What about horses

[Little yellow Brompton]

A couple of weeks ago, I went to a country show and watched a chap expounding the virtues of mules. They have hard hooves so farrier bills are virtually zero, similarly the vet doesn't get called very often due to their robustness, they make much more efficient use of feed, are far more intelligent and easy to work with, once you've gained their trust. And they can jump a five bar gate from standing!

Starting a major digression...

I remember reading an extract of a book in the Times ( I think it was called "The Uncivilservant" but have never been able to find it ) which was an expose of waste in government. One of the examples was an aircraft hanger that was heated and lit, and had been since 1948, full of mule shoes that were now of no use since the Chindits mules were payed off. The shoes were still being stored because they had a value of £xxx,xxx in 1948, had been adjusted for inflation every year and no one had the bottle to write them off because that would be on thier watch, so they simply kept paying the bills until somone else took over....

 

[Jimmy Doug]

You should overtake at speed getting as close as possible whilst shouting get off the bloody road and get on the path. :troll: (courtesy of daily mail)

We have some stables near here and I am getting rightly peed off with such comments as "my horse is young and easily spooked" If it is that bad stay on the bridleway and off the F****** road

A similar argument might be made by an outraged motorist after passing a cyclist riding on an A road. "Stay on the f****** cycle path!"

 

[4F]

A similar argument might be made by an outraged motorist after passing a cyclist riding on an A road. "Stay on the f****** cycle path!"

Wooosh, sorry I should have added a smiley to my earlier post.

 

[Bicycle]

I spend much of my life in the sticks and it is an issue.

When cycling, you will often startle horse or rider, so it's as well to slow down and make your presence known nicely in advance if approaching from the rear.

Sometimes a horse will appear to be in 'the wrong part of the road' as you approach it.

This can mean that something is wrong, or it has been spooked by something or the rider is not confident or in complete control.

In this situation, it is a good idea to slow right down or stop. It's tiresome, but a horse is a very powerful kicking machine with a mind of its own. If I got speed wobble on a descent, I'd hope drivers would accommodate my temporary loss of control. It helps to offer the same courtesy to equestrians.

I find most riders very friendly and jolly, but did have a slight issue with one young rake recently who didn't thank me for stopping while his companion settled a spooked horse in the middle of the road.... He just said "Good thing you stopped; she'd have had you off in a moment if you hadn't".

I'd have been happy with a 'thank you' or a crop raised to the helmet and a smile.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Wooosh, sorry I should have added a smiley to my earlier post.

You may have been joking 4F, and I didn't really think you were being serious. The trouble is that some people really do have this attitude towards horse riders - just as some people have a similar attitude towards cyclists.

 

[Crackle]

If you ride on one of these you'll find you have no problems.

Well, no problem with cyclists but if a van full of people in white coats pull up, I'd break into a gallop.

 

[element]

I grew up with horses and was riding at three years old but I hate the fat smelly disgusting things. In general you would not be expected to take a horse on the road unless it was safe in traffic but these days people like to test this theory by just taking the horse on the road. Horses are sometimes more spooked by cycles as they don't hear them coming and get taken by surprise. As with most wild animals look at the body language and stay well away from the dangerous bits.
Personally I think there should be a £5000 fine for a horse being on a public right of way with out a nappy of some kind on. Horse shoot is annoying for a cycle but potentially fatal for a motorbike.
In my opinion the only kind of horse worth having is a hunting horse, at least they can go into the wild and find mice and weasels to eat so they are self suficient.

 

[ian turner]

No, I didn't express myself well. I have in the past got shirty with people who make generalizations, and there I go making a comment that looks like I've generalized myself! What I meant is, that when you're on a horse, just like when you're on a bike, your biggest potential danger comes from cars. That doesn't mean all car drivers are arse-holes, and apologies if I made it sound like that. But it only takes a casual glance at this forum to see that there are some drivers who either by ignorance or aggression pose a treat to the safety of cyclists - and the same goes to horse riders.

Motorists happen to be the majority of road users so would be the majority of dangerous road users even if they are equal by percentage of those who are dangerous to other road users.
The enemy on the roads are complete prats or those who believe they have a divine right to use it to the detriment of other road users which could include horse riders on horses that are not confident on the roads and riders who would have to hang on for dear life if they got out of hand. Or cycle clubs with a "this road is ours, combustion engine gives way to pedals" mentality for that matter.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

We agree ian, this is precisely my point - no road user can claim to have more rights to use the road than the other, and all road users must respect the safety of others.

 

[Bollo]

The most enjoyment I've ever had out of a horse is when it was sitting in a sausage courtesy of a restaurant in Belgium. Having said, I've no problem with other people enjoying them while they're still alive.

There are a couple of stables on my commute home and I can't claim ever to have had a problem. One rider I got chatting to said that he preferred cyclists to call out rather than use a bell, as he thought there was less risk of spooking the horse. I've no idea how true this is, but the horse he was riding was magnificent (and tasty looking )

 

[ian turner]

I've no problem with other people enjoying them while they're still alive.

Want a bet ?

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Sick!

 

[rowan 46]

Want a bet ?

that is so wrong

 

[lukesdad]

Watch out for the ones with a little ribbon tied at the top of the tail. They do the most damage

 

[Bicycle]

I cycled past a kid on a pony a few days ago.

The beast sounded dreadful; coughing and wheezing as if about to keel over.

I wondered what was wrong....

Turned out it was a little horse.








(hoarse)