One for the Scottish contingent - riding in fields/right to roam?

[Jingleballs]

Not strictly CR but I know there is a significant Scottish contingent in here who do a lot of fittening work with their ponies!

How many of you ride in fields to do fast work? And how many of you riding in fields not belonging to your yard owner?

My yard is surrounded by fields – most have livestock in them for most of the year so I wouldn’t ride in them at these times (mainly because C is spooky around sheep and cows). Those that don’t are mainly grass fields that are being rested/rotated.

The farmers round our way, well the two of them that I’ve met do not like us horsey types – in fact one locked me in his land one day (it’s not actually his land but you had to briefly pass through his land to get to the hacking and I had to tear my hands to shreds pulling a part a wire fence to get out. He’s also fired a shot gun at me. The other farmer isn’t nasty but just would not accept us riding in his fields even though technically I have the right to so for a quiet life I have to avoid riding there.

I have spotted a couple of stubble fields about two miles hack from my yard – there is no farm in sight so I don’t know who owns them. They have been recently cut and the gates are opened

So for those of you who do ride in surrounding fields do you just automatically use your right to roam or would you approach the farmer first as a courtesy? As I say I have no one to approach in this instance and am trying to establish who owns the fields but don’t know if I’ll have much luck.

If this doesn’t work out I’m going to have to find an alternative so my second query is whether or not anyone can recommend places in Central Scotland – preferably Lanarkshire/West Lothian where you can trailer for some fast hacking? I don't want to travel far as I don't want it to become expensive and time consuming to go for a short fast hack but I'm begining to run out of options!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Horseyscot]

I can give a point of view from both angles here!

Firstly, as a rider I would never ride on someone elses land without asking first, even if it was a one off just to get somewhere else. Except I suppose in an emergency.

Secondly, as farmers, we would be none to happy for someone to use our land without asking us first. Especially as you are talking about fittening work. At the moment our fields are really quite wet, and we really wouldn't be impressed if someone was doing fast work in them. However, occasionally people have asked to ride in our fields to give their neds a good 'blast' and we are perfectly happy for them to do so as long as the fields are up to it, and no cattle in them.

 

[Jingleballs]

Thanks for that.

I would never ride in it if it was wet as I wouldn't want to damage the ground.

I'm trying to find out how owns the field and hopefully will know who to contact to get permission to ride there.

 

[Decision_Tree]

I ride mainly in farmers fields - I am surrounded by fields owned by different land owners and have asked their permission to ride in the fields, I have access to all the fields and estates in the surrounding area now and even ride along the edge of fields to get off the road. I also ask before going round the fields with another rider first and only ride with trusted people who I know wont go back into the fields without permission first.

I think you really have to ask before hand as its good manners and it lets the farmer tell you of potental dangers like bangers, low fences etc as well as you being able to say you would just like to use the fields before they are ploughed therefore not causing any damage and also it gets you off the road so the tractors dont need to pass you when they are busy havesting... all round gain

The only cases I know of horses been kept off stubble fields is when people havent asked and have shown up as the combine is working and galloped over the straw without any consideration for themselves or others. I think the best way to think of it would be "what if it was my land"... would you like people just showing up without asking first?

 

[BigRed]

I am very sure the "right to roam" exists for walkers only, and not horse riders. Secondly, it covers very specific areas, and not all of scotland. I personally live in the SouthEast of the UK and I would not dream of riding "off piste". I stick to the bridlepaths and tracks that I specifically have permission to use. I think horse riders need support from farmers, and riding on their fields without permission is only going to get all horse riders in trouble.

You can look on this website for the specific parts of the Uk that are covered by this legislation. http://www.ramblers.org.uk/freedom/righttoroam

 

[Jingleballs]

In Scotland, rider have significantly more rights when it comes to access -

"Under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, horse-riders and carriage drivers enjoy a right of access to most land in Scotland, provided that they behave responsibly. Land managers in turn are obliged to respect equestrian access rights and take proper account of the right of responsible access in managing their land."

"Access rights can be exercised over most land and inland water in Scotland including:
most paths and tracks
open countryside – hills, mountains, moorland, grassland
land in which crops have not been sown, including stubble
margins of fields where crops are growing or have been sown
grass fields provided they are not hay or silage fields at a late stage of growth
woodland and forestry
riverbanks, loch shores, beaches and the coast"

I only have to ask out of courtesy and do actually have the right to ride in most of the fields around me but as I mentioned, I'd prefer to speak to the landowner first - if I can find out who they are!

 

[andraste]

^^

Au contraire, in Scotland, the Outdoor Access code definitely covers horse riders and it covers almost all land - see this page for exclusions:

http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/outdoors-responsibly/your-access-rights/

I'd still ask first though - it's only polite.

 

[Jingleballs]

Ems207 - did you find that the farmers were quite receptive to your requests then? I'm hoping it will be the same here although I doubt it which is frustrating as I do have the right to access the fields and would be doing it responsibly.

I'm going to try and get in touch with our most local farmer to speak to him - I expect he'll say not but if you don't ask and all that.

 

[TPO]

I can't stand the "right to roam"/Countryside Access code in Scotland! Not aimed at OP just that so many people use it in the wrong way, sometimes getting themselves killed in the process, and cause so much damage & expense to farmers. Bring back trespass laws in Scotland I say - rant over!

Agree 100% with Horseyscot's post. If farmer says "no" I'd respect his wishes as I know of several who have asked permission and when it's been refused they've taken a "screw you" mentality and ridden in the fields regardless.

 

[Chestnuttymare]

I wouldn't dream of using someone elses land without asking their permission. We have some lovely stubble fields around here and am friendly with the farmer and have been given permission to use them. He knows that I would only use the edges and would always ride at a walk first to see how the ground is.
I can't believe anyone has the cheek to ride without asking the farmer first. No wonder horsey people have the reputation of being arrogant.
The field gates are left open for easy access for the tractors, not as an open invitation to people to go hooning around the field.

 

[Mups]

In Scotland it is not so much a "right to roam" as a right to "responsible access" which is subject to certain conditions.

What this means in terms of riding in fields is that technically you can ride through a field (so long as you are not disturbing livestock/damaging crops etc) to access other land etc OR ride around a field once under the access code. If you use the field for repetitive fittening work or schooling then it is a different type of use and you would be required to ask the permission of the land owner.

"Anyone wishing to carry out any of the activities listed below, on land which they don’t own/manage, should seek prior permission from the land owner / manager:
 repetitive schooling
 use of facilities such as custom made gallops or cross country jumps
 building structures such as jumps or obstacles"

It is best practice to ask the land owners permission first in any case - and in most instances you would get a positive reaction. What most people object to as has been previously mentioned is people galloping round in adverse weather conditions and churning up the ground.

For more information follow this link which deals specifically with equestrian access.

http://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/A404614.pdf

Hope this helps!

 

[Decision_Tree]

Ems207 - did you find that the farmers were quite receptive to your requests then? I'm hoping it will be the same here although I doubt it which is frustrating as I do have the right to access the fields and would be doing it responsibly.

I'm going to try and get in touch with our most local farmer to speak to him - I expect he'll say not but if you don't ask and all that.

I am very lucky and never had any problems but I think its because the farmers have never had anyone abusing the fields or generally peeving them off. The chap who owns the largest farm has a yard of horses too so that is a major advantage! But I also ride on land which is owned by a banker and he is happy for us to use it too, so just shows non-horsey and horsey people can both be welcoming.

 

[ClobellsandBaubles]

will watch with interest being new to riding in scotland
Have ridden in one field so far without permission. i say field in a very loose sense as it was a bit of scrub land with nearly all the fence on the ground and some one had been doing far more damage with a dirt bike before i got there, so i hope this was ok, i was hiding from lorries and boy racers

 

[Dry Rot]

Have you considered Forestry Commission woodlands? Around here, the forests are so huge that we were seriously thinking of using telemetry in case there was an accident and the rider could not be located! I did see a notice about dog fouling so phoned the local office and asked if we should pick up horse poo. They just laughed and made it clear that responsible riders were more than welcome -- and it would be quite OK to leave the poo behind.

 

[AengusOg]

This may have been said already...if so, I apologise.

There is no such thing as a 'right to roam', in Scotland or anywhere else for that matter.

Horse riders do have a Right of Responsible Access, as outlined in the Countryside Access Code. This means that they have rights to enter land which does not belong to them, provided they do so responsibly and respect the livelihoods and privacy of the owner(s) of that land.

It's only common sense and courtesy to ask permission to ride on farm land, and it is wise to do so as well because there are often chemicals used on farmland at certain times of year.

Grass fields are usually either grazed or grown for forage, so a farmer would be quite likely to get annoyed if someone rode over his grass.

Ask permission and respect the rights of those you seek to use for your fun.