Yep I get the joining bridal ways together now :oops:. But most the horses I come across do look unsettled and 50% of the time seem to be almost walking sideways, throwing there heads back and shuffling their feet around (some times look on the edge of bucking).

I’d like to ad that I ALWAYS give plenty of room when passing and even try to coast (so the revs don’t scare).

The horses I see on bridleways often look more spooked than the ones I see on the roads. Round where I live though we have a lot of ‘working’ horses, hauling carts around. I say working, I’m not convinced they generate any income. I’m not even sure what their purpose is. And when they’re not on the roads they’re tethered to a pole at the bottom of the street. Which is probably a bit selfish…

But they look pretty comfortable on the roads.

Goodness me, moaning bunch of DFail readers you lot.

What the bloomin ek is wrong with horses using roads? SO they spook, so they miander, and??

Give em’ room and pass with caution.

“sits pondering Humanities ability to get on with each other”

Share and share alike, bridleway or road, they have just as much right as we do to be there, so I treat them with the same respect I’d hope to be treated with.
Although I will admit, last time I passed a horse on a bridleway I tried to slow some to pass safely, I ended up spooking the horse so badly the rider had to dismount. Needless to say I was mortified.
Seven days of riding with no real chance to keep the rotors clean, plus torrential rain does not make for quiet brakes.

“sits pondering Humanities ability to get on with each other”

If there’s one thing that history demonstrates again and again and again …

the OP isn’t about the rights of horses on roads. Its about the majority of ones I come across looking uneasy and questionably unhappy about being ridden on them.

what should we shout and how loud?

good whatever time of day !it is?[/quote]

In the manner befitting out old fashioned conveyances.

the OP isn’t about the rights of horses on roads. Its about the majority of ones I come across looking uneasy and questionably unhappy about being ridden on them.

They need a more up to date horse, something with a slacker head angle.

cycling only became possible when the railways appeared because prior to that the roads were too congested with horses

and brought the consumables for affordable cycle manufacture into the industrial heartlands

I’m considerate unless they have a top on with (still hunting) written on it, they can **** off! Dip the clutch and drive like a ****.

Dirty boy, you deserve to have half a ton of horse come straight through your windscreen, for being such a complete dick.

If on a bike say hello and let them know you are passing.

Yup, I always just call out hello, that’s all you need to do. I did once spook a horse doing that; the rider was away with the fairies, and when I called out, I made her jump so badly she jerked the reins, and startled the horse! I said sorry, but she apologised to me for being off in a world of her own.
Only time I’ve ever had any issue at all, and never when driving.

Horse riders are very similar to us lot – after all they’re just people out doing something they enjoy. I’ll also bet there are plenty of us on here who spend as much on bikes as riders do on horses!

Horse riders also have to put up with bad driving and folks who don’t know their highway code. No one is going to choose a busy road if they can possibly avoid it – it’s extremely stressful for horse and rider.

They have just as much right to be on the road, at ANY time of day, as you or I in a car or on a bike. There are FAR fewer options of routes for horses than there are bikes, so road riding is inevitable.

Bear in mind that even the best horse and rider can be spooked by cars or freehubs or plastic bags. Pass with caution, say hello, and chill out!

Bear in mind that even the best horse and rider can be spooked by cars or freehubs or plastic bags.

on bridleways I always stay behind until I see the horses ears twitch or head turn to signal that he/she knows I am there – I don’t care if I spook the rider, just the horse after seeing one rear up and jump on its rear legs back into my mate who just got out from under his bike as the horse stamped on it and through the back wheel, unfortunately stabbing his leg with a spoke he broke :-{ We had stopped and pulled to the side on a bridleway to let the horse pass but the rider did the same and signaled us past, and then spooked as I past it.

I have a suspicion about horses and bikes: On the bike I see horses behind fences barely notice a bike passing a few feet from them. This is often the case when riding through a field containing a horse, too. However, stick a rider on them and they can get nervous. It seems to me like they are picking up that nervousness from the rider…I think bikers should certainly be courteous to horses but since they are an everyday part of riding on roads and bridleways then it would make sense for horseriders to train themselves and their animals with some exposure to bikes and cars.

Every week I pass a big troupe of what must be professional jockeys on horses along a busy road. The riders are totally confident and it looks to me like the horses pick up on that too.

Incidentally, I slow right down and give notice when passing walking horses but had a horserider yell at me to slow down on Saturday. She was at full gallop towards me on a very wide bridleway, which seemed a bit rich really…