HOrses and Bicycles on the Road

[Grog]

Wow, thanks for starting this thread Geonz.

I was riding with my sweet partner on a rural road of the Interior BC (Apex Mountain road, for Kelownagirl) and we saw a couple of horses on the road, just standing there, chewing away at something. We had no idea what to do, so we approached really slowly, talking the whole time, complimenting the horses (they were beautiful creatures). They never really seemed to even notice us, but I preferred to err on the side of careful.

I'm glad to know we did the right thing, and I'll know what to do now if I see some during a club ride...

[spokewench]

It's a huge pet peeve of mine when people take their horses somewhere they cannot safely handle them. A horse on the road should be able to handle all sorts of strange things.

Lora

Lora, I agree with you that a person who takes a horse on a road should have a horse that handles strange things - and that is the best case scenario, but since I used to train horses, you have to realize that some horses need to be trained to handle strange things and the only way to do that is to take them into those situations so they get used to them. So, if I were out training a young horse to be a good road horse, there is going to be a time when they will not act like they should! Of course, it is your responsibility as the rider to be 1 a good rider so you don't get ditched at the slightest problem, 2. have your ears and eyes out for unforeseen problems.

It would still be nice if people were courteous and gave a little warning. If you can just get your horse to look at what is coming at them, they often time will react quite differently than if something spooks them from behind. They are fear and flight animals, so if something frightens them, they run. If you can get someone to give you a holler and slow for just a second, you can turn your animal and let them see what is coming.

Even the best trained horse can spook some if something startles them so have a little courtesy and we expect cars to have a little courtesy for us and all will be well.

spoke

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I hate it when I biking down the road and suddenly another cyclist just zooms past me without so much as a warning. I don't always hear them, and they often don't give much clearance for if I was to suddenly swerve for some reason. It also startles me sometimes. One time a guy on a bike did this when I was in the middle of a busy intersection, going straight. He almost gave me a heart attack because at first I though he was a car coming up around me to cut me off. As he flew on past me I only had time to shout out "You SCARED me!" Like he cared.
I ALWAYS call out something when coming up behind someone who might not hear me- whether a jogger, another biker, whatever. I think it's common courtesy and common safety as well. A horse is sometimes unpredictable, just like a small child in the road- you just don't come flying past them with no warning, it would be inconsiderate AND dangerous. I call out a cheery Hello way ahead of time when I see horses up ahead- best to let riders and horses both know well in advance if I am coming up behind them.
When we have a choice, why not do the safer thing???

[ibcycling]

Even the best trained horse can spook some if something startles them so have a little courtesy and we expect cars to have a little courtesy for us and all will be well.

spoke

Absolutely! We both have some responsibility to make sure everyone is safe. The horse rider needs to have a plan if the horse acts up or spooks and the cyclist needs to make their presence known and give the horse a chance to deal with the situation instead of just appearing out of nowhere.

What kind of riding did you do? We have 2 Quarter Horses that we ride western (ranch work and pleasure) and my daughter is taking dressage lessons on a 17h warmblood. I'm dying to rider her instructor's Lusitano. He's such a beautiful animal and moves so nice!!

Lora

[spokewench]

What kind of riding did you do? We have 2 Quarter Horses that we ride western (ranch work and pleasure) and my daughter is taking dressage lessons on a 17h warmblood. I'm dying to rider her instructor's Lusitano. He's such a beautiful animal and moves so nice!!

Lora

Started out in dressage as a youngster, was an exercise girl on the thoroughbred race track as a young woman, jumping, dressage, etc. later. Also, taught English lessons.

For a while worked on a ranch in Montana in my earlier years as well.

Used to take my thoroughbred to do cattle penning a little. Trust me, he was not very well behaved the first couple of times - he hated those cows!
While we were waiting to go in for the first time (I was teamed with a girlfriend riding a paint stallion who was used to cattle penning) my horse tried to kick the boards of the arena right off the posts! Guess I should have ridden him a bit that day before loading him up and taking him out at night to the cattle penning! LOL

[Tuckervill]

Speaking as someone who rides motorcycles in Amish country - public roads have completely different issues from unpaved shared use trails. Someone who rides a horse on or near a public road has a responsibility to make sure the horse can tolerate the situation, IMVHO. The Amish all use blinders so the horses aren't spooked by the vehicles approaching rapidly from behind. We give them LOTS of room - slow down and keep the engines quiet - if there's oncoming traffic, stay behind the buggy until there's room to pass them - and stay alert for those little low-traction gifts the horses leave us. The same applies to bicycles. Essentially, on a public road, two-wheelers pass horses in the same way that we bicyclists expect motorized traffic to pass us.

When you're on a shared use trail, it's a whole 'nother thing. The trail may not be wide enough to give the horses much room, for one thing. For another, bicycles are the fastest traffic on the trail, and neither horse *nor* rider may be prepared for those closing speeds. Having no actual experience with this, I would be inclined to give a holler so the rider can prepare themself and their horse for the cyclist's approach well ahead of time.

In the state parks where I live, cyclists are required to get off the trail and wait for horses to pass.

[Geonz]

All I could find online was stuff about trails, and it makes sense you have to be ten times as careful there. The roads here are on the prairie... there's generally a field on either side so the horse would even have some place to bolt - and the roads are ten times as wide as a trail.
All the horses I've encountered have been cool, calm and controlled (but that's about 5 all told, not counting Amish buggies). It helps to hear things from teh horse peoples' mouths, though

[CCinSC]

There's nothing better than the sight of the trail between two ears!!! I agree with everyone that stated to make it known you are there-on a bike or on a horse! I have also owned and trained horses for as long as I've been walking and I can tell you this, it hurts REALLY, REALLY bad to be dumped from a horse and drug or stomped on b/c the horse was spooked by a bike rider! And, yep it happened to me and on a "safe" horse . I must admit, I was VERY surprised by this mare's total freak out! I've seen people shoot off of her, do a drag bag of cans, rope cattle and completely ignore flags!

You'll all love this....the owner told me after we wrapped my bruised ribs "I forgot that she is terrified of bikes!" That little bit of info would have been very welcomed about 4 hrs earlier!

The point is this, a biker is safer than the horse rider so keep up the good work on letting your presence known and wait to know what the horse rider wants to do.

[OakLeaf]

In the state parks where I live, cyclists are required to get off the trail and wait for horses to pass.

horses are traveling faster than bicycles?

[btchance]

As a rider, what I would want the cyclist to do is start talking when they are still quite a distance away from me - no bells, no air horns, just your voice. Continue talking until you are past.

Move away from the horse as far as possible as long as it is still safe for the cyclist - try moving towards the center line. Slow down some - ie don't go flying by at 20mph, but you don't have to slow down to 5mph either.

Don't make a big deal out of it. Just let us know you're there and give us (and yourself - you want to be OUT of kick range) some room. As a rider, one or two cyclist close together won't be a big deal - my horses are used to bikes, mopeds, golf carts, cars, all that fun stuff. A peleton will be a bigger deal, but as long as you are respectful to the horse and rider, we should be responsible for ourself. (think what you would want as a cyclist with a car approaching, and use that as a guide - plus kick range, of course)

Hope that helps (says the owner of a couple of flighty horses who can jump at their own shadow)

Oh, and those horses sure are cute

[btchance]

Oh, and since we are showing pics, here is the latest addition - Maia. she is now 5mo and is withing half a hand of being the same height as her 3year old half sister (same dam). She's about 1day old in this pic.


The next is of my last show horse, Chance

[MillieNZ]

Oh, and since we are showing pics, here is the latest addition - Maia. she is now 5mo and is withing half a hand of being the same height as her 3year old half sister (same dam). She's about 1day old in this pic.


The next is of my last show horse, Chance

Too cute

I'm waiting very impatiently for my horse to foal..... she was due on 17th September, but in her true style, she's calling the shots and I'm still waiting...... Maybe tomorrow will be the day .....

Since we're sharing piccies, this was her last month with her baby bulge

[Tuckervill]

horses are traveling faster than bicycles?

No, when they are approaching each other. Obviously, it wouldn't be an issue of the mountain bikes are in front of the horses.

Karen