Riding Access (Gates and Cattle)

The op only gets off as she said her horse is frightened, which to me implies if they move when she's on foot, they aren't a danger. Although I've never had a problem, I'm not discounting the possibility that some cattle may refuse to move for a horse getting through, even with the mounted rider making a fuss. But in that situation I doubt they'd have a great deal of respect if the rider got off to wade through on foot. I know if I felt threatened by cattle I wouldn't be getting off my horse to experiment with the cattles ground manners. And if I had to dismount purely because inquisitive cattle frightened my horse, I'd accept that as my problem.
 
patterdale said:
Ditto littlelegs.

Also I don't think you can compare walkers with riders - the cattle see them completely differently.

Walkers also often have dogs which doesn't help.
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I believe there is a website that records incidents of horseriders being chased by cattle.

If I hadn't personally experienced it myself, I'd be sceptical too, but my horses have been chased by stallions on mountain rides, swarmed by bees from a hive and had sheepdogs nipping their back legs and coped brilliantly listening to instruction and getting us out of sticky situations. We aren't the type to get worried about untoward events while out and about. However, we are prudent and like to minise risks when possible and we have encountered one herd of cattle I wouldn't choose to pass through unless for very good reason.
 
Yes I agree that on RARE occasions cattle can chase properly. Usually however there is provocation of some kind, whether intentional or not.

However in this case the OP is clearly not being stampeded by mad cattle if she has time to stop and get off.

FTR I would think that getting off your horse is much more dangerous than staying put.
 
patterdale said:
It's not correct.

There is no law to say that gates on public roads have to be openable from horseback.
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You are quite right. Sorry.
I was not quite awake this morning :o

This (the gates) is something done by our local council for the local commons which have been increasingly enclosed & only kissing gates have been put in, apart from 1 major gate where the cattle are put in directly from a very busy main road. Council have got quite shirty with the (privately owned but full public access) common fencing as these v narrow gates allow only 1 horse through at a time into the holding pen & also have heavy duty springs causing them to be dangerous even with pushchairs etc.
 
Find the little man in the office that decides on these things,grab him stick him on a horse (the bigger the better)and tell him to ride the path! ;) Bet things would change bloody fast then :D
People talk a lot about "Just get off and open the gate" but I found out to my disbelief the other day that people complain because the can't get back on again...aparently the horse won't stand still :)
 
jinglejoys said:
People talk a lot about "Just get off and open the gate" but I found out to my disbelief the other day that people complain because the can't get back on again...aparently the horse won't stand still :)
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This makes me smile. Why should there not be cattle in fields because your horse is scared of them or why should all gates be doable mounted because you cant get back on whilst out hacking. I have heard these things come out of thier mouths and you just have to roll your eyes!
 
As for being able to open gates from horseback, being a lanky rider on a 14.2 I can open pretty much anything that has the lock above a few feet high. Even a rider friendly gate may be an issue though for a very short person on a 17.2, so how would you define openable whilst mounted? Include clauses specifying horse & rider have some rough lateral work to manoeuvre around gate?
 
We had cows and usually they were fine, but the new young herds that used to come to eat the grass, used to run after me on my horse all the time because they were so inquisitive. However, i can completely understand if you are not used to cows how terrifying it is to have a massive inquisitive animal running after you with 20 others, how are you to know they are just being nosy and will actually stop and not flatten you! Silly nosy cows :rolleyes:
 
Yes, but too many variables to leave it open to interpretation. Agreed there are some that are simple, others are openable dependent on how precisely you can line up the horse.
 
littlelegs said:
Yes, but too many variables to leave it open to interpretation.
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But that's just the issue, there are no variables. You can either open the gate or you can't. You either need to dismount or you don't. Regardless of what type of gate it is.
 
Not necessarily. I can define what I can & can't open from a smaller horse, but that changes slightly on a large, green horse who may not have precise footwork. Likewise if it was law would it have to be easy to open for a very novice rider who can't do either reinback or turn on the forehand? One gate in particular I used to hack through had two halves that both swung & no centre post so they only shut together. With a schooled horse, & a whip handle I had no problems with it. But I also knew a few who had issues closing it whilst mounted. Horse friendly is easy to define, but a legal requirement for them to be openable is entirely different.
 
If its a right of way it must be safely passable. TBH it sounds like it is to me. Being followed by cows and having to dismount to open gates don't really make it dangerous or impassable as far as I can see.
 
jinglejoys said:
Find the little man in the office that decides on these things,grab him stick him on a horse (the bigger the better)and tell him to ride the path! ;) Bet things would change bloody fast then :D
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That made me laugh. Local group of riders did exactly that. Got parish councillors to ride (with owners leading on foot) across a dual carriageway that linked a bridlepath.
Councillors agreed that it was a very useful exercise, (scary) and the result was a horse crossing across the carriageway.
 
If this is a public road then it is illegal to put a gate accross it. It should have cattle grids with a gate at the side of it suitable width for a horse or horse and cart. The gate must be able to be opened from horse back in the case of a ridden horse.

If the gate was on a bridleway then it must be easy to open from horseback. It is the landowners/farmers duty to ensure that the gate can be opened from horse back and it is in full working condition.

As regards livestock in a field crossed by a public right of way if an accident occured to a member of the public then it is the landowner/farmer who is responsible. (Actually this is the case if the member of the public is tresspassing). This is why it is so important for a landowner/farmer to have third party public liability insurance.

Where nuisance occurs to a member of the public using a public right of way by an animal then they can ask their local district council to use the 'Enviromental Act' as ammended to compel the farmer/landowner/owner to resolve the issue.

There are documented reports of cattle that have attacked and killed members of the public and this matter needs to be treated seriously.

The first port of call is to establish what the status of this track is. If it is a road or public right of way then contact the access department of the local County Council by writing to them by Royal Mail Special Delivery and asking them to advise you within 14 days what action they intend taking.

You can also contact your local BHS Bridleway officer who will be only to pleased to assist you. Phone the bhs www.bhs.org.uk and they will provide you with their contact details.
 
OWLIE185
If this is a public road then it is illegal to put a gate accross it. It should have cattle grids with a gate at the side of it suitable width for a horse or horse and cart. The gate must be able to be opened from horse back in the case of a ridden horse.

If the gate was on a bridleway then it must be easy to open from horseback. It is the landowners/farmers duty to ensure that the gate can be opened from horse back and it is in full working condition. ''


OWLIE you are incorrect! Please read the rest of the thread before replying.

There is no such law and it is NOT the responsibility of the landowner to ensure that gates are easily openable from horseback. No such law exists.

Please read the thread before posting.
 
Should say I ring council when path is getting unrideabledue to long grass and they are fab, they have also upgraded some of the gates. The ramblers association often seems to do this so no reason why it has to be landowners responsibilty, and sometimes councils do seem to improve gates if enough pressure is applied. or you speak nicely to the right person, and they have room in the budget.
It would be nice if gates had to be openable from horseback. 99% of the time my mare is perfect, think standing whilst I untie 3 dozen knots to open gate, other days I get off to open everything!
 
patterdale said:
OWLIE185
If this is a public road then it is illegal to put a gate accross it. It should have cattle grids with a gate at the side of it suitable width for a horse or horse and cart. The gate must be able to be opened from horse back in the case of a ridden horse.

If the gate was on a bridleway then it must be easy to open from horseback. It is the landowners/farmers duty to ensure that the gate can be opened from horse back and it is in full working condition. ''


OWLIE you are incorrect! Please read the rest of the thread before replying.

There is no such law and it is NOT the responsibility of the landowner to ensure that gates are easily openable from horseback. No such law exists.

Please read the thread before posting.
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Agree, there is no such duty. And even on bridlewats the gate on a bridleway has to easily openable and usable by all users including walkers and horseriders BUT that is NOT the same as having to be openable whilst mounted.

eg on bridleway what wouldnt be allowed would be:
self closers on gates which snap back quickly onto horses legs as you take them through
fenced enclusures of gates which are not wide enough for a horse to get through without catching riders legs./stirrups
gate fastening which are unusable or gates which have no working hinges so you have to lift the whole gate to get through.

A gate in good working order with a simple pull back trigger or thumb latch or hook and eye is completely legal on a bridleway even though you need to dismount to use it.
 
patterdale said:
OWLIE185
If this is a public road then it is illegal to put a gate accross it. It should have cattle grids with a gate at the side of it suitable width for a horse or horse and cart. The gate must be able to be opened from horse back in the case of a ridden horse.

If the gate was on a bridleway then it must be easy to open from horseback. It is the landowners/farmers duty to ensure that the gate can be opened from horse back and it is in full working condition. ''


OWLIE you are incorrect! Please read the rest of the thread before replying.

There is no such law and it is NOT the responsibility of the landowner to ensure that gates are easily openable from horseback. No such law exists.

Please read the thread before posting.
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You are incorrect.

Under the Local Government Act 1974, a council may permit a swing gate or cattle stop on a public road.
Apparently,the council can revoke permission if they think its an inconvenience or if local residents petition against it.
The person who sought permission has to maintain the gate. While I don't think there is a law that states it has to be openable from horseback, they may take issue if the gate is difficult to open and shut.
So while a law doesn't exist for the gate to be suitable for mounted horseriders, the council may be sympathetic and request the gate be adapted.
 
Just ridiculous.

Im not even bothering to correct you, go look it up.


FWIW it's this kind of self righteous attitude of entitlement that some riders seem to have, which makes most landowners so loathe to allow riders to cross their land.
 
any gates round here that can be opened from horse back are either so stiff they barely open or spring back so fast ur gonna get hit regardless :S

i think there should be a law that there must be a mounting block at every gate u have to get off for tho ha ha!!! :p
 
sallyballybee said:
spring back so fast ur gonna get hit regardless :S
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I don't mind most gates but I detest these. At my last yard there were swing gates with an extended latch specifically for horses. Several injuries and a couple of horses put down after getting stuck and smashing their way out. Mine just steamrolled through it :rolleyes: so that solving it for us.

I would rather pay for a new gate than have a swing shut one, far less hassle and less dangerous to turn around and shut it.

Pan
 
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