Gas Gun Menace to Horse and Rider.

[Sirreal]

Spudlet - our place is full of over active imaginations. Have you seen the fields where farmers have strung dead crows up - now that's the stuff of horror!

Now, I thought that was only the crazy old farmer near us!! I was pretty freaked out the first time I saw that...

 

[Rollin]

Sorry, but working in agriculture/agronomy, I think this is utter rubbish. Gas guns have a place - yes they are irritating, but they need only be used for certain periods of the year, and most are used for just a month or so in high risk areas (rape emerging etc). We are in the middle of an arable area, and all of my horses have gas guns situated near their fields - none are remotely bothered (despite the fact I jump everytime the go off). I have been unseated whilst riding when a gas gun went off near a bridleway, but I politely spoke to the farmer concerned, and he moved it - people going to farmers making demands and throwing hissy fits will be met with the farmers taking a "so what" stance and just making your lives difficult.

I would like to know how many people you know who have actually been "seriously affected" by the use of these gas guns? The use of the word serious implies that their lives have been dramatically altered because of them? I think that in most cases that is an over-exageration - people just don't like them.

So, the bottom line is this - people want cheap food, the cost of producing food is going up, people do not want sprays used, people don't want pigeons shot, but they still want food to be cheap - you cannot demand the farmer produce cheap food, then prevent them from protecting what crops they have! I have seen a field completely stripped this year because no gas gun was used, out of respect for a local family (who asked politely that the farmer not place a gas gun in the field as it scared their dog). The farmer had to basically re plough the field and sow a different crop - he will lose thousands, the initial seed alone would have cost him hundreds, if not thousands.

Gas guns are used for a reason, not just to annoy walkers/animals owners/residents. Rather than trying to prevent farmers from doing their jobs, why not try and think of another method that can be used in stead of gas guns??

Well I know I am in France, but two weeks after I got my licence to open my Rare Breed Riding Centre a farmer neighbour installed one of these right beside a public right of way, I use for my clients.

It fired at one minute intervals, 12 hours a day for 6 weeks. I was unable to open my business and missed the busiest two weekends of the year. Our Mayor visited him and asked him if he could set it off at 15 min intervals - more effective. He refused and there is nothing she could do. It is very loud and a real nuisance as well as being dangerous.

It is so close to my boundary it also prevents me using my private randonee (bridleway) for schooling my young horses.

 

[Echo Bravo]

I must admit the gas guns going off,scare me more than the horses, but they should not be within so many metres of bridleway or footpath (DEFRA) and for the cartridges I think that is against the law as any child could go and handle them. Have a word with the rights of way people and the farmer has no excuse putting them behind hedges. The arable farmers do know about what they can and cann't do, just wonder how they would feel if somebody got killed because they put gas gun too near bridleway???

 

[PeterNatt]

Unfortunately there are a number of farmers and landowners who just do not have any common sense or understanding of the dangers that these devices pose. There are also some that purposely situate them close to public rights of way in an attempt to intimidate users so as to prevent them from using the right of way

If there is one situated close to a public right of way then first contact the farmer/landowner and ask them to move it. If they fail to move it within a reasonable period of time (7 days) then contact the access department of the local County Council and ask them to get it moved. If they fail do something about it then contact the local Enviromental Department of the District Council who can use the Enviromental Act (as ammended) to get an order to have it moved.

 

[mon]

can people please be grateful that many farmers let horseriders go on land that is not bridleways, horses hae to get use to many things we ride near santapod drag strip and the noise from the drag cars is horrendous affect all local vilages and is most weekends in summer in my opinion much worse than gas guns

 

[mtj]

I think there needs to be a distinction between legal access ie bridleway and the kindness of a particular farmer. If its by personal permission - then be grateful for any access.

In my area (shooting country), riders are not allowed off legal routes, though we do have great bridleways. Regardless of the time of year, I expect gas guns to be used in accordance with NFU recommendations. None of my local farmers have found this difficult.