Horses have two blind spots - immediately behind them, and immediately in front of them. The reason they ride two abreast is to let the horses see each other, and each gives confidence to the other.
But let us not forget that horses and pedestrians have aright to be on the road - cars are only there on license.
And how many numpties would, if the horses had been in single file, tried to overtake in the gap between the horse and oncoming traffic? For the safety of all, I think riding two abreast and keeping the cars speed down so as not to spike the horses is a safe option.
OK we might not like it, and it might hold us up - but not as long as if there had been an accident.
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I agree. The same applies to cyclists.
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What a funny olde worlde we live in when I always have to pick up my dogs carp where's a horse can drop a load and the rider will completely ignore it.
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there is actually a very large difference between dog mess and horse dung because of the diet.
And beside, the OP is moaning about getting held up. Imagine what would happen if a rider had to jump of the horse, scoop it all up and get back on. All the while controlling a live animal that probably doesnt like having the cars creeping past giving them less than a foot space.
Im not sure that mounted duty is a cushy as you think - would you want to be stuck in the middle of a riot, tasked with controlling people?
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My father spend the last few years of his police service in the wriding a horse and he always said it was a lot harder than working as a detective but much more rewarding and not corrupt like branch he came from.
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I agree. The same applies to cyclists.
Not quite. A lot of cyclists, especially of the more sporting persuasion, have a 359 degree blind spot inasmuch as they can only see straight ahead.
I tend to give horses considerably more room than I do cyclists, on the very reasonable grounds that bicycles don't kick!
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Horses have two blind spots.....
Sadly, their riders often have significantly more.
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They should not have been wriding in single file
If you are a road user, you should know the Highway Code. There's a little bit in there just for us when "riding". It's here:
www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycod...3
We hav a responsibility to other road users, as well as to ourselves - the bit about "nervous" animals is particularly important - if it's not calm in traffic, keep off the road wherever possible!
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Other than Police Riders I can catagorically state that I've never seen a rider (let alone the horse) in HV clothing, let alone light or flourecsent clothing, FT, and we have a lot of them round here... its seems that they don't regard themselves as "road users" and obviously haven't read the HC... and yes, many of them were under 14 though accompanied by older riders... perhaps I might stop and mention it to them next time I see them... Letter to the local rag, maybe...
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Majority around here (stables 2 miles away) wear high visibilty. Must be a dodgy set your way b308:)
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Other than Police Riders I can catagorically state that I've never seen a rider (let alone the horse) in HV clothing let alone light or flourecsent clothing FT and we have a lot of them round here
Most around here wear those yellow vests, some with "Caution! Horses written on!.
>>... its seems that they don't regard themselves as "road users"
Very probably not!
and obviously haven't read the HC... and yes many of them were under 14 though accompanied by older riders... perhaps I might stop and mention it to them next time I see them... Letter to the local rag maybe...
It might be worth getting someone to visit some "riding schools" to spread the word. It might take some organising, though, at each end. You could even donate a vest (waistcoat) or two, they're only a couple of quid each. Visibility can be a problem, but not IME on the road (I nearly shot a cow once, with a rifle - it was invisible beyond my target against the background!).
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About half and half round here. We have a few of the fluorescent vests with flashing LEDs in, which give fantastic visibility. What a lot of people don't realise is how dark narrow lanes get in the summer, and it's not uncommon for me to find myself using lights even at 4pm.
There's an excellent picture somewhere (but I can't find it on a quick Google search), showing two riders side by side at dusk. One has high vis, the other doesn't, and at first glance you can't see one of them.
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Weren't horses designed to be used off road ?
Why then do we see so many of them being ridden in built up areas ?
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Weren't horses designed to be used off road ?
Why then do we see so many of them being ridden in built up areas ?
Same applies to 4x4s
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Thats why I made the point.
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I think the design of horses pre dates the invention of roads
To some extent roads were initially designed for horses
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because Mr X, generally to get from the stables to the off-road, one has to go on-road.
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Because they want to and are entitled to just like you in your car.
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has anyone noticed the whip held out sideways so that passing traffic have to manoeuvre past that as well...and the agitation if you get too close to it...;-)
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has anyone noticed the whip held out sideways
Crop.
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Crop.
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yes, fair do's, i remember now.....both my sister's have the damned things, but i'm not that keen
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A schooling whip is what, about 3 feet long?
No wonder they're holding it horizontally if you're trying to pass a horse with less than 3 feet to spare!
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Westpig, never did this my self in my riding days, but I can see why they do it. Many years ago when I kept a horse at the racing yard in the center of Reigate, actually had a car hit my stirrup as I was riding - made a good clunk and hurt for a long while. Fortunately I was riding a bomb-proof horse up to the gallops rather than a scatty racehorse, or there would have been a very nasty accident.
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these two were just HORSING around but i can see it would have been a real nightMARE for any drivers, if you had stopped and told them what for you would have probably got a right SHOEING because these two were the cream of the CROP im glad the delay didnt leave you unSTABLE but what the HAY lifes to short, best not to have overtaken them had the horses bolted you could have ended up SADDLED with an insurance claim....sit back relax and wait till it clear to rev up that HORSE power and HOOF it out of there
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Roads might be available to horse riders but they weren't made for them (not with tarmac surfaces and all the signs) Shouldn't they be required to have insurance??
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What makes you think they don't have insurance Woodster? Mine were covered up to £2m third party - plus vets bills over the excess. Very silly owner who does not insure as Vets bills are very high and high level of damage can be done to man/property if kicked. Only problem one has is when the horse is elderly, when you cannot get much insurance for the horse itself but can have third party livestock insurance. Also very high premiums for a thoroughbred foal, although that would seldom be on the road unless the fencing was not up to scratch.
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I think we should consider banning horses from the highway, and while we are at it we could ban motorbikes, vans, lorries, buses, coaches, all diesel engined cars, all silver cars, all coloured cars, and all black and white cars should be governed to 40MPH.
A. Mimser. p.s. pushbikes are ok - ok!
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