Stallions & loose horses on bridlepath

[muffinino]

This is a long one with lots of questions, so buckle yourself in!

Yesterday I took part in a Le Trec competition in the pairs class (acting as the responsible adult for a 15yo girl – me, what were they thinking, lol!) and we were the first competitiors to set off. Part of the orienteering route took us over the top a hill where the bridlepath ran through a huge field. The path itself was bordered on either side by trees & bushes but not fenced off, so there’s room in between the trees to get into the fields, then halfway down it opens up anyway so it just runs through the field. As we were going down the path we caught sight of a large herd of horses, mostly coloureds, at the bottom of the wooded bit of the path. We were a bit dubious about riding past them as there were loads of them but moved into the field to avoid them. We were walking past them when what we think is a stallion spotted us and cantered towards us, bursting through the bushes and scaring our horses! They whipped around and bolted, then the rest of the herd came galloping up the fields after us and we just lost control! I was going flat out down hill at one point and thought I was going to have to bail out, but I managed to get my reins and get T to go up the hill. We managed to get them under control and tried to walk towards the gate leading into the field but the horses were trotting and cantering behind us so I was shouting at them and waving my whip, but they only slowed or stopped for a second then started trotting again. Ellie was a bit in front of me so I told her to walk or trot very slowly to the gate and open it while I tried to keep in walk so the horses didn’t start cantering again – as it happens there were some bikers there so I told her to ask them to open the gate, which they did and we went through it. Bless them, they looked really scared but asked if we were was ok. I was shaking from the adrenaline; it was very scary for a moment!

Thinking back maybe we should have just turned around but we thought they would be ok if we quietly rode past. Having spoken to a few people at the event, we’re pretty certain it was the stallion that first came towards us because the horse matched the description a few riders gave us, plus he just seemed to be stallion like, if that makes sense (I admit I didn’t have time to check for balls, lol!). We know there’s a stallion in the field because one of the people we spoke to told us he tried to mount the gelding of a friend who is on the same yard as her when she rode through there! According to the people we spoke to, they shouldn’t be in there but have been for a couple of years. I’m not sure about this at the moment as I don’t know who owns the field or the horses.

We were lucky in that we managed to stay on board but if we’d come off there would have been a nasty incident, I’m sure. I may not be the world’s greatest rider but hunt and hack out/ride x-country a lot, so am used to horses spooking, cantering off unexpectedly and going over undulating ground, plus I know my horse well – if it had been a less experienced rider or a kid, or one not used to riding out as much, or someone on a youngster/very strong horse etc, it may have been a very different story.

What are the regulations regarding horses on bridlepaths that run through fields, in particular stallions? I don’t think the field is common land, so it’s not like having wild ponies roaming the hills. I used to ride around the Gower and the wild ponies leave you alone anyway, but these horses were in a large field, as opposed to a huge common or mountain.

Apart from asking local horsey people, is there a way to find out who owns the field to report it to the council? Or if not the council, who else should we report the incident to? If nothing else I think there should be warning signs on the gates either end of the field so that people know the horses are in there, so they can make up their own minds as to whether they want to go in. It’s a shame that people can’t hack through there for fear of something happening as it’s a handy path connecting two areas of bridlepath and is a lovely route to take in itself.

 

[Tallante]

I would have expected that the organisers of any cross-country/orienteering event, would be responsible for ensuring that the route was free from hazards of all kinds. Especially, where there are minors taking part ie your 15 year old companion.

I think that a herd of horses, with stallion, constitutes a serious hazard.

What did the organisers have to say about it?

 

[daisybe33]

We have a bridle path near us which had a stallion (16hh ish) in the field the other day. My sisters horse is a mare and we were half way through it when we saw it so couldn't turn back. I absolutely agree that there should be a warning. I followed her mare on my stallion but that would have been risky if the stallion wanted a bit. It was a very scary ride!!

 

[DougalJ]

Sounds awful! We have on a bridleway young colts and some stallions that used to come flat out towards us to the hedge and my horse reared and wanted to go flat out and fortunately I managed to contain him...otherwise I would of been heading towards a busy A road. They have been moved now but also this was in the spring when they are full of it! Not sure if there are any regulations regarding this problem?

 

[muffinino]

[ QUOTE ]
I would have expected that the organisers of any cross-country/orienteering event, would be responsible for ensuring that the route was free from hazards of all kinds. Especially, where there are minors taking part ie your 15 year old companion.

I think that a herd of horses, with stallion, constitutes a serious hazard.

What did the organisers have to say about it?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, quite, but that's a different issue, although a good point.
I rang the organiser once we managed to get through the gate and told her what had happened. She then stopped all the other competitors from going there by contacting the first chekpoint (which we had already passed through), told them to turn back once they'd reached there and they'd take the points for times from there. We rode back, stopped all the riders who'd passed through it and 'collected' them

to ride back together.

Ellie's mam knows the organiser well and was helping. She said that she knew we were going to ride through there she would have asked them to change the route (she knew the horses were in that field) but as her daughter was taking part they hadn't told her were the route was going. I told the organiser I wasn't happy and that if one of us (horse or human) had been injured, I would have held them responsible. She apologised and said it was her first time organising it, but she realised what a mistake it was. As we weren't harmed I left it there; lesson learnt, I think.

 

[exracerfan]

Sounds like you have a very lucky escape! Unfortunately, there are no restrictions re stallions on bridlepaths or rights of way. If you consult the rambers yearbook, it states that the only restrictions are on certain types of bulls. All bulls are allowed on rights of way if they are with cows, except Friesians which are never allowed either on their own or with cows. You can allow Hereford bulls out on their own as they are so docile.

Think it should be extended to include stallions though!

 

[muffinino]

Damn, bloomin' well should be! We were lucky, someone else may not be.

I wonder if at the very least the owner of the field could put signs up warning people about the horses. In fact, I'm inclined to just make one and put it up myself!

 

[OWLIE185]

This is an easy one to solve.

If the Stallion and horses are in a field with a Public Right of Way running through it and they are creating a nuisance then you simply contact the local Access Department of the County Council and ask them to contact the owner of the field and ask them to remove the horses from the field until they have fenced the field with suitable fencing in such a way that the horses can not get within a safe distance (10 metres) of members of the public using it be they walkers, cyclists, riders etc.

If the owners fail to comply then the local authority (district Council) simply uses the Enviromental Protection Act (as ammended) to enforce them to do so.

Also the organisers of the ride should have ridden the route and checked it thoroughly and also carried out a Health and Safety Audit of the route. If not they will find it dificult to protect themselves from any action taken by an injured party.

 

[Booboos]

Gosh that sounds horribly scary! Glad you are both OK!

I once tried to do something about a field with a bridleway through it that had a herd of very lively bullocks (you couldn't go through the field even on foot, much less on a horse) but my local council access officer didn't want to know! I would be really interested to know if you get anywhere with the council.

My friend did a Le Trec a couple of weeks ago and had similar problems with a route fairly inappropriate for horses including a field full of horses and a field with cows with young calves (they were very lively and caused a lot of hairy moments).

 

[Pedantic]

Blimey, frightening stuff

, well done for copeing so well, the galloping downhill sounds very scary to me

, will be interesting to know if the council are interested in your comments.

 

[muffinino]

[ QUOTE ]
This is an easy one to solve.

If the Stallion and horses are in a field with a Public Right of Way running through it and they are creating a nuisance then you simply contact the local Access Department of the County Council and ask them to contact the owner of the field and ask them to remove the horses from the field until they have fenced the field with suitable fencing in such a way that the horses can not get within a safe distance (10 metres) of members of the public using it be they walkers, cyclists, riders etc.

If the owners fail to comply then the local authority (district Council) simply uses the Enviromental Protection Act (as ammended) to enforce them to do so.

Also the organisers of the ride should have ridden the route and checked it thoroughly and also carried out a Health and Safety Audit of the route. If not they will find it dificult to protect themselves from any action taken by an injured party.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cool, thanks for the advice, I will contact the council in the morning and raise thse points.
According to the organisers they did ride the route but the field is so huge it is possible the horses were in a different part and they didn't see them, I suppose, but I think they knew they were there. I don't think they will be making a similar mistake any time soon!

Thanks all for the support- it was hairy but we survived

Will scratch that one up as experience.

 

[Echo Bravo]

didd the organisers approach the landowner, I've had several x-counrty runs through my property which has a footpath running through one small paddock and next to my stables and not once has anybody approached me about them and I've put my horses out as usual in the morning only to have them upset with umpteen runners coming through, if I'd been told they wanted to come through at a great rate of knots I'd put the boys else where. It's a two way things you know. what everyone has to remember the land belongs to somebody and you are lucky to have the right of way through so don't abuse it

 

[Orangehorse]

OWLIE has the right approach. I have got my local council to accept that stallions might be a hazard, but actually getting one fenced in or removed is easier said than done.

I think that horses on a bridlepath should be fenced off anyway. It is different to cattle as they are a different species and are often moved around. If your horse is frightened of cattle it is bad luck (and I have had one that was terrified) but most horses seeing a strange horse come into their field is going to investigate and maybe use heels and front legs and squeal.

You did well to stay on and I would have been furious with the organisers.

 

[Orangehorse]

Johnrobert you are right to be annoyed. It is an interesting point of law whether the organisers of a competition should inform landowners that they will be using a right of way and there have been court cases about what is actually allowed on a footpath.

There is a book you can get from the BHS about the law, and there is something in that about what is actually allowed to happen.

 

[muffinino]

I can see why you'd be annoyed, johnrobert, but this was a bridlepath and from what I can gather the horses are always on there, including the stallion. Local riders (I am from the area but livery the other side of town so don't ride there) have had problems before Sunday; one had the stallion trying to mount her gelding!

As for being lucky to have right of way, not really, tbh. This is a public bridlepath, unfortunately the land owner has no choice in the matter but then, users should be respectful. We weren't going through in a massive group but in pairs and walking, so it was just the same as if we were out hacking. Having said that, I'm not sure if the landowner is the owner of the horses, so I'm not sure who's responsible.