If horses were banned from the roads

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WishfulThinker

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What would be the reprecussions on the economy?

This popped into my head whilst out with Emma, and I was wondering just how far it would go up the chain of supply etc.

As if you couldn't ride on the roads or on cyclepaths then there would be a drop in horse ownership. So then less demand for feed, bedding yards etc. So then farmers would probably end up selling off more of their land as they wouldn't be able to make use of them - as in no need to grow certain crops. ETC ETC.
 
I am lucky as it would make no difference to any of us here as we have loads of off road riding - 20 mile Trot route as well as bridleways..........
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However 10 miles away where my parents it is nearly all road riding with the occaisional bridleway so would have a huge impact - although being the sticks I expect most horse owners would get away with it
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I suspect it would have very little effect as the vast majority of horse riders never hack their horses out of the yards where they are kept because they either are just to terrified of their horses, dislike hacking out or just restrict their riding to the arena or take them out in their lorries to competitions etc.
My estimation is that out of the 1.300,000 horses in Great Britain less than about 1% are ridden out of the yards let alone on roads.
 
I can't belive only 1% horses are hacked out. Everyone one at my yard and every yard I have kept my horses in, if their horses are in work hack out. And I've owned horses for over 20 years.
 
Didn't the hunting fraternity claim that before the ban came in, and then found that in reality, more people went hunting and certainly no hunt grooms or farriers lost out? In Germany horses are not allowed on the road. They are boxed to lovely bridleways/forest rides which we can only dream of. Wouldn't be much use to me though since my old girl doesn't box! In the ideal world we would all be able to toddle off on any road we liked, but sadly the real world is vastly different. Much as I hate to say it, I think we are fighting a losing battle. I think OWLIE could well be at least partially right. There is a large yard near mine with over 60 horses and ponies on it, but I only ever see the same ones out and about away from the yard, and not many full stop.
 
I think demand for livery at yards with off road hacking and arenas would go up and those yard owners would put their prices up..... the DIY grass livery places with no off road hacking would suffer though......
 
i think you are allowed to ride on minor roads in Germany, but only at walk.
tbh i would be glad if horses weren't allowed on the roads, as long as we were allowed to skirt the majority of fields instead. if farmers would leave a 6' wide corridor along 2 adjacent sides of every field it would benefit wildlife, benefit riders, benefit walkers, and make the roads a lot safer. the farmers would have to be compensated for their lost crops though.
horses on the roads are an anachronism nowadays as there are a lot more cars and drivers are often horribly impatient.
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It would be ridiculous so let's hope that never happens and, if it did you'd then have to also ban cyclists and walkers wouldn't you!

I think the 1% of people hacking is nowhere near true at all. There are tonnes of yards round us and practically everyone I know hacks out on the roads regularly.

It annoys me enough already the amount of people who just school their horses as 'exercise' or are scared of hacking out. It's not wonder horses are worse behaved on the roads than they used to be - people aren't taking them out from the word go like they used to do.
 
I think the reason horses don't go out as much these days is because traffic is so much worse, and once-quiet country lanes are becoming rat runs
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It's a vicious circle really.
 
[ QUOTE ]
What would be the reprecussions on the economy?

This popped into my head whilst out with Emma, and I was wondering just how far it would go up the chain of supply etc.

As if you couldn't ride on the roads or on cyclepaths then there would be a drop in horse ownership. So then less demand for feed, bedding yards etc. So then farmers would probably end up selling off more of their land as they wouldn't be able to make use of them - as in no need to grow certain crops. ETC ETC.

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Dont give the T***s in power any ideas, they allready come up with enough of their own
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land is disappearng under concrete fast so uk food is not over produced, so not too much bother to most farmers, but would be a nuisance to lots ,i could cope as own 200 acres but would have to box to some so more poloution.
 
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i think you are allowed to ride on minor roads in Germany, but only at walk.
tbh i would be glad if horses weren't allowed on the roads, as long as we were allowed to skirt the majority of fields instead. if farmers would leave a 6' wide corridor along 2 adjacent sides of every field it would benefit wildlife, benefit riders, benefit walkers, and make the roads a lot safer. the farmers would have to be compensated for their lost crops though.
horses on the roads are an anachronism nowadays as there are a lot more cars and drivers are often horribly impatient.
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Not much use to those who drive carriages though, we'd be almost completely stumped if we couldn't drive on the roads (we are not allowed on bridlepaths as it is
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My estimation is that out of the 1.300,000 horses in Great Britain less than about 1% are ridden out of the yards let alone on roads.

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I don't belive that for a second. FAR more than 1% of horses hack out. I would say it's at least 50/50. Maybe it's just the yards I've been on, but it must be far more that 1%!!!!
 
Wouldn't really make a difference to me, I don't need to ride on the road.
I too agree that it wouldn't have a massive effect on things- who on here can honestly say they would sell their horse if they couldn't ride on the road?
 
If this happened I'd be limited to riding on one bridleway, which would suck, I imagine that a lot of livery yards would close as very few places have lots of off-road riding.
 
Endurance riding would be knackered, as would hunting. Its impossible in most areas to cover any ground across country without some road work.
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Where's this come from?? It would be an absolute nightmare, how many people can honestly say they can ride 100% off-road. I keep mine next to dartmoor but its still 15mins up the road before I get there & then when its foggy (quite often) its just too dangerous to ride on the moor.

Its all well and good saying people can box to lovely forests etc but that takes time and money. Not everyone has half a day to do this and not everybody owns a trailer/box etc.

This is complete and utter madness
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On the other hand I would love to ride 100% off road, but its just not possible.
 
The 1% figure of horses ridden out of yards is not that far out I am afraid.
People spend a lot of time schooling their horses in a menage but very little time riding horses out of the yard on roads and bridleways. Todays young horses need far more exposure to cars etc so that they are good in traffic.
 
I live in an intensive horse area & no one hacks out! The roads are far too dangerous. We moved here 10 yrs ago & riders did hack out then but 4 horses were killed/ put down within our first 18 months due to road accidents - 'quiet' country roads with lunatics driving round them!
 
If you live in an area where you feel riding on the road is too dangerous for you and your horse(s) then I would ask you not to just accept the situation but actively do soemthing about it by contacting your local BHS County Bridleway Officer and finding out what can be done about it. In many cases there is a chance of creating new off road routes or even finding the existance of old routes which can be re-established. Please don't just accept the situation and do something about it. If you would like contact details of your local BHS County Access Officer then simply contact me on peter.natt@btinternet.com
 
I was forced to ride on a busy peice of road even I normally avoid yeserday, this is due to the fact that Elvaston Castle is STILL blocked off halfway round, it has been like this for "months", one of the ladies on our yard asked about a diversion for us until it's sorted, ooooooooooooooooooffffffff, far too complicated for little green men.
Fortunately it's not a long stretch, but I had to ride further into the road to stop any cars trying to pass me as it's narrow, wished I had a placard saying why expalaing why I was on the road.
 
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i think you are allowed to ride on minor roads in Germany, but only at walk.
tbh i would be glad if horses weren't allowed on the roads, as long as we were allowed to skirt the majority of fields instead. if farmers would leave a 6' wide corridor along 2 adjacent sides of every field it would benefit wildlife, benefit riders, benefit walkers, and make the roads a lot safer. the farmers would have to be compensated for their lost crops though.
horses on the roads are an anachronism nowadays as there are a lot more cars and drivers are often horribly impatient.
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I like the idea but it would only really work in arable areas. Round here it's all livestock farming - I've no problem riding in fields with sheep but cows are another matter. Having a herd of curious bullocks chasing after you would not be a pleasant experience - I'd rather take my chances with the traffic. Add to that the reluctance of UK farmers to allow anyone on their land - I keep my horses near to where a new feeder route to the Pennine Bridleway is being built... the number of delays caused by farmers trying to block access is ridiculous especially considering most of the 'new' route is actually old drovers tracks, so no building of new tracks required. It's very frustrating.

I also disagree with the 1% claim - I live in a very horsey area (the local councellor claims to have more horses per unit area than any other constituency in the country) and almost everyone hacks out - even the dressage riders!
 
Well Newmarket would have to be completly redesigned for a start!
I'm in arable country and the famers do not let anyone ride on their land near hear.
Over towards the coast there is one estate that does for a fee but that's it and it's a good 45 mins box ride away.
The roads are designated green lanes but you still get lorries etc whizzing round the corners towards you.
Hacking is definitley a lot harder now than in was 20 years ago.
 
I had 13 years of riding on the roads in Great barr , Birmingham. A hugley built up area. It was incredibly dangerous and stressful esp. after getting hit by a van. Unfortuantly quite a few of the yards in the horse dense little bit of green belt have no facilities to ride on the yard so its road work or nothing.

The really annoying thing with where I was is that the local council tried to set up a permissive bridleway network connectiong the only two decent open spaces (sandwell valley) and Beacon park) together so riders could ride of road. This involved running a narrow strip between various stables fields to link to a footpath and then from the footpath along a ******* field. this would result in riders not having to ride down a counrty lane that is the rat run (nat speed limit) for direct access onto juntion 7 of the m6. Guess who object to the plan? Yes, the local yard owners and liveries so needless to say the council doesnt really listen to horse owners needs now!!!

I now live on the border btween the peak district and lancashire and keep my pony 5 mins hack up a very quite country lane (dead end to a small hamlet of horse firendly people) to the pennine bridle way. We also have loads of bridle paths and tracks including ones that run direct through yards. its bliss.
 
I'd certainly miss my roadwork if I had to keep to the yard - it's great for variety and building muscle without getting the horses bored of going round in circles in the school. Plus, they don't expect a gallop if you're on the roads, so it can be nice and relaxing all round.
 
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