Helicopter hell for riders

[HORSE Mag]

In the Summer issue of Horse, our Reader Rant comes from Lindsay in Kent, who vents steam about low-flying helicopters. Did you agree with her? Please vote in our survey!

To read the rant, click here

[Hels_Bels]

I agree, we have exactly the same problem.

Although we've had no serious accidents i fear that in the future there will be.

I know they need to practice etc but i think they need to have more respect about whats below them

[slingo1uk]

I agree i have had to complain a number of times, on one occasion in may 08 an raf rescue helicopter emerged over the tops of the trees an my pregnant mare who was about to drop anytime soon had the fright of her life and was screeching around the field terrorised.
The MOD`s attitude is "we can fly where and as low as we like " oh and you can claim compo if your horse dies of fright or gets injured.

When they come too close for comfort i just salute them V
I dont care if it is an heir to the throne flying it !!!!!!

[jellybaby]

I'm afraid that I disagree.

I now live on an air force base, and my husband is a fast jet pilot. Therefore, I can see both sides of the coin. When he is away on active service overseas, I know that he has had the very best training and is capable and confident at flying at very low levels. While I can't say why they low fly when supporting Op Telic or Op Herrick (its not rocket science BTW!) but I can categorically say that they do, and infact my husband has been told that he has saved lives through his low flying actions.

On the flip side, I was a little worried that when we moved here my horses would be living at the end of the busiest runway that the RAF operates. As they got off the trailer, a jet went overhead - no more than 80 feet high as they were taking off. The horses didn't bat an eyelid at all. I regularly ride my young horse along the beach where the helicopters are training and he doesn't bat an eyelid, even when they are carrying underslung loads. In fact yesterday, we were coming back from the beach and I felt that I could almost touch the undercarriage of some of the jets - horse didn't give a monkeys.

While I understand that there have been some awful accidents, and some people have been killed and the cause has been that the horse spooked at a helicopter; a horse can spook at literally nothing (mine do!) and you can come off and be hurt, I also think that how confident a rider is also plays a part. I am confident and relaxed when I hack out - and this I am sure comes through to the horse and so because I am not frightened when a jet/helicopter comes over, they are not either.

My YO regularly has horses in for breaking and re-schooling, none of them care.

I am thankful for low flying training - it means my husband has come home safe and sound after several 'tours' of the middle east.

JB xx

[Boltonrider]

[ QUOTE ]
raf rescue helicopter
When they come too close for comfort i just salute them V
I dont care if it is an heir to the throne flying it !!!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Will the same apply if your thrown from the horse and the very same crews in the helicopter... are risking there life in order to winch you too safety and medical assistance??

Or when they're out assisting the coastguard or other services in attempting to rescue a horse in difficulty??

[slingo1uk]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
raf rescue helicopter
When they come too close for comfort i just salute them V
I dont care if it is an heir to the throne flying it !!!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Will the same apply if your thrown from the horse and the very same crews in the helicopter... are risking there life in order to winch you too safety and medical assistance??

Or when they're out assisting the coastguard or other services in attempting to rescue a horse in difficulty??

[/ QUOTE ]


Well now that all depends on wether or not they`d caused the accident in the first place !

[M_G]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm afraid that I disagree.

I now live on an air force base, and my husband is a fast jet pilot. Therefore, I can see both sides of the coin. When he is away on active service overseas, I know that he has had the very best training and is capable and confident at flying at very low levels. While I can't say why they low fly when supporting Op Telic or Op Herrick (its not rocket science BTW!) but I can categorically say that they do, and infact my husband has been told that he has saved lives through his low flying actions.

On the flip side, I was a little worried that when we moved here my horses would be living at the end of the busiest runway that the RAF operates. As they got off the trailer, a jet went overhead - no more than 80 feet high as they were taking off. The horses didn't bat an eyelid at all. I regularly ride my young horse along the beach where the helicopters are training and he doesn't bat an eyelid, even when they are carrying underslung loads. In fact yesterday, we were coming back from the beach and I felt that I could almost touch the undercarriage of some of the jets - horse didn't give a monkeys.

While I understand that there have been some awful accidents, and some people have been killed and the cause has been that the horse spooked at a helicopter; a horse can spook at literally nothing (mine do!) and you can come off and be hurt, I also think that how confident a rider is also plays a part. I am confident and relaxed when I hack out - and this I am sure comes through to the horse and so because I am not frightened when a jet/helicopter comes over, they are not either.

My YO regularly has horses in for breaking and re-schooling, none of them care.

I am thankful for low flying training - it means my husband has come home safe and sound after several 'tours' of the middle east.

JB xx

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with you totally... Our service men risk life and limb on a daily basis to help those less fortunate than ourselves. I for one support all the training that can be given to our hero's who can be called into a war zone at a moments notice.

Its these men & women's lives that are on the line its not just a hobby to them!!

Mary x

[jumpthemoon]

My horses are kept just next to and airfield, which isn't used very much for aircraft but it is occasionally. I've been riding in the manege before now and had a Chinook appear behind the hedge about 100m away, also a Vulcan Bomber take off while I was riding in the manege. We do see low flying aircraft and it doesn't bother my horses in the slightest.

I have to agree with the people who say that the service men risk their lives in order to protect us and our country and we should be gracious enough to not moan when they have to practise.

Maybe the ball should be put in the court of the rider, who could be expected to expose their horse to aircraft in the same way we do to traffic? I think a lot of accidents out riding are caused by riders panicking and frightening their horses, rather than the horses being frightened by the actual aircraft itsself. Lets not forget, horses have no reason to fear noises coming from the air - their natural predators are land based.

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

Agree with JB and BR.
We moved to a field with a high speed rail line along one boudary and a RAF base 1 mile away so plenty of low jets/chinooks following the railway. The first 48 hours, the gang were unsettled but now dont give a t*ss. The 4 year old has gone from spooky and bad in traffic to completely bombproof. My OH had a fall in the field (nothing special, just slid off but hurt his back) and they wanted to get the air ambulance in. I wasnt at all bothered about them coming into the neighbouring field to land. As it was, they were fogged in so he went by road.

[Weezy]

Am another one. I stable adjacent to RAF Brize Norton and we have a lot of air traffic and not one of our horses are in the least bit bothered by low flying aircraft. Sure, they may have a *start*but they do not do anything irrational. In fact only today we were hacking along the main fence and a helicopter took off next to us, our horses were on alert, but calm and in hand. I am happy to take a pic to illustrate just how close I mean, and will do tomorrow!