Gas Gun Bird Scarers

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PeterNatt

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Last week I had a letter published in Horse and Hounds regarding Gas Gun Bird Scarers.

Please find a copy below. I would appreciate any information that you can provide me with as regards problems that you may have had with Gas Gun Bird Scarers.


Dear Sir/Madam,

I refer to Susana Morris's letter in the 29th March issue of Horse and Hounds highlighting the dangers of Bird Scarers.

I have been concerned about these devices for a number of years as they are increasingly being used in Hertfordshire.

I am also aware of a number of serious accidents being caused by Gas Gun Bird Scarers.

Many of these devices are positioned close to public rights of ways and public highway in many cases hidden behind hedges where riders can not see them.

They suddenly and without warning emit a single or several repeated bangs causing horses to take fright with the result that they may bolt and/or throw their rider off which also puts other members of the public at risk.

Gas gun bird scarers should not be allowed to be positioned so close to public rights of ways or public highways and users of them should be obliged to site bright yellow notices on adjoining public rights of way or public highways to warn horse riders of their presence.

Every one of these devices should be modified to let off a siren type noise prior to exploding once (and no more) so as to also give an audible warning prior to them going off.

If any of your readers has any additional concerns or has had an accident as a result of one of these devices then I would be pleased to hear from them as I believe the time has come to put pressure on the British Horse Society to set up a working party to formulate a national policy on these dangerous devices before there are any more serious accidents.

Yours sincerely





Peter J Natt Volunteer BHS Access Officer North Hertfordshire
 
You are 100% right to start a campaign against these. I used to be based in your area until the Baldock Bypass spoiled our field & we moved to S Cambs.

When I was 15 I had an accident on the b'path from Quickswood to Wallington as a bird scarer went off without warning when I was right next to it. My pony shied so hard that she fell over & I ended up getting kicked in the face as I was under her feet, then she galloped home across the A507.

When I had a 4 yo, there was one on the b'path parallel with the A507 running behind the car boot sale field. It went off every 3 minutes, so I had to wait until it had gone off, then try to scuttle past it, which was easier said than done cos the horse didn't want to go anywhere near it as he knew it might go off bang. It was really horrible being on a terrified 4 yo trying desperately to get him past this thing before it went off in his face.

There was also one hidden behind some straw bales on a bridleway towards Walkern & I didn't see it til I was on top of it. Trotted off as fast as poss, & just as well I did as it went off possibly a minute later & was extremely loud.

IMHO, I think these things shouldn't be allowed within say 800m of a b'path. Maybe there should be a universally fixed gap between bangs so at least we know whether it's going to be 3 mins or 20 mins. There should be warning notices on all approaching b'paths giving the landowner's name & address as these things might be placed more responsibly if they knew they were readily contactable.

I'm NOT anti-farmer - my grandfather was an arable farmer & he never used gas bird scarers as he thought they were a waste of time as the birds get used to them...and a lot quicker than horses do.
 
In England I lived immediately next to a huge farming estate and they had loads of these guns. I have to say my guys never bothered about them, they just took it in their stride, although I did occasionally jump momentarily.
 
Ditto - Bizarrely, Toff isn't bothered at all by the gas gun bird scarers ( possibly as used to lots of shooting round here in nearby woods) however she is TERRIFIED of those metal spinning windmill type ones, I have much more of an issue with those!
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We always have some around here in the spring, and when they are at a distance it doesn't bother the horses at all. However, I should imagine if you were right next to one when it went off, then it would be extremely loud and I could believe it quite possible for a serious accident to happen.

I'll never forget going for a hack one day and suddenly seeing one in the field right next to the lane a few yards away from me. I was petrified it was going to go off right beside me, but thankfully it didn't! I'm very sensitive to loud noises and even if it didn't spook my horse I think I would have fallen off in shock
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The farmer put one just the other side of the fence to my ponies. I was a bit annoyed until I realised that after the first bang they didn't react at all. We are in a shooting area and at least I feel that my ponies are now used to the noise.
 
I agree these are very dangerous, though my pretty much bobproof horse ignores tham at a distance even he bolted up the road when one went off right next to him.

We were fortunate as we spoke to the farmer and he moved it further from the road.
 
This is so bizarre I have read your post today. I also live in Hertfordshire and was out for a hack in company yesterday evening, a gas gun a couple of times whilst we were riding along a bridleway and my horse spooked quite badly and tried to bolt. She then was jumping about all the way home. If I didnt have control of her it could have been very dangerous and she felt like she was going to rear which made me nervous. She is a spooky horse and on her toes however with this she was actually very frightened.. If I had been out on my own and not in company god know what would of happened...

I def think there should be warnings on bridleways if gas guns are in close proximity then you have the choice to avoid that particular area if you wish..x
 
The problem with these devices is that they are placed behind hedges and can suddenly go off.

Even more scary are the new type which suddenly inflate to twice the size of Michelin man and then flash three times and then bang three times releasing objects from them in to space which when come down cause most horses to completly panic.

If anyone has encountered any bird scarers please post a message below as I need help to persuade the British Horse Society to treat this as a serious problem to horse riders.

Thankyou


Peter Natt
 
One of these has been placed a few yards from my paddock fence. It goes off at 30 minute intervals with two shots 3 minutes apart. The horses were going mad when it first started, now it makes me jump more than it does them. It's active between 6.45am and 9.15pm and it's only a few hundred yards from our house.

Sadly although they are all used to it at home, shoud be we out hacking and one go off in a field next to the road they still jump and startle.
 
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