There aren't enough bridle paths
02-September-2010
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There aren't enough bridle paths

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My gripe is the stupid ignorant and uneducated comments made by some people.  Horse riders constantly get moaned at for being on the road thereby causing motorists to have to slow down.  I often hear, "horses shouldn't be on roads, that’s what bridle paths are for" or "horses should be ridden in fields or woods, not on roads because the hold up traffic and cars have to slow down".  With this in mind, I’d like to take this opportunity to set the record straight.

Bridle paths - There are hardly ANY in the UK, especially compared to the amount of footpaths.  Instead of moaning, how about doing something constructive and writing to your local council and suggesting that more bridle paths be created, this will help get some of the horses off the road and therefore hopefuly make them safer?

Not enough bridle paths

Getting to the few bridle paths that there are isn't straight forward as we often have to ride on the road!  Do you think we actually WANT to ride on the road when you consider the fact that a fair portion of drivers are actually quite horrible to us?  We can’t certainly can't ride on the grass verges because then the council would complain.  In fact if we’re caught riding on them we could even be fined.

Fields and woods are often private property hence, we can’t ride in them.  Trust me we would all love to, but the sad fact is they’re quite often just not accessible to horse riders.

If you have passed a horse slowly and considerately on the road, and the rider has not said thanks, nodded or smiled to acknowledge your consideration, then I apologise on their behalf and of the UK riding community.  That kind of ignorance is also wrong and I have in fact myself on more than one occasion called out the window it won’t kill you to say thanks you know!!"

On the other hand, if you have just zoomed past a horse and rider at anything over 30 to 40mph (depending on what type of road or circumstance) with absolutely no consideration), then I hope you get you deserve...

Most of us riders are drivers too and we all slow down for horses. It doesn’t hurt to reduce your speed.  But what might hurt would be a one ton horse coming through your windscreen because it was too much of a hardship to show some consideration!

We all have to co-exist out there on the roads, so all we are asking for is some consideration - and on our behalf we will try to be courteous too.

By: Vicki


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A bridleway is a right of way that is open to horses, walkers (with or without dogs), bikes ... anything other than motorised vehicles. It is the local councils who control the bridleways/rights of way (RUPPs) green lanes (also known as byways) and footpaths. Green lanes and byways are open to motorised as well as non-motorised traffic. Hence you may hear 4 wheel drivers referring to "green laning". However, horses, mountain bikes, walkers etc. etc. also have the right to use green lanes and byways, and so frequently there are conflicts with motorbikers terrifying horses and causing them to bolt etc. etc. Footpaths are of course just that ... footpaths. If you do ride on a cycle on a footpath, then obviously it is only common courtesy to give way to walkers and not hurtle along scattering all before you.
*Nikki  28-Apr-2010 20:42

 
Who decides where or what is a bidlepath what makes it legal to be called a bridlepath
*hadyn  27-Apr-2010 06:38

 
It's called "set aside", although actually the Set Aside Scheme has ended now. It is now called the Stewardship Scheme, but basically farmers get paid a shedload of money for leaving these wide grassy margins. In return, they have to allow access to horse riders, dog walkers, children etc. etc. The only provisos being that dogs need to be kept under control, especially around livestock, and obviously no galloping across the crops!
*Nikki  20-Apr-2010 12:39

 
100% in agreement with this posting, unfortunately it seems that Pigs are allowed to drive in the UK and their road etiquette leaves a lot to be desired. Just one point of interest, as a rider I have noticed that a lot of fields containing crops have very wide edges, of perfect ground ideal for cantering on, these are easily accesible without trampling the crops but are jealously guarded by farmers, seems daft that farmers cant let us use these unused stretches of land. Oh and a nice big hello to the f* farmer that wrapped elecric fencing around a metal gate on a bridalway damn near ki11ed me,,,,,c*
*Rider of the Apocalypse  19-Apr-2010 11:16

 
The BHS? You could try contacting them for starters, Emma.

Your local Parish Council - they have responsibility for rights of way, footpaths and bridleways that fall within their Parish boundaries. You could attend your next Parish Council meeting and ask them to help you.
*Nikki  04-Oct-2009 15:59

 
I live in southeast kent and there are not many bridle paths around , I think something should be done about this. But who will do something about it .
*.emma  24-Sep-2009 22:44

 
Yeah that is quite true there Nikki :/
Just wish we had more freedom to go riding :)
*Kayy.  12-May-2009 10:39

 
Here here, Vicki!

There were 'legs before wheels', and if 'people' didn't keep building houses and tarmacing bridle paths and green lanes, our community would be a lot happeir and safer.
*liz  11-May-2009 13:05

 
Quite, but with bigoted people who are eaten up with misguided jealousy, what can you expect !
*Nikki  08-May-2009 13:08

 
Oh now thats not fair at all, I think we all have a right and these anti-horserider folk need to stop and think about it
*Kayy.  06-May-2009 10:01

 
I know Kayy, but according to the anti-horse riders on here, then that means you should give up your sport ... because it so cruel to take horses on the road !!
*Nikki  04-May-2009 16:45

 
Well I live in Scotland and its getting harder and harder to find Bridlepaths anywhere now :/
*Kayy.  04-May-2009 16:30


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