Health and saftey fanatics .. cover your eyes!

[Montyforever]

I know theres been countless posts about this but hey ho, found an old photo of me probably breaking all the rules of health and safety

I was 6, we were on holiday in Tunisia.
I was obsessed by the horses on the beach and spent most of the holiday following them up and down the beach. Eventually the guy that owned them asked my mum if i wanted a go on one of the horses! So i did, in a swimming costume (was very very hot!) no shoes, no hat on a busy beach with all sorts of spooky things (camels, barbeques, boats)
The two horses were tied together, and nobody was leading them .. Sounds like an accident waiting to happen right?!
But i was fine! Horses were obviously saints bless them and were in great condition and had decent tack etc and didnt put a hoof out of place!

Looking back i think oh my god! But thats where the horsey obssesion started and its never ended

Anyone else managed to break the h&s rules so thoroughly and survived?

 

[Cortez]

Just because there are "rules" in the UK, doesn't mean that everyone agrees with them...........You miraculously survived; MOST people in the world don't ride like you Brits do, and they survive too.

 

[fburton]

Just because there are "rules" in the UK, doesn't mean that everyone agrees with them...........You miraculously survived; MOST people in the world don't ride like you Brits do, and they survive too.

Miraculously? By doing it differently? Or just down to good ol' luck?

To answer the original question... Yes, too many times to list!

 

[Ladyinred]

I have a problem with this post.












Where's the picture?

 

[heebiejeebies]

Sounds like my kind of childhood! When I went to catch my ponies as a kid the field was quite far from the stables, so I'd hop on one, bareback, no hat, just a head collar and lead the other one up. Now that sounds fair enough, but for some bizarre reason I would tie the lead rope of the other horse in a knot round my neck (?!) and canter back to the stables! Fortunately for me the ponies knew where they were gong and it was a straight line lol what on earth would possess anyone to do that! Would kill my son if I ever caught him doing something like that!

 

[starryeyed]

I would tie the lead rope of the other horse in a knot round my neck (?!) and canter back to the stables!

oh my god!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Um, sorry to be morbid, but its probably as well there's no picture TBH.

It would probably reveal the fact that the horses in question were underweight/starving and malnourished, and didn't do anythign daft simply because they hadn't the energy to do so, plus had been beaten into submission.

Sorry OP, not getting at you in particular, but unfortunately we all know this is the way horses are frequently treated abroad.

 

[Floxie]

Um, sorry to be morbid, but its probably as well there's no picture TBH.

It would probably reveal the fact that the horses in question were underweight/starving and malnourished, and didn't do anythign daft simply because they hadn't the energy to do so, plus had been beaten into submission.

Sorry OP, not getting at you in particular, but unfortunately we all know this is the way horses are frequently treated abroad.

That's a massive ole pile of assumption right there O_O Well done!

 

[Montyforever]

Not uploaded the picture purely because its not on the computer and ive got no scanner at the moment! Horses were in fab condition, shiney coats can be clearly seen in several photos, not ribby or underweight!! Cant comment on how they were kept/treated away from their work but i never saw them beaten into submission .. Believe me ive seen horses in worst states on livery yards over here. I appreciate horses used for the tourist trade can be mistreated, but these two acted no differently to a riding school horse over here. But that was just my take on it!

Im starting to give up with this forum! Cant post a thread without someone making out its something its not, i asked if anyone else had any shockingly bad health and saftey memories not how these particular horses who given it was 13 years ago and id have put them around their teens then are probably long past their working lives! Were treated ..

 

[jenniaddams]

Um, sorry to be morbid, but its probably as well there's no picture TBH.

It would probably reveal the fact that the horses in question were underweight/starving and malnourished, and didn't do anythign daft simply because they hadn't the energy to do so, plus had been beaten into submission.

Sorry OP, not getting at you in particular, but unfortunately we all know this is the way horses are frequently treated abroad.

That's not what this is about. We could drag all sorts out of just about every thread, but there's no need to make a huge assumption just to drag down an otherwise pleasant thread. We know life isn't always fair...let us smile about something for once!

 

[HollyhedgePippa]

That is NOT true MiJodsR2BlinkinTite. I am currently in Tunisia atm and the horses are so well looked after, they really do love them, infact they often move towns/houses just so their animals have food. I haven't seen a malnourished/injured horse since being here.

 

[Cortez]

Um, sorry to be morbid, but its probably as well there's no picture TBH.

It would probably reveal the fact that the horses in question were underweight/starving and malnourished, and didn't do anythign daft simply because they hadn't the energy to do so, plus had been beaten into submission.

Sorry OP, not getting at you in particular, but unfortunately we all know this is the way horses are frequently treated abroad.

Ha! Ha ha ha! Really, that is just too silly for words! "Abroad" has just as many well treated horses, in fact often much better kept/trained/ridden, as anywhere else. And there are badly treated ones too, as there are in your country. Beaten into submission, really? The only place I've ever seen anyone actually beating a horse was at a show jumping competition in YOUR country, and I've worked with horses all over the world, from Asia to Spain to Germany to America, N & S. I am well aware of the fact that horse welfare is a very serious issue in many countries, and not just the poorer ones, but it is also an issue right at home (mine and yours). The UK is not the only place that does it "right" you know.

 

[undergroundoli]

I also learnt to love horses hatless and on holiday. I lived in the States when I was younger and we were at some National Park thing that rented out ponies. We went into this American barn with some cowboy. He was thinking of putting me on a little chestnut, but when he clapped to test if it was bomb proof the chestnut moved so instead he put a saddle on a little gray pony called Puff, gave the lead reign (no bridle) to my mother, swung my three year old self up (complete with shoes and actual clothes but no hat) and we were off, completely unsupervised. I loved everything, the way the sun looked on the backs of the horses in their stalls and the dust motes caught in it, the smell, the sound Puff made when he snorted. The point of the ride was to make it easier for my parents to go on some walk, I think they would have been better off carrying me and not getting years of pony related nagging.

Lots of tourist horses are having a tough time of it at the moment as the recession means people are travelling less and their owners are making way less money. The Arab Springs had a dreadful effect on horses, but who hear would, if they’d made their living giving horse rides at the Pyramids, feed their horse and starve their children? Lots of horses working for tourists are utterly beloved. I’d love to see your pic OP.

 

[MyBoyChe]

When I bought my first horse, me aged 16, I used to ride him bareback quite a lot. For some reason I used to think that if I rode bareback I didnt need to wear my hat!! I have no idea why in my head these 2 things went together and I look back and shudder...but I am still here. I also used to help a friend in her little riding school at weekends and on Sunday evenings we used to ride and lead 6 ponies back to their fields, riding 1, leading 2 each, headcollars only, no saddles, no hats and singing at the top of our voices along 2 miles of country roads (this was over 30 years ago) and along a bridleway often in the dark.

 

[mulledwhine]

OMG I am considering not posting this then

Disclaimer ... She hopped on before we knew it and this is not the norm , but took it for prosperity!!

She is still alive and well , and would never normally be allowed to do this!

Do I need a tin hat ? Pop corn?

 

[caileag]

OK I will own up to (early '80s) clandestinely riding some local ponies in their field in the dark, no saddle or hat and bridle made from a long scarf (which sometimes ended up being more of a blindfold) :-O. Also to galloping horses up the central reservation of the A82 north of Glasgow. We did have our hats on then!

 

[_GG_]

Um, sorry to be morbid, but its probably as well there's no picture TBH.

It would probably reveal the fact that the horses in question were underweight/starving and malnourished, and didn't do anythign daft simply because they hadn't the energy to do so, plus had been beaten into submission.

Sorry OP, not getting at you in particular, but unfortunately we all know this is the way horses are frequently treated abroad.

That was unnecessary, this is a happy thread

Well, not abroad, but how about this....I hardly ever wore a hat as a kid...and I was riding all sorts of little bug*ers, lol.

 

[weebarney]

I'm going to post the totally un health and safety pic of me riding a 'malnourished ' horse abroad, just need to find it in my mams stack if photos.

 

[mandwhy]

Good lord mijods that is a big generalisation! I went to Tunisia recently and the beach horses were fine, and the arabians in the desert were stunning like show horses, doing what arabians do galloping around, appearing to love it! There was one place with some cart horses that were a bit poor and there were some DIY bits and harness, but that was one place where the people were really struggling for money I guess.

I have ridden a few times without a hat, not bareback or anything, it was fine but would feel weird now when I get on and have forgotten or something! I feel like I have missed out quite a bit on early horsey days but I was at a bhs riding school so I guess its a good thing they had standards!

 

[TheOrangeOne]

For gods sake, the world has gone mad. What we got up to as kids, not just with horses but in general. Roller skating, no pads or hat, down steep hills. Climbing trees, getting shot at by a rifle as we were in private woods, glaloping my pony with hat in a headcoller and leadrope up the field...i am still here.
I am involved in a local show and the h and s policy we have to have in place is ridiculous. Some people are just bonkers, i dont mean to let my children ride without a hat etc as the safety things are around now so we use whats avaikable. When i was a kid we just had an old velvet hat with a piece of elastic under the chin (if you were lucky) but we have to remember that being around horses is a risk sport, if you dont want the risk, dont ride the horse!

 

[fburton]

Do riders abroad who don't wear hats have fewer deaths and serious injuries compared to those in UK?

 

[fburton]

Also to galloping horses up the central reservation of the A82 north of Glasgow. We did have our hats on then!

Up Great Western Road? Wey-hey! Which bit?

 

[My Muppet]

umm I had riding lessons at a riding school here, never saw anyone wear a hat.
Not even when we had a canter on the common. All survived! OK I'm oldish.

 

[Cortez]

Do riders abroad who don't wear hats have fewer deaths and serious injuries compared to those in UK?

It would be really interesting to see if there are stats on this - without figures it is impossible to say, but based on my own experience in many other countries I can't say that I've noticed a great surge of injured riders in the hatless areas. Hands up; I'm a lifelong bareheaded rider but I don't go around arguing with people about it. It's a choice.

 

[mollichop]

Ignoring the fun police on here My friend and I used to ride a couple of Dartmoors round her Dad's farm when we were young. We used to cross our stirrups over to the opposite sides of the saddle (to make them really short) and race jockey style down the tramlines in the wheat - it was brilliant fun!

Also used to sunbathe right next to the horses after we'd washed them and wouldn't even consider the possibility of being squashed

When I first started having lessons, there was an 'older girl' who used to be taught by a very strict, old school guy who used to make her ride without her stirrups at the other end of the school with a full plastic cup of hot chocolate out of the vending machine in her hand and she wasn't allowed to spill any - seems bonkers now but I was fascinated at the time wondering if i'd have to do that when I grew up and rode big horses

 

[purplerain]

Anyone else managed to break the h&s rules so thoroughly and survived?

I did catch darling daughter (9) the other day riding her pony in from the field - no hat, bridle or even headcollar. And yes my first instinct was do reach for my phone and take a quick snap - bad mummy...!)

http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1094946_10151755684518232_2087268762_n.jpg

 

[assuan]

I did catch darling daughter (9) the other day riding her pony in from the field - no hat, bridle or even headcollar. And yes my first instinct was do reach for my phone and take a quick snap - bad mummy...!)

http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1094946_10151755684518232_2087268762_n.jpg

Not got far to fall though has she lol

 

[assuan]

oh why not, a quick pic. of our 3yo

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=19767&d=1376482527

p.s they had just walked in from outside btw after coming in from the field.
so no hat, no footwear at all, no reins, no headcollar, no rope, no saddle......what ever shall we do!

 

[purplerain]

Lol no, pony is only about 11.1 and almost outgrown - DD has more sense than to try the same trick with her Welsh C!

 

[Fjord]

OP, can you takes photo of the pic on your phone and post it?

I remember riding a horse in Majorca, no hat and the blooming thing tanked off with me. It realised I didn't have a clue how to ride so decided to have some fun. I remember sliding towards one side, seeing the hard ground, thinking 'I am NOT falling off on that!' and hanging on for grim death. He stopped when we got to the edge of a lake, happy as larry. It felt really fast to me, it was probably a slow canter tbh! I loved that hack!