I have heard that discussions are taking place with the FC in Edinburgh about training with quads.  Can anyone enlighten us on who is taking part in these discussions?  Will someone from Scotland be there as it is the HQ of FC Scotland so presumably talking about training in Scotland?   
 
thanks
 
Judy

If it's the one taking place on 2 Oct, then it's the UK FC meeting to decide on a UK wide policy for quad training.

I was told the same as Peter, it is a national meeting. I know it originated from concerns from the FC in Devon/Somerset about sled dogs using ATV's for training.
Steven

Thanks, do you know who is representing who?  i have checked with SSHC and SDAS and neither club knew about it.  i would have hoped that at least one of these organisations would be going.

[quote author=CROUCHING FERRET link=topic=726.msg6959#msg6959 date=122168125 I know it originated from concerns from the FC in Devon/Somerset about sled dogs using ATV's for training.
Steven
[/quote]

How do you know that?  Just curious you know!

Sue

Well, I think that point is maybe debatable.
From the meeting we had with our local Forestry guys, FCS - which is an autonomous body from FC - had been advised by their H&S advisors that quad use in the forests in Scotland was a H&S risk and as such, should be curtailed. There aren't that many people allowed to take quads into the forests anyway - so we seem to be the ones most directly affected.  It may be that similar discussions were reverberating throughout Forestry H&S circles. The Thetford group also had the same edict issued to them.


As far as I was aware, this is an internal FC management meeting.  Our Forest User Groups have had their say with local management and those views have been noted. Caroline Kisko has done a great deal of lobbying as both Thetford User Group person and Sec of the KC.

Well I really hope that Caroline can work something out for us all.  The South West FC have stopped us using "all motorised vehicles, including those without an engine" so we can't even train on our engineless quad.  However, for us an engine is pretty important, because we live in a very hilly area.  At a meeting of local permit holders we were informed that we can't use one until after a national decision has been made, despite the fact that there has not been a single incident involving sled dogs and quads and that other areas are continuing to allow quad use until a nationwide decision has been made. 

Caroline Kisko is going and she will be representing everyone, including Scotland. I don't think it's a question of getting reps from each org just having someone there to represent us all.

While I'm delighted that Caroline is involved, she can't possibly represent everyone. The laws in Scotland are very different from those in England, and quite a few quad users are completely unaware that any "consultation" is going on. It seems that even within the North East area only some people have been informed of the discussion - if it hadn't been for Peter's kindness in explaning it all to me I wouldn't have known about it, despite the fact that I have a permit to use a quad.

From a personal point of view I'm OK with using my new rig which I can weight in such a way as to make it similar to the quad, but I am sure that there are others who have feelings and opinions who don't even know all this is going on who might want to be consulted.

How have you found your new rig on hills?  Do you have a feel for how many dogs would be needed to be comfortable on a hilly trail?

AJ.

So far I haven't had a chance to use it - it's just been too hot for me to take the dogs out. I hope to start tomorrow if the weather is OK.

I assume that the new rig will be OK downhill, as it has brakes on all four wheels so if I get fade on one set of wheels I can brake the others. My problem will be uphill where if I have to scoot I'll end up damaging my right ankle again, but that's one of those things I'm going to have to accept I suppose. I have a set of splints which I can wear which should help keep the bones straight and absorb some of the shock.

I'm going to start with threes on my own and see how they get on. My main reason for needing a heavy rig is the fact that I can't hold them still when I need to get off if I have to rely on just my weight. Once the ground brake is fitted I hope that keeping the numbers down when I'm on my own will allow me to produce enough friction with the rig I won't need to add the friction of my face to stop them ploughing off! 

so what is not called a quad but would do the job?  Other things have motors in them and may not have interest to the yob culture so may not be banned, what have you successfully hitched your teams to?

Would this be classed as a quad? I was thinking of building something like that.

Surely the forestry would prefer we use something that can hold a team stationary to sort out any problems, hopefully they look at it from a safety point of view and allow quads to be used

That's an nice looking piece of kit - I'm sure you could argue that it isn't a quad.

I'm curious - is it quads that are banned (four wheels) or all atvs?  What about a small car chassis?





AJ.

That 2nd picture looks like an amphibious buggy, handy for 'summer' training up here! 

M