Hello and a plea from us horse riders!

[paulw1969]

I wasn't overly thinking about cycling, I just dislike the crap left in the road!

That said, I do appreciate that it's not as easy to clear up as, for instance, dog muck and isn't really feasible to expect it. I just like to practice being a grumpy old man every now and then!

one of my dogs recycles the stuff.........spent most of the weekends walks shooing her away from it........shes likes it as fresh as possible.....

Oh and Hi Eve and thanks for the heads up on what to do.......i have on occasion tried to be as quiet as possible as not to spook

 

[SquareDaff]

Hi and Welcome Eve. Can't say I've ever met a horse on my route (which does involve country lanes) but if I do ever approach a horse I'll make sure the rider knows I'm there. Thanks for the heads up. It's one of those situations a lot of us (I'd imagine) don't encounter very often.

 

[captain nemo1701]

Troll

Eve is just making some valid safety points, so it's a bit harsh to call her a troll. I always stop if coming the other way (or at least slow right down) when I encounter horses. If coming from behind, I ring my bell well in advance or say 'Bike!' in a loud voice. As someone who used to ride horses on roads, they can spook easily.

 

[Alien8]

I always carry a couple of coconut halves with me.

And does anyone know how to placate geese?

 

[SEH]

Hi. I am another horse rider and I would like to add my thoughts on horse behaviour if possible to try and explain why horses do what they do.
Horses are not very bright creatures. They cannot think logically and they cannot 'plan'.
But they are very trainable - hence why humans can get to ride and compete with them. By repetition, they can be taught to do many things for our benefit. But despite all the best training, even Olympic horses will still retain their wild instincts of fight or flight to ensure their survival.
So what does this mean?
Horses have excellent vision, hearing and sense of smell but they do have restrictions. They have poor depth perception (many won't walk in water as they can't assess how deep it may be) and they have poor speed tracking ability from anything approaching from front or behind. So they cannot reliably assess how quickly something is closing in on them from behind. Their natural response to this is to run first and ask questions later, to get enough distance so they can safely evaluate what is happening. This is why they spook or bolt on occasion. However much they may trust their rider, they aren't about to die for them .
If one spooks or bolts, the whole ride is likely to go as well - to them, the one left behind is the one that gets eaten.
Most horses are trained and desensitised to what they may find on the road. But if they cannot see, hear or smell what is approaching (like a pack of cyclists coming at speed to eat them) then it is likely there will be a fight response by the horses.
The way to help with this is (as Eve has suggested) that the lead cyclist yells something at the rider to give them chance to prepare the horse and ensure everyone's safety. Even "Oi" will do.
Horses don't mean to be difficult but in their minds, they are gambling with their life every time they leave the safety of the field and cyclists are fast and silent - just like predators .

 

[Theseus]

Horses don't mean to be difficult but in their minds, they are gambling with their life every time they leave the safety of the field and cyclists are fast and silent - just like predators .

Sometimes after a long bike ride I could eat a horse.

 

[SEH]

Sometimes after a long bike ride I could eat a horse.

 

[doug]

I often meet horses (and their riders !) when out cycling and 99.99% of them are great. I slow down, shout a cheery "Good Morning/Afternoon !" from a distance and when closer tell the rider I am going to overtake "wide and slow" and keep chatting as I go past. Normally I get a similarly cheery greeting and a thank you once past. However on one occasion recently this wasn't enough, there were three riders who were chatting amongst themselves and although the rear rider acknowledged us, I don't think the front rider heard us as they were so deep in their conversation, so when she suddenly started to turn right across our path onto a hidden bridlepath without looking or signalling - we had to come to a sharpish halt and she gave us a torrent of abuse about why we shouldn't be overtaking whilst she was turning !

We tried to politely explain we had done everything we ought to have done and that the problem was her not paying attention, looking or signalling

So please be careful around horses, but horse riders need to be careful too.

 

[SEH]

We tried to politely explain we had done everything we ought to have done and that the problem was her not paying attention, looking or signalling

So please be careful around horses, but horse riders need to be careful too.

Absolutely.

For all of you who have come across stupid riders - I am sorry.

Spiralling insurance costs and the health and safety mentality have brought about a massive decrease in riding schools and the instruction and 'horse sense' that comes with them. Hence we have a large proportion of idiots riding half a ton of horse on the roads.
There are a bunch of people that I will refuse to ride out with because they are dangerous (and embarrassing).
Next time just shout that "Katie Price is a better rider than you." That tends to sting .

 

[Arsen Gere]

IMHO Horses like all other road users are going to be there whatever we cyclists think and we have to work with them as best we can.

A month ago when out cycling I came across a lady with a reluctant horse, she wanted to get on and the horse did want her to. So I helped load her up on the horse. The hold your hands to provide a leg-up up, is fine (it would have been easier if she'd been 4 st lighter) but once she had sprawled herself on top of the horse and it was on the move I was not sure what to hold/push or shove without getting kicked by the horse or slapped by her.

You can simulate riding a horse by riding eliptical wheels and loosening your headset.

 

[Arsen Gere]

And does anyone know how to placate geese?

You can placate geese with sports instruments, cricket bats, golf clubs, baseball bats. One swing is enough to keep a goose quiet for some time. If it spits at you, turn down the oven a bit.

 

[Recycler]

I see horses very often when I'm out and about and I always pass wide and slow but, until now, I have never thought about calling out a warning. It makes sense, so I'll either call or ring a bell as I approach in future.

BUT............

A few weeks ago I was going down a long hill near a local stately heap. I could see the hunt coming down the drive and, as I approached, (lights flashing, enough hi Viz to be seen from the moon) I saw the lead rider look up the road, see me (yes, it was obvious that he saw me) decide that I was only a cyclist and just ride out into the road.....with about thirty horses following. Rightly, or wrongly, I just rode through the lot. They were just deliberately rude and I wasn't prepared to follow them at a gentle trot for the next mile. AFAIK none of the horses "spooked", but if they had I wouldn't have worried. What they...all thirty of them...did was unnecessary and rude.

Having got that off my chest ( and I realise that the hunt and horse riders are not necessarily the same) I'll take the suggestion on board. The vast majority of horse riders are fine.

 

[SEH]

What they...all thirty of them...did was unnecessary and rude.

I'm not the best person to comment on Hunts and Hunt behaviour.

But I will say the Master displayed extreme bad manners on this occasion (if you are not part of the Hunt, you don't matter ) and the other 29 will plead the Nuremberg defence .

 

[redcard]

Some horses have two peanuts.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Just as an aside, don't put fresh horse poo in your garden, it'll 'burn' your plants. Put it a bag and leave it to rot down for a good long while.