The love of the countryside by the non rural public

Take year 7 camping to an adventure park, when I say camping its glamping.... Beds, electric etc.... Tell my form 3 or 4 times you will need fleeces, coats etc, might be cold.....

Kids turn up with handbag luggage....6 had to go home...extreme cold.... It was June...
 
ozpoz said:
I used to love seeing the walkers come past my garden dressed in full survival gear. : )
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They do look funny! But then I think good on them, I live next to the peak district and the weather changes very quickly. It is the younger people in trainers and hot pants that wander onto the moors with nothing but sunnies and a can of coke that usually end up having to be ambicoptered out!
 
I love living in an AONB area - during the summer months I've only to hack up the road or drive the wee shetland in his little buggy and within the space of about 1- 2 miles I've had my photo taken 3-4 times. I've taken up wearing make up again....
 
The track near us that was an old railway line has now been tarmac'd over into a footpath. It's not ideal, especially as with the tarmac there are a lot of cyclists now as well as dog walkers and joggers, but if you don't have time to cross the main road and head into the woods, and your horse is fairly steady, then it does for a brief walk and some trotting just for exercise.

Walkers are always stopping, telling me how nice it is to see horses - for some reason not many horses use it, despite it obviously being perfect for horses with it being off road and not muddy at all thanks to the tarmac!! Tried to explain why this wasn't the case but received blank looks, so now just smile and nod...
 
In defence of ramblers, I once had a party hold a narrow, awkward gate open for me.
My then lad was horrified by them, spooked sideways into the gate post and caught my stirrup on the catch before going forward at a rapid rate of knots. I managed to turn a complete somersault and keep hold of him while landing on my feet as I came off. We got a warm round of applause, someone held him while I replaced the stirrup and they made sure I was back on and safe before setting off again.
We also got a round of applause another time when same horse belted up a hill towards some picnicking ramblers (safely out of the way) and threw in a fly buck and a massive fart! We all thought it was hilarious!
 
Speaking of farts , I was once riding up a steep hill on my Welshie who can fart for minutes at a time.
He started one of his marathon jet streams as we walked along in front of some walkers , a little voice piped up asking if he had eaten curry the night before.
They were joking :)
 
littleshetland said:
I love living in an AONB area - during the summer months I've only to hack up the road or drive the wee shetland in his little buggy and within the space of about 1- 2 miles I've had my photo taken 3-4 times. I've taken up wearing make up again....
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Haha! I do when I ride anywhere out of the village!!
When I rode him into Milton Keynes, I lost count how many times we had our picture taken :P
 
Was once belting up a bridlepath on my old boy (IDxTB Black with whites and blaze, very handsome) cameround bend and up ahead was a lady picking blackberries , she pointed her camers, he (being VERY vain!) screeched to a halt and posed - she got a lovely shot of him wearing me as earrings, and was very apoogetic for "Scaring him". Had to explain he always did that with cameras!
 
I love the funny stories! I'm glad I don't get my photo taken I'd have to drag a hairbrush through my hair and actually put makeup on!
 
Our townie neighbours to our farm rang us one morning at 6am to tell us we had 2 lambs on their paddock and could we get them off before they poo`d ! the same neighbour also complained to us because there was a guinea fowl perched outside her en suite looking in at her having a shower,you have to look on the funny side of the things these people say,they cant help it.
 
I have had such a good giggle over the funny stories. Although I was brought up in rural North Wales my husband is a Londoner and until 2 years ago we lived in London until we moved to our lovely small village...complete with Norman church with ringing bells, crowing cockerels, bird song at 3am during the summer, pheasants by the thousand, deer, rabbits, sheep, cows, horses, mud (Oh yes lots of mud!), tractors and harvesters working from 4am to past midnight during the summer. I wouldn't change it for anything!
 
Gazen said:
I have had such a good giggle over the funny stories. Although I was brought up in rural North Wales my husband is a Londoner and until 2 years ago we lived in London until we moved to our lovely small village...complete with Norman church with ringing bells, crowing cockerels, bird song at 3am during the summer, pheasants by the thousand, deer, rabbits, sheep, cows, horses, mud (Oh yes lots of mud!), tractors and harvesters working from 4am to past midnight during the summer. I wouldn't change it for anything!
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I use to love driving home from work at 10/11pm seeing all the combines out on the fields getting the grain in before the rain it was lovely to see IMHO
 
At a previous house we had a footpath across the shortest side of our bottom of 3 fields. My horses were in the top field with a mains electric fence keeping them away from the fences/hedges which was clearly marked. I looked out of the window one day to see a small group of people about to clamber over the fence - I screamed at them not to touch it and rushed over the field to find out what they were doing. They'd gone for a walk but "were a bit too tired so wanted to take a shortcut" - off the footpath, through a closed gate, up a hill, through another closed gate and over or under the electric fence. I pointed out to them that they as they were off the footpath they were on private property and please could they go back. I was given an earful about how much further it was that way round, that the electric fence was dangerous and illegal, and that they weren't doing any harm. I stood my ground and made them go back but they were really aggressive and unpleasant.

However today I took my horse up to the Malvern Hills as hunting was cancelled and I was looking for somewhere non muddy to ride. I was a bit apprehensive as although there are bridlepaths and I'd checked where I could go I knew it would be busy. As you can imagine it was heaving with walkers/runners/cyclists in rustly jackets, backpacks, ski poles and assorted paraphernalia. I was very careful and said good morning and thank you to everyone I met (pretty much non stop) and without fail they were all incredibly good at stepping aside, slowing down and catching dogs. Despite being very much the odd one out no-one looked sideways at me or said anything untoward, it was great.
 
We used to have holiday lets here and we had guests staying who complained about the bbirds singing outside their windows at 4am. Well, there wasn't a lot I could do about it.
 
;)I am the first to admit that I hate going into cities.I go in twice a year at most and always lock the car doors whilst I'm driving.I am also scared of car washes and multi storey car parks.The girls are the same,if we ever go into the nearest city after dark,they gaze in wonder at the street lights and buses.We are right bumpkins.
 
with you mirage 100%. I hate citys and feel totally out if my comfott zone. But people love them so each to thier own but give me the country any day. A memory i have is driving down a country road last year withOH for 20 mins behind a flock of sheep just in awe of the dog. Bueatiful sunny day peace and quiet gorgeous scenery. Lovely memory:)
 
babymare said:
with you mirage 100%. I hate citys and feel totally out if my comfott zone. But people love them so each to thier own but give me the country any day. A memory i have is driving down a country road last year withOH for 20 mins behind a flock of sheep just in awe of the dog. Bueatiful sunny day peace and quiet gorgeous scenery. Lovely memory:)
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I love watching my farmers dogs work they are a couple of geniuses. My collie is rubbish compared to those pros!
I love getting stopped for livestock I don't care if I see them all day I enjoy it!
 
My American hometown is in the middle of farmland-- and so it was a very ordinary sight to see tractors and combines and whatever other assorted farm equipment on the road, and to pull over to make room for it. I too love the sight of a combine or tractor in a field-- something very satisfying in that.

Today, just as the wind began to blow hard and the clouds roll in, I was leading my horse back to her stable. The yard has several acres of land but is surrounded by the horrors of suburbia. A man was leading his toddler around the yard by the hand, wheeling her small wheeled scooter-- my mare took one hard look and rolled her eyes, so we stopped. The man and his toddler naturally decided to take up residence outside the open stable door that belonged to --ME!!! ( well my mare). I waited several yards away from them, gesturing for them to move on. Finally, grumpily, he seemed to get the hint, and no sooner were we in the stable then there they were, seemingly thinking it was a good idea for the toddler to try to stick her fingers in the mare's eyes.

Arrghhhh. A yard is not a petting zoo and horses can be unpredictable and dangerous.

They were politely moved on by some of the helpers on the yard. The man seemed rather put out that he was not warmly welcomed into the yard.
 
There is a hotel at the top of our road, across from the "common", they host a lot of weddings and they often do photos on the common in nice weather, if we are riding while they are taking pics we wait out of shot, except for one couple who wanted us in the background :)
 
Four oldish walkers on a restricted byway, ladies wearing sandals. My Fell stopped to say a friendly hello, walkers cowered in a gateway saying I should not be riding on a "footpath". Pony refused to budge, walkers refused to pass him as they "did not want to be kicked". Pony still refusing to budge so I got off and stood behind him, to prove he does not kick, at that point they "did not want to be bitten"! Eventually persuaded my dangerous brute to move off at a sedate pace. Hope they enjoyed their country walk!

A group of us met a smartly dressed lady on a quiet country lane. She stopped to admire the horses and then told us the roads are now too dangerous for riders. We mentioned the shortage of bridleways. She told us she did not approve of bridleways as she once tried to take a disabled child in a wheelchair along a bridleway, and it was muddy. At that point a large mare in our party, with a large bladder, did a very large wee, on the road, right next to the smartly dressed lady......
 
Grumpyfell said:
Four oldish walkers on a restricted byway, ladies wearing sandals. My Fell stopped to say a friendly hello, walkers cowered in a gateway saying I should not be riding on a "footpath". Pony refused to budge, walkers refused to pass him as they "did not want to be kicked". Pony still refusing to budge so I got off and stood behind him, to prove he does not kick, at that point they "did not want to be bitten"! Eventually persuaded my dangerous brute to move off at a sedate pace. Hope they enjoyed their country walk!
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Ooooohh yes, they are highly dangerous at both ends don't you know ........... :wink3::wink3:
 
We have relatives who come and visit from London, and TBH they cope quite well with the lack of shops, cows going up and down the main street twice a day, more horses than cars..... They make a huge effort to fit in, borrow wellies (hey- my spellchecker took that well, was looking for the error mentioned in an earlier post), they walk our dog and visit the pub.
The one thing they cannot cope with- apparently it is too DARK to sleep at night (no streetlights here) and so they have to have a night light!

Too Dark to SLEEP??????
 
When I lived in the caravan for work in the summer I kept waking up at night feeling like I was being suffocated because it was so dark! It was so strange because I guess I had nothing not even the moon to give a little light because of the blinds. I don't have any street lights here as I'm in the middle of nowhere but I don't actually have curtains on my bedroom windows so I can see the stars or moon light. I felt like such an idiot I had to have the blinds open to sleep in that damn caravan!

I think it was because I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face It felt like I was in a box or something but I only ever woke up feeling like it I always fell asleep fine. (very embarrassing to admit this!)
 
Nessa4 said:
she got a lovely shot of him wearing me as earrings,
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What a brilliant description!

The only story I have was from the village I grew up in. VERY horsey, and pretty much everyone knew everyone else, and we all got on just fine.
Enter Mr Quick. Townie moved to the country. Proceeded to join the local council committee pretty much straight away, and then proceeded to moan like a baby about the amount of horse dung on the roads.
He even went so far as to have a letter published in our village magazine (a flimsy A4 photocopied affair about local stuff), complaining about it.
Somehow, and I have no idea how, a tractor bucket of horse dung found its way down to his little cottage opposite the village hall, and onto the bonnet of his car.
I have no idea how it happened, but it DEFINITELY wasn't my yard owner. Oh no.

He never moaned again though. Massively outnumbered :D
 
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Really enjoying this thread. I feel I have a foot in both camps as would spend every other weekend as a child in London with my father and later lived in Fulham for 10 years. However always having horses meant my love of the countryside never diminished. I have smart city friends who I gave up taking to the yard as if they got away without covering their car in mud, the numerous dogs would ensure they were well and truly coated with dirty paw prints and equine slobber. I, equally ( and ok, drunkenly!) spent some 15 minutes wandering the tube station at Bank looking for what is popularly known as "the drain" or Waterloo and City line to you and me. Eventually, one of the station staff took pity on me on me and told me that the line was shut at 10 (or 9.30.. Can't remember which!) so I took a taxi (another good piece of advice, if drinking in the city, black cabs seem to disappear after 8 so it's a good idea to have a taxi app on your phone!)..
 
I was once hacking my old boy along a bridle path which ran along the edge of a field. Enter someone walking along towards me with a dog but so totally absorbed with texting on their mobile that they actually ran into my horse before they noticed I was there. I had (I should add) come to a halt and repeatedly called out to them to try to warn them of my presence, but to no avail. Thankfully they saw the funny side ...
 
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