…is scared of bikes don’t let it off the lead after 10 out of 15 clearly visible riders have considerately ridden slowly past you on a bridleway and then pick a fight with one of the last 5 riders because your dog got scared!

Also, “Get off your bike and come back here and say that” (having sworn at said rider and unsurprisingly got a mouthful back) is not necessarily a good way to avoid confrontation…

i haven’t got a dog though

Me neither. Although to be fair, avoiding tense threads about my dog’s behaviour was one reason I got it put down.

Not mine, my dog loves bikes and has some decent strava times

is not necessarily a good way to avoid confrontation…

What’s wrong with confrontation – sometimes it’s necessary to sort matters out.

“10 out of 15 clearly visible riders have considerately ridden slowly past you on a bridleway and then pick a fight with one of the last 5 riders because your dog got scared!”

the problem is you all slowed down…was pondering this yesterday as got two lots of abuse for not ringing my bell but slowing to pass at around jogging pace on a shared path – I had rung it but was very windy…anyway I was thinking that maybe I should breeze past without slowing and leave them to moan to themselves like a significant number of riders do

Sounds like the time I slowly and considerately freewheeled past a horse and rider and got abuse for spooking it!

If a horse goes postal when a slow moving bike saunters past then the issue is the hair trigger 1 tonne of burger meat you’re sat on, not anyone else behaving normally.

Reason for rant at tangent?

There are idiots in all walks of life, sports and hobbies. Laugh out loud!

@hugo – did you talk to the horse? They’re stupid and fearful beasts so hearing a voice helps them realise you’re just a person and not a brightly coloured horse-killing machine

Sounds like the time I slowly and considerately freewheeled past a horse and rider and got abuse for spooking it!

Sounds like the issue is you not knowing how to ride passed a horse as much as anything else. Try calling out so both the horse and rider know you’re there and coming passed next time. Will be appreciated all round and you won’t end up with a tonne of horse trying to flatten you.

Happy to help 🙂

jamesfts

Sounds like the issue is you not knowing how to ride passed a horse as much as anything else. Try calling out so both the horse and rider know you’re there and coming passed next time.

Hang on hang on. Are you saying that even if you’re a fully licensed horse driver, having passed all relevant tests, gotten insurance and paid your road tax you are still reliant on everyone else to know how to act around your horse or it might just randomly decide to kill them or the driver?

Very good CTC article recently about how to not spook horses – freewheeling past them wasn’t it, I’m afraid.

I hate the damn things, you can never tell whats going to happen when you are near them, no matter how “correctly” you try and deal with them. Not unlike car drivers, tbf.

did you talk to the horse?

probably would have got more sense out of it than the operator.

Sounds like the issue is you not knowing how to ride passed past a horse as much as anything else. Try calling out so both the horse and rider know you’re there and coming passed past next time.

FIFY. yeah it’s monday… 😐

Hang on hang on. Are you saying that even if you’re a fully licensed horse driver, having passed all relevant tests, gotten insurance and paid your road tax you are still reliant on everyone else to know how to act around your horse or it might just randomly decide to kill them or the driver?

Are we talking about horse riders or cyclists now?

Thanks for the correction Del – will try harder next time 🙂

🙂

Dog owner sounds like a complete wankshaft.

Fancy that, eh.

One of my dogs distrusts anyone who wears a hat, or who looks like the kind of person who would have a hat hidden at home.

So she would certainly be barking in a frenzy at all those cyclists unless they weren’t wearing crash helmets, and clearly did not own one. I usually try to get her on a lead when cyclists are approaching.

The other dog just tries to lick everyone to death.

Pffft, only ONE picture of a dog in this Dog thread … *epic FAIL*

sort it out! 🙂

Hat wearers cannot be trusted.

One of my dogs distrusts anyone who wears a hat, or who looks like the kind of person who would have a hat hidden at home.

So she would certainly be barking in a frenzy at all those cyclists unless they weren’t wearing crash helmets, and clearly did not own one. I usually try to get her on a lead when cyclists are approaching.

The other dog just tries to lick everyone to death.

Well, that being the case, please tell me you control your dogs so they don’t frighten, attack or chase people, either aggressively or to “lick” them.

My pet hate is when someone’s dog approaches us, then jumps up on us with its muddy paws, knocks my 3 year-old over, and the owner stands there and says “he just wants to play” 🙄

If a dog or horse is getting spooked or scared by bikes or anything for that matter, then it should be trained (don’t know if you can train horses) to sit or move to the side. My friend has 3 massive dogs and they do as he says no matter what is passing them. Most horse riders I’ve encountered think they own the land. If you can’t control it KEEP IT IN A FIELD!! And why are they allowed to shit everywhere it’s horrible.
Monday morning rant

Inconsiderate people are inconsiderate, doesn’t matter if they’re walking their dogs or riding their bikes

I am completely happy sharing the roads/trails with dogs and horses, just as I, as a cyclist, expect tolerance from others.

I don’t mind horse poo. It’s just mulched vegetable matter. I’d rather see horse poo on bridleways than there be some sort of law against people riding their horses.

Having lived in the countryside for most of my life, I know that there are likely to be animals of all shapes and sizes there..

Horses are big freaky creatures that respond well if you shout hello on approach..
Dogs are bouncy, unpredictable things..
Townies who get upset when they see an animal are a royal pain in the arse

Have to say I’m quite disappointed by some of the attitude towards horses and their riders on here, especially from a group of cyclists.

On one hand expecting car drivers to slow down, give space, be patient etc around cyclists but then not wanting to extend the same courtesy to other vulnerable road users. Strange.

If a … horse is getting spooked or scared by bikes or anything for that matter, then it should be trained (don’t know if you can train horses) to sit or move to the side.

😯 Wouldn’t the rider fall off?

Have to say I’m quite disappointed by some of the attitude towards horses and their riders on here, especially from a group of cyclists.

On one hand expecting car drivers to slow down, give space, be patient etc around cyclists but then not wanting to extend the same courtesy to other vulnerable road users. Strange.

I think the poster who complained was complaining because he did all those things, but still got abuse from the horse rider.

On your general sentiment, though, I agree with you that we should be tolerant and courteous to riders.

Wild horses are fine, fairly predictable and can be “controlled” by giving them a clear idea of what direction you are riding.

As soon as a rider sits on one it all goes out of the window…

I once took some kids on a horseback trek. At one point, my horse randomly reared up and threw me off, breaking my wrist.

It was because the horse had come round a corner and seen a walker wearing a red jacket. And this horse “didn’t like red”.

The trek leader shouted at the walker: “You in the red jacket! Stand still!” etc etc.

The poor guy was just out for a walk, and the next minute he was being held responsible for a bridleway massacre.

…so what I’m trying to say is that, almost anything you do can spook a horse. It won’t necessarily be your fault. It’s just that horses are flight animals. And really, really stupid 😀

Townies who get upset when they see an animal are a royal pain in the arse

😀

MoreCashThanDash – Member

Very good CTC article recently about how to not spook horses – freewheeling past them wasn’t it, I’m afraid.

I’ve spoken to horseists, some want you to pass slow, some fast, some quiet, some loud. On one memorable occasion the lead rider said I was going too fast, the last rider said I was going too slow. Horses are basically a dice roll connected to 4 legs, even they don’t know what they’re going to do next.

Horses are the same as any animal- they need to know your are there but not at the top of your lungs and preferably not with some new unusual noise like 15 synchronised Hope Pro II’s 😀 If the humanoids on top aren’t happy with the exact speed of the pass then it isn’t so important- keep the big dog bicycles who are more in charge of things happy first and foremost by passing calmly and smoothly

I had a few horse incidents yesterday. The first, I was nearing the top of one of the south downs bostalls, and a lady was walking her horse. A motorbike had spooked it earlier on and it was more than skittish. It wouldn’t pass, despite the fact I had stopped and pulled in. she ended up having to walk it to back the top of the bostall so as to find a wide enough space for me to go on my way.

Met two more horses later on mid way through a narrow bridleway. Again – not bike lovers. I’d pulled in as far as possible, getting stung to sh1t by stinging nettles, and the things are buckarooing around, and pointing there arses in my direction. Not even a thank you!

Not just bikes though – there’s a cinderpath near to my house. Popular with running folk. Even the sight of a jogger 50 yards away caused it to throw the rider and then hurtle off at breakneck speed. The rider had the nerve to give the joggers a bollocking.

Some stupid, stupid, stupid woman at CYB got angry when we passed her and her horsey. We were riding at walking speed, giving about 3 meters space. She knew we were coming and had no problem until Horsey goes bananas, she then starts shouting.

Not just bikes though – there’s a cinderpath near to my house. Popular with running folk. Even the sight of a jogger 50 yards away caused it to throw the rider and then hurtle off at breakneck speed. The rider had the nerve to give the joggers a bollocking.

So you’re blaming the victim? Classic STW response 😉

I’m never sure which are more unhinged, horse ladies and horses.

It’s the inconsistency with horses I find curious. I’ve known animals that are happy to be around people, dogs and cars and will accommodate novice riders, but will go potty at the site of a crisp packet.

You can train them to walk into a crowd of rioting football hooligans but in the natural state they’re worried about shadows.

Strange animals.

I tend to assume two scenarios with horses.

1) The rider is clueless and cant control their steed.
2) The horse is clueless and cant be controlled by its rider.

Follow those assumptions and at least you know whats coming.
If it doesn’t, bonus. If it does you’re well prepared!

“Townies who get upset when they see an animal are a royal pain in the arse”

Don’t tar all of us Townies with the same brush….. 😀