People hiding when you hack

dreamcometrue

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Why do they do it? Especially people with dogs.

They see you coming and ensconce themselves in the hedgerow, in a gateway or behind a tree so your horse then thinks they are waiting there to catch and eat them.

I had to ask several to come out and show themselves please because my horse wasn't going to come past whilst they rustled in the bushes!
 

1234567890

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I know what you mean !!! LOL
I think they think they are doing the right thing by standing back but it has the opposite effect when I ride !
 

GeeGeeboy

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This is so true! I know they're trying to help but it's really annoying! Maybe we should make it our mission to educate all our non-horsey friends to not do it!
 

thatsmygirl

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I get this so often, my horses are fine while they see them and then in a blink of a eye they are gone. Happens all the time.
 

maisie06

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I had one last week! He was walking his dogs and saw me and hid behind a bush!! I politely called out to him it was fine to come past me and as he came out and walked up to us he said he didn't want to spook the horse as he had two excitable terriers, so I said to him that most horses are better if they can see the dogs from a distance rather than a sudden appearance!! He was a really nice man and he really didn't know and was pleased that I told him and said he would be more aware of horses in future!!
 

Shantara

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My friends once almost made a horse rider fall off. They were getting a bit...busy...in the bushes lol!

I always stand to the side, but make sure the horse has seen me. I've been caught out a few times by people hiding from me :p
 

nicelittle

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Yes I hate this.
However, the worst one I had was an elderly man with a HUGE german shepherd, as I approached he asked the dog to lay down, and I thought 'Great!' , as I started to walk past I thanked him, 'Why are you thanking me?' he said, and with that the dog leapt up barking and snapping and myself and the horse made a quick exit over a 4ft gorse bush from a standstill!!! Once I managed to pull up I had half a gorse bush to remove from his brushing boot.
 

Littlelegs

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They only do it because they're being polite & think its helpful. I very much doubt the average non-horsey person thinks 'hey, here's a prey animal, I'll hide in a bush like a predator & scare them'. If you shout 'thankyou, lovely morning' or similar as you approach they generally shout in return & your horse realises its just a person.
 

poppet

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It's usually people that walk dogs that seem to do it when I am out on our cycle track. They step into the side and you can see them ok but the dog is usually buried in the long grass.

Luckily I ride my friends horse who doesn't care if mystery dogs jump out on him, but I do wonder sometimes about other horses !!
 

9tails

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LOL, I have to call them out of hiding too. We also have a scout camp nearby and they go on walks with their backpacks on in full camouflage gear. For some reason, they've been told to stand in a line beside the road with their backs to horses and heads down. They are without fail the scariest things that my horse has ever seen.
 

NightOwl

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I have to disagree, well in some cases at least. I have a HUGE German shepherd who despite being born on a yard with horses hates them and will try and attack any he comes across. We hide in the bushes etc to avoid an injured horse and dog and any persons involved.
 

Suelin

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This used to happen a lot when I was a kid and exercised on Army training grounds. You'd come around a corner of a wood to find half a battalion of troops all in camouflage gear. Ponies used to get quite a start!!
 

Bikerchickone

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We get this all the time, but I'd much rather they hide in the bushes with their dogs than leave them loose to chase us along the road, which happened to me several times last week, always the same dog too :(

I usually shout a hello and then they answer so my horse knows they're there. Do the same with cyclists too! :)
 
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