So what have you met out on hacks this year?

[M&M&G]

The two that spring to mind are a bagpipe player and dodgems. Both were event related - the bagpipe player was playing at a wedding reception in a garden and the dodgems appeared on a ride which is on the parkland of a big house,now a hotel, I guess it was part of a corporate event. I was determined to get past both times but the dodgems in particular were interesting as they were in use with loads of clattering and screaming!!

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Sin Jan all of the following.

Most interesting was Lowland dog rescue in training meaning dogs running through woods with bells on, with whistling and shouting from handlers and a bloke lying under a bush on a tarpaulin. Just as go past dogs find bloke, he stands up and shakes out tarpaulin!

Strings of racehorses, group of 50 odd runners, rambler groups, howling Huskies going cani-cross, School groups doing DofE, bikers, dog-walkers, deer, feeding buzzards, highland cattle. Tree felling and stripping. Shooting pigeons, shooting and beating for pheasants, shooting range. (he's pretty much bang proof these days).

Most scary of all a black umbrella lying in wait on a bridle-path and a trailer with a blue tarpaulin that we pass regularly outside a cottage and which he obsesses over every time we go past! Man in bushes (I had to ask him to come out, luckily he wasn't a flasher )

 

[oldie48]

he was probably thinking, "that's far too small to be of any use at all!

:-0... Poor horse, he will always wonder what that was all about!

 

[zaminda]

The army on exercise, herds of tanks, things being thrown out of the back of a Hercules. A helicopter taking off around 100ft away from me, lots of live firing. A dog attempting to run me down like prey. Communication towers in testing for the army.
I try to avoid running down any soldiers hiding in the undergrowth, and if we pass a road block, we ask if there is likely to be anyone hiding so we know where to avoid. They are always amazed at how unflappable they are, especially the communication guys, who were making a huge racket, and had stuff everywhere.

 

[Serianas]

Mine is frightened fo nothing so our reaction is either stick it in our mouth, or climb it!

He took a plastic bag off a fence and preceeded to chew it while muggins here was hanging off the side trying to grab it which took about 5 mins... the local game keeper thought it was hilarious that a 30 something was being outwitted by a 14hh pony ¬¬

Last week we encountered a pile of clippings from the pine trees, which was arranged near the usual muckheap and I thought he was having a snort because it was different... oh no... pony marches upto it and proceedes to stick his legs in it upto the belly and make a mess, then throwing a strop because I was futility trying to get him out.

People say New Forests are reliable and loyal. They never mention that they are as cheeky as the day is long!

 

[ycbm]

he was probably thinking, "that's far too small to be of any use at all!

Ummm, well, maybe not. The man was hung like a donkey! I've always wondered if he'd have been quite so keen on walking everywhere naked if he'd had less to show off.

 

[oldie48]

My goodness, he'd need to be careful where he's walking. I have to admit this is the one that's made me laugh the most so far!

Ummm, well, maybe not. The man was hung like a donkey! I've always wondered if he'd have been quite so keen on walking everywhere naked if he'd had less to show off.

 

[ycbm]

My goodness, he'd need to be careful where he's walking. I have to admit this is the one that's made me laugh the most so far!

I haven't told the full story, either. We were on a footpath up in the hills on my friend's land, not exactly where you expect to come across someone starkers. As the guy got closer, my 17h Irish draft glued his eyes to the man's groin in complete astonishment, and left them glued until he'd gone past, and then turned his head right back and stared at his bottom until he tripped and I had to make him look where he was going. I've been laughing about it ever since, and that was 1997 or 98. This is the guy it was, he was very famous for walking naked. That photo is exactly as when we met him.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...mbler-DOESN-T-right-roam-nature-intended.html

 

[oldie48]

I rather like English eccentrics and TBH he doesn't offend me in the slightest but I can see it might upset some people. I'm more upset by the idea of judges watching porn in their offices. They get paid a lot of money, the least they could do is keep their mind on the job and keep their rather grubby hobbies for when they are at home. AND don't get me started on the Cyril Smith cover up!

I haven't told the full story, either. We were on a footpath up in the hills on my friend's land, not exactly where you expect to come across someone starkers. As the guy got closer, my 17h Irish draft glued his eyes to the man's groin in complete astonishment, and left them glued until he'd gone past, and then turned his head right back and stared at his bottom until he tripped and I had to make him look where he was going. I've been laughing about it ever since, and that was 1997 or 98. This is the guy it was, he was very famous for walking naked. That photo is exactly as when we met him.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...mbler-DOESN-T-right-roam-nature-intended.html

 

[Rollin]

OK, The Naked Rambler. Only he wasn't naked, he was wearing socks, boots and a rucksack. The horse was completely transfixed - didn't take his eyes of the man's todger the whole time it was in view.

Come on!!! We all know that the horse knows where the rider is looking so follows the riders eyes!!

 

[ycbm]

Come on!!! We all know that the horse knows where the rider is looking so follows the riders eyes!!

I'm saying nothing

 

[xMoodyMarex]

Came across an Emu last year!! Probably the most unusual thing that I've come across whilst out hacking! Had to walk right alongside it to get to where we needed to be...my horse mastered the skill of going backwards at great speed, and then we produced some lovely dressagey moves when going alongside the emu..who seemed equally just as mind blown haha!

 

[Hoof_Prints]

I was hacking out on my pretty bombproof chap, when he spooked at something flapping in the hedge. He was really upset and snorting, had his eyes fixed on the big photo on the double page spread, in an x rated magazine ! no wonder the poor thing spooked! There must have been about 50 porn magazines in the hedge, with random pages of willies and other things flying around the bridlepath

 

[Boulty]

Well so far we've had a big new building site spring up that we have to pass (think about 10 diggers working it at any one time), gone through roadworks, crossed a rather big roundabout when we got a bit lost (oh I believe a motorway bridge was involved in this one), crossed a bridge over a weir the day after it peed it down, been rammed / barked at by a dog with half a tree in its mouth, various people with cameras and serious birdwatching gear, the usual plastic bag monsters (including one that blooming followed us!), the yard dogs out for a jolly in the woods on their own, many many tractors, free range cows (miles away thank god but theoretically in the same bit of pasture), about fifty geese grazing...

 

[OwnedbyJoe]

Emus, camels, hot air balloons, a marching band...
Have ridden past emus and camels without a second glance then been dumped on the same ride at an innocuous stick on the ground...

 

[aintgotnohay]

when i did ride came across a man riding a large stallion from the local posh yard (they ride with no hats).my mare was in season and the stallion knew this .mare backed up to the stallion who proceeded to try and mount my mare.i had no control for a few seconds and the stallion had my shoulder in his mouth almost.luckily manged to get free.

 

[pennyturner]

when i did ride came across a man riding a large stallion from the local posh yard (they ride with no hats).my mare was in season and the stallion knew this .mare backed up to the stallion who proceeded to try and mount my mare.i had no control for a few seconds and the stallion had my shoulder in his mouth almost.luckily manged to get free.

I'm sure he loved you... riding a mare in season and allowing it to shove itself right in front of his horse.
As a stallion owner, I'm bothered that you don't seem sorry or embarrassed that you weren't in control.

You are aware that this incident was your fault, right?

 

[TTK]

Emus, camels, hot air balloons, a marching band...

No hack is complete without a marching band.

 

[ycbm]

I'm sure he loved you... riding a mare in season and allowing it to shove itself right in front of his horse.
As a stallion owner, I'm bothered that you don't seem sorry or embarrassed that you weren't in control.

You are aware that this incident was your fault, right?

Bit harsh, surely?

Would the stallion not have been brought pretty close to the mare to have caused her to back up presenting herself to him? Why was he that close if the rider could not control him? Is it not easier to turn a horse to stop it mounting a mare than to prevent a mare intent on being mated from reversing ? If you ride a stallion out in public shouldn't you expect to meet in season mares, and be able to keep your stallion at a distance from them and at least turn him away if one of them approaches him rear end first? Should a stallion ridden out in public not have been trained that when he is being ridden, stud duties are out of the question (as showing stallions are)?

If not, then you are effectively saying that no novice rider should ever take an in season mare out in public in case they meet a stallion. I though it was clearly recognised that the onus is on the rider/handler of the stallion when stallions are out in public?

 

[pennyturner]

Bit harsh, surely?

Would the stallion not have been brought pretty close to the mare to have caused her to back up presenting herself to him? Why was he that close if the rider could not control him? Is it not easier to turn a horse to stop it mounting a mare than to prevent a mare intent on being mated from reversing ? If you ride a stallion out in public shouldn't you expect to meet in season mares, and be able to keep your stallion at a distance from them and at least turn him away if one of them approaches him rear end first? Should a stallion ridden out in public not have been trained that when he is being ridden, stud duties are out of the question (as showing stallions are)?

If not, then you are effectively saying that no novice rider should ever take an in season mare out in public in case they meet a stallion. I though it was clearly recognised that the onus is on the rider/handler of the stallion when stallions are out in public?

Harsh possibly, but the poster describes the mare backing up to the stallion, which it should never have been allowed to do.
From the description given, it seems that the stallion rider did manage to prevent the stallion from mounting the mare (albeit not fast enough). The rider of the mare was very lucky.

A stallion should ride quietly past an in-season mare out hacking... but the mare needs to be under control too.
That said, I had a 17hh hunter back up to my little stallion at a meet. He couldn't get out of there fast enough, as he thought she was going to kick him!

 

[southerncomfort]

An inflatable rugby goal has appeared outside the local pub! Of course the welsh cob marched past without batting an eyelid and then spooked at a small pebble in the road.

 

[Nutsaboutnags]

Hmmm.... Basketball game, many football matches, tree fellers, loose dogs ..... But the only thing that has scared her is.... Wait for it..... A Pidgeon flying out of some bushes!!! She leapt all four hooves off the ground! Go figure!

 

[HashRouge]

I don't have a horse of my own to hack (mine is retired) but I ride out a lot at work, albeit off road which reduces the amount of interesting things I've come across! Still, I've met tree surgeons - and ironically their van was more frightening to the horses than the actual tree felling, as they live on a farm so are used to heavy machinery and loud noises, but they never go on roads to aren't used to passing parked cars! Then we go chased by a small terrier, which got right up behind my horse, yapping frantically and nipping at his heels. The horse, a six year old showjumper, just stood there looking very perplexed. I was super proud of him! And we see all sorts of birds and wildlife - lots of buzzards, foxes, deer, hares and even the odd yellowhammer. We do have lovely hacking