MissTyc
Well-Known Member
My yard is near some busy bridleways so it's common to meet other riders when one is out and about.
I have always slowed to a walk to pass other riders (unless I know them in which case we'll trot or canter past with a Good morning), or when coming up behind slower riders, I slow to match their pace and call out to let them know I'm there, at which point they usually wave me on.
Lately I have run into several riders who freak out when I want to ride past. And I don't mean "gather up my reins to make sure we don't join you" but complete and utter "you must not ride faster than me ever under any circumstances". As I don't have an arena, I hack out for exercise and schooling and I am usually on a time budget. I've now had several arguments with different riders about this and I relly need to rant!
One woman called me a selfish cow because I wanted to resume trotting after passing her (she said her horse would "go nuts"). I have to admit I called her selfish right back (though not a cow!) as she was attempting to ruin MY ride and make me last for work.
Then another woman joked that we "all had to go the same way now" ... only for me to realise she wasn't joking when her horse napped savagely INTO my yard after I arrived home and she was still following us ...
And my favourite one was a lady who told me to "Stop doing that" when my horse bounced on the spot as I stopped to let her pass through a narrow passage. The only reason I was stopped (well, bouncing) was because she's screamed at me 2 minutes earlier that she had to "go first or her horse wouldn't be happy about it". Well, my horse wasn't happy about it either, but he was broadly doing as he was told. He was only bouncing because freshly clipped and happy to be out. There wasn't any anxious energy, just a bit of boing as he waited his turn.
People have to learn to ride. I understand that. But surely it's not safe for them to be out all alone if they are so nervous of their horses. I should add that the horses in questions all looked broadly well-mannered. I can't just interrupt what I'm doing to cater for other riders. Like the one that followed me home: what's my responsibility to get HER home safely? None. I'd think, but I still worried after the poor woman entered my yard with me instead of staying on the track. Do I need to bed down a stable for her now? Does she live here now? Where does it end???
I have always slowed to a walk to pass other riders (unless I know them in which case we'll trot or canter past with a Good morning), or when coming up behind slower riders, I slow to match their pace and call out to let them know I'm there, at which point they usually wave me on.
Lately I have run into several riders who freak out when I want to ride past. And I don't mean "gather up my reins to make sure we don't join you" but complete and utter "you must not ride faster than me ever under any circumstances". As I don't have an arena, I hack out for exercise and schooling and I am usually on a time budget. I've now had several arguments with different riders about this and I relly need to rant!
One woman called me a selfish cow because I wanted to resume trotting after passing her (she said her horse would "go nuts"). I have to admit I called her selfish right back (though not a cow!) as she was attempting to ruin MY ride and make me last for work.
Then another woman joked that we "all had to go the same way now" ... only for me to realise she wasn't joking when her horse napped savagely INTO my yard after I arrived home and she was still following us ...
And my favourite one was a lady who told me to "Stop doing that" when my horse bounced on the spot as I stopped to let her pass through a narrow passage. The only reason I was stopped (well, bouncing) was because she's screamed at me 2 minutes earlier that she had to "go first or her horse wouldn't be happy about it". Well, my horse wasn't happy about it either, but he was broadly doing as he was told. He was only bouncing because freshly clipped and happy to be out. There wasn't any anxious energy, just a bit of boing as he waited his turn.
People have to learn to ride. I understand that. But surely it's not safe for them to be out all alone if they are so nervous of their horses. I should add that the horses in questions all looked broadly well-mannered. I can't just interrupt what I'm doing to cater for other riders. Like the one that followed me home: what's my responsibility to get HER home safely? None. I'd think, but I still worried after the poor woman entered my yard with me instead of staying on the track. Do I need to bed down a stable for her now? Does she live here now? Where does it end???