Rooji
Well-Known Member
My livery yard has just moved all the horses over to a new set of fields about a mile from the stables . I have only hacked out near there once before and today decided to go out along the bridleway that is just up and round the corner from the field.
My 4 yr old ISH Frankie is usually an angel to hack out with and is very sensible which is great as we usually hack alone. The girls from the yard had mentioned this house before which is next to the bridlepath - the owner apparently doesnt like horses going past and has attached plastic strips and bright orange bags to their fence to spook the horses , which did sound a bit mad.
Anyway we rode along the bridlepath track next to the house and Frankie didnt want to go past as all these bags are flapping and blowing in the wind but we get by and he gets lots of praise etc . We had a good long hack and on the way back we have to go past the house again and I cant believe it as we approach it - the owner has now put up a giant flappy kite attached to their caravan near the track. It must have been about 6 foot high with a huge eye painted on it . Horse had a complete panic , tried to bolt off though I managed to hold him back and was physically shaking in fear. After about 15 mins of persuasion I manage to ride though the field the other side of the track and up a bank to get back on the road. As I cross the field I look back and see the house owner watching us adn obviously having a good gloat that we couldnt pass his house.
Is he mad???? I mean he must have watched us ride past originally and would know we would come back (as our field is only round the corner) and then raced out to attach this kite to spook the horse! I am really angry as it could have ended up as a nasty accident if Frank had got any more out of hand. I dont want to stop riding along this track, as past the house there is great riding , grassy flat tracks etc and this is the only entrance.
Cookies and cake if you get this far
But what would you do? Avoid the area or keep trying to go past?
My 4 yr old ISH Frankie is usually an angel to hack out with and is very sensible which is great as we usually hack alone. The girls from the yard had mentioned this house before which is next to the bridlepath - the owner apparently doesnt like horses going past and has attached plastic strips and bright orange bags to their fence to spook the horses , which did sound a bit mad.
Anyway we rode along the bridlepath track next to the house and Frankie didnt want to go past as all these bags are flapping and blowing in the wind but we get by and he gets lots of praise etc . We had a good long hack and on the way back we have to go past the house again and I cant believe it as we approach it - the owner has now put up a giant flappy kite attached to their caravan near the track. It must have been about 6 foot high with a huge eye painted on it . Horse had a complete panic , tried to bolt off though I managed to hold him back and was physically shaking in fear. After about 15 mins of persuasion I manage to ride though the field the other side of the track and up a bank to get back on the road. As I cross the field I look back and see the house owner watching us adn obviously having a good gloat that we couldnt pass his house.
Is he mad???? I mean he must have watched us ride past originally and would know we would come back (as our field is only round the corner) and then raced out to attach this kite to spook the horse! I am really angry as it could have ended up as a nasty accident if Frank had got any more out of hand. I dont want to stop riding along this track, as past the house there is great riding , grassy flat tracks etc and this is the only entrance.
Cookies and cake if you get this far
But what would you do? Avoid the area or keep trying to go past?
