approching a horse from behind off

[VamP]

How long does a horse live?
So no horse was born before there were cars or bikes on the road.A lot of horses in the Surrey area are no more than spoilt children's toys,little more than an outsize domestic pet.

So you're not an inverted snob with a penchant for generalization then?

 

[grumpyoldgit]

So you're not an inverted snob with a penchant for generalization then?

My son has a girlfriend with a 4 year old daughter.This youngster & her friends tend to copy each other in what they want,quite natural,but all the mothers pander to every whim.Countless miniature dogs that need looking after,strange lizzards,& now one of them has a pony,so they all want a pony.Needless to say,they will all get a pony,but in the meantime,what happens to the discarded pets?
If,by objecting to this,I am an inverted snob,then so be it.

 

[VamP]

My son has a girlfriend with a 4 year old daughter.This youngster & her friends tend to copy each other in what they want,quite natural,but all the mothers pander to every whim.Countless miniature dogs that need looking after,strange lizzards,& now one of them has a pony,so they all want a pony.Needless to say,they will all get a pony,but in the meantime,what happens to the discarded pets?
If,by objecting to this,I am an inverted snob,then so be it.

I think having a horse is a bit more of a commitment than a passing whim. Perhaps if you hadn't suggested that the majority of horse owners were 'spoilt children', I wouldn't have been so quick to jump down your throat though

I know a lot of horse owners and the amount of passion, dedication and commitment they put into being able to keep and ride their horses is enormous. Pandering to the whims of a 4-year old is however... silly.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I tend to hang back until the rider sees me, then I speak to them and go by. It is rare for them not to spot you, if they don't then a polite, "which side do you want me to pass on?" is normally enough to get their attention

 

[Globalti]

One I heard recently:

Cyclist to horse: "Fancy a swop?"

Attractive woman horse rider: "Oh no, I'll stick with four legs thanks!"

Cyclist: "I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to your horse!"

 

[VamP]

One I heard recently:

Cyclist to horse: "Fancy a swop?"

Attractive woman horse rider: "Oh no, I'll stick with four legs thanks!"

Cyclist: "I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to your horse!"

That's kinda lecherous...

 

[Chutzpah]

I see horses a lot. I always call out a hello to the rider, and state my intentions if I don't think they know them (you can usually tell by the rider's body language whether they guess I'm going to commence an overtake).

Often the sound of my freehub is what gets the rider's attention first, but even if they turn around I'll say a cheery hello and thank you.

Quite often around here you see multiple horses, I just hang back until they've organised themselves in a way that allows me to pass safely.

 

[albion]

You are simply lucky so far Chutz.

A horse with better hearing might be startled on suddenly hearing your freehub from 50 yards!

 

[billflat12]

Basically this. I once went to pass two horse on my motorbike and the horse rider stuck her arm out to stop me. They didn't pull over to let me pass for a good 15 minutes, its that kind of attitude that rubs me up the wrong way. No one owns the road and I dont mind waiting a while but if the horse was that uncontrollable it shouldn't be on a public road!

I always thank motorists who show patience & understanding out on my bike or if my horse decides to be silly about something different , nobody wants to own the road but thankfully many do have the common sense to warn others , some folk just basically don,t understand ( end up getting impatient as witnessed daily on our roads ) it,s also common practice to use a sensible horse on the outside riding two abreast to slow traffic & give the inexperienced or young horse traffic training , just like we would with young inexperienced cyclists , sometimes causes the odd revving engine " try explaining hoof marks to the front on any insurance " (They are the ones that own our roads )

Quite often around here you see multiple horses, I just hang back until they've organised themselves in a way that allows me to pass safely.

" it,s basic really with horses they are instinctively flight & herd animals & one can easily upset the other "

My son has a girlfriend with a 4 year old daughter.This youngster & her friends tend to copy each other in what they want,quite natural,but all the mothers pander to every whim.Countless miniature dogs that need looking after,strange lizzards,& now one of them has a pony,so they all want a pony.Needless to say,they will all get a pony,but in the meantime,what happens to the discarded pets?
If,by objecting to this,I am an inverted snob,then so be it.

As for some owners/riders i wont even go there about lack of knowledge, sadly its usually the horse that ends up suffering in the wrong hands. The british horse society as a charity offer road proficiency training/tests and free horse insurance to all members, neither being compulsory,

One rider did tell me one day that the horse knew I was coming almost before I saw the horse, so acute is their hearing. To date I have never had a problem with horse riders on the road (or on their horses). Yet!

From instinct my horse usually tenses slightly well before i know what,s quietly approaching from behind. sometimes cyclists, a jogger or even a loose dog, most cyclists approach behind with great caution but don,t speak , others even try to hide as we approach !!! As a rider a relaxed awareness is so important to me so while on my bike I always try to make my presence known well in advance and pass only once the rider is aware , softly softly is always best because i know if spooked a horses flight instinct so quickly causes panic.

 

[billflat12]

http://www.elcr.org/resources/R58.html