Horse riders

[biking_fox]

generally no problems at all.

There are a couple of police horses that are ridden around the fallowfield loop (shared use cycle path in S Manchester). The path isn't that wide, and those horses are absolutely massive. I don't feel comfortable being as close as that to them. Even though they're absolutely unworried by my presence.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

My wife once bought 15 tons of horse manure for me for a Xmas present, delivered. One of the best presents I've ever had, I was well chuffty. Took me till about April to shift it all though.

 

[Drago]

@GetAGrip when you were kid mate nearly everyone had Polio. Those that didn't had Ricketts or Tuberculosis.

 

[GetAGrip]

@GetAGrip when you were kid mate nearly everyone had Polio. Those that didn't had Ricketts or Tuberculosis.

Ha Ha, that's a bit presumptuous of you and totally untrue. The point I was trying to make is that there may be more nervous hacks on the road today, for the same reason there may be more nervous adult cyclists - lack of experience, therefore less confident. As such, surely the onus is on all road users to accommodate everyone they meet on their journey.
Back to your point though. Well, to be fare, I'm not quite sure what your point was

 

[Drago]

Nor am I. Early onset wotsitcalled? I forget.

 

[ChrisEyles]

How would you react if passing a dog walker on a canal path. And the owner says "go past him slow and wide he gets nervous and has a tendency to bite if you startle him"?

This is pretty much how I feel about horses on the country lanes around me. Most are absolutely fine, and the riders are all nice people... but there are a few horses around my way who are evidently very spooked by even a slow considerate pass (though I do check both the luminous colours and ticking freewheel boxes).

As another parallel, I'd say taking a horse like that out on the roads is a bit like riding a bike with no brakes, and glibly informing other road/path users "Sorry, this one doesn't stop so well, you'll have to get out of the way!".

Mind you, I have perpetual horse guilt from one time hurtling down a hill, got to a corner at the bottom and flew past a horse and rider. It was a wide road (easily enough room for a car or I wouldn't have been going so fast), but the horse hated it, reared and everything. I don't think the fact that it was clearly unintentional, or my over-the-shoulder "Sorry!" helped much, but at least both horse and rider were OK.

So if I were a horse rider I'd probably have a similar view of cyclists! Best way is just for both groups to be as considerate as they can to one another at the end of the day.

 

[PhilDawson8270]

I still think they should clean up after them selves are you advising going around every corner a 5 mph in case a horsepoo has been spread across the road. People get fined for dropping a cigarette butt but if you drop 15 kilos of partially digested grass in the street that is ok

I think they should clean up, or use those bag things for courtesy as it's good manners. Same as any decent person brought up doesn't drop litter.

However, I am suggesting that if you hit something stationary in the road then you aren't paying enough attention, or are going too fast. If you go around a bend so quick you can't avoid something small, or can't stop. What if it is a large pot hole? A child? It extends to every form of transport, motorised, or not. I'd even suggest it for people running too (who have a fascination with running around corners without looking), that you should be going at a speed that enables to you to stop in the distance that you can see is clear and safe.

It's not a difficult concept, but it's also not my skin and bones. I am sure though that if you spend your days flying around corners that you cannot see around, at speeds where you cannot stop. 1 day, and I hope not seriously, it will hurt.

 

[Yazzoo]

Those of you suggesting horse riders should clean up after their horses - how would they do this? Whilst it is completely biodegradable and not in anyway a health hazard (hence no laws about clearing up), unlike dog poo, just the sheer quantity of it surely makes this unpractical at best?

And for the people comparing passing a dog to passing a horse - it's not because people on horses are superior, it's due to the sheer size and power of the horse. I have a very big dog and I'm yet to be dragged down the road by him, even a shetland pony could drag me along with no trouble at all. Just as a cyclist is more vulnerable than a car, a horse rider is more vulnerable than a dog walker! It's a person, potentially 6ft in the air, astride a ton of flight animal with a mind of its own, the potential for drama is much greater than that of a dog so greater caution is required on the part of rider and 'passer'.

 

[GetAGrip]

[QUOTE 4321871, member: 9609"]a shovel and some saddle bags.
and it does pose a health risk, it is poo! It also poses skid risk to motorbikes when left on the road, it also stinks and if dog owners have to clean up then horses owners should to.[/QUOTE]

Not saying it has never happened, only that I have never known of this occurence

http://www.bhs.org.uk/~/media/bhs/f...ess-leaflets/bhs-advice-horse-dung.ashx?la=en

 

[Dayvo]

Thank you for that lovely image.

Unfortunately it reminds me of this image from an ancient Woody Allen film:

 

[burndust]

one of my regular routes has a field where the horses train for trotting/buggy racing so quite often have to pass horses on the road that leads to the field never had any issues with either horse or rider tbh

 

[Mugshot]

[QUOTE 4321936, member: 9609"]jeez, you must have got to that quick, I deleted it after about 30 seconds when I realised it was the wrong link
bollox, that was an own goal[/QUOTE]
Yeah, credit where it's due that was an awesome example of speed quoting

 

[Dogtrousers]

Most of my riding is done in rural areas. I often come across horses. Even in urban London I sometimes see police horses. I can honestly say I cannot remember one, even slight, problematic encounter with horse dung. I'm sure I've noticed the odd pile here and there, but it doesn't register on my memory. Horse poo, nil. Potholes, 10,000.

As to it being a health threat, well ... yes, if I tucked into a meal of it I would be unsurprised if I fell ill. But that does not make it a health risk, unless some optimistic entrepreneur were to start packaging it and selling it as food. The environment is full of stuff that you shouldn't eat.

As things worth arguing over, this has to be classed as "beyond trivial".

 

[Dayvo]

The image I had was worse, seeing as it involved Drago standing on an upturned beer crate.

Glad to hear it wasn't the mule!

 

[Mugshot]

On the scent of someone being wrong, and you are surprised at his speed?

No not really, but it's always impressive to see and only polite to acknowledge it too.