Stubble fields- do you go in them with/without permission??

[Scribbles]

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I would be absolutely fuming if anyone rode on my stubble fields without permission! like Rosie said I wouldn't just ride through your garden so why our fields?!

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There is a massive difference between a stubble field about to be ploughed up, and a lawn with flower beds. Many people here have replied how we wouldn't dream of touching crops, upsetting animals, and that we keep to the edge of the field.

Antagonism only backfires, a "live and let live" attitude is what I (usually) love about the countryside. Once you start showing nastiness towards people, they stop respecting you, and that's when problems arise with people showing no respect towards the land.

 

[siennamum]

I think you are right, there's very little live and let live in the countryside, bring on the revolution I say!

I rent part of a farmyard. A local farmer rents much of the land. We've always tried to be good neighbours, riding round there a couple of times to tell him sheep/cattle are out, or caught in fencing etc. We've helped him bring his cattle in from their winter pasture also.
Last time this happened, I asked him if we could have a quick ride on the 100 odd acres of pasture which he had just vacated as the gate was open and our horses were tacked up. I might as well have asked if I could move into his house, he was horrified that I would consider such a thing.

He typifies the attitude of farmers to my mind. We would have done no harm, the land was about to be rested for 4 months, it was a one off - although can't see the harm in riding round these fields generally when they are empty tbh.

Needless to say, although we are still polite, we no longer ever go out of our way to help him.

 

[jrp204]

You don't know who to ask yet there are tractors in the field, we have found generally that tractors do not move without a driver! You could always ask them or if they are the workman they will give you a contact number.

 

[PapaFrita]

Sorry, didn't mean to rant at you in particular, but property is property and I respect that. I'd be outraged if someone thought... "Oh, she's got 3 horses (although maybe the Little Cigar doesn't count yet

), I'll ride one of them" and I'm pretty sure EVERYone on this forum gets p!ssed off if someone borrows their grooming kit/wheelbarrow, etc, without asking (especially if they damage them) but suddenly it's OK to ride over someone else's fields? I was guilty of this myself

but I've seen the error of my ways

 

[Hippona]

Let you off PF

...although I'm sure Little Cigar DOES count!

It seems to be different in different parts of the country with whats accepted/allowed etc etc......

I guess I'm just lucky that I have off-road hacking from the yard and loads of fields available to me......with reasonably friendly farmers who turn a blind eye to a bit of extra ploughing

...I'm sure some of you would scoop out your own eyes for that.

 

[R2R]

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weird, I kept my horse hunting fit all season down at university with no off road hacking...

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Are you not at the RAC, which admittedly is on an A road but also in the middle of the counryside?

we have a house up 20mins the road from there and road work is pretty good, as are hills and off road.

I have just read the entire thread and I am not really sure what to say other than

1. I think you should ask permission if you want to ride over anyones land

2. I have a smallholding (40 acres) and have found people up to all sorts. BBQ's, picnics, sex and I would much rather see galloping horses than naked bottoms. Would you have the same opinions if people were caught doing it in your stubble?

3. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have 1000's of acres of land to ride over. In my personal experience, the best thing to do is use your loaf - i.e. keep to grass verges, edges of fields where apporpriate, bridle paths and roads. I manage to keep my horses hunting fit by doing this.

4. Someone said earlier about bridle paths being poached - if people were sensible (for example riding on edges/grass verges etc I believe this would not happen. It is our responsibility to treat all land with respect, whoever it belongs too - NT, private, or council.

5. Screaming things like "get off my land" just makes people think you are a bit of an idiot, as does firing guns at them...

6. stubble or not, keeping to edges is always best I find. I just think it is more respectful.

7. Hunting is completely different to hacking.

 

[FinkleyGladiator]

Its a bit rude isnt it??
Most of the farmers around ours are fine with it all...bar 1. Its a little strange. My YO(who owns land) said to another YO(who owns land that backs onto ours) "If we let you ride in our fields can we ride in yours" (or words to that effect). But the other YO said no....can anyone shed some light?

*Hides behind the sofa for when the idiot-calling starts*

 

[PapaFrita]

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I guess I'm just lucky that I have off-road hacking from the yard and loads of fields available to me......with reasonably friendly farmers who turn a blind eye to a bit of extra ploughing

...I'm sure some of you would scoop out your own eyes for that.

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Well, we don't really have arable land around here, so ploughed land isn't really an issue

I felt I was tresspassing when I had to chase bl**dy Antifaz all over the next-door cattle farm. Later I met the owner and told him and he laughed and said we are allowed to ride as much as we like over there. I think it's about 2000 HECTARES. Absolutely humungous... as are some of his bulls

He's even got water buffalo, which apparently are incredibly unpredictable, so I don't think I'll be taking him up on his offer

 

[rosie fronfelen]

surely it's common courtesy to ask to ride on stubble? it costs nothing and can save alot of grief at a later date. ok, it's only stubble but that is not the point- respect and all that??

 

[punk]

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Theoretically - here in Scotland - there is no reason why you can't ride in a stubble field!

BUT I would never do it without:
a - having the farmer's permission
b. - making sure that the ground was not too soft and that there were no hazards (walk round first)
c. - providing some of our national drink to said farmer at Christmas time!!!

Some farmer's around here are OK, and others would rather I didn't (so I don't). They know that we will be responsible, but if the local hairy heeled riding stable sees us in the fields, they think it is OK to take 20 clod-hopping cobs for a gallop in the same fields!! I can appreciate their concern!!

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Oh, so its okay for some horses (no doubt warmbloods and tb's eh?) but not for heavier horses? I appreciate and agree with the point that you and many others have made, that some farmers say no to people riding across their fields, as saying yes to some horse riders might mean that everyone will just think they can ride through farmers land and don't need to ask but the derogatory comments about "hairy heeled horses" and "clod-hopping cobs" just aren't necessary. I have met plenty of people with this attitude and it stinks quite frankly.

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quote -
I think her point was more along the lines of the amount of horses, and the lack of control/manners they would be displaying.

I would have thought anyway... unquote/

Quite so!!!

Not meant to offend - although they undoubtedly DO have hairy heels, and ARE cobs!!!

Clod- hoppers........? Maybe!! After all they are hopping over the clods of earth!!!

(Just a joke..........................!!!)

 

[christi]

I live and own land in scotland , and yes it would anger me greatly if people abused it. im in a very remote area so it does not happen (fingers crossed)
i realy do not see why people have to go through fields with livestock or horses if there is another route they could take.

 

[Annette4]

Can't be bothered to read all of this but I'm in the 'hell no without asking first' camp. When I was at home I stuck to rights of way (brideways/roads and one public right of way). The public right of way ran through a field so we there were crops I'd walk, make sure I kept my stirrups etc away from the crops and was as considerate as possible. It was the only way to get to my only bridleway within 4 miles, I did feel guilty for going across when there were crops and didn't do it often though.

When I was at the yard we had permission to ride round the fields near the yard, so had as many blasts as I could.

I remember getting stuck one day (poorly signed bridleways) and ended up at a farmers house by accident. Turned out he knew my YO, gave me permission to cross his stubble (and directions) but asked I didn't do it again.....a week later he gave us permission to ride on it, lol.

 

[Chestnuttymare]

Although i live in scotland, where there are no laws of trepass, I would never dream of risding in anyones field without asking. Our YO is a faemr and we ride on his land. I am also friends with the farmer whose land runs along side where we are. I would still enver ride in his fields without asking. I am actually going to ask him tomorrow.
we still do not have the right to rise on somes property, the trespass laws only mean that you can't be prosecuted, it doesnt mean you have the right to be there.