Hacking spoiled today

Doodle92

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2021
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Out hacking today. Went through the “quarry” round the back of the village. A large grass field with 3 or so tracks round it that people use. Then a track up through some trees to the back of a boarding school. The track is quite narrow at one point and there were an elderly couple on it with a dog. I realise my horse is big, the track is narrow and this may be intimidating to some people. So I had him right off the track, under the trees and I was leaning on his neck to do this. As I always do I said hello and smilied. The couple barely took a side step but never mind.

Gentleman “oh this is the horse who makes the mess”. I thought he meant he was making a mess at that time, looked round and he wasn’t. So I said “oh not us my horse hasn’t made a mess”. “Well the horses are making a real mess”. “I’m really sorry but unfortunately yes they sometimes do”. At this point the chap waved a plastic bag in my horses face. He spooked slightly but only by taking a couple of hurried paces forward. But he kept walking and we are still under the trees in an attempt to make space.

“anyway horses should not be down here”. By this time I was passed so I turned over my shoulder “actually, this is a public right of way. I have checked and we are allowed to ride down here”. This is not a lie. I specifically looked in to it and we are just are allowed to ride down there as they are to walk their dog down there. So he sort of grumbled on then “we’ll make sure you clear up after your horse” so I said a cheery “luckily my horse has not made a mess” and carried on.

I could understand if I was charging about. I was walking. Or if the track was being trashed by horses feet. The track was dry and not churned up, not a spec of mud. There were no poos on the track either. I’m not entirely sure what shaking plastic bag in my horses face was meant to do. Thankfully he just carried on going.

I think the lady and the dog live at the bottom of the farm road. If it was her then she refuses to move to the side of the road or get her dog out of the middle of the road when you are trying to drive past. So I have to wait behind her or climb up a verge to get past. However I still smile and thank her for “moving”.

I’m not sure why some people are so anti people riding their horses in places they are perfectly entitled too.
 
Some people just don’t think they should have to share space with others!
Was he waving a poo bag at you? Perhaps he feels resentful that he has to pick up his dogs poo but we don’t have to clear up horse poo/mess? They probably see the two as being the same thing.
 
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No doubt wildlife are careful not to poo on the track as well. Honestly some folks need to get a life. We have a similar issue with a major estate who simply don't want dog walkers or horse riders and do everything they can to make you as unwelcome as possible. They have huge signs up horse riders keep to main tracks, do not ride if it is wet. Yet see the effing mess they have made of the main tracks with taking out timber, there are ruts about 3ft deep! It's like walking on a roller coaster, and all the brash left on the tracks. They also fenced off an area and left a stile which is dangerous and unusable by anyone elderly, again to stop dog walkers. The routes have been used for more than 50 years but they are just always on at visitors, multiple signs, yet their vehicles make the place unpassable. They have taken timber out at both ends of the forest so one year the top end was unrideable and hardly walkable and now the other end is the same.
 
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The routes have been used for more than 50 years but they are just always on at visitors, multiple signs, yet their vehicles make the place unpassable. They have taken timber out at both ends of the forest so one year the top end was unrideable and hardly walkable and now the other end is the same.
You should look on line and contact local conservancy, The Ramblers and, for bridle paths, the local BHS rep. I have experience of conserving a right of way for pedestrians.
 
No was much bigger bag than a dog poo bag. I think the dog was the lady’s and they had met and were chatting. There was no poo anyway.
 
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Also impressed he recognised us as “that horse that makes the mess” when that was the second time I had ridden in the village since October and he hadn’t done a poo the last time either!
 
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Sounds like he had a big chip on his shoulder for some reason, in fact they sound like two of a kind. If you see them again then I wouldn't get off the track for them - it was very considerate of you to do so, but given his response it also put you in a vulnerable position. While I'm normally all for trying to educate people in a friendly way this sounds like one of those cases where they're too ignorant to be worth wasting your breath on, unless it's maybe to say that you are recording your ride and so will have evidence of any more bag flapping and harassment and will take it up with the local council since you are on a right of way. But above all else don't let them stop you using and enjoying that route, and stay safe.
 
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Another livery made a very good point. Given his age, may he have been in the first stages of dementia and so reacting a bit less rationally. She works with dementia every day so I appreciate her opinion. Not something I had thought of.
 
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