Smoking on horseback?

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LadyRascasse

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What is your opinion on this?

For me I absolutely hate it, it is one thing that really gets on my nerves. What if some ash hit the horse or worse? You risk injury to the horse and possible mental scarring. thats just my opinion.
 
I wouldn't dream of doing it. Imagine if the tip fell off and landed on the horse, it is just the daftest thing imo. Surely you could have one before you mount and wait till you get off again for another.
 
I also don't like it, but many years ago a (very sadlly deceased) friend used to ride up onto the moor to check her sheep, on her sensible cob, with a fag in one hand, and a king size Cadburys whole nut in the other - the pony knew the way to go!
 
Im another one who just hates seeing it!
Passed a female a month or so ago, riding on a busy main road, fag in one hand and puffing away.
 
I think I'd pity the person. You'd have to be pretty addicted to be smoking so often that they can't get off...
 
i gave up smoking 3 months ago and love being a non smoker. For my own reasons i know i will never smoke another cigarette in my life. That out of the way the one cigarette i will miss more than any is on the homeward stretch i had the horse trained to stand while i lit up and he got his mint after that ... oh god it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it..
 
I really cannot get excited about someone smoking on horseback as long as they are away from the combustible stuff in the yard. Its far less dangerous than smoking when driving.
 
If I still smoked I would... Never ever burnt myself or a horse, as an adult its a personal choice.

People are to quick to be Disgusted at this that and the next thing while turning a blind eye to real issues that are shocking
 
I'm also an ex smoker but used to love 'fagging it' whilst riding.

I know smokers are treated like complete morons but (they) are generally very capable of riding a horse without setting fire to it!!

If you dont like to see it then just don't look !!!
 
Spot_the_Risk said:
I also don't like it, but many years ago a (very sadlly deceased) friend used to ride up onto the moor to check her sheep, on her sensible cob, with a fag in one hand, and a king size Cadburys whole nut in the other - the pony knew the way to go!
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I don't even smoke but this image is great. Kingsize whole nut . . . . yum :D:D Think they should design a coffee cup holder for the saddle as well or a visor with a mirror so you can do your lippy whilst jogging along :p
 
Spot_the_Risk said:
I also don't like it, but many years ago a (very sadlly deceased) friend used to ride up onto the moor to check her sheep, on her sensible cob, with a fag in one hand, and a king size Cadburys whole nut in the other - the pony knew the way to go!
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Now, your friend is someone I would have liked to have met!

I don't know any smoker who has set light to a horse yet - it's probably less hazardous in the great scheme of things than getting p*ssed at a meet then imbibing from a flask during the day for Dutch Courage;)
 
jaysh said:
Surely not! lol, this person isnt a nice person and thinks nothing of giving her horse a good beating, a typical rough un!

Have you got a coloured horse?? Oh god, hope not, or you will hunt me down and beat me up! lol
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The two don't, thankfully, have to be mutually inclusive!

I have witnessed some people over the years who have thumped their horses who would have benefitted greatly (well, their poor horses would!) from chilling out with a fag!

Was it was Mark Todd who said if you feel yourself getting angry riding, get off and go and have a cup of tea?
 
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I'm curious, genuinely not trying to have a go...does the secondhand smoke not have the same negative effects on horses as it can on people?
 
Kate Sturgess said:
Was it was Mark Todd who said if you feel yourself getting angry ridding, get off and go and have a cup of tea?
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And he used to love a fag back in the day.

I have been an ex smoker for 3 years now but still miss a fag and a swig covertside. Our whip jumps a wall on the phone with a fag in his mouth - but then thats just showing off:)
 
JustMe22 said:
I'm curious, genuinely not trying to have a go...does the secondhand smoke not have the same negative effects on horses as it can on people?
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I REALLY hope that the RSPCA don't read this as they will get the idea to start a campaign to target passive smoking by pets! They will start using their pseudo-police powers (I must have missed the newspaper article when parliament passed this particular act) to break down people's doors, take hair samples from their pets to test for nicotine and drag the guilty owners off to their re-education camps.
 
JustMe22 said:
I'm curious, genuinely not trying to have a go...does the secondhand smoke not have the same negative effects on horses as it can on people?
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I would say that the amount of cr*p kicked out by all the combustion engines we and our horses encounter on a hack would rather overwhelm the possible negative impact of a sneaky ciggie!:)
 
jaysh said:
Surely not! lol, this person isnt a nice person and thinks nothing of giving her horse a good beating, a typical rough un!

Have you got a coloured horse?? Oh god, hope not, or you will hunt me down and beat me up! lol
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Lol yes I have a coloured cob was said (lady) riding no handed whilst actually rolling the fag up ? if so that was definately me :D
 
I've never heard of someone dropping ash on their horse from a cigarette, but I do someone who used to smoke a lot while hacking out whose (normally lovely and calm) horse spooked at one of those sit-on lawn mowers when he wasn't paying attention, who fell off and broke their back :eek: Horse legged it and was found by a yard round the corner from us who brought him back and sent people out to look for rider - who was a few miles away, so horse must have made his way down a fairly busy road with several blind corners on his own :eek:

Rider recovered (although always retained an issue with a few of the sensory nerves in one of his legs) but never really got back into riding. Poor horse was eventually passed onto someone else who was going to have him shot, until lovely YO and her OH stepped in, saved him (and my current horse) and retired him to their fields.

Obviously this is only an anecdote, but my issue with smoking on horseback (particularly when not in a 'safe' environment) is less with the possibility of cigarette itself hurting the horse but - as with answering a mobile etc - the fact that your full attention isn't on the horse and the surrounding environment, meaning a fall/accident is more likely.
 
I'm a smoker...have smoked whilst hacking for the past 20 odd years and will continue to do so....couldn't give a stuff what it looks like.....we're all adults and entitled to do as we please.....

I do however always go to the back of the ride (or wherever is best) if I'm out with other people to ensure that they don't get whiffs of my smoke and if someone violently objected, I wouldn't do it....(but probably wouldn't go out with them again either ;))

I don't do it while on the road...only when 'off road'.....

As someone else said...each to their own!!
 
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