Smoking and horses...

am afraid im guilty of this when i go on long rides my cob is so steady she dosent mind i wouldnt do it on other peoples horses of those more forward going tho
 
Mine cant manage it with a bit in!!!! lol just joking...

i dont smoke but recently hacked out with someone who rolled up & smoked dropping hot ash onto the horse - could smell singeing!! poor thing lol xx
 
I smoke but I've never done it whilst riding, to be honest I've never thought about it whilst riding?!!?

I don't use my mobile, read a book, drink, listen to my ipod or eat whilst riding, maybe I'm not good enough to take my hands off the reins and think about doing something else except ride when i ride.

Not saying it's right or wrong but i don't understand why people can't wait until they are off their horses before they light up or have one before they get on.

Also we have a smoking area at our yard which your not allowed to smoke outside of which is no where near the stables, hay barn or school so unless your out on a hack you couldn't smoke around or on the horses anyway.

Why do you ask?
 
Apparently, at our yard, back in the day, it was normal practise for the horses to stop at a certain point on a hack so yard owner could have a puff. When her daughter (my friend) took over the business she didn't take this into account and the horses stopped regardless. It seemed like a nice tribute to her mother from the horses.

However, it must be said that nowadays there is no way smoking en route (while mounted) would be acceptable!

Personally, I don't have a huge objection. Apart from the fact I don't smoke and hate the smell! As long as hot ash was not spilled on the horse!!!
 
Gosh I yearn for those days when hacking out for hacking outs sake was fun.....just recovering from this years P2P season, riding out Dobbin every morning at 6am prior to work.....(from Sept - June) did not smoke at that time of the morning....but saved by my Ipod! Would have lost the will to live if I just had to admire the same old scenery everyday.......
 
I smoke all the time, when the farrier comes when the vet comes, but its my yard and I dont need Health and Safety to tell me how to live. I smoke roll ups with brown papers, so they just look like twigs. I also drink wine and whiskey in my yard, its a very happy place, no Hi Viz in site. Everyone that comes to my place bloody loves it!!!!!!!!!
 
We have been known to have a smoke when hacking out and off road but are obviously careful! I love it!! Years ago it was commonplace and until the government ban smoking whilst on horseback I will continue to do so if I want to!
 
Before I gave up I would smoke when hacking. I always thought it was quite normal but apart from out hunting i've never actually seen anyone else doing it. Looking back it must have looked seriously ****!
 
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I always cringe when i see people smoking on horses. I've seen people drop lit ones into their horses manes etc, it's just not worth the risk is it? They carried on doing it though, even after scorching their poor horse.

And there's nothing clever about no hi vis, and smoking on your yard, in fact it's pretty stupid. Yes it's your own risk, but what if a piece of hay caught and you didn't notice until you left, then your stable burnt down, what if there was a horse in it? Even if it was empty, it costs a lot to rebuild a stable when you could have saved that by not smoking near it.

I just don't understand it.
 
Yep I do, and in 20 years have not set a single horse on fire, but in all seriousness, there are far far worse things that our horses have to contend with other than a rider sitting having a fag on their back. Riders ripping at mouths, novices bouncing on their backs, whips, spurs, screaming and shouting, horses forgive all this, so I am sure mine forgive me for having a quick puff, whilst they have a munch of hedgerow.
 
I don't smoke but have been out on plenty of hacks with people who do lighting up and puffing away. But what does the rider do with the lit end of the ciggy when on horseback deep in the tinder dry countryside/woodland? Chucks it onto the floor, that's what. Pure bloody vandalism. Can't they slap a few nicotine patches on for the duration of a ride?
 
Box_Of_Frogs said:
I don't smoke but have been out on plenty of hacks with people who do lighting up and puffing away. But what does the rider do with the lit end of the ciggy when on horseback deep in the tinder dry countryside/woodland? Chucks it onto the floor, that's what. Pure bloody vandalism. Can't they slap a few nicotine patches on for the duration of a ride?
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Actually I don't. I have NEVER thrown a hot butt down.

Doesn't your YO smoke?
 
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somethingorother said:
I always cringe when i see people smoking on horses. I've seen people drop lit ones into their horses manes etc, it's just not worth the risk is it? They carried on doing it though, even after scorching their poor horse.

And there's nothing clever about no hi vis, and smoking on your yard, in fact it's pretty stupid. Yes it's your own risk, but what if a piece of hay caught and you didn't notice until you left, then your stable burnt down, what if there was a horse in it? Even if it was empty, it costs a lot to rebuild a stable when you could have saved that by not smoking near it.

I just don't understand it.
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Agreed! I'm a non smoker anyway so it would'nt enter my head.
 
Might have had the odd one ;) . Not so much these days, but still do occasionally if its a mega long hack. I wouldnt smoke around the stables though
 
Hi everyone,new to the forum so bear with me if I do or say anything wrong!!!! I smoke but wouldn't while on horseback.If I fancied one while out and about I'd just wait till I got back.On the yard there are a few of us that smoke but always away from the horses!!! We have a pond in the yard and benches so we tend to sit there if we want a ciggie.
 
Box_Of_Frogs said:
But what does the rider do with the lit end of the ciggy when on horseback deep in the tinder dry countryside/woodland? Chucks it onto the floor, that's what.
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I have to say, this is why I don't smoke on horseback. Although I smoke, I can last a few hours whilst hacking, though sometimes I will have a puff on a mates if they're out walking with me.

I am too worried about starting a fire I have to confess, also if I dropped hot ash on K, he'd be off and I'd be on the floor, no forgiving there!
 
Well I'm gonna be old fashioned and say the two i.e. horses & fags, do not mix!! If you're riding in a situation like the countryside is now with everything tinder-box dry and drop a fag-end without realising, or some ash, then ride on, you could easily start up a fire and not know you've done it.

Also, in the yard, smoking should be strictly forbidden IMO. Honestly, I can't see how the two can mix. I remember going to see a horse once at a yard and the YO had a fag in her hand the whole time I was there; the horses were bedded on straw and she could've easily set the place alight.

If you're riding on the roads then golly there's enough to think about without having one hand incapacitated by a cigarette surely; and it gives such a bad example too I would suggest. Sorry, am developing into a rant here ...!!!

Also, errr, how do people afford both cigarattes AND horses???!!! I know I couldn't.
 
How do you avoid setting the countryside on fire?

You put your fag out on the sole of your boot and pop the butt back in the packet. Simples ;)
 
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