# What do you do at bridges?



## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I ride over. I feel much safer if the horse should freak out on their back. Generally they will try not to fall over the edge themselves, but they aren't so worried about knocking me off or running me over. 

Have been riding over various bridges for about 10 years now and the closest I have ever come to disaster was when a wooden bridge was frosted over and horse started skidding toward the edge.
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## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

We usually ride over them.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

What kind of bridges are you talking about?

I almost always ride across the bridges I encounter.



Some are more board walks than bridges


Some are truly bridges


Regardless of the bridge, the horses have learned to deal with them and cross them with out a fuss


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

"Cross that bridge when you come to it."


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Mostly ride.
Exception was last spring on the first trip out with my new greenie. We came to a wooden bridge over a creek...no sides. She was a bit nervous so I led her across. On the return trip she clomped across like she had done it every day.
I guess one simply has to take stock of the situation and do what is safe.

Love those great photos, Painted Horse!


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## Jolly Badger (Oct 26, 2009)

Ride across.

Weirdest thing I've seen was at Stone Church in central Ohio. . .they had a few wooden bridges, and beside each bridge was a sign that simply said "THINK."

I found it kind of funny that they had to remind people to use their brains when it came to that kind of thing. . .but apparently there have been some issues with people NOT thinking.:lol:


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I am absolutely terrified of heights, the motorway bridges we used to ride over in the UK freaked me out and I'd get hysterical if the kids rode close to the edge despite the high railings so if they're any height then I have to get off and walk because I'm afraid my horse will pick up on my fear. Even when I'm walking I want to get on my hands and knees and crawl sometimes, I don't even like being in a car going over bridges, the Whitestone Bridge in NY puts me into a sweating panic attack every time


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## morganarab94 (May 16, 2013)

I've always rode across them.


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## paintgirl96 (Oct 6, 2012)

I always ride across - but if the horse stops & acts nervous, I give them more of their head so they can sniff the bridge, & normally they cross it. If they absolutely refuse to cross it, I've always went around. I've only had one horse, which was a stud, to ever rear up & try to run from a bridge. He was fine with going through 4' deep water to avoid bridges, or down/up big hills. Now he's fine with bridges, took a few weeks of walking him daily across the bridge heading from the road to my barn; but he's fine now.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

I always ride across *as long* as it is a bridge not shared by motorists. In that case I get off and walk, motorists can be inconsiderate and the last thing I need is a horse meet car situation going badly and on a bridge to boot.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I always ride across, staying as centered as I can.


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## Wheatermay (Aug 22, 2011)

Painted Horse said:


> What kind of bridges are you talking about?
> 
> I almost always ride across the bridges I encounter.


OH! I would cross that bridge without getting off in a heartbeat! :lol:

I'm not laughing AT you I swear. I am laughing bc our bridges out here (oine the Rails for Trails) has one bridge I had to cross that consisted of old not quiet stable railings, AND had went over a big valley. So if you fell off you were falling a good forty feet or more! AND the other bridge. (I couldnt find pics, I'm sorry) and most other bridges around here in my area, are only about three feet high on the sides..... And a VERY VERY long fall, meaninf people have died falling off of them. And usually only a quarter of it crosses a shallow river, the rest goes over pavement. 

But yea, if the bridges looked like those, I would without question! Bridges on a public ROAD.... NO! Not for me! BUT I am also afraid of heights, lol.. and bridges seem so much worse when your on top of a horse! haha :lol:


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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

I always try to focus ahead of where I am at, and remember to breathe....


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

For me, it depends on the bridge and the horse I am riding.






































However, I am huge weenie about heights. Notice none of those bridges involve much by way of having to get real close to drop-offs!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Except the first few times on "The Bridge With No Sides" that was 100 feet above the river, I ride across. Including metal grated bridges.

It was me that needed to get my nerve up on The Bridge With No Sides, not the my horse. We were crossing on the bridge, so we could get to the trail that took us down to the river for a swim. I pass out if I am that high and in a tight place - falling over the edge to get there faster was not on my To Do list - lol


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

As long as I can keep the horse some what calm, under control, and focused, I will ride across. If the horse becomes where I feel I'm going to lose control, I would get off and lead them over. 

I've only had to walk one over so far. That was on an overpass of the interstate highway. The horse froze up and we started to hold up traffic. 

Otherwise, I just keep them facing it and reward forward movement. 

Having another "seasoned" horse to go first helps. The last ride we went on, a gal was having a hard time getting her horse to cross. The horse went across ok the first time because another went first. The second time, she had him go first. When she tried to get him to go forward, he would just back up. She backed him all the way across.
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## GamingGrrl (Jan 16, 2013)

I'm pretty new to trail riding, and wasn't sure of my boys exact experience on the trails when I first took him out. We came to a bridge and I dismounted and led him across to see his reaction, which was yawning and walking on. We rode over it when we came back to it. I figure that I lead him over new bridges, and if he handles it fine, we'll ride over them. He does however, snort about halfway across when he realizes that there's water under him. He's like a cat and absolutely thinks he will melt if water touches him. :lol:
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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I have ridden across some, walked across others, and turned around and rode back the way I came for one bridge. I am afraid of heights and bridges make me nervous, what if the railing broke or one of the boards.. ****.. nothing like being neurotic and having a stupid phobia.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Most bridges I ride over don't have railings. The bridge I used to have to ride over any time I wanted to go off property was rickety old Pauling that rattled and moved when you walked on it with gaps so you could see down to the creek, and no sides. Always a bit nerve wracking with a new horse!

That was the one I nearly went off when it was frosty. That day we ended up bringing the trailer out and trailering to our rally day.
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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

stevenson said:


> I have ridden across some, walked across others, and turned around and rode back the way I came for one bridge. I am afraid of heights and bridges make me nervous, what if the railing broke or one of the boards.. ****.. nothing like being neurotic and having a stupid phobia.


 Its the invisible monster that will reach up and pull me over!!!
Had to do the Whitestone Bridge thing yesterday and the traffic all but stopped in the middle and I wanted to get out and crawl back to safety!!!
None of my horses seem at all concerned about bridges - its just me!!!


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

I had a friend with an extreme fear of height. Even a trail with a wide sloping shoulder down one side (where just about anyone could turn and ride straight down) sent her into a panic. It made it difficult to ride with her and her husband. Often they would stick to the forest service roads because the trail might have a steep side. One ride they came to a bridge. It was either cross or go back to the trailer and go home. Her husband told her to get off, go back and grab her horse's tail, burry her face, he would pony the horse and don't look up until he told her to. It worked but I don't believe they ever returned to that trail. That must have been some sight to watch!
Sometimes it is hard to understand someone being that afraid but it is real to the person with the problem.


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## CatrinaB87 (Dec 29, 2008)

One of the trails I ride has a lot of culvert style bridges with no sides. Sometimes water, sometimes not, but none of them are ever more than 6 feet long. I think that would be an interesting obstacle!


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## BlooBabe (Jul 7, 2012)

I'm terrified or car bridges that go over water so I'll only ride over them on my own horse. I drop my reins and let him take me over. If it's on the trail I always ride over. I personally feel that getting off and walking over gives the horse the idea that it's not safe enough to be ridden over or that their fear or walking over it is justified. Just my own beliefs but everyone goes their own way.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Dustbunny said:


> I had a friend with an extreme fear of height. Even a trail with a wide sloping shoulder down one side (where just about anyone could turn and ride straight down) sent her into a panic. It made it difficult to ride with her and her husband. Often they would stick to the forest service roads because the trail might have a steep side. One ride they came to a bridge. It was either cross or go back to the trailer and go home. Her husband told her to get off, go back and grab her horse's tail, burry her face, he would pony the horse and don't look up until he told her to. It worked but I don't believe they ever returned to that trail. That must have been some sight to watch!
> Sometimes it is hard to understand someone being that afraid but it is real to the person with the problem.


That's me LOL
I am the one at the back walking - keeping my very non concerned mare between me and the drop!!! 
DH & son kept riding right on the edge and I was close to hysterics with them
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euFPpYAk6pM


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

It depends on the horse. Some horses could care less if they had to swim through quicksand, wile others won't even go over a rock.

My horses are OK with anything just about - so I usually ride them over. Some horses will freak out, so the best thing is to walk them across both ways first, then go back and try riding over again when the horse feels a little better about the bridge. 

I say you should ride over bridges because your horse should be confident enough and not worry/get too excited when doing anything.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I ride across, however OP, you do what you feel comfortable & safe doing, it's your ride.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I'm too much of a scaredy cat to ride over most bridges...With my mare now I might do it if there was railing and it wasn't rickety, but there are many wooden bridges that makes loud noises or creak when I go across and it just messes with me, so I prefer to walk across.


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## Wheatermay (Aug 22, 2011)

Dustbunny said:


> I had a friend with an extreme fear of height. Even a trail with a wide sloping shoulder down one side (where just about anyone could turn and ride straight down) sent her into a panic. It made it difficult to ride with her and her husband. Often they would stick to the forest service roads because the trail might have a steep side. One ride they came to a bridge. It was either cross or go back to the trailer and go home. Her husband told her to get off, go back and grab her horse's tail, burry her face, he would pony the horse and don't look up until he told her to. It worked but I don't believe they ever returned to that trail. That must have been some sight to watch!
> Sometimes it is hard to understand someone being that afraid but it is real to the person with the problem.


So she hid her face in the horses tail? LOL! Even if she didnt I had a funny image in my head just now! HAHA!


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

^^^ Yep...buried her face in the tail. Just as long as she couldn't see she made it across.


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