete steps which appear to have grids/grips on.

I wonder if it’s dry enough to cross nicely two weeks a year and a quagmire the rest?

 

[jojo5]

https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/new...on-concrete-steps-to-improve-bridleway-901051 Someone's posted a video of how it rides, can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10237993687196511&id=1090520948

I don't think I've ever seen something like on a bridleway - I thought resurfacing the old Meonstoke railway line was bad enough. Is anyone local to this?

@teapot - when you refer back to Meonstoke, do you mean the railway that runs through Wickham? I had loads of very happy rides along there and in the Forestry when I lived down there. What did they do to it?

 

[Dave's Mam]

I really would not like to go down those, especially if covered in water.

 

[paddy555]

I really would not like to go down those, especially if covered in water.

what's wrong with it? we ride over natural objects much worse than that all the time. If the horse is worried all people need to do is lead it up and down a few times. I'm sure they won't have problems them.

 

[scats]

I don’t actually see what the fuss is about. When we hack at the prom, we have concrete steps to go up to get up onto the dunes.
The horses cope absolutely fine with them

The steps look like they have grips on them and a few times in hand up and down and the horses will be fine.

 

[Spot the Merry Risk]

Someone on here had already posted this a week or so back, it was one of their local routes.

 

[Landcruiser]

Looks great to me. Horses can easily cope with wide steps like that.

 

[reynold]

I agree that most horses will cope with it.

I don't know the location but the pictures show that it is well shaded with overhanging trees. My worry would be that over time in a shady location with an active water source/flooding that the concrete would become covered with moss/lichen and so get slippery.

I imagine that the mountain bike riders will love it!

 

[paddy555]

in the coments (on the link in the OP here) someone said their issue would be having to turn round and close the gate and that there were often cows in the field. I feel it would be very much safer if everyone rode in indoor schools. That way only one gate in and out , no curious cows to look in and no trees to shed their leaves.

 

[DressageCob]

I think they've done a nice job. Those steps look manageable. My only worry would be if they become submerged if the water gets high, so you can't see where the edges are. There again, I probably wouldn't ride it in those conditions anyway!

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

in the coments (on the link in the OP here) someone said their issue would be having to turn round and close the gate and that there were often cows in the field. I feel it would be very much safer if everyone rode in indoor schools. That way only one gate in and out , no curious cows to look in and no trees to shed their leaves.

And make that soundproofed indoor schools . Someone pushed a rattling wheel barrow past once when I was riding and spooked my horse .

 

[smolmaus]

My worry would be that over time in a shady location with an active water source/flooding that the concrete would become covered with moss/lichen and so get slippery.

My first thought also.

I don't think it's a terrible solution but I do think there was possibly a better one. Localised ground stabilisation maybe. The gate being so close is the bit I don't like. If the £32k includes assessment, planning, design and construction it is fairly cheap I suppose. I only know enough from our water team to know anything that interferes with a waterway is a bloody hassle.

 

[Cloball]

Rivers do tend to be a bit slippery with big slidey rocks. Our river crossing has the added hazard of people parking across it so you have to squeeze between cars go straight into a river with no hesitation as there's no room to turn around

 

[ester]

I have no issue with it, we did have an issue when they redoing access to an old railway line and out in a steep narrow long set of steps that eventually got taken out and a slope put in instead.

 

[ester]

Oh the person with the cow issue in the comments should have been predictable

 

[alibali]

I think it's great the council made the effort and spent some (increasingly scarce) money on this route for riders. Definitely better and safer than a hock deep quagmire. My horse has a cow issue and I'd take her through that quite happily, hopping off the first time if she was a bit looky

 

[Hallo2012]

it looks to be a massive improvement on the before pic(in the link) and none of mine would have an issue with it particularly if i went up/down in hand once or twice (and if you cant get back on after getting off you shouldn't be hacking out in public IMO)

 

[Exasperated]

in the coments (on the link in the OP here) someone said their issue would be having to turn round and close the gate and that there were often cows in the field. I feel it would be very much safer if everyone rode in indoor schools. That way only one gate in and out , no curious cows to look in and no trees to shed their leaves.

That’s the spirit! We’ve a PROW dept would fully concur.....

Well done to this Council for biting the bullet, and we all have to recognise it’s for bicycles and walkers as well - a multi user route. Concrete won’t become green and slippery so fast as natural stone would do, and those ‘grips’ likely to ensure far greater safety, it will all mellow in just fine.

 

[Exasperated]

it looks to be a massive improvement on the before pic(in the link) and none of mine would have an issue with it particularly if i went up/down in hand once or twice (and if you cant get back on after getting off you shouldn't be hacking out in public IMO)

Well, there’s another issue with that - Equalities legislation - if riders are insufficiently agile to be leaping on and off regularly, applies to older ones with more or less disabilities and physical disadvantages, then provision of a basic mounting block (could be an accessible large stone) either side of is called for.

 

[Hallo2012]

Well, there’s another issue with that - Equalities legislation - if riders are insufficiently agile to be leaping on and off regularly, applies to older ones with more or less disabilities and physical disadvantages, then provision of a basic mounting block (could be an accessible large stone) either side of is called for.

well yes absolutely a block either side would be a great addition however from an emergency safety POV you need to be able to get on and of without, or use a hedge/dip in ground/verge etc

(anyone with such serious disabilities to not be able to manage that would be hacking out with ground support i imagine? and to be clear- i myself am eligible for a blue badge and have multiple health issues but i make sure i buy horses i can get on and off in an emergency situ)

 

[ester]

In the comments she said there are natural options either side for remounting

 

[Exasperated]

well yes absolutely a block either side would be a great addition however from an emergency safety POV you need to be able to get on and of without, or use a hedge/dip in ground/verge etc

(anyone with such serious disabilities to not be able to manage that would be hacking out with ground support i imagine? and to be clear- i myself am eligible for a blue badge and have multiple health issues but i make sure i buy horses i can get on and off in an emergency situ)

There are plenty of us with Blue Badges! And plenty of people who also have limitations to their strength and range of movement, for whatever reasons.
Many modern riders are incapable of mounting a horse directly from the ground, and many riding teachers have actively discouraged it - dragging the saddle on the animal’s back.
This is a PROW, the general intention should be to facilitate access opportunities for as many as possible (particularly on a multi-user route).
Have a look at the legislation and the statutory duty of public bodies to take this issue into consideration.
Can’t presume that whatever one’s own level of disability, that encompasses all possible issues for everyone else!
If there are already stable, natural features that would suffice - splendid.

 

[First Frost]

Can't see any problem at all with that. Much better than a rutted or boggy entrance and exit.

 

[teapot]

@teapot - when you refer back to Meonstoke, do you mean the railway that runs through Wickham? I had loads of very happy rides along there and in the Forestry when I lived down there. What did they do to it?

That’s the one - I know the Droxford end of it and they have resurfaced some (not sure if it’s all the way) of it with that compacted grit/planings combo. Great for cyclists, wheelchair users etc, but less great for going for a blast on.

I was reading the comments on the H&H post and was surprised how many people were immediately against it. Nice to see the balance on here!

 

[criso]

The issue I would have is the combination of water and steps.

I had an issue where my horse backed up, tripped with a back foot on a concealed ledge, sat down and went over backwards narrowly missing landing on me.

Because some horses especially at first can be a bit hesitant about water, I wouldn't want steps behind when they're doing that will they, won't they thing and taking a step back.

Steps on their own, no problem. There's some earth and wood ones near me.

 

[Exasperated]

The issue I would have is the combination of water and steps.

I had an issue where my horse backed up, tripped with a back foot on a concealed ledge, sat down and went over backwards narrowly missing landing on me.

Because some horses especially at first can be a bit hesitant about water, I wouldn't want steps behind when they're doing that will they, won't they thing and taking a step back.

Steps on their own, no problem. There's some earth and wood ones near me.

Yes, horses can be shy of entering unfamiliar water, and being able to lead them through (rather than dancing about, plucking up courage) can be far more sensible - depends on the horse, the rider, the precise situation - so if dismounting to lead through the gates, negotiate the steps and ford is your safer option, maybe only until your horse has got used to it - 100% good idea and appropriate solution.