Horses/cyclists on the road

[sconeorscone]

Do you feel nervous on the roads too, or do you just get on with it and don’t feel anxious about it?

im really fortunate that in the area I’m in most people are fantastic at driving past my horse, as it’s quite a rural area and most people are used to waiting for horses, trackers, kids etc. I always pull in to the side, or trot to a passing place so they can get past. Unfortunately some people are so fucking selfish and speed past, or rev the engine deliberately, leave no space behind or to the side of me and don’t wait 2 seconds for me to pull into the side when I’m clearly indicating I will. I imagine cyclists have similar issues with some selfish drivers.

some of my friends are nervous going on the roads and others are not that bothered, I suppose it depends how many dickhead drivers you’ve come across and if you’ve had a bad experience but it made me realise I’m actually quite nervous about it although still do it because my horse loves it and it’s good for him. But if it were up to me we would never ride on the road because the few dickheads spoil it for everyone.

how do you feel about it?

And if you’re one of the arseholes that speeds past/tailgates/breaks the law around horses and bikes on the road, how do you sleep at night knowing you could have caused an accident?

girlmom21

OP can I ask why you choose to ride on roads rather than bridle paths?

It's entirely legal, as horses and pedestrians have right of way. Drivers have priority over other drivers, according to circumstances and are licenced to drive on the roads, according to the terms of the licence.

Horses are now forbidden on motorways, although before the fuel protests, they weren't. Not that any sane rider would have taken one on a motorway!

No, I go very slow by horses and stop altogether if they look they want me to.

Bikes have the right of way. They take precedence over vehicles- even if three abreast.

There isn’t a single bridle path or trail anywhere near us! They don’t really exist as much as people believe they do unfortunately.

😂

I never suggested it wasn't legal.
I asked why people choose to do it.

Thanks for the explanation @EverestMilton. Do horses need to be exercised in that way if bridleways aren't accessible? Are the fields they live in not enough?

My dog is also very good and will sit and wait /lie down until they’ve passed (because he thinks horses are huge dogs that need to be worshipped).

Oh no, here comes the pony patter brigade

just wait until you find out about XC😉

Because you often have to ride on the roads to get to the bridle paths?

@thelobsterquadrille I wasn't being a dick, I just assumed horses fields were always set up by bridleways intentionally.

I have no issue with horses on the roads.

Some horses need to be worked on hard ground unfortunately so fields aren’t always the best

besides, if you ride in your fields it will destroy them pretty quickly and leave them useless which means the horses won’t be able to graze or get turned out in them x

That makes perfect sense. Thanks @sconeorscone

Haha. My dog is the same!

Because generally, you have to ride on the road to GET to the Bridleways...
Horses are not all kept on the ends of Bridleways & there are few enough of them anyway.
None of us want to ride on the road - we have to, to get anywhere where we're allowed to ride off the road.

To the poster who asked how to pass a horse on the road:

Give a horse as much room as you would a large van that you had to overtake; so, if you cannot get your car across the white line and onto the opposite lane safely you are too close. In any case 3m preferably.

And pass at 10mph or so without revving your engine. If you have to wait to overtake the horse, drop back at least 4-5m unless you want your headlights kicked in if you startle the horse - a horse cannot see immediately behind it's tail so you will be more visible further back so the horse knows you are not a danger.

Horses are flight animals so their reaction to danger is to run, often into the path of something else. So please do everything in your power to not act like a predator either in you car or on a bike.

Finally, thank you to everyone who passes hoses slowly and with care. We may not always be able to take a hand off the rein (and that "snooty/filthy" look might just be sheer terror - it is terrifying on the roads more often than you'd think when riding) but we should always try to smile & nod our thanks, I certainly do.

Horses don't get fit by standing in a field all day. And most fields aren't suitable for riding in - they're too boggy and the ground is uneven, which means it's unsafe for both horse and rider.

If a horse is in ridden work, they need a rider on them regularly and to be exercised in a variety of ways. That could be in a school doing flatwork, on a gentle road hack, or on a proper ride out somewhere like a beach or through the countryside.

I take lessons at a riding school and the horses are all exercised in the arena and on hacks, which could mean the beach, the fells, trail rides or along the roads. There are no bridlepaths that lead directly from the school and the fields where they live aren't suitable for riding, so, yes, they have to go on the road at some point.

Road walks are also a good way to get a horse gently warmed up so by the time you reach the trails, they're happy to go a bit faster and to tackle more challenging ground.

😂

So he isn't a herding breed then?

I've been abroad where they have used various breeds of sheep dog to keep horses in the right fields.

😊

@thelobsterquadrille it was the arenas I was picturing when I said fields but I couldn't think of the word wet/boggy fields and warming the horses up makes perfect sense though!

I didn't say you were being a dick :) sorry if it came across like that!

There are loads of bridleways here but the only way to access them is by road. There also aren't many places to park a horse box, so it means either hacking from the school (or your home) or driving, parking somewehre and riding the rest of the way.

In general there are a number of drivers who feel like the roads belong to them (as well as the pavements to park on) and are super aggressive at the idea of anyone sharing them. It’s a shame as if it were safer to cycle/walk places more people would for short journeys and there would be a bit less congestion in towns/cities, a bit less pollution & a few people keeping a bit fitter so better for NHS etc. Sadly seems there is not a lot you can do about it.

They have priority, rather than right of way:

Rule 76

Going straight ahead. If you are going straight ahead at a junction, you have priority over traffic waiting to turn into or out of the side road, unless road signs or markings indicate otherwise (see Rule H3).

Pedestrians and horse riders have right of way, which is absolute. Obviously, flinging yourself into the path of a car doing 40 mph may not be a very good idea....

You are in the minority if cyclists - always a shock when they acknowledge

of cyclists should say

I keep cross-posting with you

The arena I use was frozen solid last week - way too dangerous for any kind of ridden work, but the roads had been de-iced and had had the sun on them, so they were perfectly safe, and the beach wasn't frozen so that was great for a ride too!

I find horse riders are very good at waving you past so you are sure their horses are comfortable and not going to get angsty- always appreciated

My horses are all fantastic and sensible on the road, and I’d like to think I’m a good road user when on horseback (always wear hi-vis, always let drivers pass if possible, always thank drivers that slow down or give way etc). But I never ride on main roads nowadays unless I absolutely have to. Too many drivers are absolutely dangerous and idiotic around horses, I just wouldn’t risk my horses. Luckily we have endless hacking on bridleways, tracks and little lanes around here.