Leading a horse on the road?

Perissa

Perissa

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I have always had the horse on my left so that I am between the horse and the traffic.

On another forum there are quite a number of people that are saying they were taught to lead the horse as you would do normally - so the horse is next to the traffic. One even states that she was taught that way by the BHS. When I did my exams it was the exact opposite. I have asked how they signal to the traffic but no-one is answering.

I looked at the Highway Code and it isn't covered!

So what do you do?
 
I've just done my BHS R&RS and was told to lead the horse on your left hand side, with you between the horse and the traffic. Was also told that if you wanted to turn left it was pointless as your arm would just whack the horse, but if you wanted to turn right to look behind you, and signal. Hopefully I was taught correctly!
 
I am on the side of the traffic so I can push the horse into the side of the road. Otherwise the horse can swing its quarters into the traffic.

I too assumed that was common sense!
 
Same as you, handler between horse and traffic. That way its easier to prevent the horse's rear swinging out into the traffic and you can see/signal traffic.
 
This might sound daft and I'm just checking I havn't got this horrendously wrong - but do you ride/lead with the traffic or against the traffic?! :eek:
 
Off side always put yourself between the traffic and the horse to push over as already said. That's how the BHS riding and road safety teach. It's also how to lead people on horseback. You can also slow the traffic down if you need to as they can see you and you also lead this way from horseback.
 
On our single-track lanes I lead on the near-side as usual, between horse and traffic, but on the right hand side of the road so I suppose technically against the flow of the traffic. Although on a single track it doesn't make much difference. Otherwise I'd lead from her offside on the left hand side with flow of traffic.
 
Always led between traffic and horse cars tend to give less of a gap between you otherwise which is lethal but also so you can ask people to pass around, sometimes dawdling is just as bad as speeding.
 
Lol I'm confused with his post. So I would lead on my horses right my left in traffic but any other leading is done on the left?the side tour get one at?
 
Always between the horse and the traffic.

Funnily enough, I was out long reining a couple of weeks ago. Cue old man (who was walking his dog on same road) to come over and start ranting at me for being on the "wrong side of the road". Apparently if you're walking with your horse on the road, you should be walking TOWARDS the traffic as you're technically a pedestrian. I laughed and kept going :o
 
I had a shocked friend visit me the other day having passed two horses (very nearly missing them) on an a road known for how many fatalities it has a year. Almost took them out as last minute realised they were trotting towards him not beside. Apparently there are some people with death wishes out there who do ride into oncoming traffic and on a roads :/
 
I am finding it quite, I don't know what the word is, sad, astonishing, disappointing yet not surprising that there are a lot of people who justify walking their horses from the left (horse on right) on the roads to protect themselves from the traffic! Not one of them is answering how they communicate with the traffic - they obviously don't :(.

Isn't it any wonder that car drivers get peeved with horses on the road!!

I am of course referring to the other forum, not this one!
 
i lead a horse on the left, with the flow of traffic. i've seen someone lead a nervous horse on the right hand side and the horse spooked, jumped into the hedge and squashed the handler, handler let go and the horse bombed off across a busy main road, nearly got hit.
i've also seen people lead horses towards the traffic (although are between the horse and traffic) which caused alot of mayhem for drivers.
 
walking horse with flow of traffic on your left, also means if horse spooks at traffic, it jumps AWAY from you and not towards you, and so not landing on top of your head!

sorry riding high - didn't see your post!
 
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