Spinney
Bimbleur extraordinaire
- Location
- Back up north
Make your bike more Horse Friendly....fit a bell
- Thread starter y2blade
- Start date
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Mr Haematocrit
msg me on kik for android
- Location
- Out of the saddle
I'm not aware of what advise could be given to a horse rider if any, although I expect someone who rides both bikes and horses would have a better understanding that myself.
If you are not in control of a horse imho you should question if you should have it in public as its a powerful animal which you need to be in control of for your safety, the safety of others and the safety of the horse.
Understanding the challenges other road users have to ensure that we share the road in a safe manner, based on the information I have gained in threads such as this I slow down to ensure that I am not threatening to the animal give it lots of space and announce my presence vocally.
I and some friends came across a horse being ridden at quite a pace through some remote trails which we ride my MTB on. The pace suggested that the owner did not expect to come across anyone and when she did, the horse reacted in what I perceive as being extreme fear/shock having never seen any other horses react in this manner. The result was that one of my friends and the horse rider ended up on the floor looking less than comfortable...
In the same manner that threads likes this educated me, Im sure that many horse riders are not aware of the challenges facing cyclists in different environments which is why I asked the question
I was given similar advice by a very experienced CTC cyclist. Horses recognise the human voice and don't see it as a threat, a bell is an alien sound to them.
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
You mean along the lines of:
What is it with these awful Lycra clad shouty types on Pushbikes?
Why don't they just use a nice civilized bell (as we do to summon the hired help) when they are approaching us?
It would be awfully nice of them to let us, and more importantly the Horsey know the "fast, silent, whooooshy" thing is about to pass.
Furthermore I do wish they would not leave their gel wrappers littering our roads and hedgerows!
That was a joke^^^ A half truth if you will.
No I don't post on any horsey forums, I don't wear Jodhpurs.
hopless500
Trundling along
- Location
- not-as-flat-as-you-think Norfolk
No-one can ever be 100% in control of a horse as they are not 100% predictable. It is a large animal with a very small brain.
I don't think, however, that that justifies not being allowed on the roads. You could draw an analogy with a car being a large (metal) animal controlled by a very small (human) brain. In both cases the animal, be it horse or car, has the potential to do the unexpected.
PJ79LIZARD
Über Member
- Location
- WEST MIDLANDS
A horse is an animal with its own mind, so regardless of how well any animal is trained it is not a robot. It may do something one day unexpected, that can not be helped. That's why I said your not in total control.
Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
Sweet wrappers are terrifying things. They lay there all quiet and nice like and then a car passes them and they dance about on the breeze. I have known many a horse startled by sweet wrappers and leaves blowing around their hooves. Silly things, horses really. I have a horse who is not nearly as brainy as my bike, bless him.Hang on..he's ok scary Sweet wrappers blowing about in the wind....I thought you said he was an Ex-Race horse?
I have had a lot of failed race horses both off the flat and hurdlers, they make excellent event horses after a bit (a lot) of training. I haven't chatted much with the local horsey set. The few I have spoken too seem to be a bit up themselves, I might just have encountered the snotty minority though.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
Normal for
Not in my experience. All the horsey people I know are skint enthusiasts.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
Fair comment. The horsey folk at work and church are all skint enthusiasts.
Socially though, not in my experience. But then I move in circles above my weight.
For me it is about 80% posh folk : 20% skint enthusiasts overall. It changes to about 60% posh : 40% skint if I rate posh skint people as skint rather than merely posh. And one or two of the 60% have very strange moral compasses.
Socially though, not in my experience. But then I move in circles above my weight.
For me it is about 80% posh folk : 20% skint enthusiasts overall. It changes to about 60% posh : 40% skint if I rate posh skint people as skint rather than merely posh. And one or two of the 60% have very strange moral compasses.
Apparently not. checked with my friend who has 7 horses. she said a bell is an unfamiliar noise and can spook the horse. please pass wide and slow and call out. horses are used to voices and it doesn't spook them. Also, she said cyclists are the most careful around her so well done you lot! (apart from one idiot she encountered that shot past her horse, there's always one!
)yes, but they are trained to ride with them, most horses haven't heard one.
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
Seeing as it's all down to training, maybe the trainers should put some effort into getting their horses used to the sound of a bell?
