People with guns...

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Billabongchick

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Have to wonder about some people's white matter... We were returning from a hack at dusk the other day and as we rode past a field of horses on the track towards home the horses suddenly came careering up the field flat out. Luckily our two looked and pretty much ignored them but the reason became apparent when we turned the corner.

A guy with a gun was stood eyeing up a pigeon in the tree and despite looking round and seeing us approaching a matter of yards away put his gun up and starting lining up the pigeon! I called and asked him politely to wait until we had passed and he then dropped the gun down but clearly had I not said anything would have just fired away! What an absolute tool! We were quite flabbergasted that he did what he did!
 
Ask if he had permission, I've had trouble with shooters in my neighbours fields, they say they have his ok, till I pointed out to him they spent most of their time shooting beer cans and that I would hold him responsable if my horses injured themselves, when they were about. I actually cut down a large bramble patch on the boundary so my mare could see them coming as they use to too take her by surprise and she churned up her paddock badly that it needs reseeding badly.
 
It's a public footpath that runs between the fields in quite a busy area with a few houses and livery yards either end. There are a few teenage kids who have asked permission to rabbit the empty fields and they are fine and respectful but this guy was clearly a total idiot and unaware that he could have caused a major accident! Don't think you can do/say much if public throughway but hopefully he'll think twice next time.
 
Shot gun or air rifle?
You aren't meant to shoot a shot gun on public paths (not sure if illegal or just good practice)
don't think much could do if air rifle although they don't make much if any sound so not as much an issue.
Just from the shooters perspective he may have been in the zone and not seen you- i know OH sometimes gets that but then he shoots private land only so not an issue really.
 
I was riding on a road and went past a field where a fellow was shooting grouse; had a shotgun and a labrador. The dog scared up a grouse and it flew between me and hunter. Within a split second, he took aim at the grouse, I looked at him, he looked at me, and he decided that firing a shotgun in my general direction wasn't wise. A minute later, as I was still ambling past, the dog scared another grouse in the opposite direction. The hunter shot at this one and I learned that my horse wasn't afraid of gunshots, even though I nearly jumped out of the saddle when that thing went off.
 
We have a clay shoot very close to us which disturbes the whole valley, so noisy that horses do not worry about bangs on firework night.

When shot was landing/crossing the highway the police were involved, so I can not see that it is legal for someone to shoot where it puts public at risk or it crosses public right of way.
 
When I lived in Rutland we lived near a shooting area and they put a red flag up .. feels very dangerous if the don't could be a kid for goodness sake! Sounds like it's unlawful
 
This is a PDF the BASC published last year which states everyone's rights regarding shooting on public rights of way - it specifically relates to safe use of fire arms near bridleways:
http://www.basc.org.uk/download.cfm/docid/8201D2D3-E4B1-4333-B24BA94A9790765C

As you will see from the article, when shooting close to public highways you must be further than 50ft away, however you are entitled to shoot on other rights of way, but it is good practice to be a safe distance away and not to be causing anyone any concern.

I suppose then it is a matter of judgement - how far away from a horse is a sensible distance not to cause concern - different people will have a different opinion on what that is.
 
I see people with guns by the field my pony is kept at all the time. Never heard them shoot though, I normally see them when they're on their way back/on their way. In one of the other fields there's an old abandoned car in there, I noticed a few bullet holes in the windows, not sure how long they've been there though (No horses are in that field at the moment).
 
I went for a 3rd viewing on a horse on Sunday ... well more of a stop by for a cuddle :o .... and he was so busy watching the clay pigeon shoot a few fields away, lol. He just stood watching them for ages. apparently they do it every other Sunday but wouldnt like it on my door step on a Sunday morning, lol :rolleyes:
 
RunToEarth said:
As you will see from the article, when shooting close to public highways you must be further than 50ft away, however you are entitled to shoot on other rights of way, but it is good practice to be a safe distance away and not to be causing anyone any concern.
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There is no way in hell this guy was 50ft away, more like 30, and he was stood on the actual footpath aiming at a high angle into tree above (with houses behind the wooded strip he was shooting into). He just dropped the gun and gave a half smile when I asked him to wait so maybe he wasn't quite all there... quite worrying! There is now a new foal in one of the adjacent paddocks so I hope he doesn't shoot there again.
 
Billabongchick said:
There is no way in hell this guy was 50ft away, more like 30, and he was stood on the actual footpath aiming at a high angle into tree above (with houses behind the wooded strip he was shooting into). He just dropped the gun and gave a half smile when I asked him to wait so maybe he wasn't quite all there... quite worrying! There is now a new foal in one of the adjacent paddocks so I hope he doesn't shoot there again.
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I think you misunderstand - bridleways and footpaths are not highways, and legally you can shoot on them as long as you own the shooting rights or have permission from the person that does, however it is good practice (not law) to be mindful of other people when shooting. Different people will have different perceptions of what a sensible distance away from a horse is - my OH and his friends shoot at home a lot, whilst I am riding as our horses are not bothered by gunshot, therefore their/my perception of a sensible distance may be different to yours.

In addition, if the guy was shooting with an air rifle (added extras would probably be scope and silencer - not a bad thing) air rifles are not covered by legislation surrounding shotguns - they are perceived less dangerous.
 
I don't see the issue with this our horses are completely unconcerned by shooting even very close to them.
People have the right to shoot pidgeon OP's horse did not get scared man did not shoot but waited when asked , why should he converse with her if he did not want to.
As the the comment about the foal is it really reasonable to expect vermin control to be stopped because it might spook a horse in a field.
 
Goldenstar said:
I don't see the issue with this our horses are completely unconcerned by shooting even very close to them.
People have the right to shoot pidgeon OP's horse did not get scared man did not shoot but waited when asked , why should he converse with her if he did not want to.
As the the comment about the foal is it really reasonable to expect vermin control to be stopped because it might spook a horse in a field.
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It was the "maybe he wasn't all quite there" comment following him doing as OP asked, and then having the audacity to smile at her that actually wound me up. Given the recent weather, crops being behind and pidgeon damage I doubt many people would have been so obliging. I would actually argue that horses who have been exposed to gunshot from a young age are at an advantage, especially with gas guns becoming more frequently used.
 
I think people worry more about guns than horses and exposing them to gun fire at an early age is a good thing

I've been busy training mine to accept a blank firing pistol to be fired from their back. Paddocking them near a clay pigeon place would be ideal !!
 
I don't have a problem with people shooting at all as long as it is done safely; and as I said previously the horses are used to shooting in the distance as it happens regularly due to relatively open land with wooded enclosures.

However whatever he was shooting with obviously was noisy enough to scare the horses in field (again I'm not saying it's a bad thing for horses to have loud noises nearby for them to get used to and I am happy for our youngster to be accustomed to as many sights and sounds as possible and am not one to wrap her in cotton wool). However, just because your own horses are accustomed to it as it is something that you do on your own land does not mean that every horse will be unreactive to it or have been acclimatised to it and for that reason you should show caution in a situation like that unless you just don't care? It is like saying that because you often drive a loud motorbike near your horse and it is fine (because it is used to it) that you would be equally confident riding the loud motorbike close past a strange horse on the road and that nothing would happen :confused:

What I was saying is that he looked around and saw us very close by and riding towards him (literally about a minute away from the yard next to several houses) and then still put the gun up to shoot when we were 20-30 feet away or perhaps less. I personally just don't think that is a rational or sensible decision to make and if it were me shooting I would have waited rather than potentially spook two relatively large horses on a narrow track? I am glad he was polite and waited (and I was polite in the way that I asked and smiled at him/said thanks) but I just don't understand why he would have contemplated doing it and had I not called out yes, it could have caused a serious issue.
 
Some people really should not have guns (well everyone IMO as I hate shooting). I remember as a kid riding along a track on my own, when I came over the hill to find a group of men with their guns, they saw me but then a pheasant flew out and they all just started firing! My very sensible pony did a very ubrupt spin and tried to take off down the track but ended up against the fence, catching the heel of his shoe under a line of wire. He was freaking out, I had to leap off and spent ages trying to free him (on my own, was only about 12!) and finally managed. But those stupid stupid men, some of them SAW how my pony reacted yet not one of them bothered to come and check on us. Nasty.
 
As I understand it, you are not allowed to be in a public place with an uncovered gun and if shooting near a public highway, be it footpath, bridleway etc you have to be a certain distance from that highway; regardless of whether or not you have permission to shoot on the land that is being crossed by said highway. Well, that was the way it was explained to me when I used to shoot with an air rifle anyway.

tbh it sounds like you caught someone doing something he shouldn't be in a place where he shouldn't have been and possibly he only accommodated your request because he knew he'd be in really deep hot water if you happened to report him to the Police. With a bit of luck you've scared him enough simply by speaking to him and you won't find him there again.
 
I don't think it matters if it's on your own land or not horses need to be accustomed to shooting ,motorcycles, bikes combine harvesters , tractors pulling trailers full of stock double decker buses lorries if they are to be safe to be out and about on .
Nothing happened you asked him not to fire he did not .
I don't have shooting on my own land as I loath it but many of the farmers around us do so I have trained the horses not to be bothered .
 
3OldPonies said:
As I understand it, you are not allowed to be in a public place with an uncovered gun and if shooting near a public highway, be it footpath, bridleway etc you have to be a certain distance from that highway; regardless of whether or not you have permission to shoot on the land that is being crossed by said highway. Well, that was the way it was explained to me when I used to shoot with an air rifle anyway.

tbh it sounds like you caught someone doing something he shouldn't be in a place where he shouldn't have been and possibly he only accommodated your request because he knew he'd be in really deep hot water if you happened to report him to the Police. With a bit of luck you've scared him enough simply by speaking to him and you won't find him there again.
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I'm sorry but that is just not correct, and I have posted a link to the guidance BASC published last year stating what you can and cannot do regarding rights of way and shotguns, air rifles carry much less legislation. A Highway is also very different from a public right of way (PROW), therefore whilst you have to be 50feet from a highway with a shotgun, you are legally allowed to shoot on a PROW however it is good practice to shoot whilst not causing anyone concern.

I think the OP was sensible to ask the guy not to shoot, and sensible for him to do as she asked, however suggesting he had been "caught out" is just a wild guess on your part.
 
I agree with runtoearth.

I have a shot gun license, my OH has a shooting business. People shoot. End of. He saw you, stopped shooting.

And an air rifle gives a small amount of noise, horses are far more likely to be scared of a man in camo suddenly appearing than the noise of an air rifle.

If you live or ride in the countryside, you have to deal with countryside sports. There is probably some bloke on a shooting forum complaining about a dizzy horse rider!
 
Jen_Cots said:
I think people worry more about guns than horses and exposing them to gun fire at an early age is a good thing

I've been busy training mine to accept a blank firing pistol to be fired from their back. Paddocking them near a clay pigeon place would be ideal !!
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Whilst having a field near any sort of noise helps with training, it not so nice to live next to, we live just above a clay shoot and some days the noise is like living in a war zone, but the ponies do not bother, however my dog gets extremely distressed by the noise, and so far we have not found anyway to relieve his distress.

People wear ear defenders when shooting, but as neighbours we can hardly spend our lives in ear defenders waiting for the next volley!
 
No, riding on a bridleway/lane that joins two livery yards end to end. Single car width with multiple users including dog walkers, riders and family walkers as it links to a country park. The land is owned by the man who owns our yard and I doubt he would have given permission to shoot if the guy with the gun is from where I think he's from as he gets fed up of them fly tipping. A few people have permission to rabbit in empty fields though.
 
My dad used to get that, as the guy who owns all the fields round his house lets some guys shoot in it. One day they were shooting towards dads house and covered his car - and the ponies - in shot...........so she shot back at them and they shat themselves and got the message. He did also call the guy to get him to tell the men to wise up. They were foreign but surely shooting at a field full of animals and a residence is clearly NOT the done thing.
 
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