who's right of way the tractors or the horse ?

So true foxhunter. I remember once hacking with someone whose horse was bad in traffic. Soon realised why, we were about 20m from a t-junction when a bus went across. And only a tiny village one too. Never mind her horse, I nearly bolted when she suddenly screamed 'AAAAH, THE BUS! IT'S OK BOY, IT'S ONLY THE BUS, THE BUS, PLEASE LET IT STOP, GOOD BOY, OH NO, THE BUS' etc all in a high pitched, screech. I thought she was dying painfully when she first screamed.
 
I suspect it is as much YOU as it is the horse. You are expecting a reaction your horse feels it and thus you get a reaction. I am almost a non rider but if I sit on my daughter's pony I feel 100% safe because I don't expect him to spook,and I laugh at his misdemeanours. He looks decidedly sheepish if he does spook at anything, it's more he starts when he sees the crisp packet in the hedge because it surprised him but because he knows I think he's silly he doesn't do more than a little surprised side-step or a snort and gives me an 'I'm not afraid, really!' look out of the corner of his eye. Just to check I really am not afraid of it.
 
I think the fact that some of your first moves were to ride straight at him in the middle of the road to try and force him to stop, and to threaten him with the police speaks volumes for your diplomatic skills.
I am a farmers wife who has horses and so my husband understands to slow down, but at busy times of the year especially, to expect someone who is WORKING to pull over, turn the engine off and waste time waiting for you to pootle past on your nice little jolly hack every time you venture out is a bit much.

You've had some good advice on this thread, take it.
 
Well your horse can't be that dreadful with tractors if you are still able to reposition them closer to it, or stop to talk with the engine running. I think you are being hugely unreasonable, as the above poster says, to expect someone to pause in their job, to stop their work, so you can enjoy your leisure time. Reads like some sort of high horse snobbery to me!
 
FfionWinnie said:
What sort of road was this?
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Country lane which we use to get from the fields back to the farm. Were lifting beet around here still and it would be stupid to drive around with beet trailers and no beacons. We just dont expect to see people riding in the hedge bottoms, in the dark, with no hi viz on!
 
OP, what does your horse do when this tractor approaches? I have a horse who had a road accident who is 50:50 with tractors we meet out and can whip round to tank. Mostly i just have to scrabble round the best i can
 
I'd call the police - your the vunerable party and if you have a accident and something serious happens you'll wish you had. If you've asked nicely that's as much as you can do. Have the same problem around here when the contractors are in....half of them are young kids who shouldn't be let anywhere near a vehicle.
When I called the police for the second time (as they did nothing the first time which a few hours later resulted in an accident for someone and 3 broken bones) they were very quick off the mark! They just had a friendly word which did help.
 
legend22 said:
I'd call the police - your the vunerable party and if you have a accident and something serious happens you'll wish you had. If you've asked nicely that's as much as you can do. Have the same problem around here when the contractors are in....half of them are young kids who shouldn't be let anywhere near a vehicle.
When I called the police for the second time (as they did nothing the first time which a few hours later resulted in an accident for someone and 3 broken bones) they were very quick off the mark! They just had a friendly word which did help.
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Ummmmm noooo! The farmer is being completely reasonable so on what basis is OP calling the police? FFS, talk about wasting police time!

The OP is the one with the issue that they need to resolve, the farmer is neither speeding past, revving engine or doing anything else that would remotely be considered as poor driving. They have a right to use the road without having to stop and turn their engine off every time they meet this horse.

My horse doesnt like tractors much even tho we have one and desensitise at home but that is our issue not the tractor drivers!

Yes an accident could happen but if it did it would be down to OP not getting their horses issue addressed. If I were the farmer it would be me calling the police if anything rather than the other way round.
 
Well OP im sure you won't want to hear this but as a farmers wife I can wholeheartedly say your attitude is the reason why so many of us horsey folk have a bad name in the farming world!

If you see a tractor coming towards you, you should turn back on yourself and find the nearest space to pull into. If its coming from behind you then you trot on and do the same thing.

When you are in the space face your horse towards the passing tractor, be prepared to use a lot of leg and make sure you reassure it. If you are too nervous to do this or are expecting to have right of way over a tractor which is working because you and your horse are terrified, should you really be on the road at all?

I'm pretty shocked at your attitude to be honest and anyone who agrees you should call the police is just as dilusional.

FWIW my mare used to turn herself inside out with tractors. I persisted with it and have never once expected anyone to turn off their engine for me. She is still a bit weary of them (despite libing on our farm!) but nothing to how she used to be. I just ignore her reaction and reassure her.
 
I have a very nice pasture ornament due to a fear of traffic. After 18 months of living on a working farm she still panics at tractors, though she will now walk past a parked one when led. Feed is delivered to the fields by tractor and when all the others come galloping up she hangs back until the tractor has left the field and gone away before coming to eat.
It makes me wonder what has happened to her in the first 6 years of her life.
 
My horse was terrified of tractors when I first got him but luckily where he was kept the local tractor drivers were brilliant and always (voluntarily) turned off their engines if they saw he was having a hissy fit. I then moved him to livery on a working farm and he quickly got used to the tractors. He still doesn't particularly like them but I can pass one on the road without hysterics. He is fine with them coming towards him but hates them coming up behind him. I always make sure I get into a drive/gateway and turn him to see the tractor and he will stand until they pass. Living in the country he has had no option but to get used to tractors or I would never have been able to hack him out.
 
What on earth would the police be speaking to the farmer about? Intimidation of equines, with a counter charge of not agreeing to switch the engine off in future?
 
legend22 said:
I'd call the police - your the vunerable party and if you have a accident and something serious happens you'll wish you had. If you've asked nicely that's as much as you can do. Have the same problem around here when the contractors are in....half of them are young kids who shouldn't be let anywhere near a vehicle.
When I called the police for the second time (as they did nothing the first time which a few hours later resulted in an accident for someone and 3 broken bones) they were very quick off the mark! They just had a friendly word which did help.
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What exactly would you be reporting to the police? That they refuse to turn off their engine for the walking liability on the other side of the road?

Roads are dangerous, if you don't have a horse that you can trust to behave reasonably in country traffic, don't take it out on the road, it really is that simple. At best you are putting yourself and your horse at risk, at worst YOU will cause an RTA and injure innocent parties.

No traffic has a legal obligation to stop and turn their engine off when they see a horse, I would think in 90% of cases turning your engine off on a road would be extremely dangerous and would get him in more trouble with the police.

With regards to the OP riding down the middle of the road in an attempt to make traffic stop? Mindless, dangerous and stupid IMO, that is an accident waiting to happen.
 
Ep rider- I knew one like that years ago, even being stabled on a working farm made little difference. In her case though, owner knew what had happened. Apparently she'd never been great with them, but was safe enough with a confident rider. Owner was out hacking & got clipped by a lorry, both ended up on the floor & horse got up & raced for home. Unfortunately the route home involved a bridleway with a gate by the side of a cattle grid. Luckily there was a tractor in the field, driver saw the horse heading for the cattle grid & pulled in front of it, although he was quite a bit in front of it, no time to just stop on it. Horse made to dart round, by diverting through the field, so tractor driver chased the horse away, by driving at it. Of course tractor driver saved it broken legs, & owner was very grateful, but it was never predictable with tractors again to risk meeting one out hacking.
 
legend22 said:
I'd call the police - your the vunerable party and if you have a accident and something serious happens you'll wish you had.
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Absolutely agree. The best course of action is definitely to wind up the farmer who is already slowing and pulling over... more than a lot round here do (and I certainly don't expect them to). Perhaps they ought to ask the farmer to get out and walk her past next time too?

If there is an accident I'd like the farmer to find this thread as I think I know who they'd find responsible.
 
If your horse isn't desensitised enough to stay obedient and keep walking past a tractor then it shouldn't be on the road! The tractor driver shouldn't need to turn his engine off he's being more than polite by stopping for you. Going to the police is a ridiculous suggestion traffic is under no obligation to stop for a horse let alone turn the engine off.
 
You should take your horse into the opposite yard and ask them to fire tractors up and stay there until she stops having a dicky fit then keep doing it every day for a month; walk her around them then ride her around them, get them to switch on or off while you're there and then buy them a case of beer for helping you out.
It's not the farmer's problem, it's yours and you should sort it, why should he stop his work just because you haven't done your job of traffic proofing?.

I find OP extremely arrogant, the world does not revolve around her horse and never should.
 
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Being. Farmers daughter, my pony hated tractors. Until I left one in his paddock(obvs just for an hour a day or so, then over time I started it) then rode him next to.
 
Yes, call the police! Tell them you were deliberately riding down the middle of the road trying to block the tractor because he didn't stop and turn his engine off, see what they say! You are more likely to get yourself told off for not being in control of your horse on the road.

I think you owe the farmer an apology, no wonder he is wound up by you. Most farmers around us are lovely towards horses, perhaps because most people would trot on and get out of the way if we were worried about a horse with tractors, rather than causing a blockage and expecting them to turn their engines off..

It should be give and take, not expecting take all the time..
 
Agree with the other posters. You are lucky that some farmers switch off their engines for you. You cannot expect them all to! It's polite to trot on and find somewhere to pull out of the way safely, if your horse is upset get off if necessary or safer. Very arrogant to hog the road by riding in the middle.

When it's harvest time we always get out of the way fast as we can, pulling into a nearby field enterene if possible, or at least onto the verge. Farmers have really important work to do in short time frames, it's not fair to expect them to stop everything for your horse. Ditto the above and take your horse to the tractor yard and hang out while they fire up and drive about. Or find a good companion to ride out with.
 
Ok

So firstly I said it in a rage I wouldn't have it's just worring when your horse is an idiot but yes i agree a step to far I will hang my head in shame for abit!

Secondly I've booked her into go to natural horsemanship bloke to get the issue sorted.

thirdly I have been to apologise to the farmer today.

so enough said really I was only wanted to see who's right of way it actually was obviously the tractors .

Problem sorted.
 
Gryfiss said:
Ok

So firstly I said it in a rage I wouldn't have it's just worring when your horse is an idiot but yes i agree a step to far I will hang my head in shame for abit!

Secondly I've booked her into go to natural horsemanship bloke to get the issue sorted.

thirdly I have been to apologise to the farmer today.

so enough said really I was only wanted to see who's right of way it actually was obviously the tractors .

Problem sorted.
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I really admire someone who can admit they're wrong and apologise.

I don't think either has the right of way over the other, both have a right on the road, neither should have to give way to the other, both should be respective of each other..
 
Its not the farmers fault your horse has an issue with tractors, he is being very reasonable i think.

One of mine is scared of traffic, he has got a tiny bit better but is still unpredictable with them, so we don't go out on the road, yes it has got boring just going round the fields yes he has turned into somewhat of a field ornament but I'd rather that than take him on a road, I'd never forgive myself if knowing this, i took him out on the road and we caused an accident and injured someone else.

also I have known a horse that was killed on the road.... it was a freak accident, the horse got bitten by a dog while riding round the farm, panicked and bolted off the farm down a track and straight out onto a main road right infront of a car that was merrily going at 30mph, the horse died at the scene, the man driving the car was in a coma for 3 weeks and also died.
So if you knowingly take your horse onto the road when you know it has issues with some traffic that to me is stupid and very irresponsible, if you want to put yourself at risk then fine but you are also putting other people at risk..... Its your responsibly to make sure your horse is safe on the road, if its not then don't take it on the road.
 
OP....
Go & buy a bottle of wine & take it and ask the tractor driver if you can make a recording of his tractor at it's loudest, which is probably at the yard, so you have a loop you can play to your horse.

Play this whilst riding whenever it is safe and also when grooming & feeding -randomly.

If you can't manage a horse when a considerate vehicle drives past then the horse should not be on the road without retraining.

Edit -just seen you've apologised. Good start but the tape idea is still valid.
 
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We have one that is difficult with Tractors and big traffic (the latter being less of a problem as we keep her off those road) trains oddly are just fine. With her it likely due to an accident with a 4 year old with a skip lorry. We have never completely resolved it despite having tractors in the field next to her and feeding her off one quite happily. We have understanding farmers and we try to hold them up as little as possible (narrow one way lanes) They know if they don't get too close she is better an that we will get out of their way ASAP into a gate way etc (where she will stand and shake). She is a bit better with my lad who will squeeze past anything but still not 100%

For the most part I certainly see it as our problem though and would never expect someone to turn the engine off, although if they choose to they will be thanked!
 
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