Riding 2 abreast?????

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moneypit1

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So ok, when (if at all) is it ok to ride two abreast? I was always told that you put young, inexperienced horses on the inside and a good steady 100% on the outside.. also I was told it slows the traffic down! Any views..??????????????
 
i rode 2 abreast when i was out with my friend! i was (still am really) a nervous rider and she was on quinn who is pretty safe! i was on barney who has some life in him lets say! but this person swore at us because we were 2 abreast! my mate said would you rather your car kicked because the horse gets scared or what? and the person drove off! it was down a lane and about 5 yards up there was a gateway we could stop and let him pass in! but he new best!
 
IMO - When the road is wide enough to allow taffic to pass, wouldn't do it on blind bends etc... It definately does slow the traffic, as stops them trying to squeeze past when there is a car coming the other way too.
 
We always do unless it is too narrow for cars to pass safely. You also find they slow down more and resist temptation to 'squeeze' past.
 
As I am possibly the worst hacker ever I sometime ride two abreast.

Normally I will go single file on lanes e.t.c, but when we have to ride down a super busy road, we ride two abreast and trot. The wiser horse goes on the outside. We slow traffic down that comes towards us. This is normally short distances however.

Also if on a lane and there are no passing places close, we ride two abreast to stop people trying to squeeze past. Again for a short distance and in trot until we can let them pass.

TBH I don't care if people get upset behind us, we are doing what is safe for us and their car! It is not for long and is safer for me and my novice horse.
 
we ride 2 abreast all the time although the roads are very minor, most of the time, we don't even see a car so it's not the same.
Depends on which horses we have out to, Connie and Blacky always like to walk beside each other or the one a tthe back gets all stressed lol.
 
My friend got stopped by the police once and told it was safest to ride 2 abreast as it prevents cars from trying to squeeze past.
 
Im sure there is some 'rule' somewhere that says you should ride 2 abreast when the road is a reasonable size to do so. I seem to remember seeing something somewhere in my deep distant youth!!
 
According to the Highway code it states the following

39: When riding on the road you should

keep to the left
keep both hands on the reins unless you are signalling
keep both feet in the stirrups
not carry another person
not carry anything which might affect your balance or get tangled up with the reins
keep a horse you are leading to your left
move in the direction of the traffic flow in a one-way street
never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file where the road narrows or on the approach to a bend

40: You MUST NOT take a horse on to a footpath, pavement or cycle track. Use a bridleway where possible.
Laws HA 1835 sect 72 & R(S)A sect 129(5)

41: Avoid roundabouts wherever possible. If you use them you should

keep to the left and watch out for vehicles crossing your path to leave or join the roundabout
signal right when riding across exits to show you are not leaving
signal left just before you leave the roundabout.

I have no problem with anyone riding two abreast particularly with an inexperienced rider on roads or a young and nervous horse.
What has really angered me lately though is two young female individuals who have little or no regard for the highway code who are repeatedly riding on footpaths. By footpaths I mean one's adjacent to a main road. I think I was told politely by one to fck off when I informed them correctly that they should not be riding on the pavement and then they argued back at another motorist who had said something to them. Don't know what was said though.
It really angers me though as people like this give considerate riders who use the roads correctly a bad name.
I have ridden two abreast only during times when it was safe to do and in which I would not cause an obstruction to traffic. I have not been able to do it on my horse though yet lol as the roads have been too narrow to ride alongside someone else as my lad is so wide lol.
Cazx
 
I ride two abreast and then we go into single file when a car approaches from either direction. If the car is not slowing down we stay two abreast to slow it down. I go single file as a courtesy to polite drivers and always acknowledge them when they pass wide and slow. I reserve other hand signals for drivers who feel it is OK to whizz past!!!
 
I do occassionally ride two abreast when Daisy is having a nervy day. last time I did it though we got abuse from someone coming down the other side of the road???? What did it matter to him if we were well within our side of the white line?

On Cazee's point I will admit to riding on pavements in specific circumstances. My last horse Gypsy was kep on an urban farm in Leeds, he was as close to bomb proof as you can be and we rode him on lots of roads but there was one place where we rode on the pavement for a very short section because the very busy A road had metal railings down both sides to protect people on the pavement. If there had been a problem on the road and he had panicked it could have been really dangerous with him being held in by the railings. It was a nice wide pavement, I always moved right over if I saw anyone coming and I never had any complaints. I think that sometimes using your common sense means that riding on the pavement is the safest option.
 
We always ride two abreast. Obviously if the road is too narrow, or you are on a bend you should then go single file.
 
The Highway Code doesn't specify where you should or shouldn't ride two abreast but I tend to do is this:

Ride 2 abreast but when a car approaches, look directly at the driver, (if from behind, stop yacking to each other and turn to look if necessary). Once you have eye contact and are satisfied they have started to slow down, move into single file to let them pass and thank them.

I find this works because they HAVE to slow down for you but get the 'reward' of you moving over and they think you've done them a favour. What antagonises me as a motorist is riders not wearing Hi vis gear and those that are too busy talking to concentrate or show consideration.
 
Dwi fair enough on the pavements in that situation but these girls do not have to ride on them. They do so because the main roads up here are not that wide and it is so they can have a natter. Thing is there are 2 bridletracks in between the roads they have ridden on so why not chat along there.
I have twice seen them on the pavement and on both occasions it was unjustified ie no hazards unlike in your case.
I am almost sure it is them who had ridden along the pavement just outside houses ( terraced) along the main road so as not to ride around parked cars. Well what if someone with a kid just happened to have begun to push a buggy out of one those doors what then?
I could not prove it was them as I did not see them on that occasion. Twice horse sh*t has been left on pavement too. On one occasion it was on the pavement outside the houses on main road where I live and so a horse had def been along there. I never go on it with my horse. I ride around the cars so why should anyone else be any different. If they cannot handle the horse in that situation then they should not be on the roads in the first place. You cannot just sidestep on to a narrow foot path right outside houses when you just feel like it imo.
Almost certain same people as they are the only one's I have seen riding on the footpaths.
Almost certain they don't wear hi viz either as cannot remember seeing it on them or their horses. I never leave the yard with out it. I have hi viz hat cover, jacket and dougal wears hi viz tail bandage and boots on hind legs. He is a big horse so you can't miss him but that is not the point. I agree custardsmum that hi viz should be worn and imo an essential part of riding kit on the roads. It should be compulsory.
Rant over lol.
Cazx
 
My friend was having a few problems from members of the public being abusive about riding 2 abrest (though this wa years ago) so she asked a police officer and they said you should always ride 2abrest unless road is too narrow or windey as, as someone above has said it is safer as cars will not try to zoom past and squeeze through as they cant fit! then once they have slowed down it is easier for you to move to single file then allow them to come past with a nice calm horse and happy driver.

and if you think about it you will never see police horses in single file!
if i ride out i will ride single file on roads though
 
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