Gates and cows on bridlepaths

[popsdosh]

There's no need to be so rude if you don't agree with me is there?
Actually you do see them, we had 120 on a farm in Surrey, used to keep some to bring on for replacement stock so they would be seen with their Mothers.
Friesians are known to be stroppy now and again as are Jerseys. The dairy bulls tend to be more aggressive than beef breeds.
This is from our own experience, yours obviously differs.

I did put a smile at the end of that paragraph.

Stroppy Friesians ? its a new one on me and I ought to know by now! Maybe the bulls but very few are kept on farms nowadays well breeding bulls that is . They are very unpredictable .

However you lack a basic understanding of how dairy replacements are reared in 99.9% of calves the last they will see of their mother will be 3-4 days if their lucky! Young cattle are inquisitive and I suspect to any body nervous they may be looked on as a danger however they are not aggressive .
Beef cows on the other hand at calving are a totally different kettle of fish and I ask anybody who sees a cow with a young calf even if you think it has a problem keep well away. Bulls are natural cowards in comparison and wont go out of their way to challenge you and will give you plenty of warning . cows with calves dont ask questions !

 

[popsdosh]

We had a very bad accident at home last year which involved a herdsman with a good 30years experience of dairy herds and a Holstein Friesian bull. I've grown up around a dairy herd which is why you wouldn't catch me riding/biking/running/dog walking/skiing/skipping/swimming/sledging or lapdancing around them when they aren't known to me, and even then it's a pretty risky thing to do.

The' lapdancing ' caught my attention ,but it would certainly brighten up the day on the farm. Are you taking bookings?? Thought you might be to busy sorting out the latest mess inflicted on us by RPA

 

[burtie]

We meet cows and even cows with newborns on the open forest all the time with no problem. I've even had to shoo then out the way on occasion and been close enough to have to move them along with my whip. Yet we have beef cows on the farm I keep the horse at and will very rarely ride through the field with them in and never with the dog. I think it's because they are enclosed and therefore more opportunity for a problem. They can also be quite curious and the thought of attempting the gate with the help of a dozen helpful cows it not my idea of fun!

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Thay can be unpredictable, I was riding along a path outside a field and about 20 small highland stirks came at full tilt down a sloping field, it seemed to be my boy's first meeting with cows as he never blinked an eye with pheasant, deer, or sheep.
I think the cows in the forest will be beef types, probably older and they won t feel quite so theatened as dairy cows in a field.
I know dairy bulls are dangerous, having been trampled by one, and have met several farmers who have also been attacked. But a lot of heifers and bullocks tend to scamper about, and even snort, which is scary for all concerned.

 

[RunToEarth]

The' lapdancing ' caught my attention ,but it would certainly brighten up the day on the farm. Are you taking bookings?? Thought you might be to busy sorting out the latest mess inflicted on us by RPA

Oh god I know it's mad isn't it - I'm struggling and I've had about 5 days training on it. Even more mind boggling that lap dancing at milking time.

 

[hobo]

Where do you all get the idea that dairy cows in a field are dangerous? Beef cows with calves if you split them dangerous, young heifers or steers frisky but dairy cows dangerous highly unlikely.
If you enter a field of any cattle try to keep to one side of them, walk calmly and if they come near you in a firm voice tell them to stop. Do not shout or wave arms about as that will make them and your horse spooky.

 

[Hayjay]

Thanks everyone for your comments and experiences. I am scared of cows and won't walk or cycle through a field of cows unless I can stay near the edge and its a hedge or fence I could scramble though if necessary. So I will give it a miss if the cows are there. I tried part of the route again today, it was cow free thankfully. Each gate took me about 5 mins to open and close but with minor adjustments and lots more practice it will get easier. I'm going to have a chat with the farmer about the rest of the route and ask if I can make the adjustments to the gates.

 

[RunToEarth]

Where do you all get the idea that dairy cows in a field are dangerous? Beef cows with calves if you split them dangerous, young heifers or steers frisky but dairy cows dangerous highly unlikely.
If you enter a field of any cattle try to keep to one side of them, walk calmly and if they come near you in a firm voice tell them to stop. Do not shout or wave arms about as that will make them and your horse spooky.

Personal experience? My parents were until recently dairy farmers. Groups of heifers I would never go through. A milking herd I would. But baring in mind a lot of people judge a herd on their colour rather than their apparent maturity, I'd say safer to avoid. Cows are dangerous if you aren't informed on them, I'm sorry but dismissing that they aren't is only going to add to more accidents.

 

[Hayjay]

But baring in mind a lot of people judge a herd on their colour rather than their apparent maturity, I'd say safer to avoid. Cows are dangerous if you aren't informed on them.

Good point. To me, black & white cow means milk, horns mean bull! ☺️☺️

 

[limestonelil]

Learn to get on and off from the ground or use your grey matter eg. natural slope of field, banks (even if this means squeezing yourself into the hedge), jump. 2 things I know are very much at the bottom of a busy farmer's list is whether gates can be opened whilst mounted and wheher mounting blocks are provided. Please don't clamber on the gates, you'll only make it worse.

PS. Sorry if this comes across a bit ranty but we are sick to death of complaints about the safety-reverse-beep on the JCB, cows mooing (yes seriously), the eyesore our farm causes after soem idiot decided to cut down all the trees at teh bootom of his garden and demands (yes demands) to walk/ride through our vey busy, working farm-yard.

Slightly off topic but I feel and share your pain - some people don't realise that others have to work in the countryside, it's like their office I suppose. But it is a lovely day and I will not start grumping.......off to sort some cows.

 

[Orangehorse]

We have beef cattle and in the summer when they are turned out I have to ride through them to get to the gate at the end of the drive. My horse is very bossy with the cattle and treats them as an inferior species. But that doesn't stop him sticking his head and tail in the air and snorting and prancing about when the herd of 20 or so frisky heifers gallop over to look at us, and I treat all cattle in fields with caution.

I had a horse that was terrified of cattle in the same field as her, despite seeing them every day, so I know just how scarey they can be.

Generally, their behaviour improves as the grazing season progresses and they get used to seeing people/horses in the fields.

 

[SuperH]

Good point. To me, black & white cow means milk, horns mean bull! ☺️☺️

Horns mean bull - I think you should be aware that most bulls don't have horns. All our cattle are dehorned, males and females, so don't rely on this as a means of identification.

I ride and turn mine out with our cattle, both milkers, dry cows, and young stock. That also includes a beef bull and two Holstein Friesian bulls. However I wouldn't go riding in someone elses and I'm also prepared to get off and leave my horse (as I know they will be fine) and vault over the gate if the cattle looked upset. The cows will usually run up and have a look at us then wander off once they have seen what we are up to, my ponies aren't bothered by them but I can see it may upset a horse that isn't use to having lots of cattle suddenly surrounding it.

I think you are doing the right thing and applying common sense. If you aren't happy then go a different way on the days the cattle are there.

 

[dollymix]

my horse doesn't like cows much, but has become conditioned to them as I chose to ride through fields of them. On my old yard, if I hadn't ridden through fields of cows, I wouldn't have had any bridleways to ride on at all as all the local farms were dairy farms!

They can be VERY frisky in the spring when they are first let out - so best to avoid if possible.

Young cows can be a bit inquisitive too - but as someone else mentioned - in the majority of cases, if you are followed, or they start coming over, turn your horse to face them head on. praise your horse and stand still at first. If they keep coming towards you, walk calmly towards them and they usually back down pretty quick!

Even in fields of very inquisitive cows, which haven't seen horses before and are a bit frisky, if you take it steady, keep turning your horse to face them if they follow - they soon lose interest.

It's certainly not a pleasant experience but do-able. Think of yourself as a cowboy rounding them up

Re gates - I think the landowner has a responsibility to maintain them. Therefore I would contact the BHS to find out who your nearest bridleway officer is.

Good luck!

 

[wench]

Not ridden through cows, nor would I really want to... but going into a field with them...

relative was a dairy farmer, I wasnt allowed in a field with them, or anywhere near them, as he told me strangers make them nervous.

Neighbour has beef cattle. Told just to go in the field with them. Didnt mention there was a bull in there, but turns out there was! They were very friendly, and came up to me to see what I was doing.

 

[Hayjay]

Horns mean bull - I think you should be aware that most bulls don't have horns. All our cattle are dehorned, males and females, so don't rely on this as a means of identification.

Thank you �� didn't know that.

 

[DanceswithCows]

This ^^
Dairy cows tend to be more aggressive, especially if they have any calves. Beef breeds tend to be more docile, of course you may always find an exception to the rule.

Sorry, total rubbish - dairy cows get milked twice a day and almost never have calves with them, how do you think we manage that if they are more aggressive than the beefers? LOL

Cows are just curious, so long as you aren't tinkering with their babies. Just ignore or if you need space open your arms, step forward authoritatively, tell them to 'go on!' (not in a panicky screamy shout...) or making a hissing noise works really well (test your horse out first).

 

[DanceswithCows]

Good point. To me, black & white cow means milk, horns mean bull! ☺️☺️

nope, either sex can be horned, some breeds are born without and most are dehorned nowadays anyway - horns means zip!

 

[Janovich]

Yup...echo the above,...we've just de-horned a few young ones and there's them there horns on both sexes!!

 

[cremedemonthe]

Sorry, total rubbish - dairy cows get milked twice a day and almost never have calves with them, how do you think we manage that if they are more aggressive than the beefers? LOL

Cows are just curious, so long as you aren't tinkering with their babies. Just ignore or if you need space open your arms, step forward authoritatively, tell them to 'go on!' (not in a panicky screamy shout...) or making a hissing noise works really well (test your horse out first).

Have you ever been in a field full of heifers that are bulling?
Our herdsman had a few jump on his shoulders, nearly ended up in hospital.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Highland cattle have horns, both male and female. But it's usually the young ones that are curious if strangers come through their field. Dairy bulls are not allowed on public rights of way beef bulls are as long as they are with a herd of cows/heifers, some continental beef bulls are just as bad as dairy bulls the Angus, Herefords most of the English breeds are much quieter.

 

[hobo]

I think what is annoying me is using the words dangerous and aggressive. On the whole they are neither of these words but they are cows and do things that cows do. The most dangerous thing in the situation is how your own horse reacts. I fell off mine when we saw some highlands it was not because THEY were dangerous it was because my horse thought they were. The same thing happen with a pig I had passed many times but it had never been looking at her before. So it is more the situation that could be dangerous not the cows them selves.

 

[SuperH]

I think what is annoying me is using the words dangerous and aggressive. On the whole they are neither of these words but they are cows and do things that cows do. The most dangerous thing in the situation is how your own horse reacts. I fell off mine when we saw some highlands it was not because THEY were dangerous it was because my horse thought they were. The same thing happen with a pig I had passed many times but it had never been looking at her before. So it is more the situation that could be dangerous not the cows them selves.

Agree with this, we have 400 cattle here. None of them we deem to be 'dangerous' or 'aggressive', if they were we wouldn't keep them for our own safety. We have had a bull turn and go for my husband, lets just say by the end of the day he was no more. We don't keep or breed from animals that don't have a good temperament but that doesn't mean a situation can't arise where they feel threatened and react in a natural way. It is no different from managing other animals, for example I don't get out of my car at a house where a dog is barking or try to pet a dog that isn't our own. Common sense is needed alongside learning to recognise an animals stress points and knowing how to diffuse the situation.

 

[DanceswithCows]

Have you ever been in a field full of heifers that are bulling?
Our herdsman had a few jump on his shoulders, nearly ended up in hospital.

Yes, regularly, never an issue.

 

[Aleka81]

I believe, having read BHS leaflets and done some bridlepath reinstatement etc myself, that If there is an obstacle on a bridlepath, being anything from gates, barbed wire, hedges, dangerous stock keeping or anything blocking the safe negotiations, you are within your right to find an alternative route around that hazard even if thats 2 field gates away(no limit) or such, until you can safely rejoin it.

Someone please correct me if Im wrong.

The gates actually have to be locked or padlocked!
And no if the gates are unlocked ie closed and just shut you DO NOT have the right to just wander around farm land as if you own it just because you can't open the gate