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Post by dalesnfellfan on Oct 17, 2015 12:36:04 GMT -1
and a very horrible motorist.
I have been riding a lot recently with my friend who lives in the next village, we meet at the start of the bridleway which is just about 100 yards from her house, to get there I have to ride 200 -300 yds along the main road, past a main agent garage and over a hump back bridge over the railway line with a bend either side so drivers can't see what's on the bridge until they are on it. Connie takes all this in her stride, immediately after the bridge we turn down a single track lane which leads to the bridleway and we have to pass a field of sheep, she does this about 3 times a week and passes the sheep with hardly a sideways glance....as long as they are in the middle of the field minding their own business it seems.
Today 2 sheep were at the top end of the field close to the fence and were staring straight at us as we rounded the corner, Connie stopped for a look and after a while thought she might be able to rush past but just as she started to move forward one of them moved which was a step too far and she decided the safest thing to do was to spin and go back the we'd come. We spent a few minutes turning in circles gradually getting closer again when the sheep got curious about the strange sight of a horse dancing in the road and came right up to the fence for a better look, this threw her into complete meltdown and she was now shaking and I could feel her heart beating underneath me so I thought it was time to get off and lead her past, however she was trying to spin again and now we had a 4x4 and car behind us.
The horrible man in the 4x4 tried to squeeze past us as she was dancing around, his window was open so I asked him to wait so I could get off her as she was frightened of the sheep, he revved his engine and put his foot down and continued to pass shouting through the window 'you shouldn't be on the road you stupid cow' how we missed backing into him on the narrow lane I still don't know, the 2nd car hung well back giving us plenty of room so I was able to get off her, lead her back past the car, then turn round and persuade her to walk past the killer sheep. She was still pretty upset and there was nothing to stand on so I had to lead her the 1/2 mile down the lane to meet Julia, still nowhere to get on so back we went down the lane to her yard to use her mounting step.
We finally set off but she didn't really settle for about an hour and was very jumpy, we passed a paddock with a spotty pig asleep against the fence and I thought we may be disappearing up the track at a rate of knots, but she didn't even notice it was there, she was so busy pulling faces at Julia's mare Kira, who she doesn't like very much, for daring to try to come past her. We were out for 2.5hrs and she was wired for most of it, just wanting to fly along.
I wish I'd got the horrible man's number plate but didn't think about it until afterwards, Julia met him further down the lane and said he didn't stop for her either and squeezed past really close. I did have a few choice words for him but their not suitable to print here!!! |
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Post by kathnsonny on Oct 19, 2015 6:35:13 GMT -1
Some drivers are so impatient and frankly stupid at times! He couldn't possibly have waited for a minute could he?? Sonny is fantastic on the road but I have really noticed since riding out my young Exmoor how bl**dy close they get sometimes and how fast they pass. She has improved loads the more we do but it really made me think more about it having a youngster.
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Post by Debbie on Oct 19, 2015 15:24:28 GMT -1
In this day and age of cell phones, you don't have to just report to the police and hope they'll take your word for it. If the horrible man with the 4 x4 has such a hatred of horse riders, tell Julia to keep her cell phone at the ready. It won't be long before this man with the wrong attitude does this menacing behavior again. Get it on film! Then you can show the police exactly what he's doing, because that's harrassment and menacing with a vehicle.
While everyone does their best with their ponies to keep them to the side of the road, sometimes things make even the most bombproof pony lose the plot. I'm surprised this man's behavior didn't result in damages to you, him and/or Connie. I'm relieved you two weren't harmed, but his actions mean he'll either end up injuring a horse and rider and/or getting himself killed in the process. Many of these drivers don't understand they are in the line of fire, with their faces and heads right at hoof level.
I really wish the BHS or someone similar would produce a film to show drivers getting their licenses, or those going in for a renewing of license, how to safely and properly approach and overtake horse and riders. They have to share whether they like it or not.
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Post by colmworthdales on Oct 19, 2015 18:12:03 GMT -1
What a series of horrid experiences for you both. Sounds as though Comnnmie has never experienced the woolly 4-legged ones - could you borrow a ram when out of the breeding season, and put him in the next door paddock for a couple of weeks to get her used to the frightening things.
As for the 4 x 4 driver - words fail me. Do hope you or your friend manage to get a photos of his vehicle, or remember his number if he is spotted again.
Our village group has produced a flyer to hand out to HGV lorry drivers and local businesses about how to drive near and past horses. I will try and find it, and copy it onto here as it is pretty useful.
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Post by 5natives on Oct 19, 2015 18:56:31 GMT -1
Oh dear, what a dreadfull experience for you and Connie- hope you are both ok.
Stupid driver of the 4x4, silly man was obviously in a hurry to get somewhere, but happy to upset whoever gets in his way.
My young mare suffered from sheep-fever! She actually thought she was one of the flock and would leap on all fours and eye them up for a race!.
joking aside, colmworthdales' suggestion sounds good, or just riding her near them as much as possible until it becomes the norm- easier said than done I know!.
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Post by valerie n scout on Oct 19, 2015 20:06:10 GMT -1
Oh that's dreadful, I agree with Debbie it's a pity the police won't believe what horse owners have to deal with  |
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Post by harveydales on Oct 20, 2015 5:13:08 GMT -1
I thought I'd replied to this but it doesn't appear to have worked? What a horrible and frightening experience. Most drivers are very considerate but you do meet the odd one like this idiot.  |
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Post by nedales on Oct 21, 2015 0:39:33 GMT -1
Yuck. I love the idea of having a tail cam to record motorist behavior. No one around here seems to know that the state law says STOP until you are sure the person riding/leading livestock says safe to go forward, pass widely and slowly, legal responsibility in driver. I can't say how many times motorists fly by us in same lane, waving cheerily at my attempts to motion slow down as though I am waving back! Connie sounds overall as though she handled it reasonably well and Andrea you were a star! Connie IS going to have resolve herself to sharing life with sheep and pigs though!
CW: Handing out a flyer sounds a very good idea. Could you share what is on it?
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Post by dalesnfellfan on Oct 22, 2015 15:15:37 GMT -1
Most drivers are considerate, we have those that don't slow down and come too close but this man just took the biscuit!! I am very thankful we didn't end up on his bonnet as she had lost the plot, once I was on the ground and the cars had gone she managed to have a good look and pass them.
She is getting better with farm animals as we ride past them quite a lot, and the following day while out with Julia we past a small paddock with 3 sheep who were not only close to the fence but also moving, she amazed me by just giving them a sideways glance and striding confidently past them. These sheep were 'normal sheep' though, the ones that caused the melt down were very woolly big pretty ones, South Downs I think, like Larry the Lamb for those old enough to remember him. Not sure if that made a difference or not.
I thought about trying to borrow a few sheep but our paddocks are not sheep proof, there is a Lusitano stud a couple of miles from us where I used to go for lessons on Em, and they have a multitude of livestock, sheep, donkeys, geese, ducks, peacocks etc. I thought about asking if I could take her up there a few times to experience a bit more of country life.
I also hope to take her across to Amanda's for a few days next year, her horses are in paddocks fenced with tape in 30 acres of parkland containing sheep who regularly come under the tape to visit the ponies. Still need to find someway of introducing cattle safely though, she now passes them if they are in the middle of the field but think she might have a melt down if they came charging over to the fence which they are likely to do at some point as they are such inquisitive creatures, our local dairy farmer would not be prepared for me to do some desensitising in his yard as he is very anti horse.
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Post by colmworthdales on Oct 22, 2015 18:16:27 GMT -1
Poor Connie! Think half the problem is our Dales are too clever for their own good sometimes.
I have a feeling she probably knew sheep in her past life but ones that looked very different to the ones that spooked her - so they smelt similar but looked totally different! I remember the first time my Minnie met 'normal' cows as the yard she lived in for a few years early in her life had a huge variety of animals including small Dexter cows all of which she was fine with. One day we hacked through a different village and not only was there a field with lanky black and white Holstein cows but also some huge pale beige South Devon bullocks - and was totally amazed by them all as they smelt right but looked totally wrong! Once I realised what was frying her brain, we got over it and she soon ignored them all. Luckily there was no traffic coming at that moment!
Sure Connie will soon learn to cope with them - a visit to the varied animals at the stud sounds a very good idea.
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Post by Debbie on Oct 22, 2015 22:14:21 GMT -1
I agree, I think the visit to the Luso stud would be an excellent idea. Is it possible to take her for a couple of lessons or even just go over there so she can absorb the variety without the added pressures of being ridden or the on the road?  |
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Post by dalesnfellfan on Oct 23, 2015 9:07:08 GMT -1
I agree, I think the visit to the Luso stud would be an excellent idea. Is it possible to take her for a couple of lessons or even just go over there so she can absorb the variety without the added pressures of being ridden or the on the road? The instructor we used to have no longer comes there but I can box her there or even hack her over it's only a couple of miles and the driveway is about half a mile long so well away from the road, the set up there would allow me to lead then ride her to introduce her to the animals in the yard and the fields, I think the owners will agree, they are very nice. |
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