Jessicas Dad as far as Rothwell is concerned there is one Bridlepath which runs for about 1/2 mile. I know because I was born and brought up in Rothwell and lived there for 30 something years along with my ponies 
Like Justdrivers says⌠there are lots of green fields but very very few that you can ride on without being chased by an angry farmer. In fact most of my friends still live there as do my parents so check out your facts. Both new countryside areas devoloped in the last few years specifically prohibit horses 
Smacaul i cant vouch for where you live but round here if we are going on the road even the horse wears hi-viz bands on its legs never mind the rider. regrettfully like with anything you do get some stupid and irresponsible people, indeed there are a multitude in our own industry, but do not assume we horsy people are all like that.
Coffee⌠seeing me in jods may just put you off that idea 
Horses were there first, Bridleways were there before the metalled roads, and like truckyboy says, âwhy do they build those french Chateaus near motorwaysâ
Horses certainly have priority on the roads too, they were there first, until they were put out of work by those new fangled steam engines and smelly trucks. 
I was overtaking a couple of Jodphur clad laydeez 
last week on my bike, I slowed down to give them space, and to have a closer look,
Because I had given them a lane width clearance, this chav in a peugeot came between them and me 
This is the most interesting equestrian thread I have ever read on trucknet and for some one who as many will know has spent 15 years of my life training horses and riders I just had to give my two penarth.
The bridge thing must have been terrifying for the rider but with many bridges over main roads in my surrounding area it has always been common practice around here to dismount and lead your horse over the bridge. It is also good discipline for the young thoroughbred to wait patiently to be remounted on the otherside so therefore an invaluble part of the training process that insures everybodies safety.
There are two main reasons for riding along a PUBLIC highway two abreast, those being a young horse or inexperienced jockey will be put on the inside of a more mature horse to encourage a sensible attitude in the young horse towards a the pressures of a modern highway. The other reason being more and more drivers squeezing past horses that are riding single file in their all too common desire to rush around and drive discurteously leaving riders with no other option than to ride two abreast to protect themselves and their mounts becoming increasingly nessasary and as chatting happily whilst doing this has not yet become illegal I canât see and end in sight to that situation. 
The older members of Tnet will be aware of my previous employment by the household cavalry transporting the horses to functions all over england and europe and may I point out that it is army policy to carry out all road work two or three abreast and this can be witnessed on the streets around knightsbridge and Melton Mowbray on most days.
The why are horses still on PUBLIC highways still in this day and age? also has two reasons. The first being with all the technology of this modern age we have not yet been able to teach our horses to fly to the areas of open countryside that are open for the use of exercising horses but as soon as they can, be assured you will be the first to know. The other reason is that a successful training programme that creates a mount capable of coping with the demands made on a riding horse consists of schooling at home i.e turrns, changes of speed, balance and control. Fast off road work to build heart rate recovery time and cardiovascular strength coupled with control in open spaces and last of all steady roadwork is vital for the strengthening of limbs and the hardening of muscles to ensure the on going fitness of this animal you have spent a great deal of time and money on.
The why canât horses only use all the fields is IMHO the most comical bit and putting aside the careful preperation of land for crops and the disruption of the soil surface would leave acres spoilt and unproductive there is also the obvious fact that this is PRIVATE property and should be respected as such. I supose we could always do our jump training along rows of gardens and churn up peoples flowerbeds.
Whatâs next ban bikes and stop people walking dogs on pavements? We are proffessional drivers and it is our job to set an example on how to behave couteously and safely when negotiating hazards and yes horses are one of them, wanting them off the road makes echos of that lady on the Vine show who was scared of trucks and wants them banned. It IMHO is ignorance and fear that breeds intolorance.
May I point out that I am a full time artic driver with experience in many aspects of haulage and not just the horse transport industry.
Ladytrucker679:
The why canât horses only use all the fields is IMHO the most comical bit and putting aside the careful preperation of land for crops and the disruption of the soil surface would leave acres spoilt and unproductive there is also the obvious fact that this is PRIVATE property and should be respected as such. I supose we could always do our jump training along rows of gardens and churn up peoples flowerbeds.
I would refer to my analogy with the off road bikes here, They are not allowed to use the public highway, not even to get to a field. They have to find a Field or open space that they can use for free or have to pay rent on it!!!
At the end of the day a horse is not a dog or a normal pet, it is a Hobby as well as a pet and therefore why should they be allowed on the public highway causing a nuisence!! No doubt if they all had to transported to and from fields in a transporter then either you would have more work or they would be stabled at sites that had adequote room. There are still plenty of bridelpaths left around that you could use.
No matter what my feelings are on the subject, If I come accross horses on the road I still give them ample room, mainly because I could be bothered with the hassle of all the insurance should the horse rear up and cause an accident, I have no doubt that it would be the drivers fault in the end no matter what.
I still have not had an answer as to the question of insurance? Do you actually need insurace to ride one on the road?? Why are there no laws which govern what type of markers should be displayed? A horse is equally as big as a small car yet does not need to display any markers or lights, I have seen riders out at dusk with no lights or markings and it is dangerous.
I have had my horses insured for probably 15 years now formally Pet Plan but lately MFU they are covered public liability along with the usual vets fees and injury to myself but given some of the stock that I have owned it is not hard to see the sence in taking precausions. Off road bikes in way of definition are designed for off road use where as the horses were the on road transport until motors were invented and a deliveryman that still wanted to use a horse would still be well within his rights. I have no problems with off road bikes on the highway. I tried to explain in my previous thread the extensive reasons including fitness training that make roadwork with horses imperitive.
Push bikes which should be given a cars width being ridden by a rider that if they fall for what ever reason need 6ft of space to ensure safety also use our roads I donât mind them on our highways either.
I can remember the days when horses âworkedâ on the roads. When I was a kid the local milkman had a Horse and Cart and being a kid, I used to go out and âhelpâ (or should that be âhinderâ) him. I was always amazed that, despite wearing blinkers, the animal manged to navigate the cart around parked parked vehicles. On one occasion, I inadvertently released the handbrake of the cart, which was a signal to the horse to continue to the next delivery area. The milkman was left behind and despite all my efforts to re-apply the brake or tug on the reins, the damned animal was not going to stop until the alloted location was reached.
This was in the days when I could get a bus home from school for lunch, and if I timed it right, got to sit on the arse end of the cart all the way back to school. What would Health and Safety make of that in these days.
In more recent years I happened across a young rider whose horse, on a very wide grass verge, had decided to become fractious, and had caused a three car shunt. âCausedâ as in the case that one driver had taken preventative action, and the two following hadnât.
Anyway, the horse was still skittish so I grabbed the bridle, whereupon the damned thing decided that it was going to rear up. It soon realised that trying to lift 16 Stone with its head already held down was not really on. Eye contact was made and an understanding was reached, in my favour.
After walking it nigh on a mile back to its stable, and relating the tale to the owner, it was promptly put into its stall, whereupon it tried to roll on its back to break the saddle girth. It then got another rollicking from its owner.
Does horses suffer from PMT?
Krankee:
Does horses suffer from PMT?
Only the females.
When i see a horse and rider i think of FOG,.
Foot Off Gas!
brit_mark:
When i see a horse and rider i think of FOG,.Foot Off Gas!
Really, I just think PITA.
Pain In The Arse, One day with any luck it will be made illegal for them to be on the road.
As I understand it if you hold an HGV licence then your classed as a professional driver, what this â â â â â â â â â done on the M25 was by no meens professional and should be ashamed of his actions and obviously had no idea of what the consequences(spelling?) could have been due to his stupidity.
As for horses riding on the road I wouldnât say iâm overly happy about it because iâve seen many round my way on busy roads during peak periods which does cause problems although theres no way I would try and pass without a large enough gap so that I dont put other road users, the horse and its rider in any danger.
uvox82:
As I understand it if you hold an HGV licence then your classed as a professional driver, what this [zb] done on the M25 was by no meens professional and should be ashamed of his actions and obviously had no idea of what the consequences(spelling?) could have been due to his stupidity.
As for horses riding on the road I wouldnât say iâm overly happy about it because iâve seen many round my way on busy roads during peak periods which does cause problems although theres no way I would try and pass without a large enough gap so that I dont put other road users, the horse and its rider in any danger.
If you read my earlier posts you will see that I do give them plenty of room. My point is that âifâ he had needed to sound his horn for a genuine reason then the outcome would have been the same for the horse and rider. They should not have been riding them over the bridge, they should have been walking them over. The other point I am trying to make is that plenty of them are not insured, they are often riden by inexpierenced road users who do not have any visual warnings on them, Why should I have a potential accident due to them!!!
To give you an example, A couple of years ago I was out on my motorbike with a friend, Now he was a Traffic Sargent in the Thames Valley Police, It was a Saturday and he was on a Marked Police bike. As we went round some of the back roads near Maidenhead we came accross 2 horses being ridden by 2 young girls, They were 2 abreast on a BLIND BEND on a de restricted stretch of road!!! Now that was pure danger, You could not see them, and it was only because he had seen the smoke from the car infronts wheels that alerted us to them. He even sat back and put his lights on to warn the cars behind. There was no need for them to be on the road, he did have a word with them but as he said âthey will do it againâ why? Beacuse they have no regard for other road users. Horses on a derestricted road are a DANGER to every other road user, there is nothing else to say about it, you get no warning of them, other then a pile of steaming â â â â in the road to throw bikers off their bikes.
smcaul:
If you read my earlier posts you will see that I do give them plenty of room. My point is that âifâ he had needed to sound his horn for a genuine reason then the outcome would have been the same for the horse and rider. They should not have been riding them over the bridge, they should have been walking them over. The other point I am trying to make is that plenty of them are not insured, they are often riden by inexpierenced road users who do not have any visual warnings on them, Why should I have a potential accident due to them!!!To give you an example, A couple of years ago I was out on my motorbike with a friend, Now he was a Traffic Sargent in the Thames Valley Police, It was a Saturday and he was on a Marked Police bike. As we went round some of the back roads near Maidenhead we came accross 2 horses being ridden by 2 young girls, They were 2 abreast on a BLIND BEND on a de restricted stretch of road!!! Now that was pure danger, You could not see them, and it was only because he had seen the smoke from the car infronts wheels that alerted us to them. He even sat back and put his lights on to warn the cars behind. There was no need for them to be on the road, he did have a word with them but as he said âthey will do it againâ why? Beacuse they have no regard for other road users. Horses on a derestricted road are a DANGER to every other road user, there is nothing else to say about it, you get no warning of them, other then a pile of steaming [zb] in the road to throw bikers off their bikes.
I didnât say you didnât give them loads of room when passing. All I was saying was that although iâm not happy about them on the road (just like you are)I wouldnât act in a way that shows my displeasure at getting stuck behind them and would pass with plenty of space and care. The point you made about the outcome being the same if the driver had to use his horn is very true but, like what had already been mentioned in the original post, there was no reason whatsoever on this occasion other than to scare the horses. As it stands horses have just as much right to be on the roads as the rest of us. Im not having a dig at you in either of my posts just offering my opinion, just like you are.
As far as I am concerned the trucker was well within his rights to sound his horn and as I have already stated anyone being taught by me or under my supervision would have dismounted to lead her horse over the bridge, I can see no fault with the trucker.
The being alerted to the presence of horses by smoking tyres from the car in front makes me wonder about appropriate speeds and forward planning lets hope that car never meets a broken down tractor or a herd of cows on his travels.
Do horses have PMT?
YES but only the intelligent ones!
Ladytrucker679:
As far as I am concerned the trucker was well within his rights to sound his horn and as I have already stated anyone being taught by me or under my supervision would have dismounted to lead her horse over the bridge, I can see no fault with the trucker.
The being alerted to the presence of horses by smoking tyres from the car in front makes me wonder about appropriate speeds and forward planning lets hope that car never meets a broken down tractor or a herd of cows on his travels.
Do horses have PMT?
YES but only the intelligent ones!
But was the Driver right to sound his horn for no apparent reason as was stated in the original post? at best its irresponsible and worst down right dangerous to do so around any animal. I stick with my original criticism of the driver if he had no legitimate reason for sounding the warning, he was wrong and common sense should have prevailed.
Well obviously it was irresponsible if there was no logical reason but the horse rider equally has a responsibility to minimise danger to other road users, you can read here the bad image that horse riders have with many people and it reminds me of the attitude some people have towards truckers. Horses are capable of behaving in an unexpected manner but just like anything else more curtesy towards other road users like a friendly wave of thank you and the sensible crossing of main roads e.c.t. can only be good for public relations, and just as it is for a trucker it is dangerous to assume that every other road user has common sense because there are always one or two to catch you out.
Looks like my post caused something of a stir on here, various opinions on the whys and wherefores of horses on the highway and I have some sympathy with most of the opinions on here, but they are only opinions and the law as it stands now does take precedent. The guy was a pratt sounding his horn to intentionally cause distress, not only was it stupid, it was illegal!!
However, I do agree totally with everything that Ladytrucker says, especially the bit about dismounting and walking the horses across that bridge, it really is common sense!!
An update though, the driver concerned has been tracked down, the guy that went after him got his reg and called Sussex plod who gave him a serious dressing down in the transport office where he works. (Somewhere down the M23 called Creepy Town, if you know what that means) Seems they couldnât actually do him for anything but I dont think he will be blasting those air horns too often in the future!
â â â â , I clicked it twice, sorry. This one removedâŚ
But Iâm off to Teneriffe in the morning so I dont really care