Urban cowboys

Seville

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 February 2007
Messages
219
Visit site
And now, if you look on h and h news, it has started in Newcastle...and I make no apology for thinking they are travellers. I thought the US documentary was great, it works for them, and now in the public eye they will take even more care, I think. UK copycats I fear the worst of! It can only end badly.
 

Leo Walker

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2013
Messages
12,384
Location
Northampton
Visit site
And now, if you look on h and h news, it has started in Newcastle...and I make no apology for thinking they are travellers. I thought the US documentary was great, it works for them, and now in the public eye they will take even more care, I think. UK copycats I fear the worst of! It can only end badly.

Do you honestly think that this has started because of that clip?? There were people riding through the town centre not far from there 20yrs ago. There was a big fuss about a horse tied up outside the job centre a few years ago in another NE town.
 

GirlFriday

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 November 2008
Messages
1,268
Visit site
As someone who has ridden through very busy urban environments I'm not sure I entirely understood what the fuss about Newcastle was. I did it at a very expensive RS and rode through tourists, fair grounds and all sorts to a bridleway in a Royal Park.

But horses are horses.

The only real difference I see is money.

As long as there are sufficient funds and facilities to keep the horses healthy and happy I'm cool with it either side of the pond. Lots of long slow group hacks are probably better for horses stabled 24/7 (my biggest issue with urban horses) than competition horses who work 'properly' for a short time and then stand around with almost no mental or physical stimulation the rest of the time.
 

Landcruiser

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 May 2011
Messages
2,908
Location
Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire
Visit site
Am I the only one who found this film very moving? I think it's a great demonstration of how horses and troubled humans can connect, and it's really wonderful to see guys like these emotionally connected with the horses, and feeling on top of the world. It's made my day.
 

cowgirl16

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 March 2013
Messages
489
Visit site
Am I the only one who found this film very moving? I think it's a great demonstration of how horses and troubled humans can connect, and it's really wonderful to see guys like these emotionally connected with the horses, and feeling on top of the world. It's made my day.

I agree with this ^^^. And isn't a piece of this film clip being used to advertise a certain brand of dark brown beer? Sure I've seen it on TV.
 

Pearlsasinger

Up in the clouds
Joined
20 February 2009
Messages
44,732
Location
W. Yorks
Visit site
Am I the only one who found this film very moving? I think it's a great demonstration of how horses and troubled humans can connect, and it's really wonderful to see guys like these emotionally connected with the horses, and feeling on top of the world. It's made my day.


No, you're not the only one!
I have seen horses work 'miracles' with people with all sorts of problems: learning disabilities, physical and sensory disabilities, mental health issues, social problems and trauma related behaviour issues, following discharge from the armed forces.
And i can't see the problem with the horses being in the town centre, I used to have a horse which in a previous life had worked in Blackpool, along the Golden Mile, along with trams and tourists. Police horses seem to cope quite well with inner city streets and we frequently see horses driven along busy roads. I don't care who owns the horses if they are well-cared for.
And if horses can ehlp someone turn their life around, so much the better
 

Gloi

Too little time, too much to read.
Joined
8 May 2012
Messages
11,227
Location
Lancashire
Visit site
I used to ride in an urban environment quite a lot. The best riding tracks were the other side of town. I always found the town roads far safer than country lanes because visibility was always good and there was always somewhere to get out of the way of traffic if needed. No dealing with boy racers coming round blind bends at you.
 

Seville

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 February 2007
Messages
219
Visit site
I agreed the US documentary, now advertising Guineas, was lovely. Re read my post Leo.
I have to say, H and H forum has to be the most cliquey, unfriendly forum. Someone posted a photo of their stable to ask if it was bedded OK....it was...but goodness me didn't you all attack and criticise?!! There have been others who have posted and been shredded.
I have read on here for years, I have posted recently after a long break from posting, and am constantly in awe of the pack instinct to attack. I am guessing with a few exceptions of maturer poster who are always measured in their posts, the rest of you are probably 13-15 years old.
I was entitled to my opinion on the new trend of gangs riding in towns in UK. Nothing to do with the US film which was lovely. My opinion got trounced. Enjoy your gang mentality.
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
60,198
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
Now you say it is nothing to do with the US film yet you said 'UK copycats I fear the worst of!'

how is that not suggesting a link? someone has to be copycatting another for that to be true? Maybe you need to be a bit more clear in what you are writing?
 

Leo Walker

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2013
Messages
12,384
Location
Northampton
Visit site
You said
it has started in Newcastle
And no it hasnt. It has been going on in that area, which is the NE, for quite sometime, as I pointed out. You then said
and now in the public eye they will take even more care, I think. UK copycats I fear the worst of! It can only end badly

Perhaps your appalling grammar led me to somehow misunderstand what on earth you are on about.

And as for the young girl whose stable was attacked and criticised, perhaps you should ask her how she feels about the forum. I could tell you as I have several lovely PMs from her and a beautiful handwritten letter than I have kept, but its not my place to share those on a public forum.

All these "new" posters with low post counts seem to be coming out of the wood work of late and finding all sorts of ways to be outraged and upset. I'm getting a bit fed up of it!
 

PeterNatt

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 July 2003
Messages
4,531
Location
London and Hertfordshire
s68.photobucket.com
I kept a horse in London as did many others. There were all sorts of places horses were kept such as under railway arches (Vauxhall, Holborn) under motorways (Westway M40) and on scraps of waste land. The horses were mainly very well cared for and ridden through the busy streets by themselves or in company. There are many inner city farms/stables as well in London such as in Kentish Town, Ealing, Worwood Scrubbs, brixton and Hyde Park. We have sadly just lost Wimbledon. Some of them do riding for the disabled so they are of tremendous benefit to the community.
 

Leo Walker

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2013
Messages
12,384
Location
Northampton
Visit site
I remember seeing something probably 25yrs ago about a riding school in London. They had an indoor school but it was banana shaped because it was built under a viaduct or similar! I'm sure they did RDA stuff as well and the horses went off for holidays in fields.
 

DiNozzo

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 January 2014
Messages
2,322
Visit site
The whole debacle around what happened in Newcastle has been blown out of all proportion. There was a few kids riding down a pedestrianised street in the city centre (and anyone who knows Newcastle, knows that although definitely not idea for riding, the city centre generally has low speed traffic, and is much safer than other cities to be riding around in).

The police posted on Facebook asking if anyone knew who they were, so they could advise on safety, both of the riders and the public.

The national press (inc. H&H!) picked it up and sensationalised the event.
 

pennyturner

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 August 2006
Messages
2,594
Visit site
I have to say, I assumed they were probably just moving the ponies to new grazing, via the shortest route... hence the limited tack.

The DM really will print anything they don't have to pay for.
 

Identityincrisis

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 November 2011
Messages
1,473
Visit site
And can I also make a point this has NOT been happening in the NE, especially Newcastle city centre, for years! We're not a bunch of clampets up here who think it is normal practice to ride around the shops on our horses. As someone pointed out, yes urban riding isn't unheard of but those riders wear appropriate tack and clothing, the chavs in Newcastle were wearing tracksuits, no head protection and the horses had no saddle
 

Leo Walker

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2013
Messages
12,384
Location
Northampton
Visit site
It has been happening in the NE. I've seen it with my own eyes. There was a big media thing about 5yrs ago when someone tied a pony up outside the job centre. Same sort of dress code and no saddles either. And it absolutely wasnt a one off.

63898_171240473025286_396749636_n.jpg
 
Last edited:

Landcruiser

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 May 2011
Messages
2,908
Location
Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire
Visit site
I must admit, I'm thinking "Bring it on" as far as riding in an urban environment is concerned. Horses were once the only way of moving people and goods around, as we all know. They've been squeezed out and marginalised - why are we so astounded to see a group of horses walking through a city centre? Yes no helmets - but we know the travellers don't wear helmets, any more than most of the riders in the US, Europe, Mongolia, etc. Their choice, whatever us helmet wearers think of it. Track suits? You should see what I ride round in. No saddles - I bet they can stick on a horse though.

I think normal people riding horses like this is a good thing and should be encouraged - obviously you don't want them mixing with traffic up the Westway, but as long as it's safe why the heck shouldn't they be there?
 

Seville

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 February 2007
Messages
219
Visit site
I wasn't referring only to you with regard to the stable post. I am amused that you felt the need to say you had private messages from her. In the case of that particular thread I wasn't the only one who felt that as a forum, you had all attacked and criticised unfairly. Someone else posted and said so. I didn't post.
I have been a member of this forum for ten years, and posted for quite some before just watching, and saw you emerge. You are often scathing, frequently rude as in the case of the "rescue before and after", the person who posted about a lost horse you ripped apart. Its not only you, you are by no means alone, but you are pretty rude, Leo Walker, and need to take an honest look at yourself.
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
60,198
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
Cobsarefab has asked a lot of questions and had a lot of responses to help over the last few months, and I am sure she would say she is in a much better situation with her mare than she was when she first started asking those questions, she has taken everything said on board. She asks for criticism about how she is doing stuff and takes it all superbly and applies it- given that as a group we all know that replies would have been tailored towards her huge willingness to do her absolute best for that mare with what she has (I am sure she has also worked out that we don't all agree!).

Are you sure she felt attacked and criticised or are you just feeling bad on her behalf?
 

Fairynuff

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 March 2004
Messages
4,998
Location
italy
Visit site
As someone who has ridden through very busy urban environments I'm not sure I entirely understood what the fuss about Newcastle was. I did it at a very expensive RS and rode through tourists, fair grounds and all sorts to a bridleway in a Royal Park.

But horses are horses.

The only real difference I see is money.

As long as there are sufficient funds and facilities to keep the horses healthy and happy I'm cool with it either side of the pond. Lots of long slow group hacks are probably better for horses stabled 24/7 (my biggest issue with urban horses) than competition horses who work 'properly' for a short time and then stand around with almost no mental or physical stimulation the rest of the time.

totally agree with you. :)
 

Leo Walker

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2013
Messages
12,384
Location
Northampton
Visit site
I wasn't referring only to you with regard to the stable post. I am amused that you felt the need to say you had private messages from her. In the case of that particular thread I wasn't the only one who felt that as a forum, you had all attacked and criticised unfairly. Someone else posted and said so. I didn't post.
I have been a member of this forum for ten years, and posted for quite some before just watching, and saw you emerge. You are often scathing, frequently rude as in the case of the "rescue before and after", the person who posted about a lost horse you ripped apart. Its not only you, you are by no means alone, but you are pretty rude, Leo Walker, and need to take an honest look at yourself.

Oh you mean the rescue thats in a worse state now than it was when she bought it? The 2yr old colt thats stood in 24/7 all winter? Yeah, I'm quite happy to stand by what I said and someone clearly needed to say it. And the "lost" horse story wasnt true, so yeah, happy with that as well. Anything else you'd like me to review as you seem to be following me round the forum, not posting or engaging but just silently watching and judging.

You arent the first person to take an unnatural interest in me and almost certainly wont be the last. I seem to have some sort of beacon calling the crazies home. Bit odd really but each to their own.

I'm sure your 102 posts in 10 years have been invaluable!
 
Top