Fantasy_World
Well-Known Member
Today I had an encounter with a motorbike on a bridle path near to my yard. It was the first time since moving yards that I have ventured out alone on Doug ( as I often rode alone at last yard). He was a bit nappy anyway as he didn't particularly want to leave our cob Mcfly but the incident with the bike just sent him over the edge. I had planned to ride just over half way and then return home rather that doing the longer hack as I had been later setting out than I had hoped to be.
He was a little on edge and not willing to go forward along the track and I thought he was napping again but as I could see further ahead I noticed a man on a bike revving up and riding around what looked like a bench.
Bikes and my horse don't mix as he hates them. They give him a sparkle up the backside when on the roads nevermind on a bridle track and somewhere to my knowledge they ought not to be.
Anyway I made the decision to turn back and return home. A short while after he started to try and jig jog and got agitated. To which I then heard the vroom noise of the bike behind. The guy had either decided to head in my direction or else follow me, one or the other?
By this time Doug was very upset. Pulling for his head, and was becoming very hard to control. He was scared shitless and kept feeling as though if I let go of his head he would bolt. I turned and shouted to him something along the lines of ' will you go away you are scaring the horse and this is meant to be a bridle path.' I was very, very reserved for once. Not rude and neither did I swear at him which given the circumstances was very odd for me. I was more interested in getting my horse back under control.
A constant battle of wills between me and the horse ensued. Him fighting for his head, head shaking, foam everywhere. If any of you have ever seen this horse ( some of you may have done) he is a very big beast. Not just tall but his neck is just full of muscle. By this time I was really psd off. I had tried checking, pulling on one rein and even sawing to make him slow down and be back under control. I could hear the bike in the distance as I thought he had gone the opposite way. Oh no he had decided to double back. It seemed as though he had gone along a new path which has been constructed ( not for horse riders, just walkers) which connects with the path ( again walkers only) that goes to the pool, yes I am talking about Bateswood.
I don't know which way he cut across ( it may even have been across the grass) but all I know was that I could hear him close again. Doug by this time had started screeching out to another horse he could see in a field.
The bike was turning again as if to head onto the bridle path once more. At this point I was near the gate ( which was closed) as I had ridden across the horse crossing/style to get in. I decided to dismount quickly and lead him instead. By this time I just didn't feel safe. I had no idea where the rider was going to go, even follow me maybe?
Added to this there would be the horse's field to go past, the ones he had been calling out to. As you come out of the bridleway there is a small path that leads to a main road which can be busy, hence the reason I chickened and baled out at that point as I had no idea if the bike would be going the same way as me.
By this point I was a bag of nerves. I am still not 100% confident hacking out alone and today has really put the wind up me. Not deterred completely though I walked down the main road and across the little lane to get back home and found a safe place to mount and got back on and rode the rest of the way home. He was still jig joggy on the remainder of the journey.
On the way back I spotted a police officer who had visited a house and so I asked them about whether or not it was illegal for a motorbike rider to be on a bridle path? They said they thought it was just meant for horses. The officer took my name and contact number and said someone would ring me about the incident.
Firstly I would like to ask people if they would have done the same having spotted the police officer and would have wanted to report the incident which could have led to an accident imo?
Also whether I should chase this matter up with the police or wait for them to contact me?
And finally if anyone else rides along or near to that route please be on the lookout for this bike and rider. The bike was black and the rider hatless. He looked around mid to late thirties, with brown hair? it was either very short, like shaved or else he was balding. I cannot remember much more because at the time I was too busy trying not to get planted on the floor and stop my horse from bolting
Caz
He was a little on edge and not willing to go forward along the track and I thought he was napping again but as I could see further ahead I noticed a man on a bike revving up and riding around what looked like a bench.
Bikes and my horse don't mix as he hates them. They give him a sparkle up the backside when on the roads nevermind on a bridle track and somewhere to my knowledge they ought not to be.
Anyway I made the decision to turn back and return home. A short while after he started to try and jig jog and got agitated. To which I then heard the vroom noise of the bike behind. The guy had either decided to head in my direction or else follow me, one or the other?
By this time Doug was very upset. Pulling for his head, and was becoming very hard to control. He was scared shitless and kept feeling as though if I let go of his head he would bolt. I turned and shouted to him something along the lines of ' will you go away you are scaring the horse and this is meant to be a bridle path.' I was very, very reserved for once. Not rude and neither did I swear at him which given the circumstances was very odd for me. I was more interested in getting my horse back under control.
A constant battle of wills between me and the horse ensued. Him fighting for his head, head shaking, foam everywhere. If any of you have ever seen this horse ( some of you may have done) he is a very big beast. Not just tall but his neck is just full of muscle. By this time I was really psd off. I had tried checking, pulling on one rein and even sawing to make him slow down and be back under control. I could hear the bike in the distance as I thought he had gone the opposite way. Oh no he had decided to double back. It seemed as though he had gone along a new path which has been constructed ( not for horse riders, just walkers) which connects with the path ( again walkers only) that goes to the pool, yes I am talking about Bateswood.
I don't know which way he cut across ( it may even have been across the grass) but all I know was that I could hear him close again. Doug by this time had started screeching out to another horse he could see in a field.
The bike was turning again as if to head onto the bridle path once more. At this point I was near the gate ( which was closed) as I had ridden across the horse crossing/style to get in. I decided to dismount quickly and lead him instead. By this time I just didn't feel safe. I had no idea where the rider was going to go, even follow me maybe?
Added to this there would be the horse's field to go past, the ones he had been calling out to. As you come out of the bridleway there is a small path that leads to a main road which can be busy, hence the reason I chickened and baled out at that point as I had no idea if the bike would be going the same way as me.
By this point I was a bag of nerves. I am still not 100% confident hacking out alone and today has really put the wind up me. Not deterred completely though I walked down the main road and across the little lane to get back home and found a safe place to mount and got back on and rode the rest of the way home. He was still jig joggy on the remainder of the journey.
On the way back I spotted a police officer who had visited a house and so I asked them about whether or not it was illegal for a motorbike rider to be on a bridle path? They said they thought it was just meant for horses. The officer took my name and contact number and said someone would ring me about the incident.
Firstly I would like to ask people if they would have done the same having spotted the police officer and would have wanted to report the incident which could have led to an accident imo?
Also whether I should chase this matter up with the police or wait for them to contact me?
And finally if anyone else rides along or near to that route please be on the lookout for this bike and rider. The bike was black and the rider hatless. He looked around mid to late thirties, with brown hair? it was either very short, like shaved or else he was balding. I cannot remember much more because at the time I was too busy trying not to get planted on the floor and stop my horse from bolting
Caz
