hacking etiquette - quick question

LeneHorse

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 April 2007
Messages
3,466
Visit site
When you are hacking on a bridle path or track and another rider is coming towards you, is it correct to pass right shoulder to right shoulder (like driving a car) or left shoulder to left shoulder ( like in the school)?
 

tankgirl1

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 October 2012
Messages
2,486
Location
Derbyshire
Visit site
I don't really school, I'm deffo a happy hacker :D, so I instinctively move into the left and pass right shoulder to right shoulder - not very helpful, but I've never had a problem.
 

holeymoley

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 November 2012
Messages
4,327
Visit site
I'd say right to right. As effectively you are both 'road users' so I always pass things on the road whether it be cars, people, etc right - right. I heard somewhere if you do left to left with a car it can go against you? Don't know if this is true though.
 

LeneHorse

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 April 2007
Messages
3,466
Visit site
Thanks - I've always instinctively passed right to right however someone at the yard told me it should be left to left - your answers tend to back me up :)
 

Shantara

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 August 2009
Messages
7,367
Location
Milton Keynes
Visit site
I'd say right to right. As effectively you are both 'road users' so I always pass things on the road whether it be cars, people, etc right - right. I heard somewhere if you do left to left with a car it can go against you? Don't know if this is true though.

I was forced to pass a car left to left and it felt utterly weird! I always do right/right
 

unbalanced

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 January 2011
Messages
1,142
Visit site
Can't remember the last time I passed another horse out hacking. I would always pass at a walk and wouldn't worry too much about the side - whichever one they weren't on! I think it only matters in the school and on the roads because you are travelling at higher speeds. I have never felt in danger of crashing on a bridlepath.
 

RainbowDash

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 February 2012
Messages
1,184
Location
Nottingham
Visit site
Hi, depends on the situation but I dont think theres a had and fast rule - not around our way anyway. On road (quiet access roads but tarmaced) I keep left passing another horse. On a hack it depends on which track (up hill gives way to down hill etc) - whether i'm alone and how many are passing ( theres two RS in the area) - if i'm alone the hack with more horses take priority - one school passes on the left and one on the right but passing is always at walk.
 

Littlelegs

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 February 2012
Messages
9,355
Visit site
I've always passed right to right like driving. If you are doing ride & lead the led horse would be on your left, so it would be a bit daft to have that between two ridden ones if passing left to left. Plus bridleways are just 'roads' not open to motorised vehicles.
 

JFTDWS

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 November 2010
Messages
20,982
Visit site
On the otherhand .Boats and aircraft pass left to left.

So if you're swimming on your horse in a lake / the sea / etc you should pass left to left to avoid confusion...

Which raises the question, what should one do on a bridlepath which runs along a stream like this one? :eek:

421148_532337596817_401370485_n.jpg
 

Mike007

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 May 2009
Messages
8,222
Visit site
So if you're swimming on your horse in a lake / the sea / etc you should pass left to left to avoid confusion...

Which raises the question, what should one do on a bridlepath which runs along a stream like this one? :eek:

421148_532337596817_401370485_n.jpg

Wow, I have suddenly become an animal communicator......He is saying ..Bloody satnav .
 

Shooting Star

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 October 2011
Messages
1,387
Visit site
So if you're swimming on your horse in a lake / the sea / etc you should pass left to left to avoid confusion...

Which raises the question, what should one do on a bridlepath which runs along a stream like this one? :eek:

hmmm, tricky but having spend a lot of my life on the river my warped logic would say that manually powered wins over something with an engine and if it's got a sail then that takes priority over everything otherwise keep right so depends on whether you meet a motor boat, sailing boat or another horse :p

... oh and if there's a strong current I'd give way to those going against the stream :D
 

sam72431

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 April 2008
Messages
954
Location
Hampshire
Visit site
What about the old left hand to hand adage used when in a school?! But i suppose you are both road users so same rule as cars I guess hmm
 

JFTDWS

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 November 2010
Messages
20,982
Visit site
hmmm, tricky but having spend a lot of my life on the river my warped logic would say that manually powered wins over something with an engine and if it's got a sail then that takes priority over everything otherwise keep right so depends on whether you meet a motor boat, sailing boat or another horse :p

... oh and if there's a strong current I'd give way to those going against the stream :D

Oh good points, very true!

But what if there's a narrow channel of depth meaning that the small sail boat (or horse!) has lots of room (in the shallow edges) but the larger engined boat is restricted to the centre - surely then the sail (and horse) should give way to engine?


NB my only rational for that comes from an Arthur Ransom book, possibly we didn't mean to go to sea :eek:
 

little_critter

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 June 2009
Messages
5,758
Visit site
Bear in mind that walkers and cyclists can also use bridleways and wouldn't know the school 'left to left' rule so best to behave like a road user.
 

Shooting Star

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 October 2011
Messages
1,387
Visit site
Oh good points, very true!

But what if there's a narrow channel of depth meaning that the small sail boat (or horse!) has lots of room (in the shallow edges) but the larger engined boat is restricted to the centre - surely then the sail (and horse) should give way to engine?


NB my only rational for that comes from an Arthur Ransom book, possibly we didn't mean to go to sea :eek:

Ah well if it's shallow & narrow the keel of the sail boat is going to get stuck in the mud if it moves to the side then it'll topple over and the crew (rider) might get thrown overboard so I'd say sail wins :D

Personally I like to think of passing on bridleways as a game of paper, scissors, rock.;)
 

quirky

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 January 2008
Messages
9,846
Location
Purdah
Visit site
Just whatever is easiest, surely? That's what I have always done.

Agree with this. Whatever side has the clearest 'pull in' or better ground. As long as room is given, I can't imagine anybody getting their knickers in a twist about it.

* Awaits the 'somebody passed me on the right out hacking thread :eek::D *
 
Top