Scariest Ride Ever

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Parkranger

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Went out for a 2 hour hack to Mickelham last night - decided to take Ty over the M25 for the first time.

Now bearing in mind the boy is blind in one eye and I'm scared of heights, I guess it was always going to be fun!

As he approached he started looking but I kept talking (or shouting over the the traffic) and he was ok until the traffic changed direction! He started spinning and backed into the fence, which obviously made a noise....in the end I just kicked him on into a very fast trot to get him over.

My fault in so many ways though - didn't have his head right down so he couldn't look and should have let other horse go in front.....poor boy he was so scared.

All I could imagine was someone putting a post on here today 'poor girl falls onto M25 with horse'
confused.gif


Certainly made me realise my mortality.

After that the poor sod was on his toes, had a nice hack but I sometimes forget he's a TB as he's so unspooky but once he gets a bee in his bonnet you just can't calm him right down.

Poor boy and silly mummy for not handling it properly.......god I hate heights!
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It's best to get off, esp if they've never been across one before. I led Moon over the M5 a few weeks ago, was terrifying but she took reassurance from me on the ground.

If theyre going to do anything stupid at least you have a chance of survival when you're on the floor
 
I have to cross the M6 twice on one hack, different bridges, and pass under it twice (again different bridges) on another.

I hate crossing over. The parapet seems soooo low when you're "up there" doesn't it?

Glad you got home safely.
 
Uggh, I hate crossing roads like that - the fence bit always seem so low when you are on a horse. Pleased you are ok and that there are no horror stories on here today!

(My sister fell off on a bridge over the M25 much to the mirth of everyone in the traffic jam below).
 
I would alwyas get off it is was a bridge with low sides initially or try and ride in the middle of the road at least. I have nearly been swung on to the M23 after a 17hh hunter spun on a bridge with low railings. REalised it was not worth the risk
 
We were taken on a guided ride by the forest rangers last summer to learn some of the forest rides. We went on a bridge over the north circular, and then through an underpass on the way back. Dolly was fine on the bridge but went through the underpass sideways, and Mac was fine in the underpass, but hated the bridge and bucked his way across.
 
eeuuughhhhhhh......that sounds like my worst nightmare! I HATE heights!!

Sort of similar thing happened to me..when i was in portugal, I went on a guided hack, but little did i know it would lead to a trail on the edge of cliffs with sheer drops going into the sea!! I'm sure it was stunning, but my vertigo took over!!
I had to ask leader to take an alternative in-land route!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
(My sister fell off on a bridge over the M25 much to the mirth of everyone in the traffic jam below).

[/ QUOTE ]
omg hope she was ok!!! i went on a hack in scotland and we went western riding on the egde of this mountain with a shear drop into the sea and it was so rugged and rocky if the horse had tripped i hate to think what would have happened!
 
Im glad you got over safely parkranger, but feel its in the interests of safety if people who know they are going to get scared would either get off and lead or let someone else ride their horse over for the first time- Whats in the brain does indeed go down the reins!! Cross over and under the M25/A3 regularly so it doesnt faze me but used to take all new liveries and school horses on their first hacks over the bridges.
Luckily alot of the bridges around me are being revamped which is great news!
Least you know you can get over them!
 
we cross the M25 everytime more or less we hack out but I got off and led mine the first few times and after 3 years at the yard its the "norm" for us. However I always suggest to new liveries and friends hacking with us that they get off and lead the horse..alternatively if there are 3 of you and its a quite bridge you can sandwich the novice M/w crosser in between the 2 more experienced ones....also sounds obvious but again if its a minor road bridge always advise to ride the centre so your horse is as far as you can get from the barrier and the traffic!!!
They usually settle after a few times and take it in thier stride-word of warning though-even our bomb proof ones hate crossing it in the heavy rain when the traffic noise is really bad!
 
[ QUOTE ]

(My sister fell off on a bridge over the M25 much to the mirth of everyone in the traffic jam below).

[/ QUOTE ]

If i didn't know better, I'd think you were my sister - I have fallen off on a bridge over the M25 and fallen off on that bridge that crosses the A1 near Barnet, three weeks after it opened ! I hate bridges...
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

(My sister fell off on a bridge over the M25 much to the mirth of everyone in the traffic jam below).

[/ QUOTE ]

If i didn't know better, I'd think you were my sister - I have fallen off on a bridge over the M25 and fallen off on that bridge that crosses the A1 near Barnet, three weeks after it opened ! I hate bridges...

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG i take it you were ok?

ETS: Anyway, how the hell did you manage to fall off a bridge?? lol
 
Sorry couldn't get on yesterday!

Just to say that it was a bridge with very high fence sides - I'd never ride across a bridge with the low sides - just not worth it.

Think I got really scared when he backed into the fence because he couldn't see it - the noise set us both off! I believe its constructed to take alot of pressure and he couldn't have got over the top of it (it's atleast 12 foot high) but I think it's the fact that it was see through!

Couldn't ever get off him - I'd never get on again! He just wouldn't stand still if he was stressed.

Oh well, you live (luckily) and learn.....I'm going to take him back over really early on a sunday morning so there's no traffic and get him used to it.

So weird as he was great until the traffic changed direction! x

ETS - how the hell can you fall off a bridge and survive....there were so many juganauts, we would have been squashed in about 2 secs!
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I think (and very much hope) that Safina means that her sister fell off WHILST ON the bridge - but stayed on the bridge and visible to the drivers below. I think a fall FROM a bridge would almost certainly be fatal. I had to read it quite a few times too......
 
ride across 'diagonally' - so the direction of traffi he doesn't like is away from him on both the first half and the 2nd half of the bridge - assuming it's not one that has cars crossing as well

that helped my horse to get used to them - also find a bridlepath that runs alongside the motorway - there are a few - and keep riding along that and let him stand and stare from the path at the traffic below - do that with the young horses and they are 'half way' to being OK before they go near crossing a bridge
 
[ QUOTE ]
ride across 'diagonally' - so the direction of traffi he doesn't like is away from him on both the first half and the 2nd half of the bridge - assuming it's not one that has cars crossing as well

that helped my horse to get used to them - also find a bridlepath that runs alongside the motorway - there are a few - and keep riding along that and let him stand and stare from the path at the traffic below - do that with the young horses and they are 'half way' to being OK before they go near crossing a bridge

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a good idea!

He is fine riding alongside the traffic but tbh, I think most horses would have found it weird. Shame that the sides aren't really high and filled - what he does't see doesn't hurt him!


I think next time we'll ride two abreast (it's horse only) and put his big friend on his 'seeing' side and he won't see on his blind side then.... x
x
 
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