What about horses

[YahudaMoon]

The most enjoyment I've ever had out of a horse is when it was sitting in a sausage courtesy of a restaurant in Belgium. Having said, I've no problem with other people enjoying them while they're still alive.

There are a couple of stables on my commute home and I can't claim ever to have had a problem. One rider I got chatting to said that he preferred cyclists to call out rather than use a bell, as he thought there was less risk of spooking the horse. I've no idea how true this is, but the horse he was riding was magnificent (and tasty looking )

Horses for courses

 

[HLaB]

If there's room I use and pass outside their potential strike before there can be a reaction but if there isn't with horses and other road/ shared path users I like to slow down and hold back out of their potential danger zone until they notice me, to my knowledge I've never upset anybody by doing that and more importantly IMO I've never been hurt doing that.

 

[CopperCyclist]

I've been told by a horse rider that the problem with bikes is that they share the characteristics of most horse predators - they are low, difficult to see, fast and silent. She suggested the best thing to do is avoid all of these characteristics. Sit up rather than a drop bar position, possily even raising an arm in a wave, slow down, and call out a greeting to the rider.

She then said that if I did this, she wpuld be very happy, and expect me to pass her. She said all she'd do would likely be to return the greeting as her current horse would manage this. She also added that if I did and this her horse was potentially a problem, she would then see it as HER responsibilty to take further steps to rectify this, either by calming her horse or warning the cyclist and asking them to 'hold on' while she stopped.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Very interesting this idea of hers about cyclists sharing horse predator characteristics. It makes sense.

 

[CopperCyclist]

Posted this reply in error - can't seem to delete this on ipad? Apologies.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Serves you right for using an ipad!

 

[CopperCyclist]

Fair enough! My excuse is its more wife-friendly! She tends to see me sitting with a laptop as more anti-social when shes with me. Somehow I get away with the pad!

 

[the_mikey]

Slow down as much as possible, without freewheeling since that makes a lot of noise, and pass as wide as possible. Otherwise just stop and wait for the horse to pass.

 

[Bollo]

Horses for courses

Good work. Very good work.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

If it's narrow, stop. A frightened horse can do a lot of damage to its rider, you and your bike. When passing a horse, I always talk to the rider, asking if the animal is ok with the bike etc - apart from anything else, it helps the horse to hear a human voice coming from the weird shaped object coming towards it.

What this Lady says ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Winnershsaint]

It always amazese me when they come out with stuff like this. if the horse is "XXXXX and can get spooked easily" then maybe they shoudn't be bringing a tonne+ of known to be barely under control animal onto the road?

I have watched my daughter ride for over 11 years since she was 4. I have always been struck by the how highly strung horses are so I am always extra careful when I come across them. Even in the relatively calm environment of an indoor school they can behave strangely. One instance springs to mind where my daughter's instructor had put cones out towards the four corners of the school to encourage them to ride deep into the corners. a useful technique in both jumping and dressage so I am led to believe. Anyway the four or so horses had no probs with the cones, but it was a hot day and one of the girls wanted to take off her hoody. She did so and gave it to the instructor who put it on one of the cones. The familiar cone in one corner had turned in an instant into a [sub][sup]'monster' [/sup][/sub]not one of them would go past once they had seen one of the them spook at the sight of it. The moral is I suppose, expect the unexpected with them, and plan accordingly so that you, the rider, the horse and your bike navigate each other successfully. The talking thing as you approach and pass the horse is propbably the best advice.

 

[Fnaar]

I have been given to understand that when catching up with a horse from behind a cyclist sounds like a lion perusing it. Quite how anyone got into the mind of a horse to determine this I do not know.
Anyhow I always call out and ask if it is OK to come past. Seems to work for me.

... which the horse hears as "Raaaaarrrrrr, dinner time....rrrrraaaarrrrrr"

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I grew up with horses and was riding at three years old but I hate the fat smelly disgusting things. In general you would not be expected to take a horse on the road unless it was safe in traffic but these days people like to test this theory by just taking the horse on the road. Horses are sometimes more spooked by cycles as they don't hear them coming and get taken by surprise. As with most wild animals look at the body language and stay well away from the dangerous bits.
Personally I think there should be a £5000 fine for a horse being on a public right of way with out a nappy of some kind on. Horse shoot is annoying for a cycle but potentially fatal for a motorbike.
In my opinion the only kind of horse worth having is a hunting horse, at least they can go into the wild and find mice and weasels to eat so they are self suficient.

Have you been let out of the "Big House" on some special trial program?

BTW Horses are "by design" herbivores so I think the mice and weasels are safe.