Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

1 2 3

AIBU?

To think that horses shouldn't be on footpaths.

63 replies

Kasterborous · 13/07/2013 13:57

I was out walking down the footpath yesterday with DD in her pushchair and this woman riding a horse appeared on the path in front of us. It wasn't a path down a country lane or a rural area. I moved out the way because I had DD with me, if it had been just me I would have stood my ground. It's not a one off either because there have been piles of horse poo on the path in the past too. I can see they don't want to be on the road either but a footpath is not for horses.

OP posts:

Report

JaffaMyCake · 13/07/2013 14:04

YABU, the lack of bridle ways in the UK is shocking. It's not as if the woman was full pelt galloping down the footpath . Don't really understand why this has annoyed you given that you probably had to move all of about 3ft.

Also to have "stood your ground" had you not had DD, really? So what would you have expected the woman to do?

Kasterborous · 13/07/2013 14:06

I stand by what I said, I would have expected her to go on the road.

OP posts:

WestmorlandSausage · 13/07/2013 14:06

are you certain it was definitely not a bridle path as well? They may have every right to be there

Whogivesashit · 13/07/2013 14:06

What Jaffa said.

OneHandFlapping · 13/07/2013 14:08

I would've expected her to go on the road too. It's called a footpath for a reason.

Kasterborous · 13/07/2013 14:08

It was a footpath running along side a main road, no way on earth was it a bridle way.

OP posts:

saintlyjimjams · 13/07/2013 14:09

Many footpaths are also bridleways. Unless they have a stile or kissing gate (which are horse isn't going to negotiate) I suspect they had every right to be there.

How on earth would you have stood your ground? You don't really want to frighten a horse out hacking tbh - it's not a very sensible thing to do.

janey68 · 13/07/2013 14:10

YANBU

Lack of bridleways is a separate issue and doesn't justify riding on the footpath. And personally I would rather see money invested in more cycle paths than bridle ways because a bike is a far more realistic mode of environmentally friendly transport than a horse

Kasterborous · 13/07/2013 14:10

What if the horse had got spooked and run at us, it happens. That's what scares me when I have DD with me.

OP posts:

carlajean · 13/07/2013 14:10

Yanbu. The footpaths through our local woods are ruined in wet weather by horse riders who won't keep to bridle paths.

PatsyAndEddy · 13/07/2013 14:11

Horses have feet!

janey68 · 13/07/2013 14:11

By realistic, I mean accessible to the general population

PatsyAndEddy · 13/07/2013 14:12

What if I passed you on the path and you got spooked and rammed the buggy at me?

Sure it happens

ButThereAgain · 13/07/2013 14:12

Was it actually a problem for you or do you have a thing about rules?

I quite like meeting horses while out and about. I haven't a clue whether the paths I meet them on are bridlepaths or footpaths.

Kasterborous · 13/07/2013 14:12

So all footpaths along main busy roads are bridleways?Not being arsey just curious.

OP posts:

JaffaMyCake · 13/07/2013 14:12

You would have expected her to go on the road? Still don't see how that relates to "standing your ground", they can't magically morph onto the road if you won't move out of the way

Incapinka · 13/07/2013 14:13

So was it a track running alongside the main road? If so I am with the horse rider. I wouldn't want to ride along a main road either. And it's not as though she galloped over you and caused a near miss.

Kasterborous · 13/07/2013 14:13

I wouldn't have spooked the horse or rider, I'm not cruel.

OP posts:

JaffaMyCake · 13/07/2013 14:13

janey I don't really think a horse is a "mode of transport"..... It is a leisure activity.

Incapinka · 13/07/2013 14:14

And if you had stood your ground and she decided to stand her ground too what would have happened?! All sounds a bit childish. Maybe its the heat...

Kasterborous · 13/07/2013 14:14

No it wasn't a track, it's a Tarmac footpath that is clearly a footpath.

OP posts:

Kasterborous · 13/07/2013 14:15

I probably am being a bit childish, I do hate this heat.

OP posts:

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Email address

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

janey68 · 13/07/2013 14:15

So is cycling a leisure activity- and you're not allowed to cycle on footpaths either. My point was in response to the 'not enough bridle ways argument. I'm just saying that I would prioritise more cycle ways over bridle ways because your average joe bloggs doesn't own a horse

Hashtagwhatever · 13/07/2013 14:15

Horse's dont have feet they have hooves.

Shrugged · 13/07/2013 14:16

I think some people are confusing 'footpath' with 'pavement'. What I assumed the OP meant was not that she was walking through a field on a right of way when she met the rider, but that she was walking along a pavement and met a horse and rider coming towards her on they've net, so she had to step out onto the road...?

Flip

1 2 3

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.