Put right off riding out

[AutumnDays]

Hi all, hope you are well?
This is a bit of a moan really, so I apologise, but what should have been a lovely hack out today was tainted by people who are inconsiderate of other road users. I guess I comes with the territory of living in a tourist destination county, and people going nuts now some restrictions are lifted (Wales), but today we encountered: a hoarde of road cyclists flying past us, from behind, no warning shout of approach, no thought given to distance on passing: a group of motorcycles, again from behind, no real effort of slowing down to pass, or giving space: and several cars forcing themselves past, including one who was so close my leg clipped the wing mirror!
All this was on country roads (bridleways are very scarce, and require a lot of road riding to get to), but ones with plenty of visability ahead, and we were wearing high viz, so it's not like they didn't see us until the last moment!
Mare was a superstar considering she could have decked me and buggered off to get out of these situations, but apart from some understandable spooks and snorts, she was really trying her heart out to deal with what was happening and listening to me talking to her. She has been much fussed and praised over, bless her, but I've said to her I won't be asking her to go through that again, and feel like putting the tack away and not bothering again, if this is a taster of what's to come.
Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope you are all having more luck and fun than us!

 

[Flame_]

I found this when I was "in the countryside" but not out in the sticks. It's just too busy to feel, or indeed be, safe. Soon hacking will be farm rides around field borders and other paid-for access on private land, that's it IMO.

 

[Lipglosspukka]

Summer soon. Tackle the hacking at the break of dawn when the roads are empty and the world is quiet. It's lovely.

 

[Bernster]

Hopefully a bit of post lock down and Easter holiday frenzy. I know what you mean though, they’re generally good around me but the odd one can be unsettling and easily spoil a ride out.

 

[Chappie]

Same here, ive hacked very little in the last year due to restrictions, lockdowns, extreme weather and a huge increase in all sorts of traffic and countryside use and even huge renovations in neighbouring gardens. I've only cantered once since the autumn.

I'm lucky to have use of a school sometimes, my horse isn't really keen but have done bits and pieces like ground work, polework and even walking out in-hand has been safer (smallish horse and good in-hand). The other thing I've tried is going out early, although still busy its been more manageable.

Can only hope it calms down in the long run, not sure my area will ever go back to the way it was though.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I hack round our roads at first light. I just dont enjoy doing battle with ignorant road users. Your horse sounds like a saint!

 

[cauda equina]

Me too
It's a bit of a pain being up so early but well worth it for the quieter roads, not to mention the absence of power tools when going through the village

 

[AutumnDays]

We usually walk in hand, as I don't usually feel the urge to saddle up, and today has kind of reminded me why! We did the whole early morning rides thing last year, but it was no better really, due to the heavy farm traffic (very argricultural area, lots of dairy farms)and the farmers had the same idea!!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Unfortunately sharing the roads with ignoramouses isn't a new thing. 30+ yrs ago we bought a Clydesdale mare and hacked her home. Less than 1/4 mile into the journey a horde of at least 20 cyclists came past us, whooping and hollering, literally as they passed her. Fortunately the mare simply ignored the lot of them. She was a fabulous horse to hack.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Same here. I find the delivery drivers who are on a ridiculous schedule and who don't know the lanes at all are the worst (and often the sat nav seems to send them crazy routes just because it's 100yds shorter than using the main road ?)

 

[Griffin]

Unfortunately sharing the roads with ignoramouses isn't a new thing. 30+ yrs ago we bought a Clydesdale mare and hacked her home. Less than 1/4 mile into the journey a horde of at least 20 cyclists came past us, whooping and hollering, literally as they passed her. Fortunately the mare simply ignored the lot of them. She was a fabulous horse to hack.

Totally agree with this, I can remember hacking about twenty years ago and having a few hairy incidents on country roads.

The BHS have just launched their 'Horse i' app to make it easier to report incidents on the roads. It is worth doing because locally we have had extra signs put up in areas where there have been a few near misses.

 

[AutumnDays]

Unfortunately sharing the roads with ignoramouses isn't a new thing

No, I completely understand that it isn't a new thing, I was just really surprised at encountering such a vast amount in a very short space of time!!

 

[PeterNatt]

Coblet Cymraeg Could I ask you to report this incident on the www.horseaccidents.org.uk web site. May thanks.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi all, hope you are well?
This is a bit of a moan really, so I apologise, but what should have been a lovely hack out today was tainted by people who are inconsiderate of other road users. I guess I comes with the territory of living in a tourist destination county, and people going nuts now some restrictions are lifted (Wales), but today we encountered: a hoarde of road cyclists flying past us, from behind, no warning shout of approach, no thought given to distance on passing: a group of motorcycles, again from behind, no real effort of slowing down to pass, or giving space: and several cars forcing themselves past, including one who was so close my leg clipped the wing mirror!
All this was on country roads (bridleways are very scarce, and require a lot of road riding to get to), but ones with plenty of visability ahead, and we were wearing high viz, so it's not like they didn't see us until the last moment!
Mare was a superstar considering she could have decked me and buggered off to get out of these situations, but apart from some understandable spooks and snorts, she was really trying her heart out to deal with what was happening and listening to me talking to her. She has been much fussed and praised over, bless her, but I've said to her I won't be asking her to go through that again, and feel like putting the tack away and not bothering again, if this is a taster of what's to come.
Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope you are all having more luck and fun than us!

Was your horse in hi viz or just you.

Most people look straight not up and might not see just a tabbard.
I always have hi viz on horse, as well as a go pro, and hi viz schooling whip which i stick out for extra room these ones https://www.charlies.co.uk/dublin-b...WxY6inn9AHBrMa3a2XbWNAQpxoCSEgQAvD_BwE#93=853




.

 

[AutumnDays]

Was your horse in hi viz or just you.

Most people look straight not up and might not see just a tabbard.
I always have hi viz on horse, as well as a go pro, and hi viz schooling whip which i stick out for extra room these ones https://www.charlies.co.uk/dublin-b...WxY6inn9AHBrMa3a2XbWNAQpxoCSEgQAvD_BwE#93=853




.

Me and the horse. She has this hi viz tail streamer to wear (makes it look like I've dyed her tail in neon orange!) and also chest strap, extras on bridle etc, as well as me with tabard, hat band etc. Maybe we blinded them?!

 

[SEL]

I share your pain! 1 mile to our bridlepaths on what should be a quiet A road and i hate it.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I have given up riding out at the weekends our woods and surrounding areas are just full of complete Muppets.

 

[Mrs C]

I feel your pain. I'm going to be out at 7.30 tomorrow. I only ride early and only weekends. I was talking to a friend recently saying the way forwards has to be boxing out. We are country roads and cars think because it's 60 they can do 60 and ignore the fact there's a lot of blind bends, no footpaths, narrow roads

 

[L&M]

We either ride out early or box to off road hacking - any other time of day feels like an accident waiting to happen.........I gave up riding and leading on our lanes years ago as just to dangerous.

 

[criso]

I think there's a bit of coming out of lockdown fever at the moment. Before other than organised rides, you rarely got more than 2 or 3 cyclists round here. Today I saw so many groups of 6, not 4 or 5 but exactly 6 which is the max allowed. I think it will calm down a bit in the coming weeks.

 

[Pippity]

Motorists around me are normally very good, but we encountered some absolutely muppets yesterday. Going down a road with cars parked on both sides (despite it being a no-parking area), and had three cars squeeze past so tight that Blue jumped onto the pavement to get away from them, and one who deliberately gunned his engine while going past.

And they definitely saw us - she had hi-viz legbands, quarter sheet, breastplate, and noseband, and I had t-shirt and hat silk. There was more hi-viz visible than actual horse.

 

[PurBee]

Hi all, hope you are well?
This is a bit of a moan really, so I apologise, but what should have been a lovely hack out today was tainted by people who are inconsiderate of other road users. I guess I comes with the territory of living in a tourist destination county, and people going nuts now some restrictions are lifted (Wales), but today we encountered: a hoarde of road cyclists flying past us, from behind, no warning shout of approach, no thought given to distance on passing: a group of motorcycles, again from behind, no real effort of slowing down to pass, or giving space: and several cars forcing themselves past, including one who was so close my leg clipped the wing mirror!
All this was on country roads (bridleways are very scarce, and require a lot of road riding to get to), but ones with plenty of visability ahead, and we were wearing high viz, so it's not like they didn't see us until the last moment!
Mare was a superstar considering she could have decked me and buggered off to get out of these situations, but apart from some understandable spooks and snorts, she was really trying her heart out to deal with what was happening and listening to me talking to her. She has been much fussed and praised over, bless her, but I've said to her I won't be asking her to go through that again, and feel like putting the tack away and not bothering again, if this is a taster of what's to come.
Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope you are all having more luck and fun than us!

There’s often thread about inconsiderate road users. Sad to read that people dont give space and time to slow down for horses.

I was wondering - is it possible to get a hi-viz over-vest workman-type vest that is written in bold black letters on the back: “PLEASE PASS WIDE & SLOW ?” - if not i’d be tempted to have some printed - pass them round to fellow riders - get feedback whether they’re helpful in changing peoples driving habit approaching road horses.

It seems people think if a horse is on the road, it is bombproof enough to handle everything and anything - like the blinkered tourist horses pulling traps - and if there’s bold written instructions how to drive by horses on the back of the rider’s hi-viz vest - it’ll hopefully help re-set their mis-guided pre-conceptions..?

 

[PurBee]

Maybe even have printed “speed kills horses, please pass slowly” on a hi-viz quarter sheet that hangs to a ‘V’ shape halfway down the tail?

I really think other’s just dont think horses are sensitive like they are. Many see them as machines that always do as the rider tells them, without having reactions of their own. It’s ignorance really and it sounds like the public need re-educating, reminding that horses can panic and cause injury or be injured if we’re fast and noisy around them.

Needs prime-time TV campaigns and radio adverts.

 

[PurBee]

Heres some lettered hi viz wear:

https://www.equus.co.uk/products/hy-equestrian-hi-viz-waistcoat-please-pass-wide-slow

 

[Pippity]

I was wondering - is it possible to get a hi-viz over-vest workman-type vest that is written in bold black letters on the back: “PLEASE PASS WIDE & SLOW ?” - if not i’d be tempted to have some printed - pass them round to fellow riders - get feedback whether they’re helpful in changing peoples driving habit approaching road horses.

My hacking buddy has that written on the back of his tabard. It does absolutely nothing.

To be honest, anybody who hasn't slowed down is going too fast to read it. Anybody who has slowed down doesn't need to read it.

 

[PurBee]

Cheaper same version:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pass-Wid...thCompV3Ranker&_trksid=p2047675.c101196.m2219

 

[PurBee]

My hacking buddy has that written on the back of his tabard. It does absolutely nothing.

To be honest, anybody who hasn't slowed down is going too fast to read it. Anybody who has slowed down doesn't need to read it.

jeez...! Thats just unbelievable people dont care

Time to go out with a lunging whip then ?

Or have helmet front and back cams and report all speeding plates to the police with video evidence of offence.

OR have a speeding camera sign printed on the back of the hi-viz..with “SPEED CAMERA” written on it! The subconscious mind will definitely see that and they’ll be very confused wondering if the police have now got mounted speed camera crews out! ?

 

[PurBee]

This is a great read - its legal too!

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/hi-viz-vest-remind-you-anything-5596480

instead - horse rider can have “POLITE notice SLOW DOWN”

 

[AutumnDays]

I have an orange one that says please pass wide and slow on it. Yesterday it may as well have said please pass close and fast!

 

[Bernster]

Mine says please pass wide and slow. My friend has one of the polite ones. She’s dressed in black, on a big bay, and quite bossy and they do tend to take notice of her!