Regulations on Bridleways....

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K

KnittyNorah

Über Member
Location
The Frozen North (of England)
Profpointy said:
There shouldn't be either on bridleway. How's a horse to get through. I believe gates are fair enough, but styles and fences would be blocking the King's highway and presumably an offence of some kind
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Cyclists are lucky, they can lift their mounts over locked gates and stiles, and drag them under barbed wire or other barriers, without them complaining or rebelling. It's a lot more difficult to do that with a horse - and even if you're strong enough to try it (unlikely), and the animal lets you (also unlikely) and doesn't kick you in the face, knees and kidneys by way of protest (about the only thing that is likely, if you try ...), by the time you've gathered all four of their legs together in your arms and lifted, the entire tower of horse-lifted-by-human will just overbalance ...
When I was a child I had a very clever pony (a worn-out old thing from a rag-and-bone man's cart, who got a new lease of life when all it really had to do was to be doted on by a nine year old) who could manoeuvre herself over and through a great many stiles. I never encountered another like her, nor succeeding in teaching any how to do it as Pet did. Failing that level of agility and sensible-ness, a small saw (one of those wire things) and a fencing tool will help.
 
figbat

figbat

Slippery scientist
Location
South Oxfordshire, UK
KnittyNorah said:
Cyclists are lucky, they can lift their mounts over locked gates and stiles, and drag them under barbed wire or other barriers, without them complaining or rebelling. It's a lot more difficult to do that with a horse - and even if you're strong enough to try it (unlikely), and the animal lets you (also unlikely) and doesn't kick you in the face, knees and kidneys by way of protest (about the only thing that is likely, if you try ...), by the time you've gathered all four of their legs together in your arms and lifted, the entire tower of horse-lifted-by-human will just overbalance ...
When I was a child I had a very clever pony (a worn-out old thing from a rag-and-bone man's cart, who got a new lease of life when all it really had to do was to be doted on by a nine year old) who could manoeuvre herself over and through a great many stiles. I never encountered another like her, nor succeeding in teaching any how to do it as Pet did. Failing that level of agility and sensible-ness, a small saw (one of those wire things) and a fencing tool will help.
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Well, given the right encouragement a horse or pony will often be able to propel itself over an obstacle, no lifting required.

I was once sat on my pony in the field as he quietly grazed in the sunshine - he then, without warning and without instruction, took a 5-bar gate from a standstill, with me still onboard (no saddle, no bridle, just a New Zealand rug). I never knew he had it in him!
 
K

KnittyNorah

Über Member
Location
The Frozen North (of England)
figbat said:
Well, given the right encouragement a horse or pony will often be able to propel itself over an obstacle, no lifting required.

I was once sat on my pony in the field as he quietly grazed in the sunshine - he then, without warning and without instruction, took a 5-bar gate from a standstill, with me still onboard (no saddle, no bridle, just a New Zealand rug). I never knew he had it in him!
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Not 'often', with most of the obstacles I've come across - deer fences, and locked gates in them? Coils of barbed wire? Slurry pits? Wrapped silage bales filling a track? Ladder stiles over 6ft stone walls? And I'm no Nick Skelton or Harvey Smith, either and have never jumped a five-bar gate in my life - either planned or unplanned, thank goodness! Especially given the likely ground conditions on take-off and/or landing up in my hills!

I will grant you that when I lived in Kent, most obstacles were easy enough to bypass, remove or overcome with a bit of perseverance, but in my homeland of the Pennines, and in the fells near where I now live, things are very different and a blocked bridleway can mean that you simply can't reach your destination and just have to go back to where you came from.
 
fossyant

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
KnittyNorah said:
Cyclists are lucky, they can lift their mounts over locked gates and stiles, and drag them under barbed wire or other barriers, without them complaining or rebelling. It's a lot more difficult to do that with a horse - and even if you're strong enough to try it (unlikely), and the animal lets you (also unlikely) and doesn't kick you in the face, knees and kidneys by way of protest (about the only thing that is likely, if you try ...), by the time you've gathered all four of their legs together in your arms and lifted, the entire tower of horse-lifted-by-human will just overbalance ...
When I was a child I had a very clever pony (a worn-out old thing from a rag-and-bone man's cart, who got a new lease of life when all it really had to do was to be doted on by a nine year old) who could manoeuvre herself over and through a great many stiles. I never encountered another like her, nor succeeding in teaching any how to do it as Pet did. Failing that level of agility and sensible-ness, a small saw (one of those wire things) and a fencing tool will help.
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My bike chucks me off it sometimes, just like a horse. At least it has handlebars and brakes.
 
Ian H

Ian H

Ancient randonneur
Every council should have a PROW officer. The Devon one is good and has dealt effectively with problems of access where I have complained - and written back with a statement of what happened (e.g. signs restored, land-owner spoken to).
 
ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Location
Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Ian H said:
Every council should have a PROW officer. The Devon one is good and has dealt effectively with problems of access where I have complained - and written back with a statement of what happened (e.g. signs restored, land-owner spoken to).
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I complained about this sign years ago but never heard back from the officer...

walkers_not_welcome_on_this_footpath.jpg

They owners of the property obviously didn't like having a public footpath through their garden... :whistle:
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
Most councils have an online form you can fill in to report blocked Bridleways
 
Ian H

Ian H

Ancient randonneur
ColinJ said:
I complained about this sign years ago but never heard back from the officer...

View attachment 680458
They owners of the property obviously didn't like having a public footpath through their garden... :whistle:
Click to expand...

Certainly I've walked in places where the standard of accessibility is much lower than Devon.
I'd be tempted to walk that path with suitable heavy clothing and pepper spray.
 
HLaB

HLaB

Marie Attoinette Fan
Location
That little part of Scotland known as Peterborough
ColinJ said:
I complained about this sign years ago but never heard back from the officer...

View attachment 680458
They owners of the property obviously didn't like having a public footpath through their garden... :whistle:
Click to expand...

I've seen a few "Bull in the Field" signs at the entrances to Bridleways. Funny enough the only Bull I have actually seen in a field of late was unsigned 🙄
 
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