Loose horses on bridleway - what happens if y

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Christmas Crumpet

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Title was meant to say Loose Horses on bridleway - what happens if your horse kicks them?

Just curious to know where you would stand on this...

Just rode down a bridleway which comes out in a field before finishing on the road. There are always 2 loose horses in the field which rush up behind your horses and are generally a menace.

It was ok with my old horse because I could wave my hunting whip at them and they would trot off. However, my new horse doesn't like having a whip waved near him and so he pulled back this morning and started charging round the field with them. There were back legs flying all over the place from all of them (all with hind shoes on - mine and theirs). Luckily I managed to catch him fairly quickly but I was slightly concerned for a few minutes!! You have to get off to go through an electric fence at the bottom of the field and lead the horse through so can't get through the field very quickly.

Anyway - what happens if your horse were to kick them? Luckily this hasn't happened so far but I was thinking about it this morning. The bridleway isn't used that much because there aren't that many people with horses where we are but I know of at least 2 other people that do use it who moan about the horses. If one of our horses were to kick one of them would we be liable for the vets bills? Or what would happen, god forbid, if one of their horses were to kick my horse or me for that matter?
 
I would guess this is where public liability insurance comes into play. And that's why its essential to have that even if no vet cover. I could be totally wrong tho!
Glad you caught your horse and all was ok.
 
There's strict liability re your horses actions so make sure you have 3rd party liability insurance. However the insurer may reclaim part of the damages if it is deemed that the horse owners contributed to the problem eg if the horses had done this before and they hadn't taken reasonable steps to prevent it.
 
No didn't fall off - had to get off to do the electric fence at the bottom of the field and, as the horses were right by the fence, thought it was safer to lead horse than try and get back on as the horses were quite lively and didn't fancy being bucked off trying to get back on!!

It just makes me nervous that something awful will happen.

We don't have many bridleways round here and not ones that do a quick loop in the morning so I'm loathe to stop using it. It was fine with my old horse as she wouldn't bat an eyelid as I shoed the horses away but obviously the new horse isn't that keen on whips or arms being waved about when he is lit up already due to the horses!!
 
carolineb said:
No didn't fall off - had to get off to do the electric fence at the bottom of the field and, as the horses were right by the fence, thought it was safer to lead horse than try and get back on as the horses were quite lively and didn't fancy being bucked off trying to get back on!!

It just makes me nervous that something awful will happen.

We don't have many bridleways round here and not ones that do a quick loop in the morning so I'm loathe to stop using it. It was fine with my old horse as she wouldn't bat an eyelid as I shoed the horses away but obviously the new horse isn't that keen on whips or arms being waved about when he is lit up already due to the horses!!
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You need to speak to your local bridleways officer. A bridleway can't be blocked by an electric fence. You should also check on the legalities of the loose horses - I suspect liability of any injury will lie with the loose horses owner, rather than with you.
 
I spoke to the Bridleways people about this back in November as mine and a friends horses (4 in total) were turned out in a 14 acre field that has a bridleway running through it. We had some complaints from horse riders about the horses being there and who would be liable should anything happen (all our horses were extremely well behaved, just curious). According to the person I spoke to if a horse had injured one of our horses the owner of that horse would be liable, if one our horses had injured a horse or rider using the bridleway the owner would again be liable as you ride on bridle paths at your own risk. We did fence off the bridle path in the end due to the sheer amount of aggro we were getting.

Edit - When I say 'fenced off' the bridleway, I mean we ran electric fence alongside the bridle path so in no way was it obstructed. We had a visit from the bridleways people as we were reported as having blocked the path - we were told we were in no way obliged to fence of the path and we were perfectly at liberty to let our horses loose in the field. The only livestock you cannot have loose on a bridleway is dairy bulls over 10 months of age.
 
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It's perfectly acceptable to electric fence across a ROW but there are guidelines about how they should be constructed.
 
I would have thought for the safety of both lots of horses and common sense the owner of the field would best to fence a 6ft or so path off to make it safe for all

Surely that would also reduce the risk of theor horses ever getting out if someone was struggling with the gate/fence
 
6' wouldn't be wide enough if the fence was electric and the horse spooked - perish the thought!
We have problems with a bridleway at the moment, where a piece has been fenced to allow riders to pass through, we don't think the path is wide enough, horses from both sides can put their heads over the sheep wire and bite at you/your horse as you cross. We think it is a crafty move by landowner to get bridleway closed! I have fallen off there once with the sticky gate (BHS say it is not correct) plus got foot caught in pig wire.
 
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OP and 4x4 might find these pdf leaflets useful, which are available on our site:

Advice on Obstructions of Rights of Way
Advice on Electric Fencing (Access-based leaflet)

For individual access advice, you can find your county and regional Access Officers on our website, email arow@bhs.org.uk or call 02476 840515.

As regards the issue of what would happen if a rider's horse kicked another on a bridleway, we'd recommend discussing the potential implications of this with your insurer (we would always advocate having public liability insurance as a minimum). If you're a BHS Gold member, you can also call the free legal helpline - the number is on the back of your membership card.
 
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Not a bridleway but we have a footpath that goes across a large field that we graze horses in. We run a length of electric fencing along each side of the footpath leaving about a 10' walkway. This is powered, it have warning notices on it regarding it being electrified. On each of the gates either side of the field we have a notice asking dogs to be kept on leads. The dog thing is we don't want them chasing the horses & I'm fed up of picking up dog ***** in the paddocks.

When we aren't grazing it the fencing isn't there as we ned energiser etc elsewhere but the gate signs are. I regularly see people walking their dogs all over & around the paddock. They wouldn't like me to take my dog for a walk in thier back garden & crap on their lawn & leave it so why do they think what they can do it in the paddock. :(
 
4x4 said:
6' wouldn't be wide enough if the fence was electric and the horse spooked - perish the thought!
We have problems with a bridleway at the moment, where a piece has been fenced to allow riders to pass through, we don't think the path is wide enough, horses from both sides can put their heads over the sheep wire and bite at you/your horse as you cross. We think it is a crafty move by landowner to get bridleway closed! I have fallen off there once with the sticky gate (BHS say it is not correct) plus got foot caught in pig wire.
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6ft was just a figured plucked from the air maybe I should have said an appropriate amount
 
Well I have to say I love the local rights of way officer. I emailed him about the electric fence on another bridleway which means you can't get through and he's rung the farmer this morning who is off to take the fence down. Result!!

That's the first time I've actually had a response. Cue big smiles from me!!
 
I would second what Bertolie says. Only dairy bulls cannot be grazed along a right of way. We have a path (unclear designation, it's neither a bridleway, footpath not BOAT) running through and recently moved the horses onto the next field because the new neighbour insists on running around the field with her dog, then complained when the youngster got a bit curious! To keep the peace we have moved them for the summer months although it means more work for me. They will be back up in winter though, no way am I carting wheelbarrows of hay in the pitch black! I can't fence off along the track as it would split the field completely and it's grazed by sheep.

I have BHS gold membership though as you never know.
 
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