keeping horses near main roads

[luie123]

Hi, does anyone keep there horses near main road/motorway? Any thoughts on this, and do you worry about it?
Thanks

 

[giggles mum]

Yes, the yard I work at is in a city and right next to a dual carriageway. Having the road on the other side of the school fence is actually quite a good way of bombproofing the horses! It's also very good for business as the yard is a riding school - hence the horses are riding school types anyway, reasonably safe - probably wouldn't want to do it with anything too spooky. Once in the middle of the night someone drove off the road and into the fence of our school...we had to move the pony in the box closest to the accident as he was really not happy, but that's the only problem we've ever had.

 

[Stinkbomb]

One side of my field is next to a busy main road. I do worry sometimes but i always make sure the fence is secure. It is a thick hedgerow so quite safe. Although last winter when the leaves had fell off we always checked it and filled any small holes with wood ready for when it grew back! We have never had a problem just think you need really good fencing.

 

[luie123]

Do you think electric and then post and rail is enough

 

[Stinkbomb]

I would think so as long as the post and rail was of good quality and constructed correctly. Electric fencing is a good idea along with the post and rail to stop any horses leaning or scratching on it.

 

[bex1984]

My pony's field is in between a railway track and quite a busy road which is used by cars, tractors, lorries, cyclists, double deckers buses...it's great for getting them totally used to seeing all that traffic!

Electric and post and rail should be enough unless you have a horse that likes walking through any fence put in front of them (I used to have one of those)?! If that was the case you might need mains electric.

Only thing to bear in mind is more people will see the horse is there, so security is important. I'm getting my pony freezemarked because of this.

 

[honeymum]

The M5 passes over the top about 100 metres away from my mums fields, none of her ponies are bothered by it. In fact like the others I think it does help to get them used to traffic.

 

[barneyandem]

At my old yard last year my horse's paddock was right next to the M25!I personally dont think i would want him that near again as some days he didnt seem rested as the bright lights are on all night and it was also very noisy 24hrs a day!

 

[luie123]

Thanks for all your replys
My biggest concern is keeping him in off the road, but I dont think he is likely to try and get over the post and rail and onto the road if there is food in the field....

 

[Chex]

Mine is next to a B road, so its not really busy. They used to be by an A road, and it was busier. Both quite county roads though, but its scary how often people crash through the stone walls into the field

. I don't like having gates onto the road, but have to for farmer to get in and out.

 

[Kate_13]

Mine used to be next to a busy main road. All four fields were right next to it, but had stong post and rail.

It didn't bother them and they never tried to escape. Also had a helipad next to the school!!! The all used to stand and watch it take off and land! They must if thought it was a giant noisy bird!

 

[gina2201]

it is actually recommended to get them used to traffic etc in a safe environment, at first if they are nervous they will run away to the other side of the field, but soon learn cars and lorries aren't monsters that are going to leap in and eat them!

Anyone remember the story Black Beauty??

 

[Tharg]

Wasn`t he briefly kept in field by a train track as a youngster?.

 

[cmarychapman]

From the other side of the fence- so to speak

If you are next to a trunk road and erecting post and rail. You might need to check with the Highway Authority how it should be set up. The rail may need to be nailed on the side furthest away from the road. If a car does plough into it, its safer for drivers as the rail gives and is less likely to catapult back through the car like a lance. Its a minor thing but it does save lives.

 

[Twiglet]

We have a busy A road running a few hundred yards behind our fields (not that you'd notice) but I would try not to keep mine on a yard with direct access to a main road. I know his tendancy for pulling away from being tied up, and the blind panic that can follow it........would dread to think what might have happened in the past if we'd been near a main road.

 

[Shantor1]

Yes I have no choice but to keep my 2 at a livery yard on a busy main road. I use to hack out my larger horse until he collided with a 4 x 4 that thankfully stopped, as he was spooked by something in the hedge. That has put me off riding him on the roads as there is no alternative for me to reach 'safer' lanes for hacking. We're just off a bend and the cars speed along. I ride him round the school and the fields but try and take him to events and box up somewthere for a change of scene. Livery yards are few and far between in my area

I hack my older cob out occasionally but I don't enjoy it as cars don't slow down even though I wear high viz.

 

[pagancluf]

Prob good for bomb proofing the neddys if the fence is very secure - wish I had one on a bus route, a tractor route and a motor cycle route then would not be such an idiot on the roads!!!!