# Riding on the road..or near it



## wetrain17 (May 25, 2011)

I wouldn't say afraid, but very cautious. If you've never taken your horse by a road before you do not know how he/she will react. If you are seriously considering this i would start by taking your horse out at a time that you know not many cars will be on the road, say early sunday morning. I would not push too much or be gone for a long trail ride.

There are some inconsiderate drivers out there who will not give you any room and will fly passed you. I hate to say but you dont really know how your horse will react until youre out there. 

And as a word of advice, look out for those motocycles. My horse hates them, especially when they are Harleys and they travel in packs.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

I've done a lot of riding on roads, both dirt country roads and on the side of country highways. It is a risk, yes, but you can do several things to minimise that risk:

a.) If you are going to be afraid, don't do it as your horse will sense your apprehension and will in turn be fearful.

b.) Leg yielding is your friend, make sure that your horse will move off your leg without hesitation, this is the best way to ensure you stay on the side of the road and do not interfere with traffic.

c.) Test your horse out on a quiet road and see how he/she responds to cars driving past, tractors and other unusual things you may encounter etc. You may be surprised at what your horse balks at! For example my grey girl couldn't care less about cars whizzing past her but a wheelie bin or letter box? Apparently they were horse eating monsters to her.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Well since i live in an area where there is nowhere to ride except on roads (gravel & paved) i do alot of it. I dont think there's anything to worry about. I've never seen a horse become worried about a road although some can be a little unsure of pavement at first until they get used to it, which doesnt take long in my experience.
Just watch out for traffic of course and if you see a car coming, just bring your horse to the side of the road and make him stand & watch the vehicle coming. Most people i find are considerate & slow down, but some dont. Truckers are also really bad for honking there horns just for the heck of it.
My horses are all used to traffic & will walk along in the ditches next to the main highway and not blink an eye. Once you're sure your horse is confident around vehicles you will be able to just keep riding when a car goes by.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

As wetrain17 mentioned, be aware especially of motorcycles. Most of the ones I've come across aren't particularly considerate of horses.

I was on a trail ride with a friend and was riding one of the horses from the dude string at our stable (since Aires isn't broke yet). We were crossing the road on our way back and my friend crossed first, but we had to wait for some traffic (it's not an overly busy road usually, but this was a Saturday, so it was busier than normal). I waited until there were no cars coming except a motorcycle that was about a mile off. Reno (the horse I was riding) was being a bit slow, but not overly so. However, this motorcyclist SPED UP so that he would reach us before we got off the road. When he did reach us (we were almost off the road at that point), he revved his engine and flashed his lights at us. Reno caught it out of the corner of his eye and FREAKED! Took off at a dead gallop straight for home. Luckily I stayed in the oversized saddle they had on him and got him back under control within a few dozen yards. This is a horse that crosses that same road several times a day usually on trail rides, so he's used to traffic and the like.

Not saying this to scare you or anything...just as a warning that even "traffic safe" horses can freak out at something.


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## eowyn (Jul 24, 2011)

wetrain17 said:


> I wouldn't say afraid, but very cautious. If you've never taken your horse by a road before you do not know how he/she will react. If you are seriously considering this i would start by taking your horse out at a time that you know not many cars will be on the road, say early sunday morning. I would not push too much or be gone for a long trail ride.


Thanks for the advice. I think I will slowly build up to taking a trail ride so my horse and I will both be comfortable.




wetrain17 said:


> And as a word of advice, look out for those motocycles. My horse hates them, especially when they are Harleys and they travel in packs.


I know! I hate those! And my horse doesn't necessarily like the sound either


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## eowyn (Jul 24, 2011)

sarahver said:


> I've done a lot of riding on roads, both dirt country roads and on the side of country highways. It is a risk, yes, but you can do several things to minimise that risk:
> 
> a.) If you are going to be afraid, don't do it as your horse will sense your apprehension and will in turn be fearful.
> 
> ...


I think I will build up my confidence and play it safe with my horse by taking it slow. My horse doesn't spook very much but seeing as we haven't been on roads I don't know if he will spook to cars.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

The advantage of living with people who ride motorcycles.... My horses don't bat an eye at them. I'm surprised you've all had such bad experiences with them too. Most of the riders I know and have encountered on the road are extremely considerate of horses. They're much more aware of the damage a 1000+ lb animals can do to themselves and the bike. 

Probably the most important thing is to have a horse that is calm and not all that spooky. It helps if your horse looks to you FIRST when he sees something "scary." You also need to be calm and not all that spooky.  

If you have a smaller road or even a long driveway get someone to drive up/down it with you riding next to it. Not road speeds of course but will give you an idea of your horse's mindframe when encountered with a moving vehicle. 

Watch out for broken glass and other debris on the road too.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

MN Tigerstripes said:


> The advantage of living with people who ride motorcycles.... My horses don't bat an eye at them. I'm surprised you've all had such bad experiences with them too. Most of the riders I know and have encountered on the road are extremely considerate of horses. They're much more aware of the damage a 1000+ lb animals can do to themselves and the bike.


I ride on the road a lot and this has been my experience, too. I think many motorcyclists feel that they and horseback riders have a common enemy...cars ;-)
What out how your horse reacts to bicyclists coming up from behind. They are quiet and many horses have the 'something is sneaking up on me' reaction.
Also, keep in mind that if you're riding on asphalt, your horse doesn't have the same traction as on dirt/grass...i.e. they can't get any 'dig' into it.


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## eowyn (Jul 24, 2011)

PaintHorseMares said:


> Also, keep in mind that if you're riding on asphalt, your horse doesn't have the same traction as on dirt/grass...i.e. they can't get any 'dig' into it.


I've watched lots of videos on youtube with riders full on GALLOPING down asphalt roads. Makes me angry at the riders and sad for the horses


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## Jessskater (Mar 16, 2011)

I ride on the road almost everyday. I live by a highway and my horse doesn't even flinch at anything going by. My advice is to take your time and lead the horse first. Find a patch of grass and let her eat while the cars go by. Eventually she will not mind the cars at all and you can ride.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

eowyn said:


> I've watched lots of videos on youtube with riders full on GALLOPING down asphalt roads. Makes me angry at the riders and sad for the horses


That's fine if you don't want to quickly turn or stop ;-)

I learned my asphalt 'lesson' years ago. We rode a lot though areas that had asphalted hiking trails with some steep inclines that we always took at a trot to keep momentum. One day trotting up the incline, a couple with a baby stroller appears at the top coming towards us. There was no room off the path to ride so I slowed to a walk. Big mistake...with no momentum, the path was steep enough that my mare couldn't get any traction, desperately trying to dig her front toe into the asphalt. She finally slipped on her side with my leg under her. She managed to get back up in a second and I luckily got my foot out of the stirrup. She got by with just a scrape on her fetlock from the asphalt, and I was very lucky to not break a leg, but I was hobbling around with an ankle swollen like a balloon for 6 weeks and couldn't even get a boot on.

BTW, we would never go faster that a trot on asphalt. It does have some 'give' under the weight of a horse, but we felt that faster gaits would be a little rough on the joints in the long run.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

I've never had a horse that had problems riding down a road. Also most drivers will slow down and give you room as they approach. What scares me is roads with little to no shoulder and blind corners. Drivers can't see you.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I ride on the roads all the time. We have a ton of dirt country roads and a couple of fairly busy highways pretty close to my barn. One thing to kind of prepare both you and your horse is if you have a driveway or yard that is right on the road, you might ride around there while the traffic is going by. That way, you both get accustomed to the vehicles but you are not trapped between the road and a fence with no place to go if your horse gets skittish.


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

I also road ride frequently. If you can ride with a buddy who's horse is ok with traffic etc. Taking your horse for walks is a great way to handle and instill confidence safely. As far as traffic I try to stay in the road(back roads only) so the autos coming can see me before I move to the side unless it's a wide open area where it's easy to see horse riders. I will ask them to slow if I feel they may cause a problem. Most are courteous, some are not. Cycle riders have never given me any trouble either. But you have to be watchful and careful as not all people are considerate of others.. You could simply lead your horse on the road part of your trip to your trails.


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## mvinotime (Mar 5, 2010)

I love road riding and do it often around the little town I live in. We ride past the school, the fire station, to the store, to the post office, over to the park. We even ride down to the railroad tracks and watch the train go by  I never ride at more than a walk on the asphalt however and try and stay off to the edge where it is grass or gravel etc as much as possible. We encounter all kinds of vehicles, people, animals etc. Something new every time. I say take your time and try to go first with a horse that is comfortable with road riding and the usual distractions and "monsters" that go with it as this makes it easier in the beginning. Have fun!


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## pintophile (May 18, 2011)

My younger mare is safe around the "normal" vehicles-cars, trucks, jeeps, vans, trucks pulling trailers, dump trucks etc, but I have yet to meet a motorcycle or a transport on her. I think she may be alright with the transport, but motorcycles...honestly, I'm not looking forwards to it :lol:

As for my older mare...well, she lived down around the city before I got her, so she is absolutely, 188% traffic safe. I have met all manner of vehicles, and the worst I've ever gotten out of her was a hollowed back and a small flinch as two motorcyclists roared by (they didn't stop or slow down..) One time, I was about a mile from home on a dirt road and heard a transport truck coming up behind us hauling hay. Well, I was way more concerned than the horse was, and I got her slightly off the road and sat there until it went by (we would've had to do it anyways-with the truck passing, there would be no room for us to stay on the road). It went by with all the dust and engines roaring, and the horse literally didn't even flick an ear. There is something really, really amazing about having a horse so totally traffic safe.


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## wetrain17 (May 25, 2011)

My horse is okay with one or two, but if there are any more traveling together then he jumps up and down. Luckily, around here, all the motocylcists are very considerate and do not rev their engines and they pass very slowly.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

The worst thing we've ever encountered was a GIANT tractor thing. One of those really tall ones that go really fast. Yeah. Terrifying. We thought the horses were going to flip out, but they were actually completely fine.


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

I have ridden on roads.Even some that are decently busy! All I have to say is you want to be more cautious of your surroundings. Some people drive like complete idiots. I was riding Gidget down a road that wasn't too busy and we were enjoying ourselves and all of the sudden here comes a jeep full of young guys flying down the road at about 60 miles per hour. I had to find a place to pull my horse over. Thats just an example of what you want to look for.

Riding on the road is really fun. It gets the horses use to new situations. I would say if your horse isn't use to roads just sit deep and make sure you have extra weight in those stirrups.


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

Oh and one more thing..if you feel uncomfortable I would walk your horse across the road or take her for walks on the road to see how she does.


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## eowyn (Jul 24, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the advice! My horse isn't all that bad with riding on the road! We just road up and down my driveway with cars going by (my driveway is fairly long) and he didn't make a fuss or anything. I think he will do great when we actually get up to the road road part (;. 

My question right now is..how far have some of you gone riding on the road? Also have you ever had people yell or honk or holler at you?


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

LOL, I can be gone all day long and never leave a road. And yep, had people hoot and holler and honk at me. The thing that bothers me the most is when truckers wait until they are right beside you before applying their jake-brakes. Even if it doesn't scare the horse, it startles me every time :lol:.


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

I have ridden probably 8 miles at times on our gravel roads.. Pretty rural and mostly locals so we don't have much trouble with the traffic. Good hoof boots or shoes for the horses as some gravel roads are unkind to barehooves, depending on the horse.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Bikes worry my horses more than cars/trucks. At least with cars and such you can hear them coming - bikes are so quiet until they zoom past with that weird whirring noise!

We have to ride past an industrial area to get to most places, so our horses are used to trucks, tractors, cement mixers, recycling machines...


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

I've road about a mile on the road....there is this scary llama in the area I am at now....scares both of us.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

OMG, I think that llamas are the universal monster with gnashing teeth and reaching claws when it comes to horses:lol:. I've yet to ride a horse that wasn't absolutely terrified the first time they saw one, even old broke horses.


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

And Emu's too


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Wikdey loves llamas! He likes to have scratches with them! Donkeys, too...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

wetrain17 said:


> And as a word of advice, look out for those motocycles. My horse hates them, especially when they are Harleys and they travel in packs.


 My wife's horse, Copper, loves to race them, whether she really wants him to or not. When they come in a big group, the noise and the headlights seem to freak out all of ours out, even Copper.


lilruffian said:


> Just watch out for traffic of course and if you see a car coming, just bring your horse to the side of the road and make him stand & watch the vehicle coming.


 I think it is better to keep them moving at a walk, but also give them something to do to keep their focus on you not the vehicles. Stopping lets them focus fully on the vehicle which lets them use their instincts which would be to RUN!


Jessskater said:


> My advice is to take your time and lead the horse first. Find a patch of grass and let her eat while the cars go by. Eventually she will not mind the cars at all and you can ride.


 Excellent advice. Start a good distance away and slower work your way closer.


eowyn said:


> My question right now is..how far have some of you gone riding on the road? Also have you ever had people yell or honk or holler at you?


 We ride on gravel roads a lot and sometimes along a busy highway. We've gone up to 10 miles along a road at a time. In general, most people do slow down to pass but there are idiots that won't. We've had many people honk and wave. If we ride along the highway, we stay in the ditch if at all possible. On gravel roads, we will ride on the opposite side of where the vehicle is.


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## mbender (Jul 22, 2009)

That's all we ever did was ride on the roads. When we were younger and didn't care. Now that I'm older,, I CARE. It isn't so much the cars, the stupid idiots trying to get a reaction out of your horse its how you stay under control and calm that matters. Teaching your horse to move his butt over and not be afraid of getting into a ditch full of weeds really counts. I am in the same predicament with my filly. So I have started taking her near the road to just eat grass and watch the traffic. My hurdle will be when the buggy horses go by. 
She goes nutty being in her paddock when she hears them pass by. So it ought to be interesting when we actually encounter them. But I've been teaching her cues on the ground to move over. On our road there isn't much of a shoulder to get on to if needed. So I worry about that. Just need to get out there and do it. Being on the ground I think, will help me with better control. I don't know. Just keep safe. 

One more thing is those bumps they have on the road to warn you of a stop sign coming up. Those can freak your horse out. And going under a highway bridge can be intimidating. But I had a seasoned horse to show my horse its ok. We used to ride down the train tracks too. Young and dumb. Oh well. Ride with a helmet. I will. Good luck.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Once we had to cross a bridge with traffic going underneath. The horses spooked half way across and wouldn't move. It stopped traffic going over the bridge for at least 10 minutes.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## eowyn (Jul 24, 2011)

usandpets said:


> Once we had to cross a bridge with traffic going underneath. The horses spooked half way across and wouldn't move. It stopped traffic going over the bridge for at least 10 minutes.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Wow! That must have been exciting


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

Wow, I've ridden over a turnpike(toll highway) with semi's and plenty of traffic under. Horses never blinked at it. Mine barely registered there was an under. We waited on the train track tho as there was a train coming and we didn't want to risk the greenies getting spooked.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

I ride on the road a lot, it's basically just about all we do out here... If you're nervous, start off by leading your horse until you're both ok with cars, dogs, etc... 

I'll walk, trot, canter, and gallop along the sides of the road, wit or without cars going by. It doesn't bother my horses. Your horse should be used to drunk people zooming by, both considerate and inconsiderate drivers, yelling drivers ("Yeehaw, Ride 'em cowgirl, etc..."), dogs, hordes of dogs, deer, etc... 

Some people in cars also like to pull over and talk to you, so your horse should be ok with cars idling beside or behind them. People and kids sometimes want to pet or ride (pony rides for kids). People won't always keep their dogs away from you and your horse, too (I've found that a threat of bringing a shotgun down and shooting their dogs if the animal bites the horse, or telling the people that the horse will kick/attack/kill their dogs, often works to get them to keep their dogs tied when you're near... on the people who state that it's their property and you can't get after their dog, just move your horse into the road and sweetly tell them that you're on public property and if you feel threatened by their animals, you can take action now because you're not on their land).

I ride all over our community... sometimes twenty miles a say on the roads. I've crossed roads, crossed our local 'highway' (which really isn't much of a highway), etc... 

It's very fun.


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## Bazco (Jun 28, 2011)

smrobs said:


> OMG, I think that llamas are the universal monster with gnashing teeth and reaching claws when it comes to horses:lol:. I've yet to ride a horse that wasn't absolutely terrified the first time they saw one, even old broke horses.


ROFL I think its because they may look like deformed horses to them. They are probably like "HOLY MOLY WHAT THE HECK IS THAT!!!! DUDE WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE!!!!"



mvinotime said:


> I love road riding and do it often around the little town I live in. We ride past the school, the fire station, to the store, to the post office, over to the park. We even ride down to the railroad tracks and watch the train go by  I never ride at more than a walk on the asphalt however and try and stay off to the edge where it is grass or gravel etc as much as possible. We encounter all kinds of vehicles, people, animals etc. Something new every time. I say take your time and try to go first with a horse that is comfortable with road riding and the usual distractions and "monsters" that go with it as this makes it easier in the beginning. Have fun!


WOW Thats kind of my dream. I want to be able to take my horse down to buy some milk at the grocery store LOL. I have 65 acres to ride and some pretty trails but no matter which way or combination of crossing trails and being creative.... its kind of getting to be repetitive and same old. I wouldn't say boring but...yah repetitive.. I know my Horse Cavalier feels it too... HE kind of wants a change - he wants to trot through the trails more then just a walk - it's not an obedience thing - he will walk if I want him to but he is very quick to take to the trot and we can zip and trot through all day doing figure eights and circles around our apple orchards and everything.

So I took him out the first time early in teh morning on the road just to test him out - probably 300 - 400 yards down the road. And hes was extremely calm and responsive and he was looking everywhere (in a good way) like a fresh air - new scenary. He responded very well to my leg pressure to stay at the sides of the road... it was so nice and calm and relaxing.

Towards the afternoon I took him back out on the road there was a lot more activity some cars passing and he was totally fine with it. I would leg pressure him to the side of the road when I heard or saw a car coming and id stop him. Peopel are curtious and usually slow down and wave. nothing seemed to get him spooked or wound up except when passing another local farm and he saw a bulldozer like way in the distance. He didnt seem to like it too much - kept look at attention and ears perked up. I got him moving and he was fine. We visited some neighbors and i got off the horse to talk and then back on. A lot of my neighbors have horses so when we passed thier horses or paddocks Cavalier got a little excited he winnied a few times.. but he totally listened to me and I had control even though he really wanted to say hi. I gave in and let him say hi to 4 horses down the road and it went well until Cavalier had to tell them that hes the alpha boss and stomped at them. But it was fine.

It was probably my nicest experience yet. There are a lot of roaming pastures and hay fields down the road and I really want to gallop him and trot him in there as my farm is 65 acres have nice trails but mostly wooded and I want a nice open area - so in the future I will probably do that but this was enough for the first day.

He was a good boy.

I took a vid of it if someone is interested but its shaky and Cavalier isnt the best yet with neck raining so my 1 handed riding was a little zig zaggy and i probably look funny.

Now that I think about it. if I ever do go to the grocery store... where the heck would I put the horse when I go inside.... ****!!!


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

smrobs said:


> OMG, I think that llamas are the universal monster with gnashing teeth and reaching claws when it comes to horses:lol:. I've yet to ride a horse that wasn't absolutely terrified the first time they saw one, even old broke horses.


Ever seen llamas and horses pastured together? Guess who gets to eat first? Some of the sheepherders put llamas out with the sheep because they will kill a dog or coyote if it gets to the flock. They are one tough herbiviore that other herbivores give a lot of respect to.


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## Ne0n Zero (Dec 25, 2008)

wetrain17 said:


> There are some inconsiderate drivers out there who will not give you any room and will fly passed you. I hate to say but you dont really know how your horse will react until youre out there.
> 
> And as a word of advice, look out for those motocycles. My horse hates them, especially when they are Harleys and they travel in packs.


Beau and I were out on a back road with a friend and her horse, and there was a big diesel pickup with stacks coming towards us, so we pulled the horses over to the side of the road and let them graze for a minute. The driver apparently thought it would be hilarious to neutral drop it and let out this huge roar and puff of black smoke right when he passed to try and scare the horses.. luckily we got the last laugh because both horses completely ignored said truck and continued grazing.

As for motorcycles and bikes.. and about 50% of cars we see on the road.. Instead of being afraid of them, Beau likes to try and race them. He's so used to bikes because I used to ride him down to my friend Richie's house who rode BMX bikes.. We'd station Beau a few yards away from the bike jumps and he'd just stand there and watch, so he became completely desensitized to all kinds of bikes, wheelchairs, scooters, whatever they decided to try and take over the jumps.


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## Ohhkierst (Jan 2, 2011)

I ride down my road all the time. We live in the country. But I usually stay on the side in the grass.. only on the road when I have to be. I have shoes on my horse so the first time one the road we slipped a bit, just its back feet sliding. so i would start by walking your horse from the ground to make sure your horse gets it's footing. Also I started my horse to get used to being round cars by pulling my car around to the barn or walking him by running cars. Start small and work your way up. Make sure you can drive around your property with your horse in sight. Its not everyday they see a big metal horse coming their way. Once I was able to do circles around my horse in our truck I felt it was time to go out on the road. And we even ride to the gas station now. He doesn't mind a bit!


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

MN Tigerstripes said:


> I'm surprised you've all had such bad experiences with them too. Most of the riders I know and have encountered on the road are extremely considerate of horses. They're much more aware of the damage a 1000+ lb animals can do to themselves and the bike.


I agree! Especially those on Harley's! We've had some cut the motor and coast by or stop completely.


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## WalkerLady (Jul 22, 2010)

We were on a road recently and a large group of VERY loud motorcycles were coming up behind - my husband's horse, who is normally cool as a cucumber in any traffic, spooked so badly he dismounted and we stood on the shoulder waiting for them to go by - one of them actually turned his bike and rode AT US and then swerved at the last split-second. Maybe they weren't typical but they sure did live up to the stereotypical a*****e motorocycle gangsters.


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## ScharmLily (Nov 23, 2009)

I've found the motorcyclists to be especially rude 

I always wear this awesome fluorescent vest that says "pass slow and wide" and it really does help. I really don't like riding on the roads though...but the only trail I can get to from my house requires a little time on the roads and sometimes I'm just too tired to hitch up the trailer and go through all that trouble to ride somewhere else.


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## ScharmLily (Nov 23, 2009)

Bazco said:


> WOW Thats kind of my dream. I want to be able to take my horse down to buy some milk at the grocery store LOL. I have 65 acres to ride and some pretty trails but no matter which way or combination of crossing trails and being creative.... its kind of getting to be repetitive and same old. I wouldn't say boring but...yah repetitive.. I know my Horse Cavalier feels it too... HE kind of wants a change - he wants to trot through the trails more then just a walk - it's not an obedience thing - he will walk if I want him to but he is very quick to take to the trot and we can zip and trot through all day doing figure eights and circles around our apple orchards and everything.


I am soooooo jealous. I only have 2 acres so I can only ride in my small ring unless I trailer to get to trails. I personally hate the roads because I really don't want any *** hole people around my horses. My dream is to have 65 acres...........so lucky!!


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

I feel you Bazco. We are only a half hour away from the Sheyenne National Grasslands which has thousands of acres to ride in. The only problem is that there is only one area to trailer to. Unless you can haul your camping gear horseback, it gets old or repetitive riding the same area
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bazco (Jun 28, 2011)

ScharmLily said:


> I am soooooo jealous. I only have 2 acres so I can only ride in my small ring unless I trailer to get to trails. I personally hate the roads because I really don't want any *** hole people around my horses. My dream is to have 65 acres...........so lucky!!


YAH ITS PRETTY AWESOME!

quick story - I had a back breaker of a job trimming hooves, giving probiotics, CDT shots, and Vitamin pills to 40 goats so only had time to ride for a little more then an hour (havent ridden in 10 days)- but kids wanted to ride (me walking them around on lunge line or lunging Cavalier at a walk with my daughter on him)

So after I got on to riding just a little bit on the farm for a quick spin... I came out the trail on one side of the property that leads to the street and walked on the side of the road to the other entrance to the farm...Cavalier was an angel and as soon as we got on the road his ears perked up and he was lookin around. You can tell he was enjoying it and wanted to go... but I didn't have the time so I turned back into the entrance of the farm and he stopped at the gates and looked back at me and then looked out at the road..... and I told him to walk on to go into the farm... he looked at me again and the road.... "like awe man.....I really wanted to go out for a stroll" shrugged it off and walked into the property.... It was probably the first time I got confirmation that he really likes to ride and ride with me and trail out.... not just being a submissive horse....

awww next time Cav......


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## Bazco (Jun 28, 2011)

Wanted to add the video I took of me riding on road.....

I started the video when we went to meet my neighbors horses (cavalier has never met them before so he got excited)

I hope you dont get dizzy watching the video....Im riding 1 handed and taping with my other hand... and Cav is just learning neck reining.. although he is great with leg pressure.... so I zig zag a bit....

I think a few cars pass by in the vid and you can see I stop on the road to let them go.

Cav whinnies when he hears Flex my other horse from far away.






sorry for all the shaking.....​


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## youngm357 (Aug 18, 2010)

Riding in the road is sometimes necessary but can be dangerous
Woman On Horseback Victim Of Hit And Run - News Story - KXLY Spokane


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Youngm - is there an update today on this? That is pathetic that someone would be so cold.

As for the motorcyclist running up to the horses...I would have attempted to get his license and turned him in to the authorities. 

I try to be considerate on the road to people riding motorcycles and horses for God's sake. An idiot woman turned in front of my husband on his Harley and 4 years later he is still having issues from the wreak. Thank God he was only going about 18 mph. 

Both of our horses are pretty calm around roads. I rarely ride down a road but we do cross some up at Ebenezer Park where we ride. We have had to wait for cars/trucks but Biscuit's former "trainer" used to take him down roads with 18 wheelers whizzing by and he didn't turn a hair. We sometimes go down the park road in Tyrrell and yes, some people are moving fast in their cars like idiots. 

I used to ride on roads as a kid all the time but now I am not interested. If I was trying to desensitize a horse I would get off and walk if cars were coming with a road "green" horse. Better safe than sorry.


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## atomic (Aug 15, 2011)

Most "real" motorcyclists will be very cautious and understanding of horses. However, at least around here, it seems there are entirely too many idiots on motorcycles than the other kind! The kind of people that get one to be "cool", buy a liter bike first time out, and may not have even bothered to get an endorsement. 

I would highly suggest tackling the road for the first few times with a dependable trail horse buddy to instill some confidence in yours, and if the road is not very busy you should have no problems waiting for a wide clearance to cross.


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## Poco1220 (Apr 6, 2010)

My worst road experience was in town. There was a large semi coming by so we moved off the shoulder to a grassy area and waited for it to pass before continuing on. 10 minutes later we were pulled over by the cops because a lady complained that we walked close to her flowers (WTF?!) the cop just had to let us know there was a complaint lol. But at least being pulled over on horseback is a good story! 

Side note- cops pulling over horses are not allowed to use lights or sirens because they could be held liable if the horse spooked and you or the animal (or anyone else) got injured. So if you see them coming for you just stop and wait 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Royal Pine Buck (May 28, 2011)

always always be cautious and NEVER get too comfortable on the road no matter what your horse is usually like. and be extra careful on blacktop driveways that are SEALEd. SUPER SLIPPERY!

never assume you will HEAR a car coming either.

( a car almost slammed into me from behind. and stopped about a foot from my horses hocks. we only heard the car because of the screeching brakes.)

i always remember to be cautious now because...

we galloped down a road ON ACCIDENT! me and my friend were heading BACK from a trailride down rt 303 in richfield (notorious for semi's and cars going fast, with sewer grates on each side of road) 

my friends horse always looked at the sewer grates (and gave little crow hops at motorcyles that came too close! :lol While Dillon remained unfazed...most of the times out well one day she was saying how wonderful dillon was on the road and we were in a section of the road that the lawns start rising over out heads. 

well right then a black dog came out barking from overhead on one of the lawn. well that was too much for Dillon,a predator came bursting out above his head! 

so Dillon started galloping down the Center of 303!

along with patrick who fed off him. and we pulled out RIGHT INFRONT OF A TRUCK! we continued to gallop like that for about 300ft maybe (seemed like an eternity ) while i was thinking i can't turn him sharply because we are on ASPHALT he will slip and i can't pull back abruptly he will probably slip too! so i yelled at my friend GO FOR THE GRASS! and my friend replied what grass!? and i said THERE are DIRT DRIVEWAY as soon as we hit the dirt drive we stopped them without a problem.

later on i found out my friend saw all the cars on 303 separate off the road likethe red sea! LOL i remember looking at all that road ahead and thinking ^&$# NO!

i proceeded to get back to the barn, cold hosed each leg for like 15 mins and poultice.


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## Royal Pine Buck (May 28, 2011)

also try to ride the furthest off the road as possible. (obvious one)

Horses DO have the right away. but don't trust ANY driver to know that or respect it!

if you have a friend that will drive her car by you at slow speed at first then normal speed, then a little faster. practice before you're on your horse.

once comfortable with that tell your friend to beep their horn past your horse (i would start in the driveway or closed section and not on the actual road if you can) my dad's friend that was a horsewoman for MANY years was killed because a group of teenagers when they blew their horn past her on the road)

we also have come across firecrackers! (i was on a spooky horse and we were on asphalt and almost went down, he did a 360 and i felt him catch his hindend while he was slipping)

we reported it to the police and he was a known trouble maker and that was on a side street. with hardly no cars. 

so desensize your horse to many sounds beforehand.


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## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

I don't ride anything on the road because I am scared of crazy drivers, everything from people texting/talking on phones to drunks. Several people at my barn have been riding the county roads in the area lately with no incident. Last night they were going out again, and I thought, why not? So I grabbed Nessie's bridle and we were off. Leaving the property gate, I thought, OK this is not smart... first time out with this mare, bareback, and at dusk. She was awesome, had no nervousness at all except a little when we left the property. She stared at mailboxes, a pile of what looked like rocks in someone's yard. Three cars passed, two from behind & one coming towards us. We pulled over and stopped for the cars. She couldn't have cared less. Lots of barking dogs. 
Dug my helmet out of the closet last night, planning to go back out with them again this a.m. but I overslept and didn't go. I think I'll just go in the mornings from now on, it is just safer here where I live.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I ride in a ditch close to the highway on our way to our favorite dirt road ride. The dirt roads are open for vehicles, but there are rarely any there. If I were to cross the highway, I would consider leading my horse across. Our horses are pretty used to trucks going by so there is really not a problem. I did have one guy try to run me over intentionally. I pulled out my .38 and pointed it his direct. Changed his attitude immediately. I suspect that he destroyed his transmission going from fast forward to sudden reverse. I later found out that the same man had pulled a huge knife out and threated an old man near us, and then pushed the old man into a ditch. He is a total nutcase.


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## TheMadHatter (Feb 26, 2007)

Most motorcyclists around here are old doctors and are very polite when it comes to passing the horses and surprisingly enough, young boys will always slow down and swing wide, waving as they do. The worst in my area are young late teens-early 20's girls who will FLY past us and not even bat and eyelash! And old people....gah, its like they see people on horses and think "The faster I go, the less likely they are to spook!" Ha...apparently none of them have ever had 1300 lbs of flesh on their windshield and a very ****ed off rider to deal with. 

My worst road riding experience was my parents and 2 of our friends were riding down a very small, backwoods type road to go to our family cemetery for Decoration. Everyone knows not to speed down that road but these people came FLYING down a hill while my appy and I were trying to get across and when he sees them coming, my gelding just stopped dead in the center and looked at them. They barked their brakes and slid sideways because they were coming down that curvy hill going at least 50-55 mph, which is dangerous any way because you can't see well on that road and its practically a friggin dirt road! When they got by, they just waved, gave a goofy grin and drove on. I'm super protective of my old appy and if anything had happened to him, if I would've been able, they would've have some broken noses. If I would have had a rock, I would have totally smashed their back windshield. They passed us 3 more times that day (3 times in an hour....seriously?!) and each time, they were flying and driving like maniacs. I don't know what their deal was, but my whole riding posse had had enough. >:[


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## TheMadHatter (Feb 26, 2007)

Celeste said:


> I ride in a ditch close to the highway on our way to our favorite dirt road ride. The dirt roads are open for vehicles, but there are rarely any there. If I were to cross the highway, I would consider leading my horse across. Our horses are pretty used to trucks going by so there is really not a problem. I did have one guy try to run me over intentionally. I pulled out my .38 and pointed it his direct. Changed his attitude immediately. I suspect that he destroyed his transmission going from fast forward to sudden reverse. I later found out that the same man had pulled a huge knife out and threated an old man near us, and then pushed the old man into a ditch. He is a total nutcase.


 
Yeah, those .38s can be super persuasive :lol:


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Should have invited me riding that day............
I live within 20 miles of Jeff Foxworthy's home town........


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## Jumper4ever (Jan 2, 2011)

i know this post has been going on for a while and is oldish but i would like to share. 
I live on 47 acres but most if it is wooded. I live in pretty much the middle of nowhere, but i ride on all of the roads around me.. I actually prefer them to trails a lot of the time. My horses are really good with traffic even when i ride on the suuuuper busy main roads, so that is definitely a plus. I am super comfortable on the roads with my horses, and while i do race cars occasionally i am always very alert and never check out. if i sense any danger i either step off the road or get off. it never hurts to be super cautious


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## candandy49 (Jan 16, 2011)

My mare and I have covered many many miles of our country roads over the 16 years we've been each other's. We would usually be out riding for 4-6 hours at a time. There is very little traffic this far out in the country where we live so that was never a problem. Even when we did encounter a car, truck, tractor and on one occasion a semi-tractor 18 wheeler cattle hauler my Candy did never got spooky or scared. Then there was the time we came across one of those big yellow road graders that was parked. Candy wasn't afraid of it, in fact she wanted to investigate it.

When out riding the roads do be aware of possible hazards lurking on the road-side and in ditches with tall grass. Glass bottles whether broken or still intact and stepped on can cause nasty cuts to the legs. One case in point: A local owner of a very classy bred Arabian was riding in a roadside ditch and his horse stepped on a broken glass bottle. It did sever the tendon of the left front leg. With a lot of treatment and a special made brace and shoe the horse did recover, but was never sound again.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Ohhkierst said:


> I ride down my road all the time. We live in the country. But I usually stay on the side in the grass.. only on the road when I have to be. I have shoes on my horse so the first time one the road we slipped a bit, just its back feet sliding. so i would start by walking your horse from the ground to make sure your horse gets it's footing. Also I started my horse to get used to being round cars by pulling my car around to the barn or walking him by running cars. Start small and work your way up. Make sure you can drive around your property with your horse in sight. Its not everyday they see a big metal horse coming their way. Once I was able to do circles around my horse in our truck I felt it was time to go out on the road. And we even ride to the gas station now. He doesn't mind a bit!


You are probably safe enough riding on CR's, like where I now live. But before I moved to have my horses in the back yard, I spent 14 years boarding at a place where the owner kept shrinking our riding areas, finally down to almost nothing, and my DH and I took to crossing a BUSY rural highway and riding on the side of other CR's. I hated it.
I now live on the westmost road in a town of 200. I found 5 acres with a REAL house, and my 250ft x 310ft north pasture is PLENTY big enough to work a horse. My neighbors who rev up their bikes most weekends are doing me a great favor desensitizing my colts to motorcycles. I've been around the block LONG ENOUGH to know that we have nasty drivers on the roads who like to do mean-spirited things like drive faster JUSTto run over birds and squirrels and raccoons and possoms. THOSE people wouldn't mind miscalculating and hitting you AND your good horse!! I don't want to be 
A N Y WHERE *near* these people with my seasoned horse and with my horse in training, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!
PLEASE be as careful as you can when you choose where to ride.


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