My scariest ride yet!

[Tangled]

Went on a hack today and unfortunately the yard is situated on a busy 50mph road. You ride along it for around 200yards till you get the country lane (which leads to a heath). And luckily there is a wide pavement on the side the yard is on but only a small verge on the other so means I have to ride on the pavement both directions.

Anyway went on hack to the heath all without mishap (apart from the flytipped rubbish which he looked at but no biggie!) anyway on the way home came to the fast road, and we were nearly at the yard but he took expection to the neighbours wheelie bin! He spooked sideways into the road and there was oncoming traffic! The two cars that were coming towards us (and were practically upon us when he spooked) swerved out the way (one being a police car) and I'm so thankful their reactions were quick otherwise I dread to think what could of happened. And so glad I always wear high vis! As soon as we were at the yard I just went into floods of tears, I just couldn't believe I had been that close to a nasty accident.

He is normally so good, bearing in mind he past the wheelie bin no problems on the way and I've hacked him on bin collection day without batting an eyelid!

It really shook me up and I won't be hacking out again unless I've got someone on foot but even then I very much doubt it. It's just too much of a risk.

Bit of a pointless post really just wanted to get it off my chest.

 

[kiteman0]

It's not nice to have a near miss.
When it comes to riding on pavements, it is a no no.
If I have the option of riding in the rd or on a verge or pavement I always ride on the rd and we live on a very busy national speed limit road.
I found cars don't move over or slow down if your not in the rd and if your horse shighs your onto of a car instantly.
In future try riding not into on coming traffic.
Hope it hasn't nocked your confidence to much.

 

[becca1305]

I agree if you're not on the road its like you're invisible to car drivers! Ride on the road in the right direction ideally with 2 of you with high vis on in particular vests and quarter sheets on busy roads is the best way IMO obviously pulling off the road where it is safe to do so to allow traffic to pass, but your own safety must come first. Now I keep the horses at home and its lovely and quiet so I have little need to worry but have had to in the past.

 

[darkhorse123]

I agree if you're not on the road its like you're invisible to car drivers! Ride on the road in the right direction ideally with 2 of you with high vis on in particular vests and quarter sheets on busy roads is the best way IMO obviously pulling off the road where it is safe to do so to allow traffic to pass, but your own safety must come first. Now I keep the horses at home and its lovely and quiet so I have little need to worry but have had to in the past.

as a newish rider who hacks out with other people so follow their lead - can i ask why its better to ride on the road then on verges or paths - im asking because some riders who i ride with do this - others though prefer verges or paths on our busy main ring road that we have to cross to get to decent off road hacking

 

[mulledwhine]

Bless you, soo glad you are physically unharmed.

As to riding on paths it is illegal to do so, although many riders arounde choose to ignore this fact.

You are far more visible on the road xx

 

[Tangled]

Bless you, soo glad you are physically unharmed.

As to riding on paths it is illegal to do so, although many riders arounde choose to ignore this fact.

You are far more visible on the road xx

I wouldn't ride on pavements normally but on this small stretch I simply thought it was the safest thing to do. When riding with others before I ventured out on my own and when new to the yard I followed their lead. I just went along with it

As to riding towards traffic as previously mentioned by other posters can I ask some advice?

Like I say it's a 150/200 yards on this busy road - and to ride with the traffic I'll have to cross the road (be waiting forever no doubt!) but when turning right into the yard there is a designated right hand turn in the middle of the two lanes - should I have to wait there? - I would just find it very daunting standing in the middle of a very busy and fast ride with cars/buses/lorries wizzying past me!

 

[becca1305]

on a pavement drivers tend to compare you to pedestrians and don't take any notice its almost like it doesn't occur to them that you could physically come off the pavement! On a road you tend to get more respect they do *tend* to slow down more, and have little choice but to wait if there is traffic coming from the opposite direction if you ride as a pair. Also it is illegal to ride on pavements. Your horse is also likely to spook at something on the pavement/verge side so giving this a little distance may help prevent the spooking in the first place . Even if on your own you should get cars taking more notice of you (particularly when wearing hi vis which is ESSENTIAL on fast roads particularly with bends/poor visibility etc . It is not a legal requirement and I don't believe it should be it is common sense after all - for instance if I go one one route I will wear high vis as it is a bendy road, the other way it is a quiet straight lane almost immediately onto a bridleway so unless visibility is poor I probably wouldn't bother.

Definitely ride in the road though if you feel your horse tense up, something ahead concerns you etc stick out your arm and flag drivers to go slower, a bright coloured whip helps with this. If you are concerned about something and feel the driver behind is not responding to your hand signals and may try and zoom past you with oncoming traffic/ too close then you can move out into the middle of your half of the road more continuing your hand gestures -providing they aren't right on top of you and likely to hit you! -(high vis again makes more of an impact) so he/she realises you are serious that they need to reduce their speed and think. Imagine it like you are a car on the motorway and you see the car in front put its hazards on - you instinctively back off as you are unsure WHY they are putting their hazards on , could be a queue ahead etc. you are giving a similar kind of signal to this car driver to back off.

In essence there is more you can do to persuade car drivers to slow down if you are on the road, it is also where you legally should be, and you tend to get more respect from vehicle users from being in the road as you are at least registered in their minds (to non horsey ones) as say a cyclist rather than a pedestrian on the pavement. Also if you are off the pavement and you feel your horse start to spook you can apply right flexion, right leg and seat bone so the backend is more likely to go towards the pavement rather than swinging into the road and you have *safe* room to try and push the horse towards if you cannot stop the movement.

One other tip I definitely recommend is if you have to stop, turn so you are at a diagonal angle (almost but not quite 90degree to road pointing towards the direction you had been going in) with the horses nose facing diagonally towards the road so their bum is mainly towards the hedge/ fence/ verge and your right leg is on the ribs ready to catch them should they try to swing their bum out into the road. It is also a lot easier to stop a horse going forwards than sideways from a halt so if you have control of the side of their body nearest the road this places you better to keep them off the road and worst case scenario is they push their bum in the hedge! Obviously reanalyse this is there is something unsafe behind you. Hope I explained that okay its difficult to say what I mean! .

Hope it hasn't knocked your confidence too much its all a learning curve years of hacking taught me I was safest on the road even if I did feel a little mean to road users when I had my usually bomb proof cobby type, but no horse is 100% bomb proof and you have got to prioritise your safety over temporarily inconveniencing them. Sometimes there is nothing you can do, its just best to prepare so you stand the best chance of controlling it to the best degree. Sorry if its a little waffly watching strictly and typing

 

[Tangled]

on a pavement drivers tend to compare you to pedestrians and don't take any notice its almost like it doesn't occur to them that you could physically come off the pavement! On a road you tend to get more respect they do *tend* to slow down more, and have little choice but to wait if there is traffic coming from the opposite direction if you ride as a pair. Also it is illegal to ride on pavements. Your horse is also likely to spook at something on the pavement/verge side so giving this a little distance may help prevent the spooking in the first place . Even if on your own you should get cars taking more notice of you (particularly when wearing hi vis which is ESSENTIAL on fast roads with bends/poor visibility etc . It is not a legal requirement and I don't believe it should be it is common sense after all - for instance if I go one one route I will wear high vis as it is a bendy road, the other way it is a quiet straight lane almost immediately onto a bridleway so unless visibility is poor I probably wouldn't bother.

Definitely ride in the road though if you feel your horse tense up, something ahead concerns you etc stick out your arm and flag drivers to go slower, a bright coloured whip helps with this. If you are concerned about something and feel the driver behind is not responding to your hand signals and may try and zoom past you with oncoming traffic/ too close then you can move out into the middle of your half of the road more continuing your hand gestures -providing they aren't right on top of you and likely to hit you! -(high vis again makes more of an impact) so he/she realises you are serious that they need to reduce their speed and think. Imagine it like you are a car on the motorway and you see the car in front put its hazards on - you instinctively back off as you are unsure WHY they are putting their hazards on , could be a queue ahead etc. you are giving a similar kind of signal to this car driver to back off.

In essence there is more you can do to *insist* car drivers slow down if you are on the road, it is also where you legally should be, and you tend to get more respect from vehicle users from being in the road as you are at least registered in their minds (to non horsey ones) as say a cyclist rather than a pedestrian on the pavement. Also if you are off the pavement and you feel your horse start to spook you can apply right flexion, right leg and seat bone so the backend is more likely to go towards the pavement rather than swinging into the road and you have *safe* room to try and push the horse towards if you cannot stop the movement.

One other tip I definitely recommend is if you have to stop, turn so you are at a diagonal angle with the horses nose facing diagonally towards the road so their bum is mainly towards the hedge/ fence/ verge and your right leg is on the ribs ready to catch them should they try to swing their bum out into the road. It is also a lot easier to stop a horse going forwards than sideways from a halt so if you have control of the side of their body nearest the road this places you better to keep them off the road and worst case scenario is they push their bum in the hedge! Hope I explained that okay its difficult to say what I mean! .

Hope it hasn't knocked your confidence too much its all a learning curve (and sometimes there is nothing you can do, its just best to prepare so you stand the best chance of controlling it to the best degree). Sorry if its a little waffly watching strictly and typing

Thanks so much Becca, your post was really helpful

I always wear high vis when hacking and have asked for the Polite jacket for xmas so hopefully I will have more impact.

Before he spooked I felt him tense up so I used more leg to ride him into my hand and get him listening to me, and did try bending him but he just wouldn't listen. But I'll be practicing this more in the field.

It hasn't knocked my confidence to ride as such, it just made me think that it's too big a risk to take.

Also it isn't a bendy country road type - it's a straight road with fields either side so visability is good for drivers and *most* do slow down a bit and move over.

I dream of off road hacking!

 

[becca1305]

your welcome . if it helps Ive been riding over 12 years on busy-ish roads (before moving) first with cobby then with a ridiculously spooky TB and we've never had an accident I think the more you do it the easier it gets as you work out methods which work for you like with TB I try to never stop as he is a right little blighter for swinging his bum out rapidly when halted on a road hence developing the point towards the road routine!

A lot of people have reported excellent feedback with those Polite jackets and I would imagine they would be even more beneficial with good visibility - straight road like yours- as they will see the outline of the sign from a long way off . make sure you ride on the road though or you might get some old biddy reporting to the local police that some mounted police officer is riding on the pavement sure they would find it mighty confusing!

 

[Tangled]

your welcome . if it helps Ive been riding over 12 years on busy-ish roads (before moving) first with cobby then with a ridiculously spooky TB and we've never had an accident I think the more you do it the easier it gets as you work out methods which work for you like with TB I try to never stop as he is a right little blighter for swinging his bum out rapidly when halted on a road hence developing the point towards the road routine!

A lot of people have reported excellent feedback with those Polite jackets and I would imagine they would be even more beneficial with good visibility - straight road like yours- as they will see the outline of the sign from a long way off . make sure you ride on the road though or you might get some old biddy reporting to the local police that some mounted police officer is riding on the pavement sure they would find it mighty confusing!

Yes, will need to work out more spook busting tactics! Once he doesn't like something you simply can't get him past it without him shying but he used to be really nappy but we worked past that so fingers crossed. He has been on this yard for years and hacked along the road without incident - it could be a one off, but still very scary none the less!

Yeah I can imagine an old biddy reporting that haha!

 

[spider]

You might find it gives you confidence to do the BHS Riding and Road Safety course or just buy the book and have a read.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Riding-Road...3133/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324164618&sr=8-1

 

[Tangled]

Thanks spider, I might just do that

 

[Rose Folly]

I think Becca 1305's advice is eminently sensible.

It IS scary at times riding on a fast road, and you need to think positive. Firstly, you are a vehicle. If you were a pedestrian you would be on the right hand side of the road, facing the oncoming traffic. A horseman rides on the left of the road (in UK). Ergo, you are a vehicle.

As such, you have the same rights (and responsibilities) as they do. You do not have to cower on the pavement which, as others have said, is illegal anyway. Ride firmly and boldly, be decisive, and take up the space you feel your horse needs on the road, just as a car driver would for their car. Be very clear and correct in any hand sign you give (in your case that you are turning to the right into that designated 'right-turning' lane).

As my current horse tends to spook, I find it actually helps to trot on, rather than walk as a) she then has to do a bit of work and it takes her mind off wheelie bins with legs and all the other dreadful horse horrors that she imagines await her; and b) it shows goodwill to the motorists behind you. It also helps (I think) to indicate to them that you are aware of their existence by giving a backward glance to acknowledge them, giving your right-turning hand signals in very good time, and then, of course, saluting their courtesy to you as they then pass by you on your left. So many of my non-riding friends complain about the total discourtesy of riders (not saying that you are, of course).

I've had to ride on little bits of fast roads all my riding life (5 decades +) and the only accident I had was where I was keeping right in the gutter and my horse took ONE step (not a shy) round a full plastic bag of something. The driver behind, who was not speeding, had allowed me no room and was skimming me. The accident put me and my horse on the roof of her car. She told the police she 'didn't think she had to move over'!

Try not to let this incident put you off. Hack out with friends for a bit till you get your confidence back. Is there a speed limit where the incident took place? And if it is a big yard, perhaps the Council might consider putting up a Horses - Careful sign. Did the police car that swerved have anything to say. they might be useful allies to getting a sign up?

 

[PeterNatt]

If I could give you the benefit of my advice based on 40 years of riding on the roads - including central London!

My advice would be to always wear a long sleeved Hi-Viz jacket when riding out as this ensures that other road users can see your hand signals more clearly. Also wear a Hi-Viz hat band so that other road users can see you over hedges etc.

Deck your horse out with Hi-Viz reign covers, nose band and leg and tail bandages.

Never ride out when their is bright low sunlight. Avoid riding out in dark conditions or if the road is wet.

If you want to slow a car down then point at them for 3 seconds and hold the palm of your hand up at them.

Always keep an eye on what is coming up behind you and look backwards at them directly in to their eyes as this will normally cause them to slow down and pass wide.

When going round a bend with a car coming towrds you always look behind you as this will in instill in the driver coming towards you that there is something behind you and if they have any sense they will slow down.

Always thank motorists who pass you slowly or wide by smiling and nodding your head at them or with a hand signal if it is safe to do so.

Take the BHS road safety course.