Riding and the RAF....

[littleshetland]

This is more of a vent really....but Ive recently moved with the horses to a new place which is lovely but just one fly in the ointment...the RAF! At my old place, we were fairly near an international airport, so anything flying above tended to be at 20,000 feet - not a problem, but, alas..at the new place we're obviously not under the flight path and it feels like every time I get on the horse somebody, somewhere at an RAF base says "scramble!" and out come the Chinooks, bombers and fighter jets. I'm a bag of nerves. Poor horsey is scared enough without me having a melt down. I'm afraid I'm not being a very good team leader for him at the moment. Weirdly enough, as soon as we've finished riding...not a bloody plane anywhere! I'm sure I'll get over myself eventually and hopefully me and the horse will get used to it (fingers crossed).....but anyone else got any RAF tales? hints and tips to keep calm when a bloody great helicopter is just above your head?

 

[TPO]

Do you wear hi viz?

I'm sure there was some sort of RAF related initiative to avoid horse riders I'd they could see them in plenty of time

 

[windand rain]

My oh worked for the RAF served 22 years then another 25 as a civillian. The horses lived on the edge of the runway and never even lifted their heads from the grass. Red arrows displays met with disdain and amusement, chinooks with rubber boats hung underneath no problem, thunder flashes and machine guns a mere annoyance but if a leaf blew off a tree god help you

 

[littleshetland]

Yes, Hi Viz on, especially on hacks obviously. I was in the arena this morning (no Hi Viz on) and I heard one in the distance......trouble is they travel so fast they're above you in seconds of noticing the sound of them. My schooling session came to a rather abrupt end. I must apply brave pants and acquire nerves of steel as I really don't want to teach the horse to be afraid.... I have a number to ring to enquire about flying activities for the day, but they're always a bit vague about it....nice chaps tho - I'm getting to know them quite well! lol!

 

[littleshetland]

My oh worked for the RAF served 22 years then another 25 as a civillian. The horses lived on the edge of the runway and never even lifted their heads from the grass. Red arrows displays met with disdain and amusement, chinooks with rubber boats hung underneath no problem, thunder flashes and machine guns a mere annoyance but if a leaf blew off a tree god help you

This sounds like a ray of hope!

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

My horses high viz was free from the RAF, it fits perfectly which is unusual because generally nothing is big enough for my horse.

We had chinooks going over our old yard regularly, 3 of them everytime, a couple of times a day. My horse never looked at them once.

 

[littleshetland]

My horses high viz was free from the RAF, it fits perfectly which is unusual because generally nothing is big enough for my horse.

We had chinooks going over our old yard regularly, 3 of them everytime, a couple of times a day. My horse never looked at them once.

We've got a few here, and Ive noticed when they're out in the field, and one flies over, the other horses, including my retired one, barely notice....my current ride runs round and round in a bit of a panic but then settles....sigh.

 

[Silver Clouds]

I've lived on military bases and more recently next to one, and in all cases the horses didn't seem at all bothered by helicopters/planes/tanks/guns etc. New horses maybe took a week or two to get used to some of the odder sights, but I haven't known one who didn't settle. Bizarrely the thing that seemed be most alarming to horses was the sight of a squadie running with a radio pack on- I don't know if it was the huge aerial or the fact that the pack distorted the shape of the man, but apparently they are terrifying They were very good though and would stop and remove the pack if they saw a horse getting upset.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

My old yard was under the flight path for a local (but busy, think big air show!) airport. Our hacking was also on military land so she quickly got used to loud bangs, smoke and low flying planes. We then went to a sponsored ride that was also on military land and all the other horses had a meltdown at the noises and we trotted merrily on through ?

 

[Grassy]

Our yard is on the approach to the runway at RAF Odiham so we get Chinooks virtually every day & quite often fast jets, we’re also very close to Farnborough Air Show, so Red Arrows, fast jets, massive planes overhead, the horses don’t even lift their heads. Often as the Chinooks are turning to fly in to land they go right over head, horses don’t react at all & I always wave! Don‘t worry about it, he’ll soon get used to it

 

[buddylove]

He will get used to it, we live in area where the RAF like to practice flying their helicopters (a lot), some days you can almost see what they have on their sandwiches!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Horses will soon get used to low flying aircraft. We're on an RAF flight route too, the neds don't bother. The oldies teach the newbies that it's nothing to fuss about.

This one (the Vulcan performing a fly past on her farewell tour) WAS loud , but the neds didn't stop grazing .

 

[SEL]

I grew up on RAF bases and horses do get used to it. Just try and ignore whatever is going on yourself & your horse will learn to as well. There's always the odd moment (low level jets out of fog when we were in Wiltshire) but they move fast so the spook is over quickly!!

 

[Abi90]

I live on an RAF base. I often bring my horse over for a hack. She’s never lifted her head at the aircraft... she was more concerned about the 20 cadets running past in a group

 

[littleshetland]

This all sounds very encouraging...I'll put my brave pants firmly on and my peril sensitive sunglasses (Hitch hikers guide to the galaxy fans will understand...) and go boldly forth. Thank you all.

 

[COldNag]

This all sounds very encouraging...I'll put my brave pants firmly on and my peril sensitive sunglasses (Hitch hikers guide to the galaxy fans will understand...) and go boldly forth. Thank you all.

Don't forget your towel

Sounds a nightmare but hopefully you and your horse will get used to it in no time

 

[Marigold4]

We have chinooks flying low over us at least 4 times a week. Last week I was out hacking solo on my youngster when one flew very low over the bridleway. The pilots don't take any notice of hi vis and don't avoid bridleways. Two Apaches, apparently from Suffolk, came last summer and hovered very close to the ground for about 20 mins right next to a horse field just down the road. At night the chinooks fly weekly so low over our house (and the horse field) that our house shakes. You just get a copy and paste standard reply if you complain. So far, no horse injuries.

 

[Quigleyandme]

At my old yard on Dartmoor we would have fighter jets screaming overhead practising their below the radar flying and the horses didn’t give two hoots. Ditto huge transport planes, helicopters dangling smaller helicopters on a string, the Red Arrows on their way to and from Dawlish Air Show and all manner of strange and wonderful flying machines. I’m sure you will both get quite blasé in time.

 

[Winters100]

We used to have RAF flying low when we were kids on ponies. Our trainer was very happy about it, always saying that the more they got used to at home the less there would be to worry about at shows. They were pretty loud, but even the youngsters got used to them quite quickly. I wouldn't worry too much, and definitely try to relax yourself to avoid giving your horse the signal that there is something amiss. Good luck!

 

[Keith_Beef]

The least time I flew in to Sheffield-Doncaster-Robin-Hood airport I saw some ponys grazing in a field right under the landing approach.

They were really close, at a guess no more than twenty yards of to the side when the plane was no more that fifty feet above the ground.

They didn't look up, carried on grazing. I think horses can get used to a lot of things, like we can.

 

[teapot]

Depending on what base it is sometimes they do publish flying schedules (also if you're Somerset could as easily be Army or RN flying)

 

[Bradsmum]

I moved to Wales 18 months ago and was a little worried about the low flying aircraft and we actually ended up in Ceredigion and have aircraft from RAF Valley, Anglesey regularly flying over fast and low. To my surprise neither horse even raises their heads most of the time. Once in a while they use it as an excuse to have a scoot around but as the planes are gone so fast (usually 3 at a time), it's soon over. There is hope.

 

[pansymouse]

I ride on Salisbury Plain - my rather skittish mare completely ignores all manner of ground and air military hardware but still spooks at deer every damned time she sees them. She an idiot with zero survival skills.

 

[littleshetland]

Don't forget your towel

Sounds a nightmare but hopefully you and your horse will get used to it in no time

Towel at the ready...!

 

[SibeliusMB]

Horses will soon get used to low flying aircraft. We're on an RAF flight route too, the neds don't bother. The oldies teach the newbies that it's nothing to fuss about.

This one (the Vulcan performing a fly past on her farewell tour) WAS loud , but the neds didn't stop grazing .

View attachment 69681

EPIC!!!

We have a Vulcan on display at our Strategic Air Museum in Nebraska and I loved looking at it every time we visited...iconic aircraft.

 

[scruffyponies]

We're in a Chinook practice area too. They get totally used to it. Very helpful when the air ambulance had to land in their field. They ignored it, after briefly looking up to see if it warranted their attention. I swear I heard one of them whisper, like Crocodile Dundee 'call that a helicopter?!'

 

[Pippity]

We're in a Chinook practice area too. They get totally used to it. Very helpful when the air ambulance had to land in their field. They ignored it, after briefly looking up to see if it warranted their attention. I swear I heard one of them whisper, like Crocodile Dundee 'call that a helicopter?!'

I don't think any at my yard had seen a helicopter up close, and they were all remarkably accepting of the air ambulance landing less than 100m from the stables. "Huh, that tractor goes up as well as along. Weird. Ah, grass."

 

[Muddywellies]

We have a lot if military aircraft here and my horse (and most others) really don't bat at eyelid. Turn your horse out and observe his reaction when they are above. I imagine he's really not bothered. So he may actually be feeding off your nerves?

 

[littleshetland]

We have a lot if military aircraft here and my horse (and most others) really don't bat at eyelid. Turn your horse out and observe his reaction when they are above. I imagine he's really not bothered. So he may actually be feeding off your nerves?

Ive not had my current ride that long - 8 months- and he was imported from Spain. We first encountered a Chinook when we were riding in the arena...it suddenly appeared above us, and he went 0 - 60 in a nano second. After a couple of very frantic laps of the arena he stopped, but was really scared and took some soothing. Yes, he definitely is feeding off my nerves, so I'm doing my best to stay cool. As for out in the field, the others hardly react, but he's the only one that scoots about in a tizzy. I can only hope we get more flying over when he's grazing and he can get used to them then........but as soon as my tack goes on, and I get on board they appear as if by magic!