canals, walkers and bell tinklers...

[Arch]

If the lower orders rode horses, then horses on roads and their dangerous, nervous, unpredictable behaviour would be banned.

Most horse riders don't care about their horses too much. If they did they wouldn't take them on roads.

And how, pray, do you determine what a 'lower' order is? Income? Table manners? Accent? Obviously, I ride because I come from generations of highly priviledged secretaries, personnel managers, factory workers and shopkeepers...

To get back to the original point. For as long as 'we' (cyclists) expect or demand any respect from road users more powerful and bigger than us (motorvehicle drivers), we must give it out to others (walkers, other cyclists, horse riders, and yes, motorists). We do this by obeying the rules, and being polite - not to say give way to everyone, but just to extend a bit of basic courtesy. Yes, we all have times we'd like to moan about some pedestrian wandering down a cycle path or stepping off the pavement in a daze, and this is the sort of place to come and do it, but out there I feel we should all try to be as accomodating as we'd wish others to be to us. Sometimes, you can't win, when you come up against someone rude, but the best policy is to mutter under your breath if you must, smile disarmingly, and forget about it.

 

[Arch]

I only see horses in small numbers on quiet country roads, and very rarely do they look as if they're about to lose control.

Don't see what the problem is myself.

Indeed, I'd be interested to know how often people do pass horses. Obviously, if you have a route that passes a stable, you are going to do so more often, but on the occasions I'm out in the countryside, I ceratinly don't see a horse every time, and that does include rides that pass by stables.

I'd certainly rather pass a string of four horses, than have two or more horseboxes trying to pass me on a narrow country lane.

 

[Maz]

I'm always amazed how horses look so calm when transported in horseboxes. Cooped up, engine noises, nothing much to see (unless they're facing backwards). I'm surprised they don't freak out.

 

[simoncc]

Indeed, I'd be interested to know how often people do pass horses. Obviously, if you have a route that passes a stable, you are going to do so more often, but on the occasions I'm out in the countryside, I ceratinly don't see a horse every time, and that does include rides that pass by stables.

I'd certainly rather pass a string of four horses, than have two or more horseboxes trying to pass me on a narrow country lane.

I pass loads of riders and have seen many prancing dancing randomly all over the carriageway, as a result of me creeping cautiously past on my bike or because of cars passing quietly and slowly. Riders seem uniformly of the opinion that allowances should be made for the fact that they have chosen to take an animal on a busy lane where it is liable to be scared by even the slightest noise or moving object. At least relatively few horse riders have yet adopted the even more selfish habit of arranging to be followed a few yards behind by a friend (or mummy) in a car (always a 4x4, naturally), but this trend is increasing. Such people should be prosecuted for obstruction as well as inconsideration for the animal.

If horses were able to be passed or overtaken by a car travelling at 30mph or a cyclist travelling at say 15-25 miles per hour then who could object to their presence? But as we know, horses cannot cope with perfectly commonplace events on modern roads. That's why they shouldn't be there.

 

[Arch]

I'm always amazed how horses look so calm when transported in horseboxes. Cooped up, engine noises, nothing much to see (unless they're facing backwards). I'm surprised they don't freak out.

Horses, when not actually feeding or being ridden can just sort of shut down - they rest their weight on one back leg, and half switch off - not asleep as such, just resting, but ready to move at any moment. I expect a lot do that when being transported, at least once they are used to it. Like commuters standing on a tube train...

If you ever happen to be passing Horseguards or somewhere with mounted police/soldiers on guard, you'll often see that the horse is doing this, with one back leg a little bent and the hoof just resting gently on the ground. Every so often they shift the weight to the other back leg, and settle back again...

 

[Maz]

...If you ever happen to be passing Horseguards or somewhere with mounted police/soldiers on guard, you'll often see that the horse is doing this, with one back leg a little bent and the hoof just resting gently on the ground. Every so often they shift the weight to the other back leg, and settle back again...

I've seen mounted police many a time outside football grounds, though the horses have always been out of their boxes and milling around the turnstiles. I tend to give them an extra wide berth when I walk past!

 

[gambatte]

I pass loads of riders and have seen many prancing dancing randomly all over the carriageway, as a result of me creeping cautiously past on my bike or because of cars passing quietly and slowly. Riders seem uniformly of the opinion that allowances should be made for the fact that they have chosen to take an animal on a busy lane where it is liable to be scared by even the slightest noise or moving object. At least relatively few horse riders have yet adopted the even more selfish habit of arranging to be followed a few yards behind by a friend (or mummy) in a car (always a 4x4, naturally), but this trend is increasing. Such people should be prosecuted for obstruction as well as inconsideration for the animal.

If horses were able to be passed or overtaken by a car travelling at 30mph or a cyclist travelling at say 15-25 miles per hour then who could object to their presence? But as we know, horses cannot cope with perfectly commonplace events on modern roads. That's why they shouldn't be there.

Looks like its the highway code that says you should be making allowances.

215

Horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles. Be particularly careful of horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles especially when overtaking. Always pass wide and slowly. Horse riders are often children, so take extra care and remember riders may ride in double file when escorting a young or inexperienced horse or rider. Look out for horse riders’ and horse drivers’ signals and heed a request to slow down or stop. Take great care and treat all horses as a potential hazard; they can be unpredictable, despite the efforts of their rider/driver.

 

[tdr1nka]

If the lower orders rode horses, then horses on roads and their dangerous, nervous, unpredictable behaviour would be banned.

Most horse riders don't care about their horses too much. If they did they wouldn't take them on roads.

In my local area we have several stables, something you might not expect in such a busy and carcentric urban environment.
These stables are run by Irish Gypsies and they are hardly what you would call Upper class. Their horses are beautifully kept, ridden to local waste ground for exercise on local roads and cause little trouble as far as anyone is concerned.

Without offering any figures or stats to back your words, I'm sorry to say that you simply have a serious predjudice against horses on the road rather than some clever, valid or insightful opinion.

I will suggest again that it is your own nervousness and unpredictability around horses that really scares you and not that of any horse.

Now please take a good long look at Gambette's polite sidestep thread and
see what the concenus is on this matter.

T x

P.S. Funnily enough just like a horse, your posts have given me something to furtilize my garden roses.

 

[LLB]

I pass loads of riders and have seen many prancing dancing randomly all over the carriageway, as a result of me creeping cautiously past on my bike or because of cars passing quietly and slowly. Riders seem uniformly of the opinion that allowances should be made for the fact that they have chosen to take an animal on a busy lane where it is liable to be scared by even the slightest noise or moving object. At least relatively few horse riders have yet adopted the even more selfish habit of arranging to be followed a few yards behind by a friend (or mummy) in a car (always a 4x4, naturally), but this trend is increasing. Such people should be prosecuted for obstruction as well as inconsideration for the animal.

If horses were able to be passed or overtaken by a car travelling at 30mph or a cyclist travelling at say 15-25 miles per hour then who could object to their presence? But as we know, horses cannot cope with perfectly commonplace events on modern roads. That's why they shouldn't be there.

The politics of envy SimonCC You really do have this thing about wealth and 4x4 owners.

Yet again, you show your ignorance. You have no idea why they are following the horse rider. Have you ever tried to keep up with a horse on foot when they are being hacked for a few miles ?

 

[simoncc]

The politics of envy SimonCC You really do have this thing about wealth and 4x4 owners.

Yet again, you show your ignorance. You have no idea why they are following the horse rider. Have you ever tried to keep up with a horse on foot when they are being hacked for a few miles ?

Several young women are escorted by cars containing mummy or daddy as they ride on the lanes where I ride. Every escort is a 4x4. That's a fact. Horse riders have no place on modern roads. The road traffic regulations and the animal cruelty laws should be amended to facilitate this.

 

[LLB]

Several young women are escorted by cars containing mummy or daddy as they ride on the lanes where I ride. Every escort is a 4x4. That's a fact. Horse riders have no place on modern roads. The road traffic regulations and the animal cruelty laws should be amended to facilitate this.

Your assertion that 'all' kids who have horses have plumy well off parents is a myth. I have dealt with the Pony club, and been part of the local show jumping 'thing' for years through my kids, and all I come across say that they have foregone annual holidays and all sorts of luxuries for years to make it happen.

Land owners are usually well flush (this is nothing new), and keeping horses for them is cheap, but for the rest of us who keep our animals at livery (which is the majority), it is a struggle week in/week out to meet the costs with many taking second jobs like bar work.

 

[gambatte]

Several young women are escorted by cars containing mummy or daddy as they ride on the lanes where I ride. Every escort is a 4x4. That's a fact. Horse riders have no place on modern roads. The road traffic regulations and the animal cruelty laws should be amended to facilitate this.

I could just hear the comment:

“Cycling is a ridiculous outdated form of transport and has no place on modern roads….”

Its just too similar a statement not to comment on

Possibly spouted by your slow 4x4 drivers as you attempt to overtake them?

 

[gambatte]

Thinking about it, I’d like to see a lot more sheep and cattle farmers. Droving animals along the road, between fields and to milking etc. That’s where many of the roads actually came from and possibly what’s actually required, not banning horses.

Lets get more animals on the road. That way other road users will get more used to seeing them and be better equipped, mentally, to deal with them.

Anyone up for organising the first ‘Critical Moos’?

 

[Arch]

Thinking about it, I’d like to see a lot more sheep and cattle farmers. Droving animals along the road, between fields and to milking etc. That’s where many of the roads actually came from and possibly what’s actually required, not banning horses.

Lets get more animals on the road. That way other road users will get more used to seeing them and be better equipped, mentally, to deal with them.

Anyone up for organising the first ‘Critical Moos’?

And for sheep, a Critical Maaaaaass.

 

[Muddyfox]

I pass loads of riders and have seen many prancing dancing randomly all over the carriageway, as a result of me creeping cautiously past on my bike

It must be your natural Charisma that Spooks them ...

Jakes Dad