khalswitz
Well-Known Member
So Geoff ditched me on the road yesterday. For once, not actually due to him being unforgiving/impatient/mad as a box of frogs. However landed on my side on the tarmac (and Geoff is 17hh so no small fall) on my bad hip, and have a very sore collarbone/anterior shoulder...
Went to take him out for a hack yesterday, feeling really chilled and forward. Got to the end of the farm track onto the quiet country road which we have to hack along to get off-road hacking, and the private sports loch over the road turned out to be hosting a huge cycling competition.
They do hold running races round the loch every month or so, and the field is often rented for football in the evenings, however the cycling competition seemed to mean a course that ran not only on the running track round the lake but through the woods that run between the road and the rest of the private complex. Also accompanied by the usual bells, whistles, air horns and speakers that go along with cycle races. In addition, the actual road was covered in bikes warming up for the event.
Geoff is pretty good with bikes on the road, doesn't bat an eyelid, but them flying in and out of the trees and the noise that went with it freaked him out - he tried to spin, I stopped him, then he cat leaped sideways and dropped his shoulder, dumping me on the ground. THANK GOD I kept hold of my reins, as the road being covered in cyclists and loads of cars driving in and out as well, it was super busy. However cars and bikes continued to go past me on the ground, and trying to get up holding onto my panicking 17hh TB. Even the race officials on the other side of the fence in the woods didn't acknowledge what had happened.
Normally, I hack out on a weekend with my friend and her 10 year old kid, so could have been a whole lot worse if it had been her kid that had fallen. But mostly I am disgusted by the lack of consideration shown by the cyclists and drivers on the road outside, and the fact that neither the venue nor the club hosting the event had warned any of the neighbours about it. If I had known I would have hacked him out the other road on the other side of the farm, where I drive in.
The organiser was lovely when I went over to speak to him after sorting my horse out, but other than changing their risk assessment to include the road next time they run the event, and ensuring that the venue warns the neighbours, there isn't a lot they can do about the noise and/or the attitude of the cyclists and drivers.
Urgh, just feeling very sore and sort for myself... especially as have Geoff's first dressage test coming up next weekend, really didn't need to get dumped this week...
Went to take him out for a hack yesterday, feeling really chilled and forward. Got to the end of the farm track onto the quiet country road which we have to hack along to get off-road hacking, and the private sports loch over the road turned out to be hosting a huge cycling competition.
They do hold running races round the loch every month or so, and the field is often rented for football in the evenings, however the cycling competition seemed to mean a course that ran not only on the running track round the lake but through the woods that run between the road and the rest of the private complex. Also accompanied by the usual bells, whistles, air horns and speakers that go along with cycle races. In addition, the actual road was covered in bikes warming up for the event.
Geoff is pretty good with bikes on the road, doesn't bat an eyelid, but them flying in and out of the trees and the noise that went with it freaked him out - he tried to spin, I stopped him, then he cat leaped sideways and dropped his shoulder, dumping me on the ground. THANK GOD I kept hold of my reins, as the road being covered in cyclists and loads of cars driving in and out as well, it was super busy. However cars and bikes continued to go past me on the ground, and trying to get up holding onto my panicking 17hh TB. Even the race officials on the other side of the fence in the woods didn't acknowledge what had happened.
Normally, I hack out on a weekend with my friend and her 10 year old kid, so could have been a whole lot worse if it had been her kid that had fallen. But mostly I am disgusted by the lack of consideration shown by the cyclists and drivers on the road outside, and the fact that neither the venue nor the club hosting the event had warned any of the neighbours about it. If I had known I would have hacked him out the other road on the other side of the farm, where I drive in.
The organiser was lovely when I went over to speak to him after sorting my horse out, but other than changing their risk assessment to include the road next time they run the event, and ensuring that the venue warns the neighbours, there isn't a lot they can do about the noise and/or the attitude of the cyclists and drivers.
Urgh, just feeling very sore and sort for myself... especially as have Geoff's first dressage test coming up next weekend, really didn't need to get dumped this week...
