Viewing 29 posts - 1 through 29 (of 29 total)
  • Horses
  • scott_mcavennie2
    Free Member

    So, was doing a big road ride today. Coming dowhill through a village – probably doing around 30. I see a horse at the bottom of the hill, so begin to slow, then I can see that the horse is staggering around nervously, so I brake harder – just hard enough to not lock up the wheels.

    As I get closer, the rider screams at me “SLOW DOWN, IF YOU DON’T WANT TO GET KICKED OFF YOUR BIKE BY A HORSE”.

    I instinctively looked at my garmin when she shouted this and noticed tht I was actually doing 10.4 mph, and was still slowing.

    Am I out of order in thinking that if you have a horse that gets that bloody nervous of a quiet pushbike, the road probably isn’t the best place for it? Her face, when I suggested this when I eventually managed to pass, suggests that, yes, I am out of order.

    bikeneil
    Free Member

    the road probably isn’t the best place for it?

    ^ this ^

    jblewi
    Free Member

    What sort of distance are we talking about when you saw the horse, slowed etc?

    I always slow to a walking pace and ask politely if I can pass. If something arrived at 10 mph (which probably doesn’t seem very fast) from a blind spot making little noise then its probably enough to spook a horse. I treat them like I wish cars treated me!

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    scott_mcavennie2
    Free Member

    This was a long straight descent through the village. I was slowing for quite some time. I also am always patient with horses, which may be why I felt so aggrieved today.

    br
    Free Member

    Irrelevant of whether she ought to have been there or not the horse has no idea what is coming from behind, and unlike a motor vehicle they can’t really hear you – but they do know something is there…

    Not a lot you can do.

    FWIW my OH has horses, I don’t trust them within 10m of me.

    nickwatson
    Free Member

    Horses only seem to get spooked, when there is a 15 stone lump on its back. I wizz past loads of horses grazing in fields, and none bat an eyelid.

    Sandwich
    Full Member

    ALWAYS call out when approaching a horse. It lets the animal know you aren’t a predator. The helmet and camelbak (MTB) and odd position (road) look ‘off’ to a horse.

    6 of one half a dozen of the other incident.

    singlespeedstu
    Full Member

    Yesterday we came round a corner not paying attention at the same time as two people on horses also not paying attention.
    One of the horses gets a bit jumpy so we stop and talk to the rider and the horse.
    The rider thanked us for stopping and apologizes for her horse being nervous as it’s very young and it’s it’s first ride out on a road.
    We all have a laugh about it and carry on as normal…

    STATO
    Free Member

    Coming dowhill through a village – probably doing around 30.

    Do you not think maybe he gets this a lot? over-reaction to you but has probably had bad experiences with others not thinking, dont take it personally.

    jobro
    Free Member

    I once had a horse rider tell me I looked like an alien with a crash helmet on and I scared horses. Fair enough. I do everything I can not to spook them (in the car as well)they do have bloody big feet.
    Happily, most horse riders I meet are absolutely positive and polite about our efforts not to scare their horses.

    nickc
    Full Member

    I would try not to take it personally. Sometimes even the most placid horses have an off day, and that could have been what you encountered. She might have been completely out of sorts and struggling with a normally happy horse.

    give them plenty of notice that you’re coming and a wide berth 😆

    slowoldgit
    Free Member

    A rider once suggested to me that speaking to them helped the horse recognise me as a human and not an alien monster. They don’t like crisp packets in hedges either. If they were a new invention they probably wouldn’t be allowed on roads.

    That last bit probably applies to bikes, too.

    psycorp
    Free Member

    Passed the same horse three times today, as well as several others. Just slow down and be polite. If approaching from behind ask if it’s safe to pass.

    Horse riders are no different to any other group of people, most are fine, others have their heads so far up their own self-righteous arses they don’t know what time of day it is.

    dufusdip
    Free Member

    I do sympathise. Many horse sports cow owners are under the belief that everyone needs to do whatever is required to accommodate the very differing and individual needs of the cow.

    Seems it is commonly the car that the rider doesn’t seem to have control with several having been spooked by pedestrians. Any other road user not having full control would find themselves in bother.

    Don’t think you were unreasonable.

    fervouredimage
    Free Member

    No, you weren’t being unreasonable. Passing slowly and widely is enough as far as i’m concerned, i’m not going to waste my time trying to circumnavigate the inner workings of horse psychology.

    esselgruntfuttock
    Free Member

    Horses are good for only one thing.

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/wdDUoM]Dinner Time!!![/url] by jimmyg352, on Flickr

    Which reminds me, how do I get rid of the ‘Dinner Time!!!’ stuff after posting a pic from Flickr??

    orangeboy
    Free Member

    I always just say hello or good mornimg etc as I approtch , never get a problem. Most horse owns are fine and just out to enjoy the sunshine like I am.

    I’ve seen many people ridibg bikes get spooked by a faster bike racing past from behind.

    zippykona
    Full Member

    I was once mending a puncture at the road side and a passing horse went absolutely mental on seeing me.
    One of my local downhills goes past a field of horses. I belt down there and the horses stand with their heads over the fence not bothered at all.
    The problem is when they have someone on their back.
    I always stop to let horses pass and always ask for permission to pass from behind.
    Horses are bloody strange but at least we know that and can behave accordingly.
    It’s a mighty long way down for their riders. Let’s be nice out there.

    MrOvershoot
    Full Member

    Don’t worry Scott, on a Wednesday evening I ride with someone who competed in 3 day eventing at European level & she has had the odd hairdrier exchange with “entitled horse riders” on our MTB rides who have basically tried to trample riders using their horses.

    Nick-Scots
    Free Member

    Horses can be skitish and dangerous on a road or trail. I bike in a park and horses get frightened if I ride or stop. Last week one reared up when I was out walking, when I spoke to the rider. I would not like riding a horse on a road. They also churn up good trails.

    OCB
    Free Member

    I normally just stop and let the horse go past me.
    They aren’t great when people don’t look like people – it’ll be a selection advantage from back in the Miocene; (although back then, just substitute ‘people’ for any kinda ‘predator’ – I don’t know of any evidential basis to support the suggestion that old world apes actively hunted early horses).

    🙄

    Ours panic when you wander into the yard wearing a DPM jacket, or use a headtorch. You’ll also find that it can vary on the day a bit.

    I’ve ridden (plodded really) past the same bit of painted-on road-marking maybe 19 times, only for it to have magically turned into a horse-raping-dragon on the 20th time so that WE SIMPLY CAN’T GO PAST – only for it to no-less magically, return to being a bit of painted road sign for the next few months.

    Panic / inexperience / hesitation on the part of the rider doesn’t help either, as most of the time the horse will be taking clues from the rider / other horses. Young horses (inexperienced riders) are well served by going out with older, calmer, wiser horses / riders.

    Jeffus
    Free Member

    Horses are animals with a very complicated response to anything , I have 3 max my young horse will pass JCB , Bus etc with out a blink of an eye , but a grid or bin he will make it known its something really scary,
    then the next minute he will have his head in said bin, so no real logic, he prefers it when cyclists say something to let us know they are passing etc, he weighs 650Kg so can accidently crush most things without meaning to. We were hit by a Volvo a few years ago, guy started his petrol strimmer horse steps back to look, Volvo coming up the road , I signal to slow down give us a second to compose, he instead boots it straight at us, I kick the horse forwards, volvo just hits his back end knocking us sideways, luckily horse and me are ok, a real t**t . So very small brain with mixed logic in something with no brakes and extremely heavy so anything can happen, so my advice pass carefully 😀

    dantsw13
    Full Member

    After advice from a horse rider, I now always shout “cyclist behind” when approaching a horse. The riders always seem appreciative. None of us own the roads, so we all need to learn to share, IMHO.

    jedi
    Full Member

    I always slow right down and say hello. Horses understand human voice and they don’t spook. I also ride horses

    kerley
    Free Member

    I find that I spook ramblers more than the horses. Where I live I am surrounded by horse riders and it does seem a strange choice of transport to have an animal that is spooked by the smallest thing.

    One rider moaned at me for having the nerve to use an aluminium ladder when trimming my hedge as the horse didn’t like them.

    Yes they have as much right on the road as anyone else but why they choose to stay on all the tarmac roads rather than use the acres of lovely forest is beyond me.

    dobiejessmo
    Free Member

    It goes in waves some horses go crazy others don’t bat a eyelid.Bit like humans.When greenlining some people ask me to turn the engine of others I just past.Mind I do think if some horses are that jumpy then they should not be on the road plus having kids of 10 on them to is risky.

    vickypea
    Free Member

    Twice last week we rounded a bend in the road on our bikes, to see groups of horses spread across the width of the road coming in the opposite direction. We slowed down but were still told (in a pompous and condescending tone) to stop because their horses were terrified of bikes. If a horse is terrified of bikes going at walking pace, then perhaps it shouldn’t be ridden on public roads?
    Some horse riders are pleasant and friendly, but some talk down to other road users so condescendingly it gets on my wick. They’re forever leaving mounds of stinking horse poo in our street as well.

    anagallis_arvensis
    Full Member

    I went to see the bodyworld exhibition years ago. Saw a horses brain, they are **** tiny! Try to remember this when near them.

    ferrals
    Free Member

    There are loads of wild horses where I ride and they don’t give two hoots when you go past, still call out. Know a couple of people (horsey types) who have had their ribs broken by a horse kick and I don’t fancy that!

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