Patchworkpony
Well-Known Member
This is what we intend to do - boxing is the only real option to enjoy a ride without stress.
Who hacks on the roads these days and who's given up?
- Thread starter Patchworkpony
- Start date
Patchworkpony
Well-Known Member
That's our only hacking option!!!!
pennyturner
Well-Known Member
We are very fortunate in having a mix of lovely lanes and busy villages. The busy villages are the perfect training ground for the horses (20mph with odd things everywhere), and the lanes have as more bikes than cars on a sunny Saturday.
Of course you need your wits about you. I ride defensively if necessary - out in the middle to slow traffic, or even on the wrong side of the road, if it helps sightlines, and trot like billy-o on the wrong side of blind corners to get clear. We don't have many problems, partly because we are courteous to drivers, but mostly because there are often quite a few of us, and we take up the road rather, so they have to give way!
As for carriage driving, I take the advice of an old gipsy friend of mine, who advised always to drive well out into the road, so that folk can't overtake easily. That way they have no choice but to slow down and think about it.
Of course you need your wits about you. I ride defensively if necessary - out in the middle to slow traffic, or even on the wrong side of the road, if it helps sightlines, and trot like billy-o on the wrong side of blind corners to get clear. We don't have many problems, partly because we are courteous to drivers, but mostly because there are often quite a few of us, and we take up the road rather, so they have to give way!
As for carriage driving, I take the advice of an old gipsy friend of mine, who advised always to drive well out into the road, so that folk can't overtake easily. That way they have no choice but to slow down and think about it.
PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
I've given up mostly currently but don't mind hacking on quiet roads. I've hacked on quiet roads we have boxed too but am not heading out from my current yard again. The Beast in good with the traffic now after initially disliking the lorries but we had a near miss where she sidestepped in a mild spook at a gateway and a car was coming past too close and too fast... put me off. This was on the nasty stretch of road right outside the yard and I just can't face it anymore.
Hoping to get back out there after our relocation though where the roads will be quiet single track lanes, we can manage those.
Hoping to get back out there after our relocation though where the roads will be quiet single track lanes, we can manage those.
Keith_Beef
Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
We ride on the road very little, usually just a couple of hundred metres to get to one of the tracks that leads into the forest. Last Saturday was a bit unusual in that we did around 3/4 of our time on the road, but on very quiet ones.
On times I've been out with Anna on longer rides, we've had to cross what is similar to a dual carriageway a couple of times, and once had to ride along a section that was still under construction, so everybody was driving really slowly, anyway. On those rides, however, her husband drives the along to a meeting point for the more difficult crossings, we try to use Pelican crossings and he pushes the button for us, or he stands in the road with arms outstretches gesturing to drivers to slow down before we move off the grass verge and onto the tarmac.
Drivers here have absolutely no excuse for behaving like total idiots, there are signs on the way into the town that there are loads of horses, there are signs along the roads in our section of the town, to remind the drivers.
But there are still idiots in private cars and of course the delivery van drivers, and the Pizza Delivery Boys (PDBs) on their nasty 50cc scooters. And two or three now have those silent electric scooters... I've not made up my mind, yet, which are the more dangerous.
On times I've been out with Anna on longer rides, we've had to cross what is similar to a dual carriageway a couple of times, and once had to ride along a section that was still under construction, so everybody was driving really slowly, anyway. On those rides, however, her husband drives the along to a meeting point for the more difficult crossings, we try to use Pelican crossings and he pushes the button for us, or he stands in the road with arms outstretches gesturing to drivers to slow down before we move off the grass verge and onto the tarmac.
Drivers here have absolutely no excuse for behaving like total idiots, there are signs on the way into the town that there are loads of horses, there are signs along the roads in our section of the town, to remind the drivers.
But there are still idiots in private cars and of course the delivery van drivers, and the Pizza Delivery Boys (PDBs) on their nasty 50cc scooters. And two or three now have those silent electric scooters... I've not made up my mind, yet, which are the more dangerous.
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Orangehorse
Well-Known Member
I have been trying to get H & H people to respond the Government's Post Brexit Agriculture consultation, mostly about Public Access. I think it is too late now, the closing date was today. I started out in April, trying to bring this to everyone's attention, and I reminded everyone earlier this week.
This was your opportunity to ask the Government to do something about safer riding routes, but I am not aware that many people actually bothered to send an email to DEFRA.
This was your opportunity to ask the Government to do something about safer riding routes, but I am not aware that many people actually bothered to send an email to DEFRA.
DabDab
Ah mud, splendid
Yes, I love roadwork - I'll quite happily trot around for hours. There are some that I avoid riding on or crossing at particular times of day, which can be a little restrictive in winter with short daylight hours, but in summer the times I ride are antisocial enough to avoid bad traffic anyway
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flying_high
Well-Known Member
Problem is ideally I hack three times a week and school three times a week. I work full time and have two horses. Boxing out three times a week just to hack isn't feasible. It does also add on a fair amount of time, even travelling tacked up IME.
I need keep my horses near roads that are safe to ride on, and near access to good hacking.
Equi
Well-Known Member
I hack maybe a few times a month and generally on days i can't be bothered to do much else. I was also one of those kids who would disappear for a whole saturday hacking about the roads with barely a car about, but there is a lot more traffic now. My horse doesn't bother with traffic thankfully, but can be a little hesitant to walk on so i really do need to hack now and then to remind him that we WILL walk on cause we have great up down up down hills, great for his bum and back when he is relaxing long and low.