Hacking on roads

A horse was killed on a straight country road near here, no visibility problems.

I hack out on the roads as there is no where else, unless I use the trailer, bridlepaths are virtually non-existant and those that are come out on main roads. So far I haven't had many nasty experiences (touches wood), but I know that there are many horses that are really frightened of big tractors, etc.

What motorists say is "Why do horses need to go on the roads when there are empty fields everywhere?"

There is the TROT Toll Ride Scheme, a charity which helps riders set up off-road riding across farm land, for which the riders pay and the farmers receive money. To do this needs a group of keen, motivated riders to get it organised. Very successful in some areas.
 
GingerTrotter said:
yep! 60mph on a rural road, and you dont have to slow down for blind bends and hidden dips apparently either:eek:
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Ah - I did a speed awareness course this year, and the rule is you can go 60mph if its safe to do so... So you could get booked for dangerous driving if going that speed round blind bends etc.


I'm lucky, we live in an area that you can hack all day without touching a main road if you like, mostly small lanes, tracks and bridleways, so enough to fitten on. I do take the horses on the main roads now and again to keep them safe in traffic.
 
Honey08 said:
Ah - I did a speed awareness course this year, and the rule is you can go 60mph if its safe to do so... So you could get booked for dangerous driving if going that speed round blind bends etc.


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Shame the Police and courts dont withhold that law then. The driver that hit us was going 60mph, but on quite a twisty road, and was on the brow of a hill, so i would guess its not a place thats safe to do the limit. As I sy, he was done for dangerous driving, but not speeding.
 
Goldenstar said:
No I hack out on the road almost everyday , ( not this week though ! )
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me too:D My horse hadn't seen traffic when I bought him so I had to traffic proof him so we could go on the roads as safely as is possible. The worst places are riding down the main A road by some houses and I get worried that my horse will spook at the washing on the line etc. into the road (that happened a couple of times on my last horse, but current one isn't very spooky), and the stretch of lane we have to the woods which is quite a bendy lane and people drive too fast, and are amazed when they see horses.... Have found the POLITE hi viz tabard I bought makes an amazing difference compared to "normal" hi viz stuff
 
benson21 said:
Shame the Police and courts dont withhold that law then. The driver that hit us was going 60mph, but on quite a twisty road, and was on the brow of a hill, so i would guess its not a place thats safe to do the limit. As I sy, he was done for dangerous driving, but not speeding.
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Must have been awful Benson21.

I always thought dangerous driving was a worse offence than speeding?? I would think they would book them for undue care and attention or dangerous driving rather than speeding.
 
I've always had horses in the suburbs. MUCH prefer it to more rural road hacking and feels it's much safer. We can easily get onto the hills or the old railway line but the roads are no problem either. They are constantly busy but not fast: can't move for speed cameras and speed bumps. You'd have to make a real effort to get over 30mph most places we go. The whole area is a rabbit warren of housing estates and you can ride for 2hrs easily without leaving 20mph zones.

I have ridden on quiet country roads and always thought them far more dangerous. Drivers go far too fast, there's loads of blind bends etc and its too easy to not concentrate whilst driving as there's nothing to concentrate on (no traffic lights, roundabouts, speed bumps etc).

Give me a built up housing estate over a quiet country road any day for saftey.
 
Ah but there are country roads and country roads! When we camped near Burghley, the country roads had huge hedges, so you couldn't see a thing. Around here they are pretty steep, so you can see things coming for miles. Also they often turn into tracks, and don't go anywhere, so the few cars that use them are just local residents, who have "countrysense".. This is our sort of country road..

Autumn2012029.jpg
 
Honey08 said:
Ah but there are country roads and country roads! When we camped near Burghley, the country roads had huge hedges, so you couldn't see a thing. Around here they are pretty steep, so you can see things coming for miles. Also they often turn into tracks, and don't go anywhere, so the few cars that use them are just local residents, who have "countrysense".. This is our sort of country road..

Autumn2012029.jpg
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WOW! that scenery is lovely Honey08, rolling countryside for miles
 
Kallibear - I know what you mean, I feel safer riding past asda, traffic lights and through a housing estate (on friends safe cobs) as its out in the open and more 'controlled and constant' than the windey lanes which feels if there were an accident they would just bugga off.
 
I work freelance so ride a lt of different horses/on different roads.

Most are fine bt there's 1 horse I am hating riding on roads. He can be very naughty and buck/rear if he spooks at something And tbh it's making me a bit nervous as traffic comes flying over there and I had a nasty accident a couple of months ago where a tractor came too fast causing horse I was riding to spin round and fall on top of me on the road - I broke my one and fractured my foot but felt very lucky.

Police were involved as man drove off without stopping but nothing came out of it. Sadly it's done some damage to my nerves though.
 
I do hack on the roads but only at weekends or bank holidays when its quieter and always wear hi-viz. The first road I have to go on once leaving the yard is a national speed limit most of the way and some people do seem to use it as a racetrack unfortunately so I try to keep time on that one to a minimum.
I don't hack on these roads during the week because there are big lorries running up and down them all day and even though most of these drivers are very understanding and slow down to pass my horse is very scared of lorries and normally if you meet one the next will only be a minute or two away so it is most definitely not worth risking it.
My horse is good with most traffic (except lorries obv) and whilst I like him to meet a bit and stay accustomed to it I much prefer off road hacking for the simple reason that I feel its safer and is most definitely far more enjoyable for the both of us.
Honey08-I dream of country lanes like yours, looks beautiful, what bliss!
 
GingerTrotter said:
After a few near misses on my horse and my friends horse being "grazed" by a tractor a year ago and now another friend being nearly splatted by a speeding lorry I have decided not to hack on roads anymore :(

I must point out that I live in a rural area with "slow horses" traffic signs but I'm amazed a the drivers out there now. I remember hacking out all day on the roads as a child (i'm only 28) as we had no offroad hacking much at all and never having a problem.

I'm lucky now I suppose that I can trailer up and am 5 mins away from a big wood and 10mins away from the beach but its not as convinient as hopping on in the yard and heading out.

Is anyone else feeling the same in todays society? why is everyone in such a hurry and will not slow down!
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your not alone I try to avoid roads round here as everyone is hurrying and doesn't give a jot about horses bikes etc...I had one guy go past on 30 mph road at at least above 80 also had one guy go so close and fast past me on a b road and the man behind him came to a halt as the road had been chipped recently and my horse was covered in tiny road chippings so spooked man behind was great but happens frequently kids in cars wheel spinning..reported loads to police who tbh do jack sh.. it altho it is a small village and I never need to cross a main road but still terrifying tbh im tempted to carry a schooling whip with bolt attached to end..next one who wants to wheel spin past my horse may have a few dints in his paint work !!;)
 
GingerTrotter said:
This is exactly my situation! the cars are using the road outside my house as a cut through and the speed they drive is insane!
I have a very traffic proof horse and a youngster. I wont ride the youngster out on that road at all but now i'm thinking about not taking the other one out either. I asked one driver to slow down and they did but then did a u-turn and came back, turning again and then slowly coming up behing us, winding down the window, accelerating past with high revvs and then the passanger leaning out at trying to hit my horse!! This is obviously a one off occurance and normal people dont act like this but it was the final straw.

90% of the drivers are fine but its the 10% of nutters that are starting to make me nervous.
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I hope you reported this car/driver to the police. It is the only way to deal with such idiots.
 
we do a fair bit of raod hacking, some country lanes but generally with fairly good visibility and others are more main routes although still lanes. There is only really one lane that I am wary of and won't ride down it anymore from one end (we used to as kids but it has a couple of dangerous bends!). I think you need to use common sense as a rider as well to be honest. I see far too many riders around us who do seem to think they rule the roads and actually put themselves on danbger almost. We listen for cars, go single file where needs be and also stand aside on narrow lanes to let cars pass.

Yes, there have been some idiots and sometimes i MAY have given the odd 'polite' gesture :D but, in the main the drivers are good and our horses are very good in traffic. I would try and avoid hacking on some of the 'rat runs' during rush hour if i was ever riding at that time. That's just common sense really. We are trying to get the most dangerous road reduced from a 60mph to a 40mph and most locals are in support bar onevillage where seemingly they use it as a quick cut through to town. Frankly, I don't see how it will hold you up that much having to reduce your speed to 40mph. The road has a livery yard on, an RDA centre entrance, 3 farm entrances, about 10 houses set a pavement's width off the road, a scout camp oh and the Leeds country way joins it too so you bget people walking down a road with no footpath! The road is narrow with some nasty bends on some steep hills but this doesn't deter some people using them as a bit of a racetrack. You'd think they'd see sense and reduce the speed limit really seeing as one person's already been killed and there is at least 1 crash every year.
 
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