Is this bad? Genuine q

[Partridg3]

I'm not sure if I'm over reacting or unaware but today I drove past a cob bring driven, in canter along a main A Road, presumably having left the hunt at 2.30 (hunt met 4 miles from this location). It was a 4 wheeled cart and horse was being driven, via a whip towards quite a steep hill.

This seemed a little harsh. Or am I being soft?

 

[*hic*]

Cantering on the road is not something I would do intentionally and AFAIK it's unusual for driven horses to be either cantered on the road or taken hunting.

 

[Partridg3]

Well this is what I thought but I'd assumed they had paraded with the hunt but maybe not. It was actually 1.30 I saw them not 2.30

 

[Gloi]

The horse will have probably taken it on itself to canter up the hill to make it easier to pull the vehicle than trotting. If it's pretty steep the driver will be wanting to make sure the horse doesn't stop before getting to the top because if it does it would be hard for the horse to get moving again and it might end up getting pulled backwards down the hill by the vehicle.

 

[katastrophykat]

Gloi is right- I don't like it on the road but often let my driving pony choose his pace uphill- he knows best and has been driving much longer than me!

 

[rabatsa]

Agree many driving animals prefer to get speed up for going up hills. It is called springing and if you read old books you will read of them springing a team up the hills.