Slick
Guru
Don't mess with the big guy.
Horses, Fear, Me ! Shared path problem
- Thread starter MidnightRider
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Don't mess with the big guy.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
I'm like the OP (but maybe less so) in that I do not feel at all comfortable being near or in the same field as horses. So I sympathise - there's no way I'm holding out my hand to a horse.
That said, I've always just followed the standard advice of giving the rider plenty of notice, giving them a wide berth, keeping my speed down and turning off lights. I've had no problems.
That's on the road. On shared paths I have less experience. I did meet a chap on a ginormous horse on a small bridleway a couple of years ago. I found myself a convenient niche off the path and the rider stopped for a friendly chat while the horse gave me the evil eye.
The way I see it is the OP has gone out of the way to do the right thing, and if the riders still can't control their animals, that's their problem not the OP's
@MidnightRider you are a human I take it. If not, and you are actually, say, a lion that might explain things.
That said, I've always just followed the standard advice of giving the rider plenty of notice, giving them a wide berth, keeping my speed down and turning off lights. I've had no problems.
That's on the road. On shared paths I have less experience. I did meet a chap on a ginormous horse on a small bridleway a couple of years ago. I found myself a convenient niche off the path and the rider stopped for a friendly chat while the horse gave me the evil eye.
The way I see it is the OP has gone out of the way to do the right thing, and if the riders still can't control their animals, that's their problem not the OP's
@MidnightRider you are a human I take it. If not, and you are actually, say, a lion that might explain things.
Last edited:
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
A lad I grew up with married a woman who was into horses and had grown up with them
Her main horse was fine on paths roads and anything - really calm and easy to control for her
Unless he saw a Crosville Bus
Birkenhead buses were fine
Cheshire buses were fine
same make and model of vehicle!
Just Crosville one were a problem
and then only the single decker ones
She was pleased to hear when they said they were going to change the livery
but the horse still reacted to them the same
personally I thought it was originally something happened with a green single decker bus and the horse react to any bus that looked the same
but the the owner realised and started reacting very slightly nervously when they appeared
and, of course, as a human she could see that different makes and models were still Crosville so was reacting in a similar way - which the horse picked up
and then the livery changed - a lot - but the rider still knew - so the horse picked it up
that was just my opinion - she didn;t agree and she could be scary so I didn;t argue
but generally I think horses react to everything and if the rider is even slightly nervous then the horse senses it
and horses are fine tuned to look for anything that might be any kind of threat
and then weight a ton or so and have iron clad feet and massive teeth
so I generally avoid them on principle
which is why I ride bikes and don;t ride horses
Her main horse was fine on paths roads and anything - really calm and easy to control for her
Unless he saw a Crosville Bus
Birkenhead buses were fine
Cheshire buses were fine
same make and model of vehicle!
Just Crosville one were a problem
and then only the single decker ones
She was pleased to hear when they said they were going to change the livery
but the horse still reacted to them the same
personally I thought it was originally something happened with a green single decker bus and the horse react to any bus that looked the same
but the the owner realised and started reacting very slightly nervously when they appeared
and, of course, as a human she could see that different makes and models were still Crosville so was reacting in a similar way - which the horse picked up
and then the livery changed - a lot - but the rider still knew - so the horse picked it up
that was just my opinion - she didn;t agree and she could be scary so I didn;t argue
but generally I think horses react to everything and if the rider is even slightly nervous then the horse senses it
and horses are fine tuned to look for anything that might be any kind of threat
and then weight a ton or so and have iron clad feet and massive teeth
so I generally avoid them on principle
which is why I ride bikes and don;t ride horses
To add some more sensible content horses are weird, unpredictable beasts. All you can do is remain visible, distant, predictable and not take them by surprise.
Not sure if they'd prefer to know you're there because you've used your bell, or whether the noise would upset them.. I guess an unshouty announcement of your presence to the rider (if meant for the horse) might be a better idea.
I have a healthy respect for them after finding out at a young age apparently how much my blond hair looks like hay...
Finally, directly behind a horse is the last place you ever want to be!
Not sure if they'd prefer to know you're there because you've used your bell, or whether the noise would upset them.. I guess an unshouty announcement of your presence to the rider (if meant for the horse) might be a better idea.
I have a healthy respect for them after finding out at a young age apparently how much my blond hair looks like hay...
Finally, directly behind a horse is the last place you ever want to be!
Last edited:
figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
I try to bell them at a distance. More often than not I see the horse react to this (lift its head a little, turn its head to one side to see behind) but sometimes the rider does not hear me. I'm not worried, so long as I know the horse has spotted me.
Once I tinged from a distance, then again on approach. I could see that the horse knew I was there and was OK with it but the rider was oblivious until I rode slowly past. The rider jumped a little and said "I didn't know you were there". I said "your horse has been trying to tell you I was there for some time".
Alex321
Veteran
- Location
- South Wales
Met a pair of horses (with riders) coming the other way on my commute home last night on a narrow country lane.
Just slowed right down and covered my flashing front light with my hand - they moved to single file, and gave me a pleasant "thank you very much" as we passed, and all continued on our way, no fuss, no drama.
That has been my usual experience round here, and I do meet quite a lot of horses while out on the bike generally.
Just slowed right down and covered my flashing front light with my hand - they moved to single file, and gave me a pleasant "thank you very much" as we passed, and all continued on our way, no fuss, no drama.
That has been my usual experience round here, and I do meet quite a lot of horses while out on the bike generally.
figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
I’ve had many similar interactions, from both sides of the equation. If I’m on a horse and someone makes an effort to be courteous, even if it’s not required (because, for example, the horse I’m on wouldn’t even blink if a bomb went off under it), I’ll still thank them for their consideration.
If I’m on the bike and a rider thanks me, I’ll often have a quick chat with them, usually opening with “well I’ve ridden more of them than I have of these”.
