Leading horses on the road - 3 horses & 1 person?? Madness.

MarinaBay

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I work in a village which is very busy due to A, my work which has about 800 people on site, B, the lower school and C, a large upper school. So the village is VERY busy between 8.30 - 9.30 and 16.30 - 17.30.

Everyday day I meet a man or a woman (I am guessing it depends who's shift it is) leading 3 horses along the road at 9am and then 5pm. The horses are obviously being led from stables to the field but this involves 2 large bends on the outskirts of the village so the traffic moves quite fast & everyone is in a hurry to get to work / school.

They try to stick to the pavement / verge but obviously it isn't big enough for 3 horses & a person. They have no hi viz on the horses or the owner. At 9am obviously they are a lot clearer to people then at 5pm when it is pitch black, but still at 9am visibility isn't great.

So this morning as I come round the corner one of the horses was bucking in the middle of the road, and kicking out at the others the owner lost the smallest horse (about 14hh) and he came trotting along the grass verge onto the road. I stopped my car and got out, caught the horse and led the horse back. He obviously had no control over any of them. I asked if he wanted any help - as I stood there in my work suit & high heels and he said no he was fine. So I said perhaps it would be best to lead one at a time? Or 2 and then go back for 1 if one can't be left alone? He said no they are normally fine and carried on his way round the bend then crossed the road stopping all traffic to the field.

Should I have said anything else? Am I right to be stewing over this at my desk!! I can't help thinking it is an accident waiting to happen - either horse hit or innocent passers by getting into an accident.
 
Maybe they to need to get to work and are in a rush to get there horses out?
maybe people should just slow down and mind there own business.
If you are really stewing over something like this, you really need to get out more
 
Maybe they to need to get to work and are in a rush to get there horses out?
maybe people should just slow down and mind there own business.
If you are really stewing over something like this, you really need to get out more

Maybe they should get up earlier & avoid rush hour?
Sorry but have you thought what might have happened if I hadn't stopped or had been none horsey as one of the horses started trotting along the wrong side of the road?
I personally do not think a bit of hi viz would take that much time!
 
Maybe they to need to get to work and are in a rush to get there horses out?
maybe people should just slow down and mind there own business.
If you are really stewing over something like this, you really need to get out more

Yeah let him risk the horses and the lives of all the other road users because hes in a rush to get somewhere & this is the exact mindset of people who do stupid things and cause accidents.
OP has a right to be worried and good for them to have gotten out and helped.
 
Maybe they to need to get to work and are in a rush to get there horses out?
Then maybe they should get up a little earlier.

maybe people should just slow down and mind there own business.
Where is it implied that cars are not slowing down, and why would you mind your own business if people are behaving so recklessly on the roads with their horses?

If you are really stewing over something like this, you really need to get out more
I'd be stewing too if I had to get out of my car and catch a horse because of someone blind stupidity and lack of common sense.
 
Maybe they to need to get to work and are in a rush to get there horses out?
maybe people should just slow down and mind there own business.
If you are really stewing over something like this, you really need to get out more

That made me chuckle lol :)
I agree in a way however it would be better if the people leading did wear hi viz. Having said that I have seen many well to do riders, who show and do allsorts and don't wear any hi viz when out hacking.
So if we are going to throw stones at people maybe we should also include the professionals too. ( That is not aimed at you Luce1 btw, it is just a general comment)
 
"this is the exact mindset of people who do stupid things and cause accidents"
Usually its stupid people in cars that cause accidents. Driving too fast, on there phones, smoking etc
 
"this is the exact mindset of people who do stupid things and cause accidents"
Usually its stupid people in cars that cause accidents. Driving too fast, on there phones, smoking etc

Of course you're right. I've never heard of a loose horse causing an rte....:rolleyes:
 
Also to OP would you have gotten out to help and then slated gypsies if you had seen them doing the same. Say one or two big bruisers who look the sort not to mess with. Would you have got out of your car and said the same to them?
Just a question really as I have seen travelling folk do this with horses and not even have leadropes or sometimes headcollars on them at all.
 
Also to OP would you have gotten out to help and then slated gypsies if you had seen them doing the same. Say one or two big bruisers who look the sort not to mess with. Would you have got out of your car and said the same to them?
Just a question really as I have seen travelling folk do this with horses and not even have leadropes or sometimes headcollars on them at all.

Why are you having a go at the OP? She has done nothing wrong.
 
haha dont worry fantasy_world, I am no means a professional! (yet) lol!! :D

Glad you understood, it wasn't a swipe at you it just annoys me when people on here say to wear hi viz but then don't slate the 'faces' at shows and events for not wearing any when back at yard riding out.
It should work for everyone across the board not matter who you are or what bloody horses you ride!
 
Why are you having a go at the OP? She has done nothing wrong.

How has the person who was leading the horses doing anything wrong except perhaps that they should have hi viz and lights on when dark/poor light.
Have seen plenty of other people doing stupid things on roads, on horseback too.
I was simply asking would the OP have challenged travelling folk in the same situation.
 
yea, not having a go, just telling her to relax.. these things happen, dont get worked up about it! Lifes to short! The horses probably are 99.9% of the time behaved and the guy felt really bad that one got away...
 
How has the person who was leading the horses doing anything wrong except perhaps that they should have hi viz and lights on when dark/poor light.
Have seen plenty of other people doing stupid things on roads, on horseback too.
I was simply asking would the OP have challenged travelling folk in the same situation.

Personally I couldn't give a toss about hi viz.

What I do give a toss about is people acting in a reckless and dangerous manner on the road with their horses.

By anyones standard leading three horses down a busy road at peak time is dangerous. Leading them on the pavement is a direct contravention of the highway code. And not being fully in control of any horse on the road - to the point that it gets away from you - is also dangerous.

The OP has made a very valid point about the actions of this irresponsible person - and I hope that they take it up with their village police officer. Who can highlight the danger of their actions to them.

If you want to take petty, snide swipes at posters just for the sake of it - go in to common room (where it may well be that you are better suited) or pick a thread that is genuinly warrants it.
 
Yes, would you get out an tell your local hunt not to ride one horse and lead two when exercising? As my local hunt do all the time..

If they are riding and leading at rush hour, causing traffic to stop and get out to catch loose horses then yes, I would think the masters of the hunt would be horrified, and tell the groom to ride out at a more sensible time.
 
I lead 3 horses all the time in and out off the field BUT on private land!!! Would never dream off doing it on a busy road and in rush hour!! :(
you may carry on about the car drivers being dangerous luce1 but how can a single person be in charge SAFELY off 3 horses?? And the fact that he lost one which could off coursed a nasty accident answers that question for you doesn't it??
 
If they are riding and leading at rush hour, causing traffic to stop and get out to catch loose horses then yes, I would think the masters of the hunt would be horrified, and tell the groom to ride out at a more sensible time.

This ^^

I turn 3 out in a morning at once on my own, granted its 7am, the lane is deathly quiet and i only have 500yrds to go, but i always wear my hi-viz jacket.
Luckily mine are very well behaved but i certainly wouldn't risk leading them all down a busy road at once in a rush hour! Just stupid.
 
Wowzas! I didn't expect to get jumped on quite. Luce1 - that is exactly my point life is to short - hence my post. The village is a total nightmare in the mornings and in the evenings if it was a quiet road and not rush hour I wouldn't be bothered by it at all.

RuntoEarth - exactly what you said! The hunt wouldn't exercise there and at that time anyway & would dis approve of it anyway. Thank you to you & AmyMay for backing me up!!

FantasyWorld - yes I would have got out to help had it been gypsies - I am not precious about these things and wouldn't only help people like for like - Not entirely sure what that has to do with it.

I never said that the road users were not slowing down, they are being more then accommodating from what I have seen.

What does make me laugh is that because people at work have seen them & know I am 'horsey' they think I know them!
 
yea, not having a go, just telling her to relax.. these things happen, dont get worked up about it! Lifes to short! The horses probably are 99.9% of the time behaved and the guy felt really bad that one got away...

And that 0.1% when they aren't well behaved? Who is going to be held responsible when there is a terrible accident?

OP, you are very sensible for worrying about this and trying to offer your assistance. Let's hope the incident today encourages the guy to reconsider what he's doing. Obviously we all understand that he has to move the horses, but as has been said, a 2 then 1 or 1 then 2 arrangement would be much better, for the sake of the horses and anyone who may get in their way.

As for the question about travellers- how is that even relevant? Sigh..
 
I used to work on a livery yard situated on a rat run between two large towns. TO was set at 9am and we had to lead 3 horses about 300metres along this lane. I refused as I hadnt done it before - luckily the YM didnt care as long as all horses were out before 9:20 but the other WP didn't refuse and one horse got loose and caused an accident. Not a serious one but it could well have been if the person in the car hadn't been able to take evasive action.
 
Jeezo the muppets are out in force today.

Well done for raising OP.

BTW a loose horse is really terrifying for non-horsey folk and a horse through a windscreen when struck after a blind bend = a fatality.

Remember that the national speed limit is 60mph which gives car users NO CHANCE to avoid horses - misbehaving or otherwise.

Yes OP, total madness.
 
:eek:

I saw someone out riding at 6pm last night, country road rat run, no streetlights. Granted I coudl see her as she had flashing hi vis on, but horse had nothing. Regardless of high vis, its not the safest road during the day, let alone in rush hour in the dark :(
 
Report them, someone is going to get hurt and it will probably be the poor bloomin' horses! It is such a stupid thing to do and to be honest, I wouldn't lead three in traffic. I have to use the road to get my youngster in and out of his field and because he is a baby I only lead him on his own. 99.9 per cent of the time he's great, but that 0.01 per cent when he isn't, I can handle him without worrying about another animal. I'm sure someone will criticise me now for being a wimp but I really do not want his death or a human beings on my consience.
 
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