Green Bean
Well-Known Member
Bridleways are public rights of way which have rules on condition and width. There appear to be no rules on behaviour of horse riders? Could be wrong, but it looks bit like a free for all?
Hacking etiquette (pointless rant)
- Thread starter MissTyc
- Start date
JFTDWS
Well-Known Member
Whilst I agree that you should make your intentions known and give people fair warning etc - I do think the "pass at a walk" thing works both ways. It's literally impossible for my highlands to overtake a decent size hunter at a walk - so if someone wants me to pass in walk, they have to stop their horse, or collect its walk. If they're not willing or able to do that (and many don't!), I will pass at a slow trot because otherwise I'll be stuck behind forever.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
I agree. It was always drilled into me that you go at the speed of the slowest (or what in this case is the least capable). They are horses and are unpredictable. They are not bikes. Other people don't always ride well or their horses could be young and when I am near them I view their safety as my concern. If their horse runs off or they come off both them and the horse could be seriously hurt. That would take even more time to deal with.
It is different if you are at an ER or hunting and it is expected others can control their horses.
I am walking and long reining my youngster out on the roads and tracks. Everyone I have met who is riding has stopped and asked me what I want them to do. No one has trotted on past me in either direction and I am grateful as it is helping my lad to continually improve. Many of those people I have done the same for in the past when they had young or difficult horses. It is just give and take. I even remember one lady asking me if I could get off and hold her horse whilst she got on in the middle of my ride. I did as it seemed safer to get her attached to her horse and she was clearly struggling.
sorry but there is no way I would have called someone selfish, even in retaliation, because they were afraid their horse would go nuts and it was ruining MY ride.
Dollbird
Well-Known Member
I am always courteous, always call out to make my presence known, always check once I've passed to check it's safe to continue. I have a very well behaved Arab that takes no notice of others...he has been trained that way. I do wonder what some of these slightly hysterical (just my opinion) riders would do if they met a mirror image?...Carnage comes to mind. Will never forget a pleasure ride I did, woman cantered passed (on the road😮) "sorry cant stop, he's just not having it , ha ha ". Bloomin good job my boy was...
Auslander
Well-Known Member
We've got a very narrow bridleway near here, and met the local "trots everywhere, slightly out of control, looking petrified" person coming towards us. She was hanging off her horse's mouth, and kept squawking "Whoa. Whoa!" at it. Horse was completely oblivious to her squawks.
As I didn't really want her crashing past Alf in a very narrow space, I turned him to block the path, so she could bounce off him to help her stop. He's very used to being bounced off, and doesn't mind at all.
She was HUGELY indignant! "WHY did you do that? My horse nearly ran into yours! He's very highly strung, y'know". Obviously got it very wrong, and "Whoa! Whoa!" doesn't mean "Please stop, you oaf" at all...
As I didn't really want her crashing past Alf in a very narrow space, I turned him to block the path, so she could bounce off him to help her stop. He's very used to being bounced off, and doesn't mind at all.
She was HUGELY indignant! "WHY did you do that? My horse nearly ran into yours! He's very highly strung, y'know". Obviously got it very wrong, and "Whoa! Whoa!" doesn't mean "Please stop, you oaf" at all...
rosalee_billy
Member
i had a situation like this also... our local gallop track is free to use to whoever if it is kept clean and tidy and is used professionally; i go there quite a lot with my pony. I met some other riders there, all on much bigger horses than mine and the riders where all a good deal older than me. They where very rude and told me to leave along with other nasty comments - even though I had just as much right to be there as they did? sorry but just because they have fancier horses does that mean I'm not allowed to school my pony just because he's smaller and a bit fluffier?
lost my confidence a bit after that
lost my confidence a bit after that
Dollbird
Well-Known Member
Had some of my best times on a "smaller, fluffier" pony.x
EllenJay
Well-Known Member
Surely, when out and about, you need to be not only aware of your own safety, but those around you? When passing someone, you need to check that it's safe for you to charge off afterwards, and as others have said they might be riding a young/inexperienced horse. That being said, it is also the riders responsibility that their horses is safe to be out in the big wide world.
I will be forever grateful to to the local gypsy horseman, who was driving his cob, and my young Welshie saw him for the first time. Welshy, spun and charged up the road in the opposite direction. I managed to pull him up and turned him back to horse & cart. Horseman said "first time seeing this - let's get him sorted". He spent 20 mins with me desensitizing Welshie. He was kind, gentle and patient. We never had an issue with pony & traps again. Maybe, if we all had this attitude to helping others there would be a lot less issues.
I will be forever grateful to to the local gypsy horseman, who was driving his cob, and my young Welshie saw him for the first time. Welshy, spun and charged up the road in the opposite direction. I managed to pull him up and turned him back to horse & cart. Horseman said "first time seeing this - let's get him sorted". He spent 20 mins with me desensitizing Welshie. He was kind, gentle and patient. We never had an issue with pony & traps again. Maybe, if we all had this attitude to helping others there would be a lot less issues.
Meowy Catkin
Meow!
Time. It is a valuable gift to give someone.
scats
Well-Known Member
I would be devastated if someone had an accident because I had caused their horse to freak out, so I would err on the side of caution and stay in walk if that’s what they requested. A bit of a pain if you had a specific type of hack planned, but these things happen. Perhaps you could liaise with these people and find out when they are likely to hack out so you could try to avoid bumping into them?
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Same! The thought of F managing to overtake anyone at a walk is hilarious, and anyone who has met him would agree
. This is why we'd mostly trot and canter . I can't genuinely remember coming across that many other riders though prob too many track variations in wilts, and only road anyway in somerset, apart from the bit where people like to walk dogs as well, usually just as you were about to start some canter work
NinjaPony
Well-Known Member
I have to agree with those who advocate caution. And this works both ways! I met some riders out hacking behind a hedge and unfortunately this wasn’t long after he had a melt down because a huge group of loud hiviz wearing runnings had come charging past behind a line of trees in the woods. No-ones fault, just one of those things and he was quite wound up understandably. I tried to avoid them by adding in a loop but just my luck they ended up coming back the way I’d gone to avoid them! This was one of those situations where I actually got off, and I’m glad I did because he went past ok with me on the ground but with me getting wound up myself on board, we could have had another meltdown. Luckily for me, the riders were considerate and just walked past, calling out to let me know they were there. If they had cantered past then it would have been a different story... so I think consideration is key. It’s a double edged sword, but I am always deeply grateful when someone shows me consideration, particularly as a bit of an anxious hacker. That’s my problem not anyone else’s, but it’s such a relief when I meet kind considerate people, whether dog walkers, people or horse riders!
JFTDWS
Well-Known Member
Same! The thought of F managing to overtake anyone at a walk is hilarious, and anyone who has met him would agree
I know you mean your F, but it applies equally to mine... You've seen him walk - it's not exactly speed-tastic!
ester
Not slacking multitasking
They'd love going out together , slow F's unite!
There were too instances we walked quicker (which kind of made it more infuriating because it could happen!)
1) on the way back from hunting (it never did seem to twig that if we were hacking plaited up we were trying to get to hunting)
2) on the beach
, slow F's unite! There were too instances we walked quicker (which kind of made it more infuriating because it could happen!)
1) on the way back from hunting (it never did seem to twig that if we were hacking plaited up we were trying to get to hunting)
2) on the beach
The Fuzzy Furry
Getting old disgracefully
And consideration
I hack daily, sometimes twice a day. Nearly all the riders on our patch are considerate to each other. We are lucky that there are many different tracks to veer off to avoid others much of the time. I'll check someone is ok for me to pass, or say 'ok for me to trot once past you', its just common sense and courtesy to others imho.
Only one local was a complete nuisance. Shes been bound over in the past (local court case) about 4 or 5 years ago for riding furiously in a public place (in an old act from the 1840s,) trotting flat out on single track rides and not slowing but actually clashing stirrups, knocking pedestrians back or causing them to stumble, cantering towards and past or from behind. A rider in her late 60s who is a very entitled person.
She's been rude for many years but this time was actually charged, was banned from riding on the commons and only allowed back in last year or so between certain times. It was anyone who was in her way that got mown down, not just horse riders.
JFTDWS
Well-Known Member
I've seen someone come flying around a blind bend on a bridlepath and nearly take out a dog walker. Poor woman looked terrified.
I like to go fast, but I never go faster than I can see to stop (and I have very good brakes!).
Auslander
Well-Known Member
I don't have much in the way of brakes once Alf sets sail, so we only canter on one bridlepath, which has chickens in a field at the end. More effective than any bit!
Tonto_
Well-Known Member
Same! He was a little s**t and had me off a few times but for some reason I trusted him (?) and would do anything, I'm not a jumper particularly but we cleared over 1m. I miss that pony so much.
Kat
Well-Known Member
I don't mind much on a hack, live and let live. My mare is generally pretty saintly but isn't a fan of being overtaken. We have a lovely network of lanes so don't often meet others in situations where one of us can't go the other way, but on a few occasions we have been overtaken (endurance horses moving at a spanking trot) we treat it as a training session for her. If someone else is having trouble I am happy to stop or turn away.
The driving folk are always brilliant, they expect horses to be terrified and are wonderfully patient but we used to hack with a carriage so normally surprise them.
However on pleasure rides I think riders need to be more considerate. If you only want to walk make sure you go super early or super late and let people overtake on lanes/tracks before fields.
If I have paid to do a pleasure ride I want to enjoy a good gallop. I don't do many but each time have been frustrated by folk who overtake you at a spanking trot on lanes then want to walk up a nice open field. Even the one I did on a friend's not very fit pony with my nervous OH we struggled with getting stuck behind people who overtook us everytime we were on tarmac and held us up on grass. On one occasion, despite slowing to walk to pass my friend and I got yelled at. Much prefer hunting, everyone moves at the same pace, so much easier!
The driving folk are always brilliant, they expect horses to be terrified and are wonderfully patient but we used to hack with a carriage so normally surprise them.
However on pleasure rides I think riders need to be more considerate. If you only want to walk make sure you go super early or super late and let people overtake on lanes/tracks before fields.
If I have paid to do a pleasure ride I want to enjoy a good gallop. I don't do many but each time have been frustrated by folk who overtake you at a spanking trot on lanes then want to walk up a nice open field. Even the one I did on a friend's not very fit pony with my nervous OH we struggled with getting stuck behind people who overtook us everytime we were on tarmac and held us up on grass. On one occasion, despite slowing to walk to pass my friend and I got yelled at. Much prefer hunting, everyone moves at the same pace, so much easier!
ester
Not slacking multitasking
And people would still ask if it was ok to pass hunting (like F was going to do anything about it once he'd realised the stubble hill was much, much longer than he anticipated from the bottom and his inner thoroughbred was a bit blown out)
Smogul
Well-Known Member
As a driver I do make every effort to help a rider whose horse is worried by the carriage but sometimes get fed up with the assumption it is always up to me! A woman who was having problems told me I would have to go back as she was not prepared to let her horse "win" by turning round and going back the way she had come. I pointed out that the single-track road was too narrow but I could pull into a gateway if she turned and went back a very short distance. My pony would have stood there quietly while she went past. She was very rude and the problem was only resolved by the horse spinning and dashing off. Not the way I would have wanted things to end.
Sussexbythesea
Well-Known Member
On the whole riders around here are pretty polite. Certainly I’ve rarely had cause for concern. Mine are pretty good about most things and are usually not bothered by people passing at a sensible pace. We also have strings of racehorses about in the mornings and we’d be in deep do do if we set that lot off by overtaking them of even approaching at speed especially when the young colts are first out they’d be riders dumped left right and centre! We do occasionally have to deal with a loose one galloping towards us which normally results in a rapid dismount before an unplanned one occurs.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
I have the opposite problem. A really walks out and M has no choice but to follow so if anyone catches up with us it's usually at a trot so if they want to pass, we either have to stop and let them get ahead or they have to trot past. Arch will go sideways until they're out of sight but is manageable. M just wants them out of his space so pulls faces until they're long gone.
We have a rider in our area who has some sort of disability and looks like she struggles to keep control of her mare (or maybe she just likes to ride at top speed everywhere, I might have made an unfair judgement) so we always do what we can to make things as easy as possible for her, whether that's sticking with her (even though she's not my cup of tea) or letting her pass us even if that makes it difficult for us. We did have a bit of an issue the other day though as she wanted her mare to say hello and just turned her straight at M on a narrow but busy lane, trapping him against a high hedge. He hates having his space invaded so this is the worst thing you can do to him. I was ahead on Arch and my sharer was on M. She wouldn't say boo to a goose so as I turned and saw what was happening I shouted "Please don't do that to him he hates other hor....." just as he shrieked and struck out with a front leg, missing her by inches. She then said "can she say hello to the other one then?" charging up to A (who thought meeting a new friend was all great fun) and got a bit miffed when I said I'd rather she didn't as there was a flu scare about (not in our area, just generally). I asked her to trot off in front so we could get back to our quiet, walk only, hack as Arch was only just starting work again after 2 months off.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
I'd always stand to one side if someone wanted to overtake or pass me. I have one speedy hacker and one slow nappy one and I'd always prefer to park up somewhere rather than have someone trot past
Auslander
Well-Known Member
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
I've often had the problem scary Ozzie has - Must be an Icelandic thing
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
haha that's pretty funny. He has got a huge hairdo tho!
mini-eventer
Well-Known Member
My horse is a bit iffy about been overtaken/passed I accept it is an issue he/I need to deal with I am working on it and he is getting better, fine in company now, and fine being passed in the other direction. I appreciate a bit of consideration such as trotting after they have passed not belting off etc.
If we are on our own I make sure i crack on so there is no chance of being over taken
If we are on our own I make sure i crack on so there is no chance of being over taken
paddy555
Well-Known Member
that is hilarious. Is it the attitude? If you look at 3.03 minutes in he turns his head and is almost challenging them.
canteron
Well-Known Member
Just had a cyclist so pretty much the same to me as you do to other people and he too couldn’t understand why it was unacceptable. Remember, you may one day be the one on the young horse hoping for a bit of latitude.