Author Topic: How to deal with horses?  (Read 4881 times)

Andies

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #15 on: 14:22:19, 29/09/17 »
That's interesting sussamb and Murphy,  as near Greenhead is where we encountered these cattle, just after "Todholes" heading south on the Pennine Way. They were strung across the entire field not allowing any easy way round or through. One cow with a calf was particularly unhappy. Mrs A strangely was more confident than I about proceeding but I called a halt and we retreated taking a more direct route up to Blenkinsopp Common. It involved a small trespass but the route did appear to be walker friendly with appropriate climbable fence and gate where needed.

Very glad we did this after reading your comments Murphy :o Hope you are OK.

It sounds like these cattle shouldn't really be on the Pennine Way if they are that agressive :-\

sussamb

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #16 on: 14:54:36, 29/09/17 »
That's exactly the same place!  I also encountered those same cows and calves (well maybe not quite the same ones!) when I went that way in 2012.  Clearly it's where the farmer puts his cows/calves  :)
Where there's a will ...

pauldawes

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #17 on: 18:27:16, 29/09/17 »
Mrs A got bitten by a horse a few years ago. Changes your view somewhat  :-X




Yes...I just never believe those bits of advice that include never or always when dealing with living creatures. I treat any large farm animal with caution. I agree that you're more likely to get aggro from certain breeds of cows (than horses), but I've certainly experienced aggro from horses...or a very convincing impersonation of it.


Ridge

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #18 on: 18:57:03, 29/09/17 »
I've had 2 horses rushing up and rearing at me as soon as I entered their field so that I backed out quickly and took a diversion.
2 weeks later same horses, same field, completely ignored me as I tentatively made my way past.

micmac

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #19 on: 20:24:26, 29/09/17 »
Try and be confident when around horses, easier said than done if you are wary of them. Don't ever feed them as the owners don't like it incase you feed something that the horse can't have, i had one that i had to  be very careful what i fed him or he got aggresive. Talk to them so they know that you are there, they have 2 blind spots, directly in front of them and behind them and being there can scare them and make them kick out in fright as they are flight animal. It's cows i don't like being around even though i don't mind helping my friend at TB testing time and i happily move the cows around.

happyhiker

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #20 on: 14:08:31, 30/09/17 »
Whilst walking with a group two or three years ago, my wife was charged and knocked over by two horses. The group was well spread out along a legitimate footpath, on the edge of the field and well clear of the horses at least at the start of our crossing. Fortunately she was not hurt but shaken. We had done nothing to distract the horses and had no dogs with us.


More recently, I went across the same field. It was empty but some horses ( can't say if the same ones) were in the next field. They went completely ballistic when they saw me, galloping around and I was very glad they were not in the footpath field!


I did report the incident involving my wife to the local footpaths officer but needless to say he was a waste of space.

Penygadair

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #21 on: 17:10:04, 30/09/17 »
Walking up Crimpiau from the Llyfnant valley, I came across these ponies.





Obviously as they had a foal with them I was a little wary so using the same technique as Pleb I spoke to them quietly and soothingly most of what I said being pure nonsense and gibberish.
The path turned left immediately after passing the ponies and there sat an elderly couple having a picnic chuckling to themselves about the rubbish they had obviously overheard. Red faced I walked on.  :-[


fernman

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #22 on: 18:55:28, 30/09/17 »
Surely those ponies would only have understood Welsh?

BuzyG

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #23 on: 23:20:46, 30/09/17 »
Being 6ft 4 I'm taller than most animals I encounter on walks.  Possibly that gives a false sense of security.  Horses are the one animal, encountered regularly, that is taller than me.  Add to that the fact that they can close you down very quickly and they can be a little intimidating on occasion.  Never had any trouble with them though, plus I have some great photo's of a few close encounters. 


Shame I can never seem to up load to this site, without using third party hosts .

barewirewalker

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #24 on: 12:07:34, 01/10/17 »
Some interesting comments.


It is the farmer in me, having spent my first career in farm management, that probably is the reason I tend to take note of the sex of the animals in a field as well as their breed.


Hunters and riding ponies will usually be fillies or geldings, stallions do not seem to be too frequent grazing loose. These are the animals I would be most wary off.
The owners of these would probably have their mares served at stud farms. It is the wild mountain ponies, welsh ponies and welsh cobs, where the mares run with a stallion as a herd. I have seen a stallion deliver a very strong kick to a mare just too keep her in order. If this kick were delivered to a walker it would definitely smash a femur.


The prequel to a horse delivering this sort of kick is fairly obvious, in its body language, but the obvious thing is not to get into range. I think the main danger if close up to large horses, is the risk of been trodden on. Draught horse are very big and heavy, don't go near them when they want to lie down and have a roll  ;) .


Small, children's riding breeds especially Shetlands can be biters. I have learnt this and more from having spent 45 years organizing horse parades at a county show.


But the most telling lesson from those years, vice and bad behaviour is rare in the horse, though I cannot say that for the 2 legged individuals, who all to often sits upon these gentle creatures.



BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

Penygadair

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #25 on: 13:35:02, 01/10/17 »
Surely those ponies would only have understood Welsh?


 ;D ;D  Like me they were bilingual.

DevonDave

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #26 on: 20:26:07, 01/10/17 »
Being 6ft 4 I'm taller than most animals I encounter
Wow, 6ft 4in!  How on earth do you fit into your ZX?  Do you have to have the roof down?  ;D

BuzyG

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #27 on: 16:43:55, 03/10/17 »
Wow, 6ft 4in!  How on earth do you fit into your ZX?  Do you have to have the roof down?  ;D


LoL indeed I do Dave. O0






There you go.  :)
« Last Edit: 16:54:01, 03/10/17 by BuzyG »

jimbob

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #28 on: 16:51:44, 03/10/17 »
There's a few horses there, BuzyG
Too little, too late, too bad......

Ridge

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Re: How to deal with horses?
« Reply #29 on: 18:09:33, 03/10/17 »

LoL indeed I do Dave. O0

Explains why you have your hood up in your picture.

 

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