Re-routing a walk

Tiddlypom

Tiddlypom

Carries on creakily
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Which is what we did yesterday, after being followed along a designated footpath (which cuts across a field) by a crowd of curious equine youngsters!

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OH, me and the JRT are currently part way through a series of linked local circular walks. I'm pretty wary when it comes to crossing fields with cattle in, and I'd breathed a sigh of relief when we'd just gone through one without incident.

Then on to this field, and I could see the horses in the distance, and thought 'That's fine, I can cope with horses!' The JRT is on a short lead, and he's utterly unbothered by equines, and the OH generally obeys voice commands too...

Well, the herd decided that we were the cabaret for the day, and swiftly moved over for a closer look. They were not the slightest bit deterred by me clapping and waving my arms and telling them to shoo off, and they pretty much surrounded us. I scooped up the dog, and keeping to the fence rather than the path across the field, we marched swiftly to the stile and over it into the thankfully stock free adjacent field. We had time to turn and admire the herd of 17 youngsters from safety.

Then on consulting our walking guide book, we realised that we should not have crossed the stile, but should have instead stayed in the horses's field and walked along the fence line for another half mile or so. Err, no :). Luckily, the map showed a longer dog leg on proper footpaths which avoided that option, and seeing as the horses were showing no signs of dispersing, we took it.

It was a lovely autumn day to enjoy the Cheshire countryside.
 
Lovely youngsters but, when there are that many, I can see it becoming a bit worrying if they start crowding you. I have often hopped walls or fences to avoid having to walk through cattle. Glad you enjoyed your walk.
 
Thanks, GSD.
MurphysMinder said:
Wise move I would say Is that round the Sandstone trail/Bickerton Hills ?
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Yes, it is :). We're walking the length of the Sandstone Trail, in a series of 13 circular daily walks. This spot is near Utkinton, Tarporley, it's near the Sandstone Trail but not part of it. We've lived hereabouts for years, but we're getting a whole new perspective of the area doing these walks.

I'm not very brave in a field of strange horses at the best of times, after being kicked in a field as a teenager. I wouldn't have risked this one if I'd known they were youngsters! Nice types, though.

The JRT is a mature gentleman of 13 years. He's coping really well with the walks as long as we go on a cooler, overcast day. We did 9 miles yesterday, and he's bright as anything today.
 
I had this happen last year. Being fairly new to the area I asked a local elderly lady about a footpath I'd seen to walk my dog (older collie) she told me I couldn't use it as there were horses in the field who would try to kill my dog.
I took this with a pinch of salt thinking I'm younger, fitter perfectly used to horses... wish I'd listened 😂
Won't be making that mistake again in a hurry!
 
Wouldn't ever walk through a field of horses after the accident, but even before then, I was wary! I took the dog to catch in one day, horse was through one field into the next. A herd of 20 horses created a tighter and tighter circle, my horse was walking alongside me on a halter and kept trying to stamp on the dog! I had to call the dog in as he was the object they were tightening around. I almost pooed myself, I was terrified for him. I let my horse go and scarpered over a nearby fence.
 
I'm glad I'm not the only one wary of cows and strange horses. I've been doing different walks with Stanley, trying to find ways of doing a circular walk of the right length as he's still a pup. today I set off with a plan in mind, to be met by a herd of cows blocking the footpath, we turned around smartly and we went elsewhere!
 
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