Horses on roads

Author
Discussion

spookly

Original Poster:

4,020 posts

95 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
Is there any legislation about horses on roads? Are they allowed anywhere they like?

Just wondering, as I keep seeing a couple of nags clogging up the roads in the morning when I'm off to walk my dogs. I have no idea why they'd want to be riding in the middle of a town, and also nowhere near a place suitable for horses to go for off road exercise.

I assume they are allowed to despite the silliness of it not being a particularly enjoyable place to ride, or that they hold up all the morning traffic on a moderately busy road.

donkmeister

8,181 posts

100 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
Are they riding on traps? Ie lightweight two-wheeler carts?

If so, all your lucky heather and tarmaccing needs will soon be met...

TwigtheWonderkid

43,392 posts

150 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
spookly said:
Is there any legislation about horses on roads? Are they allowed anywhere they like?
I have never seen a round road sign, white with a red edge, with a horse silhouette in the centre, so I would assume yes.

No ideas for a name

2,189 posts

86 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
spookly said:
Is there any legislation about horses on roads? Are they allowed anywhere they like?
I have never seen a round road sign, white with a red edge, with a horse silhouette in the centre, so I would assume yes.
Traffic Signs manual: sign to diagram 622.6

XCP

16,918 posts

228 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
I think they were using roads long before cars were!

Cold

15,248 posts

90 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
XCP said:
I think they were using roads long before cars were!
That's because they walk slow and it takes them a long time to get anywhere.

donkmeister

8,181 posts

100 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
Ooh, motorways. Horse riders are prohibited from motorways.

I assume by that they mean *whilst riding a horse*, rather than a blanket ban on anyone who has worn jodhpurs and bankrupted their father.

x9wfm

101 posts

99 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
Horses are pointless now.

InitialDave

11,917 posts

119 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
x9wfm said:
Horses are pointless now.
Horses have always been pointless, you're thinking of unicorns.

dogbucket

1,204 posts

201 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
I thought it was something along of the lines of horses and cycles have 'right of way' to use the roads. Motor vehicles by default do not, but are granted access by having paid VED.

(Right of way in the sense of able to use, rather than the traffic priority meaning)

Initforthemoney

743 posts

144 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
Don’t visit the new forest then op.

You might have a fit.

DoubleD

22,154 posts

108 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
x9wfm said:
Horses are pointless now.
So are lots of things that we do for enjoyment.

spookly

Original Poster:

4,020 posts

95 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
Nope, they weren't travelling types, and didn't have traps. Just two ladies of middling age on two large nags.

Yes, I do understand that horses were present on roads long before cars were invented.

However, I personally wouldn't be so much of a selfish pr*ck as to ride something slow moving and skittish in an urban environment and to deliberately hold up lots of traffic on a regular basis. Which is why I also don't dress in lycra and take to the country roads on a bike.

av185

18,514 posts

127 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
It's an absolute outrage that in this day and age Fi Fi riding her prize stallion Dobbin is still allowed to cause carnage on our already cluttered up slow moving road network.

And to allow them to take any number of massive dumps especially on fast corners which at best plays havoc with your car paintwork at worst takes out a few motorcyclists in the process. Why can't they take horsey poo bags and clear up after their pets like big dog owners??

And all based on some ancient law passed in c 1825.

An absolute fking disgrace.

akirk

5,390 posts

114 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
Highway Code:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules...

as long as they are in control then no issues...
control is of variable definition wink


CrutyRammers

13,735 posts

198 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
spookly said:
Nope, they weren't travelling types, and didn't have traps. Just two ladies of middling age on two large nags.

Yes, I do understand that horses were present on roads long before cars were invented.

However, I personally wouldn't be so much of a selfish pr*ck as to ride something slow moving and skittish in an urban environment and to deliberately hold up lots of traffic on a regular basis. Which is why I also don't dress in lycra and take to the country roads on a bike.
How long were you held up for? A minute? Two?

gazza285

9,816 posts

208 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all

DoubleD

22,154 posts

108 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
av185 said:
It's an absolute outrage that in this day and age Fi Fi riding her prize stallion Dobbin is still allowed to cause carnage on our already cluttered up slow moving road network.

And to allow them to take any number of massive dumps especially on fast corners which at best plays havoc with your car paintwork at worst takes out a few motorcyclists in the process. Why can't they take horsey poo bags and clear up after their pets like big dog owners??

And all based on some ancient law passed in c 1825.

An absolute fking disgrace.
Ha ha ha funny

hyphen

26,262 posts

90 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
spookly said:
Is there any legislation about horses on roads? Are they allowed anywhere they like?
Saw two police on horses were in central London yesterday.

Later on walking down the same area, smelt before seeing the horse leftovers remains on the road in the hot sun. Was remains so assumed someone scooped up most of it, but needed jetwashing!!

FazerBoy

954 posts

150 months

Thursday 29th August 2019
quotequote all
InitialDave said:
x9wfm said:
Horses are pointless now.
Horses have always been pointless, you're thinking of unicorns.
No, unicorns have a point...