loose horses on bridleway

C

charmaine

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 June 2005
Messages
207
Visit site
Does anyone know if this is right or not. The bridleway I walk my dogs on and also ride goes through the middle of a large field and has recently has had several horses all of which are youngsters inc. one stallion put on it, it used to be just sheep. When I walked through it with my dogs they all came flying over, snorting, tails in the air, bucking etc. and it was truly scary because there was nowhere I could get away from them. It was frankly dangerous. Is this allowed on a public right of way because it doesn't seem fair to me. I haven't even plucked up the courage to ride through it yet as it is so offputting and there is no other way for me to go to avoid them and why should I? Is there anything I can do about this because right now it feels like it may as well be blocked for all the good it is to me.
 
we have this situation near us.we dont use the route during the summer while they are there.when i made enquiries to rights of way people they said something could be done about it if a nasty accident occured first????????

v helpful.not.
 
That's crazy. It's a bit late once someone has been hurt. I tell you what if anything happens to me whilst I am crossing that field I'll sue the farmer's a**e off!!!
 
Get onto your council's Rights of Way officer and explain the situation. I'm pretty sure stallions come under the same catagory as dairy bulls in that they are not allowed to be loose on a public right of way (but don't quote me!) The more people you can get to complain the better. Also, are you a BHS member because your local access officer should be able to help too.
Don't blame you for being scared, I would be too.
 
Your local authority can use the Environmental Protection Act (as ammended) to enforce the owners of the stallion and horses to either move them/it elsewhere or fence it off with approved fencing (the type they can not kick through). They most certainly do not have to wait for an accident to happen.

Write to them by signed for delivery so that they can not deny receiving your letter. If they do not respond within 14 days then write to them again by signed for delivery.

Failing any response contact your local British Horse Society access officer if you are getting no joy from the access department of your local county council. If you don't have their contact details Email me at peter.natt@btinternet.com and let me know which county you are in and I will email the contact details to you.

Peter Natt BHS Access Officer North Hertfordshire
 
Just wondering if the above also applies to other livestock - a bridleway near me has been rendered inaccessible due to 50 or so young bullocks who like to chase horses
crazy.gif
 
Looking at it from the other side...
You hears tories of people buying properties/land etc, and the public RoW and bridleway run through it.
They then have to endure people/dogs/horses throught 'their' land, which if iut were me would tick me off, even though i knew it from the start.

So maybe, they have bunged a stallion in there and thought, 'sod 'em. If people canw alk through my land then they will have to go past my stallion/bull/bullocks.

Just a thought. I know it happens!
 
if you report the horses to the council they come out and do a check. if they say the horses/animals are going to be dangerous they can make you move them. I had someone report my horses, they used to bring bags of apples and feed the horses on the footpath then complained they couldnt get through the field without the horses hounding them!! doh!!! dont feed them!!!!!

the bloke who came out was really nice and said they were fine there but we were advised to put a sign up not to feed the horses!!

i'd defo report them!
 
No, if they chase or 'harrass' you, the owners MUST move them or put up some kind of fencing. A rider near us had a nasty accident as a result of loose horses on the bridleway. The council told me they want people to let them know if there are loose horses so they can deal with it, and are frustrated that riders don't report these things to them.

 
Tricky one, as on the one hand I think that if it was my field I'd want to put my animals out on it, though probably not horses..... but on the other hand I've ridden through a herd of bullocks before on a Toll Ride and been chased. Was bl**dy terrified.

I galloped my pony back the way we had come but couldn't open the gate quick enough so I'm afraid to say I jumped off said pony, clambered over the gate and ran for it. The bullocks were going so fast and mad that I was sure they'd come through the fence, so I was looking for a tree to climb up! All went quiet so I crept back to the field and there was my friends' pony blinking at me over the gate surrounded by a herd of quizzical bullocks all blinking at me over the gate! Grabbed the pony and squeezed him out the gate and never went in that field again!!
 
the stallion owner buys the grass keep from april till the end of september.

surely if you purchase some land with rights of way over it,the price reflects it.

quote..
``They then have to endure people/dogs/horses throught 'their' land, which if iut were me would tick me off, even though i knew it from the start.``
 
There's no legal restriction on stallions or other loose horses being kept in field with any type of right of way.

As long as the stallion is not 'known to be dangerous' then he can stay there.

Owners are liable for any damage/accidents caused by their animals to people using the right of way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top