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Drinking and Riding

5K views 37 replies 31 participants last post by  OuttatheBlue 
#1 ·
I was talking to my friend a few days ago, and she was talking about how she and her riding buddies like to go trail riding and drink. (Drinking, I mean alcohol.) She told me about a bunch of times when she was totally smashed while she was riding. Some of my dad's friends have horses and they like to drink and ride/drive wagons too.

I'm not against drinking, and of course I'm not against riding, I just personally have never tried them together. It seems like a great way to fall and get hurt to me, though it does make for some humorous stories.

What do you think about drinking and riding? Do you do it? Have you done it?
 
#3 ·
I've ridden a bit tipsy, when I've been having a few champagnes with the girls after a comp and have been asked to ride for someone who had an injury. It was a spur of the moment ride, but I felt very relaxed :P

I also worked for a hunter as a teenager, they would go out every weekend with their hipflasks, with straight whiskey and scotch. They got so drunk I have no idea how they stayed on, let alone went galloping around a hunt field and jumping 5'!!
 
#4 ·
I personally would never do it, I want a sound mind when riding (after riding is a completely different story :)
 
#6 ·
If you are just hanging around and having fun with your horse I don't think it is a problem. One of my horses would like to challenge me and rear up all the time. He would also try to run the other way towards his buddies. After a couple glasses of wine I got the courage to get on him and not get off until he stopped. I really haven't had any issues since that day.
 
#14 ·
Just another point, not sure if its different overseas, but in Australia they now alcohol test you if you come off and get taken to hospital. If you have alcohol in your system you can cop a hefty fine!
Not 100% sure but I do believe in most of the US you can get a ticket for riding a horse while drunk. Haven't actually heard a case of that yet but have heard of people getting nailed while: riding a bike, driving a tractor, boating, riding lawnmowers, etc. Basically anything with wheels so I can't see them hesitating for hitting you while riding other then they wouldn't know what to do with your horse.

Personally I don't mix alcohol and my fun unless the fun at that time happens to be drinking. I really do like a drink after I'm done playing, just not while playing.
 
#10 ·
My Hub (then boyfriend) and I used to hop on my old 16h. QH drunker n' skunks and fall off for fun! We'd laugh ourselves silly and then run from Rooster as he'd try and drink our beer. Of course being the responsible parent/adult that I am now I'd not do such a wonky thing!

Having a couple on the trail and getting totally wasted while riding are two totally different scenarios! It's also illegal to take alcohol into the AR National Forest, pretty hefty fine if you're caught.
 
#11 ·
The bar in out local town still has a hitching post outside, I have been tempted.

When I was younger I would drink and ride, but not usually these days.

BUT

At the 3 day clinic I was at in the summer, we were having a glass or two of nice chilled wine at lunch time, and everyone agreed that the afternoon sessions were far more relaxed all around and actually more productive:lol:
 
#12 ·
At practice nights we drink and have fun. At shows I always have to have 2 beers before I make my first run (depending on the time of my class of course... I can never drink before noon ;) but my nerves always get the best of me so 2 beers bring me down. Ive never been so drunk that ive not been able to ride tho. There are people that drink and can barely walk and manage to get a great penning run done then there are the people that drink and waste your money by doing something stupid. So I say do it if you know your limits and know what you can handle
 
#13 ·
When I was younger, definitely. These days, only when Woodstock & I share a Guinness.

My favorite was riding a good friend's bull riding trainer when he'd throw parties. Liquid courage! It was a barrel on bungees connected to telephone poles, ropes on all sides for friends to pull. It was great fun until someone broke their arm....
 
#15 ·
Hunts traditionally have a stirrup cup before the hounds are let loose, and sometimes a stirrup cup along the route somewhere (if there is access to a good spot). Quite a few people also carry hip flasks. After the horses are put back on the trailers, the car bar opens up!

I have ridden at a show, after being at a bachelorette party the night before, getting quite drunk, and having an hour sleep. One of my best shows to date, as I was relaxed, although I drank a TON of Gatorade that day.
 
#16 ·
why would you get a ticket for riding your horse drunk?? i have done it accouple of times where i went to the bar in our town tied my horse went in got drunker than i thought and luckily my horse new how to get home.
its better than someone getting in a car and driving, horses aren't dumb and they wont put themselves in danger so thats a plus.

as you see i have done it but usually not the getting smashed while riding part. that was a one time thing, and i would never do it again. i remember being so sick that ride home. i like a few drinks and on we go to enjoy the day but i wont overdo it:)
 
#17 ·
I honour my horse (and all the other horses I'd happen to ride or be nearby) too much, to combine drinking and riding. I appreciate their keen sense of smell as well, and respect the fact that he might dislike the smell of booze. Also, I respect my health. One's level of carefulness tends to go down when intoxicated. ;)
 
#18 ·
my last QH drank beer out of the can. I think he liked it. He'd pic the can up and tilt his head back. I couldnt get him to set it back down when he was done though.
From a legal aspect, cops will pretty much just invent something if they feel like it. Public intoxication or if that doesnt work pubic nuisance pretty much covers anythign they want.
Some states DWI laws are written in a manner that horses on roads count as driving. See some of the Ammish drunk driving cases. If you stay off the road and arnt shooting stop signs you'll probably be fine.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Yes you can get a DUI riding a horse. You can also get fined for endangering the horse.

I don't see a problem of drinking and riding, in moderation. At the time, it may seem fun to be smashed and ride but just like in a car, you're still impaired and can get hurt. We do ride to local small town bars and have a few.

My wife used to drive a limo. When she gave some people a ride to a small town bar, she saw a guy ride his horse up to the drive thru window for his alcohol.

My wife's horse likes whiskey cokes! A friend of ours was having one and her horse wanted to check it out. He got a little on his lips and tried to get the glass away from our friend.
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#20 ·
I would consider riding when tipsy, but nothing more than that.

As far as the risk of falling, it would actually be better to be drunk. You stay relaxed, which reduces injury.
When I was younger a car flipped over in front of our house. We called 911 and the police came. He said the "good news" is that the driver only survived (completely uninjured) because he was totally drunk. Anyone sober would have been killed.
Of course the flip side to that is that the only reason he had the crash in the first place was because he was totally drunk.
 
#21 ·
I remember passing a couple in the Ya Ha's, coolers in hand, having a blast.

Me and my best friend will hang out with our horses in the indoor arena and have a bottle (or two, rare occasion there has been a third). We both got on bareback that night and led each other around.

There was another occasion that my bestie got on and rode after tipping back a few. She got her helmet and bridle out of the barn and bridled up. I asked her, "What are you doing?"
She said, "nothing."
I asked, "Why do you have your helmet on?"
"No reason,"
Then I asked her, "Should I hold the other horses for you?"
"Sure."
She got on, did a few laps and got off. She just wanted to prove she could do it. It was about 2 or 3 am.

But more often then not we just get really stinkin' drunk and talk horses all night in the barn. (The pleasures of boarding at a semi-private barn, in the summer, it's really only us.)
 
#22 ·
It's against the law in my state. Since horses (in my state anyways) are considered vehicles, getting caught over the limit on a horse can result in a DUI. Now, I'm not exactly sure HOW they would "pull you over".

I know for me, even though I'm not of legal age anyways, I would not do it. I think maybe having a few and knowing your limits is fine, but getting smashed and then riding a horse is idiotic.
 
#29 ·
I've never done it but I have tried to be convinced to take a shot of something before warming up for xcountry. I haven't done it and I honestly don't know if I ever would. However, before heading out for a trail ride...sure! i'd have a few beers. The problem is i'd have to pee 5 minutes into the ride and I'd need to find a stump or something to get back on my horse!! too much effort
 
#30 ·
I've only ever gotten on a horse drunk once. Normally this horse was a 'been there done that" sort of horse that wouldn't hurt a fly, took care of the little kids and was the sweetest tempered thing in the world. Well, the moment my drunk *** hit that saddle she went on a bucking spree until my butt was on the ground. Apparently I laughed the whole time and thought it was a blast.

I've never gone near a horse while drunk again!
 
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