Beach on the horse

T-Maxx

I was out on Donabate beach earlier this morning, trying to get a bit of kiting done amongst all this crazy weather of late.

The beach was quiet enough, most prolly due to the weather being less than ideal - a couple of people out for their early morning walking exercises, and 4 horse riding folks. It was nearly low tide so their was plenty sand. Wind prolly 20km/h - not too sure.

I'm quite conscious of the dangers involved in power kiting, not just to the kite flyer, but also to third parties, and that's why I have suitable insurance in place. Most kite flyers have experienced the unleashed dogs going berserk at the funny thing in the sky, and the totally oblivious pedestrians walking under the lines, to mention but a few. Anyway, so I drove a fair distance down the beach to a suitable spot with no one in near sight and got going.

Low-and-behold, one of the horse riders either thought that their horse was somehow immune to "kite fright", or else simply didn't notice me being dragged down the beach by a 5.5m2 piece of cloth in the sky. Either way, next thing you know this hysteric women is standing beside her prancing horse and yelling obscenities at me; "Land that fcuking kite, you fcuking b@st@rd!".:eek:

I politely landed the kite, and waited for them to leave.

My point is this:

The beach belongs to everyone and to no-one. Kite flyers have just as much right to do their thing on the beach as do horse riders, or anyone else for that matter. Please do not think that for some or other reason you own the beach or the right to be there. A little courtesy costs nothing but goes a long way.

Neil_Sedaka

Horse riding is forbidden on the beach at certain times of the day/year.

Fingal County Council Beach/Foreshore
Bye-Laws 2006




BYE-LAWS GOVERNING
BEACH & FORESHORE
IN THE COUNTY OF FINGAL


AT

BLACKROCK (BALBRIGGAN), BALBRIGGAN, BARNAGEERA, SKERRIES NORTH, SKERRIES SOUTH, LOUGHSHINNY, RUSH NORTH, RUSH SOUTH, PORTRANE, TOWER BAY, DONABATE, MALAHIDE, PORTMARNOCK, SUTTON (BURROW BEACH) AND HOWTH (CLAREMONT

C: HORSES


A Person/s shall be allowed to have, keep, ride or drive a horse/pony on a beach/foreshore during the period 1st of June to 31st August in any year before the hours of 11.00am and after the hours of 8.00pm.
Persons are permitted to bring horses on a beach/foreshore all other days any time of the day during the months of :
January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November, & December,
Except on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays – between the hours of 11.00am and 8.00pm. (See Schedule 1 Attached)

Persons in charge of a horse/pony on a beach/foreshore shall ensure the following:-

· It is under adequate control;
· It is not causing annoyance to any person using the beach/foreshore or worrying, chasing, injuring or disturbing any animals, birds or other creatures on the beach;
· Removal of its faeces and depositing it in a litter bin or other receptacle which may be designated for this purpose.
· Horse-riding takes place below mean high water mark, except for the purposes of obtaining access to or egress from the beach/foreshore.
· Horses are prohibited in SAC and SPA’s except where bridle paths are provided.
· Horse Polo Practice is not permitted without the consent of the Council.



(This bye-law does not apply to horses kept by An Garda Síochána and wholly used by an employee or member of An Garda Síochána while on duty).

A person shall not have, keep, ride or drive a horse/pony on a beach/foreshore at any time if having regard to the number of persons using the beach/foreshore at that time, it could endanger or be construed to endanger the safety of those persons.

Every person bringing a horse or pony onto the beach/foreshore area shall be responsible and liable for any damage or injury to property or persons which may be caused by it.

wideangle

You did what you could do to avoid what happened,the horse rider was obviously in the wrong.You should print out the above bye laws and have them with you incase it happens again,so you can set the record straight.

fits

I can tell you now that 95% of horses will freak out completely at the sight of a kite.. Are you sure that she didnt have to pass you (say on her way home).

Its difficult to comment on who was right and who was wrong without having seen what happened, but I agree you *both* have a right to use the beach without endangering other users...
Depending on circumstances, it could be argued that you endangered her, by not grounding the kite when her horse was obviously upset, or that she endangered others by not giving you sufficient berth if there was opportunity for it.

Did you see her horse playing up? Did she ask or gesture (before demanding) to you to ground the kite? How far away from you was she?

Those of us who ride horses in public areas, very much rely on public good will. I can no longer ride out on the country roads where I live because of some young drivers with loud exhausts who arent very considerate.

monkey tennis

T-Maxx wrote:

My point is this:

The beach belongs to everyone and to no-one. Kite flyers have just as much right to do their thing on the beach as do horse riders, or anyone else for that matter. Please do not think that for some or other reason you own the beach or the right to be there. A little courtesy costs nothing but goes a long way.

Did you say this to the woman in question? I hope so, because if not, then ranting on boards about it is pretty pointless.