Horses on roads.

[sywell]

A letter received by the Parish council and horse owners need to realise the attitude of the general public to horses.

Gentlemen

I attach my email to Brian Binley, who is my constituency MP, after a frightening episode that took place yesterday as I was driving through Overstone on my way to Sywell which I think you should be aware of.

A riderless horse came galloping down the road towards me. I brought my car to a stop but the horse only just managed to swerve away from us at the last moment. I have no idea why the horse was loose or what happened afterwards but this event is the culmination of many years of my having to negotiate horses on the road, often being ridden by young and apparently inexperienced riders who struggle to control their animals.

The road connecting your two villages is heavily used by motor vehicles, with parked cars lining the route. Horses also use this road frequently and it surely cannot be safe for them to do so, especially as the new building programme can only increase motorised traffic.

I would ask that you discuss this matter at your parish council meetings, and begin a debate about the future of horse riding on the public highway.

Thank you.

 

[Equi]

They can't stop them. This has been posted before i think, unless its a seperate one - but same outcome, you can't stop someone using a public road.

 

[Honey08]

Why not write in and suggest they build a decent bridle way network if they want horses off road.

 

[3OldPonies]

Why not write in and suggest they build a decent bridle way network if they want horses off road.

^^^This

 

[twiggy2]

they cannot stop anyone using a public highway

they could insist on passing a test to ride on the roads-which may be a good idea

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Perhaps the writer is also firing off letters to keep cyclists, pedestrians with pushchairs or dogs and slow moving, mucky farm machinery off the roads too. Heaven forbid a farmer needs to herd livestock across the road as well.
This motorist needs to remember that he shares the highway, he doesn't own it and if he frequently has a problem meeting spooky horses, maybe he needs to think about his speed on the roads.

 

[Janovich]

Perhaps the writer is also firing off letters to keep cyclists, pedestrians with pushchairs or dogs and slow moving, mucky farm machinery off the roads too. Heaven forbid a farmer needs to herd livestock across the road as well.
This motorist needs to remember that he shares the highway, he doesn't own it and if he frequently has a problem meeting spooky horses, maybe he needs to think about his speed on the roads.

This.....absolutely..

 

[sywell]

Perhaps the writer is also firing off letters to keep cyclists, pedestrians with pushchairs or dogs and slow moving, mucky farm machinery off the roads too. Heaven forbid a farmer needs to herd livestock across the road as well.
This motorist needs to remember that he shares the highway, he doesn't own it and if he frequently has a problem meeting spooky horses, maybe he needs to think about his speed on the roads.

I just wanted to remind people with horses about the attitude of some car drivers and be prepared to resist these moves. As a matter of interesyt on most roads the Council only own the tarmac surface not the land underneath so if they find gold outside your house when the dig the road up it might be yours.

 

[RunToEarth]

Why not write in and suggest they build a decent bridle way network if they want horses off road.

Because that requires tact and local backing that most parish councils lack in huge quantities.

 

[keri66]

Most of the riders I pass on the road are rude. I sometimes understand non horsey drivers attitude towards riders.
Though I don't deny there are awful drivers too

 

[Switchthehorse]

Most of the riders I pass on the road are rude. I sometimes understand non horsey drivers attitude towards riders.
Though I don't deny there are awful drivers too

Agree with this, i get so angry when people dont thank me i have been known to put window down and yell thank you at them. I am religious about being grateful and thanking people, i also have gone as far as emailing local cycling clubs if they are particularly good when passing us and thanking them.. which went down really well.

Ironically two afternoons ago despite me being in full hi vis (tabard, exercise sheet and brushing boots) a car came round the corner at least 50mph in a 30mph zone on the wrong side of the road, and instead of swerving decided to keep driving straight at me - accelerating. Pigeon then flew out of hedge and horse leapt (still on correct side of road) into his path.. what did he do? keep coming, literally missed me by inches. My language was &(*&*&OUO(*)(*)T*&^*&^ and yet he didnt even stop (his window was down he must have heard me!).. maybe i should write to the parish council about banning cars from the road!?

 

[Wiz201]

Sometimes drivers need to be aware that a rider may want to be polite and say thank you but due to having to control a potentially spooky horse, they may need to keep both hands on the reins and raising a whip or a hand may not be possible.

 

[cobgoblin]

Why not write in and suggest they build a decent bridle way network if they want horses off road.

This^^^^
Local councils seem very willing to spend money on cycle paths but diddly squat on bridleways.

 

[keri66]

A smile and a nod of thanks is possible.

 

[Angela_1987]

Sometimes drivers need to be aware that a rider may want to be polite and say thank you but due to having to control a potentially spooky horse, they may need to keep both hands on the reins and raising a whip or a hand may not be possible.

I totally agree with this but I will nod my head, as a thank you but some drivers don't recognise this as a thank you ....

 

[ester]

A letter received by the Parish council and horse owners need to realise the attitude of the general public to horses.

Gentlemen

I attach my email to Brian Binley, who is my constituency MP, after a frightening episode that took place yesterday as I was driving through Overstone on my way to Sywell which I think you should be aware of.

A riderless horse came galloping down the road towards me. I brought my car to a stop but the horse only just managed to swerve away from us at the last moment. I have no idea why the horse was loose or what happened afterwards but this event is the culmination of many years of my having to negotiate horses on the road, often being ridden by young and apparently inexperienced riders who struggle to control their animals.

The road connecting your two villages is heavily used by motor vehicles, with parked cars lining the route. Horses also use this road frequently and it surely cannot be safe for them to do so, especially as the new building programme can only increase motorised traffic.

Gentlemen!!?? Where are the ladies

Ah sir, the joys of living in the countryside. How kind of you to worry about the rider of said riderless horse that impeded your journey as you then continued on your sweet way and how tedious to have to negotiate other road users.

yours,

Ester, driver, rider and cyclist

 

[stormox]

Most of the riders I pass on the road are rude. I sometimes understand non horsey drivers attitude towards riders.

As a rider who rides out every day on the roads, usually riding one leading another, I give drivers a nod, but I certainly don't wave frantically at them yelling thank-you. After all, if a driver slows down for a horse, it is no different than him slowing to pass a cyclist, or another car on a narrow country road- The car drivers just displaying common courtesy and obeying the Highway Code, which should be the norm for us all.

 

[Aleka81]

This^^^^
Local councils seem very willing to spend money on cycle paths but diddly squat on bridleways.

Generally the land required for bridleways is not owned by the Gov't or parish councils.....

 

[ester]

neither is a lot of countryside cycle paths.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

I tend to grin at people like a lunatic which seems to work.

I normally exercise my horse with my hunting whip because it is very useful to open gates with. I always hold my whip in my right hand which is also my waving hand. I have found if I lift my whip to say thank you, people look at me like "who does she think she is waving her hunting whip at me?" kind of thing so just grinning like a mental and mouthing/saying thank you works well.

 

[Orangehorse]

I have often heard and read motorists say "why are there horses on the roads when there are empty fields everywhere. Why don't horses use the fields."

Well, over the years people have tried very hard to get more riding available on fields rather than roads - although I totally agree that horses should continue to have the right to use a road. I went to a BHS access meeting years and years ago and one of the measures voted for was a sort of network of routes between villages and to avoid main roads. In some ways the Labour Government of 1997 did more to implement this idea than any before or since, with the Higher Level Stewardship scheme where farmers were paid for allowing riders on their land, and quite lucratively as well. I use one such route regularly and there is another a bit further away that is used by a small livery yard often, even though the financial reward has come to an end. The last Government did away with this scheme and it is no longer available to farmers.

There is always the TROT scheme, which is successful in Kent and the south of Britian, but mention TROT to some BHS people and they go into melt downas a betrayal of their aims. Sadly it seems that everyone - farmers, District Councils, Parish Councils, etc. etc. seem to think this is a wonderful idea - apart from riders who would have to pay to use them and keep to the tracks.

The letter to the Parish Council is common, like the letter than complained of horse droppings on the road, or tractors. It doesn't say in the letter if the horse had tack on or if it had escaped from a field.

 

[muckypony]

Whilst I disagree with people like this saying that horses shouldn't be on the roads, I do see why some drivers have no respect for horses on the road.

So often I drive past horse riders, or even ride out with friends, and they don't even acknowledge the drivers. It's so rude and actually quite selfish - that driver could taint all horse riders as rude and not slow down in future. I have also met some incredibly rude riders... If a car is driving behind you, for gods sake stop idling along and cut the chat! Where possible, I will always trot on into a safe passing place - I don't like having cars queuing behind me and its just polite.

I know most of you will disagree with me, but I think that all horse riders should be made to pass a Riding & Road Safety test before they ride on the roads. Similar to a driving test, and yes, it should also be the case for cyclists. Anyone using the roads should also have to be insured.

 

[fatpiggy]

Sometimes drivers need to be aware that a rider may want to be polite and say thank you but due to having to control a potentially spooky horse, they may need to keep both hands on the reins and raising a whip or a hand may not be possible.

True, I had a horse that could be a bit of a pain when she felt like it, but it NEVER stopped me making eye contact with the driver and mouthing thank you to them.

 

[fatpiggy]

Whilst I disagree with people like this saying that horses shouldn't be on the roads, I do see why some drivers have no respect for horses on the road.

So often I drive past horse riders, or even ride out with friends, and they don't even acknowledge the drivers. It's so rude and actually quite selfish - that driver could taint all horse riders as rude and not slow down in future. I have also met some incredibly rude riders... If a car is driving behind you, for gods sake stop idling along and cut the chat! Where possible, I will always trot on into a safe passing place - I don't like having cars queuing behind me and its just polite.

I know most of you will disagree with me, but I think that all horse riders should be made to pass a Riding & Road Safety test before they ride on the roads. Similar to a driving test, and yes, it should also be the case for cyclists. Anyone using the roads should also have to be insured.

I don't disagree with you at all. Ideally, you would only be able to get insurance if you provided your R&RS pass certificate too. Trouble is, if your car was damaged by an uninsured rider/horse, who would pay the bills - oh yes, the car driver and whose premium would increase for the next 5 years? Go on, guess!

 

[bakewell]

I think there's an important historical perspective with the horses on roads thing.

The same as it's an enshrined British custom, with legal basis that you can take your dog(s! up to two per person where there's a specification on number) into a park, on a bus, on the tube, on a train. A lot of the legal background around that stems from an era when cars weren't quite so common place.

You'd think a letter writer who sounds to be from a similarly archaic time period would understand that context!

*See also mounted police!

With motorcycles/ scooters there's a safety initiative where they take you out for a day monitored by a police rider, tell you all the stupid mistakes you're making, how to improve your safety/ visibility etc And make you watch some horrific crash footage to really make sure it hits home. I really wish this were available from the local mounted police unit, especially for kids. I would happily pay pretty good money for that. Also it would be good for car drivers to suddenly realise uhoh.... that doesn't say polite this time.

 

[misskk88]

The issue is not horse rider/car driver/ bike rider. The issue is peoples lack of respect for safety and general awareness of road users different to themselves.

The lack of concern for the different types of roads along with the various risks and different skills required for each type is a little scary. This is only going to increase as we see more road users, more commuting and more general movement of people.

Better education and training, better laws to protect all road users, and better penalties for those endangering other road users!

 

[RunToEarth]

Most of the riders I pass on the road are rude. I sometimes understand non horsey drivers attitude towards riders.
Though I don't deny there are awful drivers too

I agree. There are a lot of rude riders around us, and a lot who have a point to prove. We are absolutely blessed with yawning great grass verges around here which are well maintained - it never fails to amaze me that riders will still be two abreast on a single track country road when there is the best part of 8m grass verge.

 

[stormox]

I believe its actually illegal to ride on the verge

 

[NeilM]

I think that all horse riders should be made to pass a Riding & Road Safety test before they ride on the roads. Similar to a driving test, and yes, it should also be the case for cyclists. Anyone using the roads should also have to be insured.

This is a favourite of mine.

What makes you think cyclists don't already have a license, given that over 90% also own cars.

In my case I have both a full car and motorcycle licence, and as the motorcycle licence entitles me to ride a bike of unlimited capacity and power, I fancy I'm pretty well covered for my two weedy legs.

I agree with you about insurance though, we have both our ponies insured and I am a member of CTC (cycling charity), so I'm also insured on two wheels.

As a cyclist and horse rider, I know exactly what elderly men think of ALL other road users. What I don't understand is why they are always in such a bl**dy rush, after all, they are retired, so have all day to get to the garden centre / paper shop / local supermarket, or wherever they are in such a blinding hurry to get to.

 

[Pebble101]

I agree. There are a lot of rude riders around us, and a lot who have a point to prove. We are absolutely blessed with yawning great grass verges around here which are well maintained - it never fails to amaze me that riders will still be two abreast on a single track country road when there is the best part of 8m grass verge.

Are they allowed to ride on them? We just have yawning great ditches around here that can be rather overgrown so I don't use any of the verges although they are only a couple of metres at most.

Where I kept my previous horse the verges were classed as footpath and therefore we weren't allowed to ride on those either - they had signs up pointing this out. Basically damned if you do and damned if you don't.

There is also one bridleway we have with a small verge but that actually belongs to someone and he is not amused if anyone rides along it.