What people will do to their horses in order to get from A to B!!

[Starbucks]

I was really quite shocked when hunting this weekend. Another little rant coming!!

We were going down this narrow path with a fence on one side and some bushy stuff on the other. At the bottom it was quite apparent there was quite a serious bog - belly deep and the horses were properly nearly falling in it and struggling to get out. So - I wanted to turn round, no way was I putting my horse in that - people behind me wouldn't turn around and couldn't wait to get down there!! I managed to turn and squeeze back past and everyone just trundled on!

I wouldn't mind so much but a lot of these people would not attempt a 3' fence - so why a 3' deep bog??

Do people just not think or do they just not give a [****] about their horses legs?

I couple of guys who were in front said afterwards "That was awful, how did you know to turn round?" Errm, because I watched the horses in front of me!!! :smirk:

 

[JenHunt]

to be honest I think some people just switch off out hunting, so it's more that they haven't been thinking than that they don't care.

At the same time, where we hunt its a bog or a bigger bog or a 4mile detour.... and my lad is awesome in a bog. In 5 years he's never had a day lame or even with a fat leg due to a bog. It all comes down to their fitness and your care of them.

obviously you still have to be careful, but if its only a couple of 'strides' then I wouldn't normally go round.

 

[Starbucks]

I guess you are right. It prob depends on what you are riding and what country you are used to crossing as well.

I'm pretty sure my horse would have been fine, but it wouldn't have been fun, so no point in risking it!

I thought that might have been the only way though but we went down the field a bit and there was a farm track across it! We popped a rail and were back with the field.

 

[soph21]

Im with you SB, I wouldn't put my horses through that, I wouldn't want to risk injuring my horse or me for something like that.
One day when I was hunting last season, we were going full steam down a country road, next min they all stopped, turned to face a massive hedge and jumped it
I asked someone behind me where was another way, his reply was 'the bloody hedge'
I found a gateway a bit further down
I always set a trend lol! People start following me on the chicken route

 

[Starbucks]

I would have probably jumped the hedge. I also jump things with wire on them but I know my horse is a clean jumper so it doesn't really matter if there is wire 2 foot down into a 5 foot hedge.

not sure how a horse can be a good through-bog-goer though.

 

[soph21]

Actually on that day, about an hour after that one of the red jackets jumped up on the a big hedge, horse jumped down other side but they didn't know there was barbed wire other side :cringe:
There was people falling off left right and centre

Another day last year the hunt went through a bog, but little did they know there was a old rusty metal gate in it A few horses had their legs shredded
Thankfully I didnt go to that one


I am a wimp though :grin: