Danger to Horses and Riders
Photo credit: Horses Grazing, Aston Eyre, Shropshire (Roger Kidd) / CC BY-SA 2.0
Local equestrian centres, who rely on equestrian tourism and the Jack Mytton Way for business have denounced the proposal as ‘barbaric’ and also dangerous as the sight of the giant turbines rotating blades could frighten horses and endanger lives. Naturally, and rightfully, rider safety is a serious concern of Shropshire Council as the trail has been specifically designed not simply for experienced riders but for beginners and holiday riders.
Shropshire Council warns cyclists to ‘please be horse aware’ that ‘your sudden appearance may startle horses. When approaching from behind please give a verbal warning’. Since the mechanical turbines are activated by wind, no such warning will be possible. The blades will be stopping and starting according to weather and this will doubtless make riding potentially unsafe as riders pass between the turbines.
Shropshire Council’s downloadable 14 page guide to the Jack Mytton Way clearly shows that a significant part of the Mytton Way – Day Two – would be exposed to this danger to horses and riders alike, as well as – for several miles – ruining the entire point of using the Jack Mytton Way which is to enjoy the spectacular, beautiful and ‘unspoilt’ countryside.