Make your bike more Horse Friendly....fit a bell

[VamP]

He is fine with artics, busses, tractors with or without trailers, vans, cars, kids on rollerskates, sweet wrappers, dogs, pheasants leaping out of the undergrowth, he is not keen on bikes, or bell noises its a funny pitch for horses. Most comp horses are a bit jumpy, not much fun competing on a plodder. My ex boss would point out that horses were on the roads first. Like bikes and pedestrians, they have a right to be on the road.
He is one of my comp horses and I have to get from field A to field B and until they invent teleportation I don't have much choice.

Is it just too much to ask for a cyclist to call out a 'hello'. I always do when passing horses.

What kind of competition?

We have an eventer in our family. He not highly strung, but then he is twice the size of yours He found snow drifts quite scary last winter

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

A bell or shout will be ok in my opinion, it's better than nothing. Last week I was out riding we were walking down a country lane the horse had obviously switched to auto pilot, a guy in his mid 50's on his bike came up behind in stealth mode came by not a murmur, I hadn't heard anything, the horse hadn't either til she caught sight of him out the corner of her eye, she then jumped like you or I would if startled. I was lucky shes golden, as another horse on a different day could have bolted or crabbed straight into them. Personally that's why I like a clicky free hub, a horse will soon pick that up from some distance away.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Don't need or want a bell.
I have a voice that says 'Hello, cyclist coming by'

"Excuse me, rider, may I pass please?" is preferred round here and, iirc BHA/CTC advice. As is maintaining the conversation with the rider as you enter the horses field of vision so it hears you coming. Bell is specifcially advised against.

But Jocasta will be texting and Jemima has her ipod on listening to Katy Perry, or some such, and their step-mum is on the big out-of-control hunter you passed 500 metres back, and their Dad, further down the road, will just swear at you cos he drives a Audi and hates cyclists, and the guys/gals who exercise the local racing string don't speak English, and then the oncoming 4x4 just steams through regardless, scattering everyone, so sometimes it is a waste of breath.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

If it is likely to behave like that, have you considered that it might not be a good idea to ride that horse on the roads?

Do you sometimes swerve to avoid potholes or other things outside your control?
Would you be happy for a driver to suggest it might not be a good idea to ride your bike on the roads as a result?

Equestrians, like us, have a right to be there. Regardless of how highly-strung their mount is. We need to ride accordingly.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

I have seen threads such as these before and a common theme is that they seem to be started by people who ride Horses as well as Bikes.
I am not being critical of these threads but am curious to know, based on the position of being both a Horsey type and a cyclist... do you also post on horse forums advise on how to act around cyclists?

 

[madferret]

I have seen threads such as these before and a common theme is that they seem to be started by people who ride Horses as well as Bikes.
I am not being critical of these threads but am curious to know, based on the position of being both a Horsey type and a cyclist... do you also post on horse forums advise on how to act around cyclists?

Nay..........

 

[hopless500]

If it is likely to behave like that, have you considered that it might not be a good idea to ride that horse on the roads?

Not the horse's fault. It was spooked by someone trying to sneak past. The most placid of horses isn't going to be happy if something suddenly appears alongside that they didn't know was there. #bloodyhorses have just as much right to be on the road as #bloodycyclists

 

[hopless500]

He is fine with artics, busses, tractors with or without trailers, vans, cars, kids on rollerskates, sweet wrappers, dogs, pheasants leaping out of the undergrowth, he is not keen on bikes, or bell noises its a funny pitch for horses. Most comp horses are a bit jumpy, not much fun competing on a plodder. My ex boss would point out that horses were on the roads first. Like bikes and pedestrians, they have a right to be on the road.
He is one of my comp horses and I have to get from field A to field B and until they invent teleportation I don't have much choice.

Is it just too much to ask for a cyclist to call out a 'hello'. I always do when passing horses.

hear hear.

 

[hopless500]

Horses shouldn't be on the road, they don't even pay road tax ,
..er ,,,oh, hang on...

 

[MontyVeda]

.... wouldn't a bell startle a horse, hardly the sort of noise it's used to??

I've seen several horse drawn sleighs with plenty of bells on them.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

I just say hello and have a good chat while I'm passing. No fuss required.
Just have to watch out for the people whose penis is insulted by having both a cyclist and a horse in the way of their progress at the same time.

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

I have seen threads such as these before and a common theme is that they seem to be started by people who ride Horses as well as Bikes.
I am not being critical of these threads but am curious to know, based on the position of being both a Horsey type and a cyclist... do you also post on horse forums advise on how to act around cyclists?

And what advice would that be? On a bike your in total control which is not the case on a horse. I don't see how a horse can put a cyclist in danger by approaching them unawares.

 

[wait4me]

Don't need or want a bell.
I have a voice that says 'Hello, cyclist coming by'

Same here and I usually get a "Thank-you" in return

 

[Arjimlad]

I start talking, singing or whistling, as soon as I am within human earshot of the horse, then say good morning or whatever to the rider as I pass by.

That way the horse can hear that I am catching it up, and that I am a person.

 

[gaz]

If you want to make your bike horse friendly, get this

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfyC6NJqt2o