This is a stupid question, I am sure… All of my driving work has been done off road: in the fields, woods, or roads that aren’t used much. However, I now have at my house a draft horse I am working with. With riding horses, crossing the main road is easy. I’ve been able to cross the road ground driving by transitioning back to leading him to cross it. But, I’ve come to a point with him that I would really like to hitch him up.
Here is the problem: the crossing has very poor visibility on one side: a narrow drive surrounded by evergreen trees right up to the highway verge on the outside of a sweeping curve. You have to be right up at the road to check for traffic, which is usually travelling at 60 or so. Once you are at the verge, the sightlines are long, so crossing is safe. But, when you drive up with a horse, you are way back in the brush and cannot see anything at all. I can’t cut the trees down (much as I might like to). Even cars turning out of the drive have a problem, you have to have the car’s nose at the pavement.
What is better, lead the hitched horse across or simply always have a second person to hand? Practice both? I suppose the second is the best, and easiest, since I always have someone around any way…
Can you hang a mirror somehow across the road? I saw someone do that for a driveway once. Blind crossings are very scary.
Locally, I would contact the County Roads Dept. Tell them vision is obstructed by overgrown trees at this road crossing. You can’t see far enough on the crossroad to cross safely. I would think cars have the same trouble as carriage drivers, sitting back behind a long hood, trying to see down the road for oncoming traffic.
Road guys might even put up signs if you ask, for Horse Crossing warning. Any horsey neighbors having similar problems getting across? Have them sign on your written request for trimming needed. I would hand deliver the written request, see if you can talk to someone in charge. Possibly even get a date they will be working to fix the issue!
Squeaky wheel gets the attention, and perhaps the problem will be solved.
The horse crossing signs are actually there, and have been for 25 years. The state put them up for us back when we had lots of horses crossing back and forth. I’m pretty sure no one pays any attention to them…if only because for the last decade there haven’t been any horses crossing: we’ve gone from close to thirty horses within the mile to just my two at home. Since I’m working my big guy in the field next to the road (on the other side) to get him comfortable with traffic, maybe people will start to realize that the signs are relevant again.
The state DOT in this area definitely doesn’t care about the excess brush (the horse crossing, road intersection, and speed limit sign in the stretch are all obscured), I can’t say I really blame them as they are understaffed and overwhelmed by trees at this point. The crossing road is a private road, so no town help there. I can trim around the signs, I used to anyway. That might be a start.
I’ll see if the landowner would mind a mirror, hadn’t thought of that.
In general, do people think it safer to get out and lead the hitched horse across such an intersection or drive across it with a spotter? I’m thinking driving with the spotter gives better control? I’ve really got no experience with driving on/across busy roads (just next to!), so would welcome thoughts.
Safest would be to have your passenger get out & check for traffic.
A driver should never get out of the vehicle if driving alone.
If passenger is capable of safely leading your horse, that could be another option.
If not, at least they could act as Crossing Guard for you to get across the road.
I’d outfit both of you in safety orange/yellow vests. You can get these cheap at TSC.
A gal I know uses one draped across the back of her seat along with the SMV triangle.
BIG area of bright color easy for motorists to see is useful for traffic coming up behind you.
2Dogs, yeah hi-viz is definitely a must, I’m obsessive about that anyway having spent several months as a contractor working on utility ROWs in highways, that puts the fear of invisibility into one!
It is interesting how different experiences are…my entire exposure to driving horses has been in the logging world, you are always getting down off the forecart/arch to hitch wood or otherwise do something. Often alone. In this instance it seems unsafe because you have a reduction of control as you get out of the vehicle at exactly the wrong spot (facing a road) and then make for a bigger target.
I’m leaning towards the spotter/crossing guard I think, thank you for the confirmation on that. It is good to know that other driving people have a similar approach.
@B and B You have had the privilege of working with some well-trained horses!
I am often in Amish country & it is not at all unusual to see a team, 4 or 6, hitched to farm equipment, standing unattended in the field.
I imagine any horse used for logging takes the same opportunity to stand w/o working.
But crossing a busy road with obscured sightlines just says “Spook!” to me.
Your guy may still listen to your Whoa, but if a vehicle at speed comes “this close”, I’d feel safer with someone on the ground & driver still at the lines.
2dogs, yes on all counts!
