Random question about hedges on hacks

[norolim]

So I went on a group hack recently and there was one point where the bridleway was quite tight with overgrown thorny bushes/hedges on either side.

It was tight enough that at some points my legs were so close to the hedges that my feet were being caught and pulled about and my boots are all scratched up, with some quite deep scratches.

It was only a very short stretch but what is the best and safest thing to do in this situation other than going another way - keep your feet in the stirrups or take your feet out/bring stirrups up?

I've been down paths like this a few times on different hacks with different people and nothing has ever been mentioned other than "its a bit tight up here so be careful" sort of thing and I've never noticed what other people do.

Thanks!

 

[AmyMay]

You should contact the bridleways officer at your local council to report it as almost unusable and request it’s cut back.

 

[paddy555]

So I went on a group hack recently and there was one point where the bridleway was quite tight with overgrown thorny bushes/hedges on either side.

It was tight enough that at some points my legs were so close to the hedges that my feet were being caught and pulled about and my boots are all scratched up, with some quite deep scratches.

It was only a very short stretch but what is the best and safest thing to do in this situation other than going another way - keep your feet in the stirrups or take your feet out/bring stirrups up?

I've been down paths like this a few times on different hacks with different people and nothing has ever been mentioned other than "its a bit tight up here so be careful" sort of thing and I've never noticed what other people do.

Thanks!

I've ridden down those sort of paths a lot and have never thought about what to do. I keep my feet in the stirrups. Often I am laying down over the neck to avoid the branches above so the stirrups help.

What I usually do if it is local and I want to use it a lot is go back with a pair of nippers and folding saw and cut back the worst. Horse stands and waits patiently for me and he does his share by eating his way through it.

 

[Red-1]

If it were local, I too would go back with garden shears.

 

[Horseysheepy]

Lost many hat silks and whips and scratched arms on brambles and low branches, and the odd poo bag swinging in the face ( how they end up there I do not know). But contact the local bridleway person who are normally good if you have issues with blocked accesses.
Have sorted out a small section myself with slash hook before and cut back brambles taking over a gateway, but there is help out there.

 

[rabatsa]

When riding the tracks I always had a pair of secateurs in my pocket. When out with the RDA carriages the cyclists had some loppers and sorted places out before the next driver went round.

 

[Goldenstar]

We clear the overgrowth on the bridleways we use .

 

[AmyMay]

We clear the overgrowth on the bridleways we use .

We often used to have clearing parties.

 

[planete]

Bushes are growing very fast at this time of year and it is a job to keep everything trimmed back as fast as it is growing so local users helping is a good move.

 

[MereChristmas]

Boasting here, but I am not involved in this. Our local bridleways association won a BHS Commendation last year, I think. They have a regular day and meet to clear bushes etc and repair gates.

 

[adamntitch]

i lift my legs up in front of the saddle pad lol but only if i know the horse and safe to do so

 

[dogatemysalad]

Report to Rights of Way officer at the county Council, or do what I did and bring your husband salong on a hack with some clippers.

 

[Dave's Mam]

County Council are your point of contact if it's a bridleway, however no mechanical cutting back will be done until August due to nesting birds.

 

[norolim]

Great ideas thank you. Will contact local council/see if our hacking group can get together and do some cutting back