Horses...

[gadders]

My dad, who was always given me bits of random and seemingly useless bits of advice, told me a story about what happened to a long gone great-grandmother who got a severe booting (or should I say hoofing?) as she sneaked up behind a horse.
This information sat unused in the back of my mind throughout much of my childhood until I started cyclyng. So, with images of a bruised and battered great-grandmother in my head, I hit on the idea of clicking the brake levers a few times while still some way back and, like Bottombracket, look out for the ears (the horse's not the rider's) swivelling to let me know I've been heard.
Thanks dad

 

[Cubist]

A lovely moment on the Holme valley challenge last year. As I was approaching a t-junction a woman on a horse shouted out: "My horse is terrified of bikes." I called up to say that perhaps she ought to try a different route in that case. She got a bit huffy and called out "Well why don't you stop so I can get out of the junction then?" My reply that there were about another hundred and fifty bikes behind me didn't seem to go down too well!

 

[Jezston]

Horses are weird.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I asked about this a while ago and the general advice was to first alert the rider to your approach and then pass smoothly and steadily and no closer than you'd want to go to a spooked horse.

Fine, I thought. I then found myself coming up behind a police horse in Lewisham so I called out ''bike behind'' to warn the rider. Said rider swivelled round in surprise looking distinctly shocked. Either no one had ever called out like that before or she thought I was making a comment about her own behind. (So if you're on a hybrid it's probably best that you don't shout out ''hybrid behind'' - you may be risking arrest.)

Horse was fine though...

 

[Norm]

I try to call out early on the road and I'll say something like "coming through on your right" when I get closer, then offer a cheery greeting as I pass. This works just as well with pedestrians on shared-use paths.

However, be careful with your pronunciation of "Thank you", as the "thank" can be mistaken for a different and entirely less friendly word. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[Becs]

Someone once mentioned in the forum that the rotation of bicycle tyres could emit a sound that is too high-pitched to be perceived by a human but which may irritate/confuse/scare a horse.

Using your voice is a good idea because the horse will already have been trained to recognise and respond to a human's voice.

That was me. Talking to the rider is definitely the way to go, and pass way on the other side of the road. If they know their animal is scared of bikes if you tell them early they can pull the horse over onto the grass, or spin it round to face you so it can see what's coming.

 

[Falwheeler]

When approaching from behind I usually call passing but I've been told that it is just as important to make yourself known when coming the other way. The horse doesn't recognise the shape of a person on a bike so greet the rider to make yourself known

 

[Arch]

I asked about this a while ago and the general advice was to first alert the rider to your approach and then pass smoothly and steadily and no closer than you'd want to go to a spooked horse.

Fine, I thought. I then found myself coming up behind a police horse in Lewisham so I called out ''bike behind'' to warn the rider. Said rider swivelled round in surprise looking distinctly shocked. Either no one had ever called out like that before or she thought I was making a comment about her own behind. (So if you're on a hybrid it's probably best that you don't shout out ''hybrid behind'' - you may be risking arrest.)

Horse was fine though...

Ironic that you tried it out on a police horse - probably the least easily spooked animal there is!

 

[david1701]

lol they being the ones that go into riots with face armour stuff tbh we have a proper heavy gypsy type cob (as in prev owner bought her as a foal from gypsys who is bombproof except she hates tractors

 

[Hacienda71]

I always pull out early and give them a wide berth. Their vision is at the sides and you are then less of a surprise. I also look at their ears. If they flatten them it is a warning they are spooked.

 

[Fnaar]

I meet a lot of horses on my rural rides (not arranged meets in cafes, etc, they're just out on the road with their riders

) and I always try to whizz past them so fast that I'm out of the danger zone if they kick out attract the attention of the rider by saying "bicycle behind" if they've not yet noticed I'm there, or, if approaching from front, I slow right down, take off my sunglasses, and either direction, give them a wide berth, and say something to the rider.

My grandfather nearly got killed by a donkey kick once, and I wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of a horse's panicked hoofing.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Over a month I'll encounter half a dozen or so on my commute. If I time my commute badly I get to encounter 20 of them in one go on an A road or B as the local string are taken out for exercise!

50 yards back I call "Rider! May I pass please!"

as I go by it's always "Enjoy your ride"

These approaches usually results in sensible interaction with the, usually flouro coated, equestrian and some action on their part to control their mounts behaviour; often sticking its head in the hedge if if is a spooky sort.

However they fail point blank with a couple of regulars, tweed wearing ladies with their hair in snoods riding hunters. They refuse to acknowledge my existence or reply to me, and insist on ambling two abreast down a narrow road whilst I dodge the arse fruit until there is room to get past. Of course if a car comes they go single file stylee pronto.

I confess to being a bit chippy about some of these types (ex hunt saboteur) as one did actually try to take her whip to me back in the 90's when we encountered each other on a Surrey Hills bridleway. Other MTB-ers had earlier put the fear of the devil into her horse it had bolted, she'd just got it under control and I came grinding uphill round the corner and all hell broke loose. She got thrown and her instinct was to take it out on me.

 

[3tyretrackterry]

I ride a trike and if i am approaching from behind call out and make sure that the rider looks behind to see what i am so they are prepared. If a horse sees me when we are travelling towards me and starts skipping or stalling i stop and get off as soon as they see i have 2 legs normally they just amble by.Several times i have asked riders if they want there horses to take a look at trike and they often do i find it helps break down any barriers as i now often get a wave or cheery hello when i meet them again.

 

[byegad]

I ride a trike and if i am approaching from behind call out and make sure that the rider looks behind to see what i am so they are prepared. If a horse sees me when we are travelling towards me and starts skipping or stalling i stop and get off as soon as they see i have 2 legs normally they just amble by.Several times i have asked riders if they want there horses to take a look at trike and they often do i find it helps break down any barriers as i now often get a wave or cheery hello when i meet them again.

Yes getting off seems a good idea. As I ride a trike because of my balance I sit up and chatter. Standing would be better but standing up and promptly falling over wouldn't!

 

[GrasB]

Stop one time and ask the rider what they'd prefer. Get an answer straight from the horses mouth (sorry) and get a few brownie points at the same time for caring, sounds like a win win to me.

Unfortunately this doesn't work... I once came around a bend to find a group of horses, slowed down to walking pace quickly to pass them & got thanked by one rider for slowing down quickly while at the same time getting 'told off' by another rider for slowing down to quickly.