Think there are a fair few riders that need to think more about the results of their actions. The amount of times I've seen cyclists riding like knobs among livestock and people is a order of magnitude more than horse riders acting the same. Yes there are a lot more cyclists than horse riders, but still there are a lot of unthinking people out there that if they did some simple things that would make life a lot easier allround.
Don't slam on your brakes at the last moment skidding and/or squealing away even thou you have had plenty of time to brake beforehand.
Talk to the rider and the horse it doesn't matter if the rider has seen/heard you and acknowledged you, has the horse done the same? As far as the horse is concerned you are an an unusual speeding object as you are not person shaped and you are moving at a speed thats associated with being a predator and not a people shaped object who can be trusted.
It doesn't talk much brain power to see by their body language if they are aware of you and are relaxed about you being near them look at their ears.
Imagine you are a person on their scale how much personal space would you need? Think about all the times someone has got inside your zone and how uneasy you feel about it.
As for the crap debate they were stepping through our crap (as were we) until 100 odd years ago so don't get too hett up about it. It's easy enough to clean off, lots easier than sheep crap and you are not likely to catch too much off it unlike dog eggs.
We are all on a crowded island, learn to get on life is so much easier if you do.
blimey, this is a big un - so here goes:
as a new forest rider (road and mtb) and driver:
loose horses are either ****in' stoopid or, maybe more likely, cunning and manipulative masterminds. the NF is a bloody big open space with a network of mostly minor roads running through it. seems that a majority of the 'osses spend all their time within about 10 feet of the roads - presumably connected to the number of passing tourist filth 😉 who like to stop bang in the middle of the minor road to take pics, feed the horsies and irritate the shit out of anyone who's actually trying to go somewhere.
Either just by learning to expect food or maybe for cleverly "trapping" the tourists, these animals will almost always walk out onto the road as a car (or bike) is approaching. You hardly ever see them on the road when no cars are about; just very close to it, in waiting
horses with riders on, bizarrely, spend even more of their time on the roads. Not just when getting from a town/village to open green bits, but even once they're there. I suspect this is due to their riders being morons (good lord no, not all, just the ones that do this)
As an mtb rider horses don't bother me at all since I tend to be more than ten feet from the road
As a resident: I'm very happy to drive slowly, wait when necessary and letch at the riders whenever practicable.
Our village school has a footpath that runs about 200yards to the school gate from the road. In a given school day maybe 200 kids plus parents walk uop and down this path. really quite often there's a big pile of fresh shite - so large that you can't get round on the narrow path, especially if you're pushing a pram etc or if you're a six yr old.
Result is kack (lovely, natural rural kack, I admit) trampled all over the path and on into the school. Rider of the horse(s) responsible is clearly a selfish inconsiderate tossrag who, sadly, I've never met.
(as a road cyclist, I wish I merited even half the consideration, patience and space that any horse, donkey, pig, baby robin or wildebeest does 🙁 )
Could be worse, Scaredey.
Could be cahs. 🙁