Right, I'm convinced that my safety argument means nothing, that progress of modern world shouldn't preclude anyone from the roads. So I'm chopping in the new car, getting a horse and cart and seeing how that goes down. Hopefully some of you will find me out on the road, and sure you will be totally accepting as I travel at 6 mph along a main A road, taking up the whole road, as I have the same rights as everyone else to use that means of transport.
Char, what a silly old tw*t he was. That's made me angry now whilst suppin' my cuppa soup at work. I am an ex horse rider, own a mountainbike, ride a ducati and have a mondeo. Where does that leave me? Should I run myself over or cycle in front of traffic? I could whip myself I suppose? Should I even be allowed on the road?!
my wife would have a field day, you defending horse riding? her next question would be, are you having an affair?
Yeah, £26,000 worth but yeah, its still a mondeo lol. I also have a fabia vrs, al get mi coat.............
once talking to my doctor I mentioned I have a bike he said could be worse I could ride a horse.........I cant prove he said this nor do I have a sworn statement to verify what I have said.........pete. however im in the pull in the clutch and leave room department.
Its impossible for horses to stick to just bridleways, the network in this country is not extensive enough or linked to allow that. Horses have as much right to be on the road as other users. They deserve respect for their hobby as we expect the same back. Given a horse is unpredictable, I pass slow and coast. My road has a couple of liveries on it so lots of horse traffic and I've never had an issue, always get a wave. If a big group is ahead, I'll switch off and spend a moment watching them walk by, hardly a hardship. Being an arse risks killing yourself, the horse rider and the horse. For the sake of some common decency and adult behaviour, I don't get the aggressive stance taken by some.
On the topic of longevity, I think the statistic is that outside car accidents and medical illness, horse riding is the next biggest killer of women in the UK as cause of death. They are as vulnerable as we are with their hobby. My ex rode a horse, I tried it once and got thrown off which wasn't fun and she had a fall which killed the horse and almost killed her. Fair play to anyone getting on board a horse and thinking they can control it.
.......Indeed, during one of my visits to A&E the nurse told me that horsey accidents were far more frequent than bikes! I think the next largest cause was trampolines...
Followed by beds,,,, Only injury I have sustained which needed hospital intervention (broken arm) was falling off a bed
In the early 70s, not long after I had done a lovely paint job on my Cooper 1070S, me and my fiancee were trundling up a small hill in a narrow country lane and came across a herd of cattle coming down the hill. A couple of cars had followed me up the hill so when some of the cows had got past them, we were effectively stuck. The lane had high banks either side, and yep, one of the bl**dy animals decided to try the bank on the nearside of the car......and of course, giving way to the bl*8dy herd, I stopped the car more to the nearside. Cow slipped on the bank and fell across the bonnet ---- Crunch. One 1071S written off ------ Can't claim off farmer ---- cows and livestock have right of way on highways. AL
