Hacking IS dangerous

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elsielouise

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I think here is probably the only place I can share this experience and people will understand (since not at a livery yard).

Out this morning, beautiful morning so think I will go for a gallop. We have access to fabulous off road riding so this particular morning I choose a route tha ISN'T a bridle path but that I have permission from the land owner to ride on.

Set off, all well. Trot through the woods without a care in the world. Notice land owner has put up some of that really fine electric fence wire interspersed with metal cattle style posts. It's clicking a bit so mare notices it but we don't care and trot on.

Get to usual canter track, can't wait to go and love it as is like a roller coaster with excellent undulating ground and mare loves a good canter up and down the hills.

She's a bit rude and grabs a hold just before I ask her so I check her and she fights me so I end up doing a really ugly rein halt then WHOA!!!!

The electric invisible double strand steel wire is ACROSS THE TRACK AT KNEE HEIGHT AND I ONLY SAW IT BY ACCIDENT!

OK so I know actually nothing happened but I was seconds away from hitting it at a full pelt. If I'd have let her go as she wanted.....

hmmm Reason to stick to bridle paths number 156


I am still imagining what could've happened.
Completely invisible no way she'd have jumped it as could only see the fence posts .
 
eek! :eek:

Thank god you're both ok and you saw it in time, it doesn't bare thinking about if you hadn't.

I'm really pleased you're both ok... Bridle paths from now on!! ;)
 
That is terrible! Thank goodness nothing happened, sounds like you had a very lucky escape. This, I'm afraid, is typical of farmers. There have been so many accidents involving farmers in my area putting bailer twine etc across roads when they bring cows in for milking; many years ago a motorcyclist was actually decapitated, but they still carry on doing it.

Like you said, safest to stick to bridleways, frustrating but true.

And of course there's the perils of riding on the road (which I won't do anymore thanks to a local farmer nearly running me and my young horse over - she has never forgotten it.), but that's another story!
 
StarcatcherWilliam said:
This, I'm afraid, is typical of farmers. There have been so many accidents involving farmers in my area putting bailer twine etc across roads when they bring cows in for milking; many years ago a motorcyclist was actually decapitated, but they still carry on doing it.
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To be fair in this situation the farmer is doing the OP a favour, she is very lucky to have been allowed this privilege up until now.
 
So's endurance riding (which is just a long hack in my opinion!) My daughter was cantering around a corner and managed to bamg her knee on a concrete post. Thought she had only grazed it but when she looked at it at the end of the ride, found she had split her knee wide open and it required 8 stitches!
 
asmp said:
So's endurance riding (which is just a long hack in my opinion!) My daughter was cantering around a corner and managed to bamg her knee on a concrete post. Thought she had only grazed it but when she looked at it at the end of the ride, found she had split her knee wide open and it required 8 stitches!
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And how is this "endurance's" fault?
 
Thank goodness you spotted it and all ok! I've always called my pastime Hazardous Hacking!! Very rarely does a hack out go without some sort of spook, hitch, near miss. I always have to remind myself it is an animal you are relying on to get you round safely....
 
If you do have permission from the landowner, I should have a word because I can't imagine it would be a deliberate act. If however you don't have permission I'm afraid that whilst I don't condone the method, I understand the sentiment.

We farm and have massive problems with riders, cyclists, off roaders, walkers, out of control dogs, thinking they can go where they like when they like. Yes, if you don't have express permission, stick to the designated areas.

(probably the end of my short lived HHO career)
 
OP has said that she has permission from the landowner to use their land. Perhaps it's worth mentioning to the farmer, OP? You could tell them you were out for a hack and noticed there was some fencing across an area that you normally ride and you were just wondering whether there were any areas new you should stay away from? Thankfully you were having a "discussion" with your ponio at that point and hand't started your canter work! ;)
 
Harleygirl said:
OP has said that she has permission from the landowner to use their land. Perhaps it's worth mentioning to the farmer, OP? You could tell them you were out for a hack and noticed there was some fencing across an area that you normally ride and you were just wondering whether there were any areas new you should stay away from? Thankfully you were having a "discussion" with your ponio at that point and hand't started your canter work! ;)
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Am aware that OP said she had, which is why I suggested a word.
 
Many, many years ago I galloped my pony up a bridlepath, good ground, good visibility, no livestock, big gate at end to make sure we stopped, etc. As we went through a gateway she jumped up in the air - no problem but I went back to look and found a (broken) strand of electric fence wire. couldn't find the farmer in the farmyard so he is probably still wondering what happened and swearing about b****y horse riders. There were no flags on the wire and no way of properly opening it.:mad: Thick skinned pony wasn't hurt.:rolleyes: Shook me up though.
 
elsielouise said:
I think here is probably the only place I can share this experience and people will understand (since not at a livery yard).

Out this morning, beautiful morning so think I will go for a gallop. We have access to fabulous off road riding so this particular morning I choose a route tha ISN'T a bridle path but that I have permission from the land owner to ride on.

Set off, all well. Trot through the woods without a care in the world. Notice land owner has put up some of that really fine electric fence wire interspersed with metal cattle style posts. It's clicking a bit so mare notices it but we don't care and trot on.

Get to usual canter track, can't wait to go and love it as is like a roller coaster with excellent undulating ground and mare loves a good canter up and down the hills.

She's a bit rude and grabs a hold just before I ask her so I check her and she fights me so I end up doing a really ugly rein halt then WHOA!!!!

The electric invisible double strand steel wire is ACROSS THE TRACK AT KNEE HEIGHT AND I ONLY SAW IT BY ACCIDENT!

OK so I know actually nothing happened but I was seconds away from hitting it at a full pelt. If I'd have let her go as she wanted.....

hmmm Reason to stick to bridle paths number 156


I am still imagining what could've happened.
Completely invisible no way she'd have jumped it as could only see the fence posts .
Click to expand...


Something similar happened to me last week, the wire was on the floor and id already cantered over it 3 times, I wondered what my horse was raising his stride for till I saw it but it was too late to do anything, he jumped it and we avoided it! But the thought of coming to something and not seeing it and not having time to react or do something makes me cringe!!
 
Digger66 said:
Many, many years ago I galloped my pony up a bridlepath, good ground, good visibility, no livestock, big gate at end to make sure we stopped, etc. As we went through a gateway she jumped up in the air - no problem but I went back to look and found a (broken) strand of electric fence wire. couldn't find the farmer in the farmyard so he is probably still wondering what happened and swearing about b****y horse riders. There were no flags on the wire and no way of properly opening it.:mad: Thick skinned pony wasn't hurt.:rolleyes: Shook me up though.
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If anybody has issues on a designated bridleway, they should contact their local council footpaths officer (enclosing photos if you have them) who will contact the landowner/farmer concerned and take appropriate action
 
Madoldbat said:
Am aware that OP said she had, which is why I suggested a word.
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Hi - Yes, I know both the Land owner and the Farm Manager and TBH I suspect it didn't even occur to either of them to mention it to me even though I saw them both yesterday. It's an odd place to put it also since it doesn't seem to be fencing off anything - unless silage has taken up cutting itself and running off; though it could be to do with getting ready for the shooting season or something.

I'll probably mention it exactly as suggested, i.e 'is there anywhere else I should stay away from.'

I buy hay from the farm and know them well so it isn't a 'problem', was just a very close near miss and luckily we also have miles of bridlepath and toll rides plus another 300 acre horse friendly farm to ride on so its not like I'm going to miss out if cant go there for a while.

Still, bet my DH has something to say about 'risk' once again. Probably more on the lines of 'maybe that'll stop you hooning around though :)'

Is quite funny that for once I am grateful to have a strong and stroppy horse and this is what saved us today. It's the closest I've come to a serious accident in a long while and to
 
hldvs86 said:
Something similar happened to me last week, the wire was on the floor and id already cantered over it 3 times, I wondered what my horse was raising his stride for till I saw it but it was too late to do anything, he jumped it and we avoided it! But the thought of coming to something and not seeing it and not having time to react or do something makes me cringe!!
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I am still cringing. If she HAD hit it I suspect it was tight enough to flip her over/get tangled in it whilst giving her shocks/decapitate one of us/chop off something (drama queen moi? :))
 
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