Strange things on hacks.....

[YorksG]

We did once meet a pressure cooker on the step of a house, it was hissing away to itself in quite an alarming manner, both horses ignored it, which given that earlier on the same ride one had spooked at the other one snorting and then the one that snorted spooked at the one that spooked, was quite remarkable

 

[catkin]

The three most memorable have been:
coming face to face with a steam traction engine trundling along. Horse tried to climb through a hedge then an Irish voice from the back of the 'dragon' shouted 'come on lad' and hoss was so surprised he scuttled past.

finding ourselves in the middle of a hill-climb. The organisers were extremely good sports and stopped the cars whilst we went through - they called it the 'one horse power race'. The horses were most entertained as the spectators were clapping as they went up the track.

meeting the village carnival band dressed as yellow munchkins. Hoss didn't turn a hair - this one was with Welshie so I guess that bands of yellow munchkins are everyday occurances in Welshworld.

 

[BBP]

Wow... Now I am intrigued, please tell us more.

Haha, sorry, I hate typing on my phone so gave up! Was hacking out on my sisters horse up the bridleway when I saw a bike on it's side in the middle. I turned to go the other way as I figured there were people up there messing about. Thought better of it so turned back. As I got closer I saw a backpack and a load of beer cans on the ground, then a shotgun case and gun. Then I saw my next door neighbour lying half naked halfway in a ditch. I rode to the nearest road and flagged down the ambulance I'd called, led them back along the bridleway to him. They said he'd been dead for several hours, probably a combination of alcohol and his antidepressants leading to a massive heart attack. All a bit sad and dramatic (especially as his neighbour so I saw the funeral preparations as well).

 

[Luci07]

A pack of llamas being walked in the woods. My horse at the time properly bolted. Fortunately that was the first and last time he did that and nothing funny about being on a horse that freaked out.

Man peeing in the bush...particularly embarrassing as I shouted at him to say hello as both horses eyes were on stalks as they couldn't see him properly. Obviously I didn't either and it was a very giggly friend who informed me what said man had been doing when I had asked him to announce himself.

Flashers. Quite a lot of them actually. Something in the spring air perhaps but it got to be quite a regular occurrence (different men...I think...wasn't looking too hard at their faces!)

Man in the woods in the middle of nowhere. Full city suit and bowler hat...

Car hidden in a ditch and screened by bushes. I legged it home and called the police. No, I did not get off to look in the car..

 

[cremedemonthe]

A pack of llamas being walked in the woods. My horse at the time properly bolted. Fortunately that was the first and last time he did that and nothing funny about being on a horse that freaked out.

Man peeing in the bush...particularly embarrassing as I shouted at him to say hello as both horses eyes were on stalks as they couldn't see him properly. Obviously I didn't either and it was a very giggly friend who informed me what said man had been doing when I had asked him to announce himself.

Flashers. Quite a lot of them actually. Something in the spring air perhaps but it got to be quite a regular occurrence (different men...I think...wasn't looking too hard at their faces!)

Man in the woods in the middle of nowhere. Full city suit and bowler hat...

Car hidden in a ditch and screened by bushes. I legged it home and called the police. No, I did not get off to look in the car..

Strange things seen and a strange place is Dorking!
Have you seen the Buckland Shag between Reigate and Dorking, now that would be interesting to see on a hack!
Oz

 

[criso]

Not strange to find but gave everyone a good laugh. My horse kasper once freaked out at an asian woman in a burka walking through the park, I was so embarrased I didnt know what to do!

Similar thing happened to me, woman appeared over the top of a hill and the wind caught her burka which flapped dramatically in the wind. Frankie freaked and span cannoning into the horse behind, he tried to gallop for the hills while the other horse stood there, so he ran on the spot. Poor woman was terrified and started screaming and the two kids with her burst into tears and jumped around a bit which didn't help.

Oh and a naked cyclist coming towards me on a narrow bridlepath, didn't know where to look as we passed each other.

 

[millikins]

Strange things seen and a strange place is Dorking!
Have you seen the Buckland Shag between Reigate and Dorking, now that would be interesting to see on a hack!
Oz

I hack in this area too, does the Buckland Shag vary hugely from the others mentioned in this thread

 

[Sootsme]

Man playing alpenhorn in tunnel underneath motorway, fortunately he stopped while we rode past!

 

[Landcruiser]

One memorable hack (posted a thread a couple of years ago), a loose horse came tearing down the single track lane towards us, saddle and bridle flapping. Once they'd gone by and we'd stopped dancing around they were followed by a van with the rider and someone she'd flagged down. We managed to get past them, but only 2 minutes later, a SHED rose up from behind a hedge right next to us. Yes. It was being lifted by some sort of tractor, and appeared like an apparition - cue an unplanned canter down the road by an already very excited horse!

 

[cremedemonthe]

I hack in this area too, does the Buckland Shag vary hugely from the others mentioned in this thread

lol, I hope so and I also hope you never see it!
Here's a description of the Buckland Shag

Local legend
Buckland is also the location of the Shag Brook, which local legend says was the home of a monstrous horse (in some versions a gorilla), called the Buckland Shag. This beast would drag travellers from the nearby coaching road and devour them on the Shag Stone, a large boulder in the brook with a blood red vein of iron ore running through it.

The local parson, Willoughby Bertie, had the Shag Stone removed from the brook in 1757 and thrown from a cliff in Devon. The Buckland Shag then disappeared from local folklore.

The legend of the Buckland Shag has recently been revived by a local morris side, The Buckland Shag Morris Men.

Oz

 

[bakewell]

A hot air balloon rising out of a valley as we crested the top of the hill. I was as surprised as my horse; looked like a ufo before the rest of it came into view.

 

[millikins]

lol, I hope so and I also hope you never see it!
Here's a description of the Buckland Shag

Local legend
Buckland is also the location of the Shag Brook, which local legend says was the home of a monstrous horse (in some versions a gorilla), called the Buckland Shag. This beast would drag travellers from the nearby coaching road and devour them on the Shag Stone, a large boulder in the brook with a blood red vein of iron ore running through it.

The local parson, Willoughby Bertie, had the Shag Stone removed from the brook in 1757 and thrown from a cliff in Devon. The Buckland Shag then disappeared from local folklore.

The legend of the Buckland Shag has recently been revived by a local morris side, The Buckland Shag Morris Men.

Oz

Ah, thanks. Don't want to hijack thread but it's a southern version (except gorilla) of Scottish Kelpie

 

[Tern]

A load of huge bullets.
A tiny Kitten who didn't want to be carried so just followed the whole way home!
And last week, a cyclist in a skeleton suit..

 

[Toffee44]

We have a field nearby where the balloons take off from. If they rise before us. I dismount v quickly.... The balloon is fine the hissy gass is not!

 

[madmav]

A ram with the finest set of horns running down the lane straight at us. Ram was enthralled by horse. He was less keen. I was terrified for both our sakes by scary horns. It all ended well, thankfully.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Not in the UK but...

A large lynx- horse not keen.
Dolphins- horse absolutely fine.
Ostrich- horse REALLY not keen.
Zebra- horse oblivious.
Mongoose- horse horrified.
Lion cubs- horse not concerned.
Baboons- horse mildly worried.
Pig- horse paralysed with fear.

 

[Sleipnir]

A pack of wild deer flying out of a ditch just by our side. Horse very keen, followed them at canter, was disappointed when cued to stop.

A friggin' race car, coming a' roaring out of a sharp turn right at us. Cue horse bolting home and the race car following us. The driver thought it was quite fun, I sure as hell didn't.

Wild porn. I was hacking out in a small group when we took a turn on a remote track and suddenly there were naked behinds of several men and women running frantically around, jumping in a car, leaving their clothes behind and driving off. Horses rearing, spinning and losing their minds (apparently, frantic behinds are very dangerous), while riders were laughing their heads off and then proceeding the hack as if nothing had happened. I stole a bra, picking it up with my whip, and hung it on a bush a bit further down the road.

A husky that appeared out of nowhere and chased us while we were cantering. Took it back where it had came from and met his rightful (and embarrassed ("He never does that!") owner.

Bones of a deceased horse. Foxes had dug up an illegal grave and scattered the remains.

 

[conniegirl]

A chinook helicopter coming down the road towards us!

 

[Greylegs]

A chinook helicopter coming down the road towards us!

An RAF jet fighter flying very low and coming straight at us as we rode down a narrow path between two pine plantations, so nowhere to go. Horse didn't bat an eyelid!

A very manly looking bloke in women's clothing including high heels he could barely walk in, tottering along a bridle path.

A flasher who drove past us no less than three times stark naked in his car (which gave us plenty of time to get his reg number and duly report him to the police).

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Dead man with a gun.

Really. That's scary!

 

[raegank]

I regularly have to hack past wallabies! Where I live there is a wildlife park and a number of years ago a load of wallabies escaped into the nearby wetland area.

Apparently there are around 100 living in the wild where I hack my mare. She is slightly unimpressed to see bouncy things in the hedges to say the least!!

 

[xxcharlottexx]

I once ended up in the middle of the ironman triathlon as my normal route had been closed due to works on the reservoir.

Riding round Rivington again and came across 30+ plus people walking towards me in medieval costumes doing a reenactment.

There are 2 llamas near us which always freak out the horses the first time they come across them as they run along the fence and then stand on a big rock so they appear 6ft tall.

On good Friday there is always a fair/ carnival which we have ridden through.

 

[turnbuckle]

A vast dead adder. Got off and measured it, not far short of 4ft. Still regret not taking it home and having it tanned.

And came round a fence-line with what sounded like a very big powersaw buzzing behind it to find a bright red light plane just taking off. Not quite sure how I manged to stay on board that time. Oddly, lots of model plane enthusiasts flying socking great models 5 or 6ft across used the Downs and the horses took no notice whatsoever.

 

[BeingKate]

Love that you found a pet ferret!

I have found a few things:

- A life sized Darlek and some Cybermen outside the village hall which was apparently in aid of the annual model show.

- An ENORMOUS snow globe outside a house with a man inside it dressed as Santa Clause with fake snow billowing all over him

- 3 people pulling a little pony trap at a flat out sprint across the field with 2 other people in it shouting "FASTER FASTER" - whatever rustles your packet I guess...

- A man with his pet eagle on his arm that took the exact moment me and my suspicious horse came past to suddenly lunge towards us flapping. We ended up causing around £200 worth of damage to the garden opposite his house which he kindly coughed up for as he said it was his fault - lovely man bless him! He couldn't apologise enough...

- Just remembered another one as well - A hot air balloon landed in the field next to us as we cantered up the hill - the big lad skidded to a stop and stared at it, I was getting ready to hang on tight and poo my pants but he was so shocked he had no idea what to do and actually listened to me for once...

 

[Palindrome]

A blind muntjac wandering down a bridle path in the woods in Oxfordshire

 

[Annagain]

We go to the Gower on a horsey weekend every year. Every year something unusual happens. We got stuck in the middle of Grand Designs filming giant glass windows being craned into place one year, complete with Kevin McCloud. Another year we got chased but a wild stallion - twice - which wouldn't have been so funny if we weren't all on 16hh+ horses and he wasn't about 10hh. Last year a paraglider nearly landed on top of us. All his mates were trying to tell him to stay up, but he hadn't spotted us or them signalling at him and landed about 10m away. There were 4 of us and we were heading down a steep hill. Two of the girls had to jump off as their horses were leaping about, the other had to turn hers up hill for it not to bolt down hill as it was ready to go. Archie was wondering if the guy had any treats.

The other unfortunate thing we came across out hacking was two men enjoying each other's company on a bridlepath. One dived head first into a hedge to hide, the second ran off with his trousers round his ankles, which would have been hilarious if my friend hadn't recognised him as the husband of an acquaintance.

 

[millikins]

I ended up in the middle of our local private school's end of term celebrations when I took a wrong turn on a new hack. Cue balloons, streamers, shrieking girls...I got off and walked because it seemed more polite but despite a few odd looks nobody said a thing except "good afternoon"

 

[JFTDWS]

- A life sized Darlek and some Cybermen outside the village hall which was apparently in aid of the annual model show.

OH MY GOD! I would've majorly geeked out at that! Selfie with the dalek, Fergus?!

 

[Happy Hunter]

Some training SAS cadets or something.
The ******* refused to stand up = but continued rustling in the bushes.

He said ' we cant stand up, we are hiding and cant give away our position'
I replied with 'I can see you sat there, there is a 17hh horse throwing a huge wobbly at you, and we are having a full blown shouting conversation - I think the game might be up you twonk.

yes - I said twonk - they were quite polite apart from that...

Oh - And I regularly annoy the Downton Abbey filming crew by hacking through their shots!! hahaha!

 

[BeingKate]

OH MY GOD! I would've majorly geeked out at that! Selfie with the dalek, Fergus?!

Funny you should say that, I did get my photo taken with them hahaha!