Spooking horses - urban legend?

[m.eliza]

I've heard in the past that when you are crossing an equestrian's path on a bike, you should get off the bike and walk. I guess the theory is that the horse may not recognize that you are human when on a bike and could get spooked and buck their rider off. Well I encountered two people on horses for the first time the other day. I was in the middle of a relatively steep climb and really didn't want to stop, but I braked anyway and started to slow down, just as the woman on the first horse gave me an encouraging smile that seemed to say, "It's okay, keep riding!" I stayed on the bike and neither horse seemed to notice me. I'm wondering now if the whole spooking horses thing is just a myth or if the horses around here are just so used to seeing cyclists that they never bat an eyelash. Has anyone else had any unusual experiences when bikes and horses cross paths?

[roguedog]

All depends on the horse and how urbanize they are, that is, how used to urban "things" they are.

Horses are herd animals and they are are always on the look out for predators or anything that might be a predator. Some horses are just more skittish than others.

When in doubt, it'd better to assume that since you are moving up on them quickly you may be considered a predator which could cause the horse to fly or freak out in some way. When in doubt, it's safer for all to appear "safe" and either stop or at the very least move slowly.

Just my 2 cents

[shootingstar]

I've followed similar advice like rogue's, from my dearie. He used to have several horses --once upon a time before cycling bug bit him.

And it cheeses off dearie when horse riders use the same path as cyclists. He actually thinks alot of horses don't really belong on multi-purpose paths.

Except for police horses.

[zoom-zoom]

I rode by a pasture maybe a week ago and a horse was all excited to race me alongside the fence. I think we were both bummed when the fence at the end of the pasture prevented him from continuing. I may go back there and do some back-and-forth intervals if he shows interest in a race, again.

I ride by a lot of farms with horses. They either ignore me completely or look intrigued. None have ever expressed any obvious fear or apprehension.

[ny biker]

I don't think it's worth the risk of learning the hard way. Horses are big.

[mudmucker]

I come across horses in the woods when I mt bike sometimes or if I'm in a state forest. Each horse will be different. If in close quarters like the woods, when I do come across one coming in the opposite direction I come to a complete stop no questions asked. I sit on my bike and wait until the rider lets me know that either this horse is ok with it or not. I yell out and make the rider tell me. I don't want to be guessing what the facial expression of the rider might be at distance or guess what the horse might do. If come up behind them suddenly I slow down and call out to them with enough distance in between warning them there is a bike rider behind them and if it is ok to pass. Same if out on pavement. I've done this and a few times and they yell back saying the horse is skittish so I let them stop the horse and prepare, then I slowly ride by without any sudden moves. I've ridden a lot and I've been on horses that freak when a silly little plastic bag or tumbleweed grass blows by and on some riding near roads where big roaring motorcycles go by and they aren't fazed a bit.

[jessmarimba]

I spooked one in an arena beside one of our trails the other day...when I was walking. I'm generally pretty cautious when I see them and I'm riding on the trail, but I've never been able to figure out what to do when running the same direction they're going. They don't let me by, but running by them is frowned upon, so...? Usually I just decide I'm at the halfway point and turn around, but sometimes I need a longer run.

[m.eliza]

I rode by a pasture maybe a week ago and a horse was all excited to race me alongside the fence. I think we were both bummed when the fence at the end of the pasture prevented him from continuing. I may go back there and do some back-and-forth intervals if he shows interest in a race, again.

Awesome! Sounds like a great training opportunity

[pumpkinpony]

I usually ask if the rider would like me on or off the bike. I've had both responses. Some riders will get off the path and tell us to go by, others will ask for us to stay put as they ride by. The last few I've encountered asked that we talk to the horses so they would recognize us as people. I'm never in such a rush on the trails that I can't stop for a few minutes and admire the horseflesh.

[MillieNZ]

My horse would spook if she doesn't hear or see a bike coming, particularly from behind...........so if i heard the bike before she did then I would turn her to face the cyclist, then she'd be fine...... saying that I wouldn't ride her on the roads because she was a little unpredictable.......... on trails I could also move her right out of the way...........

Most cyclist that I encountered were considerate when passing us........ likewise I'd slow or stop if I met a horse whilst on my bike

[loopybunny]

It's totally going to depend on the horse, but I know when I'm hiking and I come across them, I usually move off the trail and stop while they pass.

I have some friends and family that are horse people and I know enough that I know I don't want to be on the receiving end of one of their kicks.

In related news, I spooked a goat today while riding. I hit a bump and my bike made a loud creaking sound. The goat must have jumped a foot strait into the air. Poor little guy.

[lph]

In general horses can handle both noise and movement well, but they don't like sudden noise or movement, and are very wary of anything unusual. If I am approaching horses on a bike I slow down in advance, make sure I'm visible, moving steadily and making some sort of regular sound. If my bike is quiet or the wind is against me I'll talk to them and keep talking as I move past. Horses like predictable Some horses will actually spook more at "discovering" something strange waiting quietly alongside the road, than something moving.

[Catrin]

This is an interesting thread. Having never been around horses, ever, this is useful information. There are a lot of horse farms in the area where I ride and while I've never seem them outside of their fences that doesn't mean that I won't meet a rider some day.

[Crankin]

I've encountered horses and riders on the street, also. I think I generally went by at my regular speed, but went around the horse wide. The riders tended to slow and/or stop the horse. I just wanted to get away from the horse as quickly as I could, as a person who generally is afraid of any animal. The riders did signal me to go on, as I tried to give direct eye contact. The only time I've encountered horses on local trails is when I've been hiking and believe me, I froze and let the horse pass.

[7rider]

When I've encountered folks on horses on trails (in the woods, that is), I talk to them as I approach.
First, is the call out to any cyclists behin me: "Horses up."
Then, I slow down and ask the rider how the horse handles bikes, say "lovely day to be outside, isn't it?" - stuff like that. I let the rider tell me if their horse is okay around bikes, and respond appropriately. I had a friend who had a horse and her take was that the horse doesn't necessarily recognize this wheeled contraption with a funny hat as human. If a voice comes out of it that is more or less human, then that usually puts them at ease (in her experience anyway).
I've never seen horses on MUTs and rarely on the street. The Mall in Washington DC is an exception, but I'm usually not on my bike, and those police horses are selected for duty as being well tolerant of crazy humans and their pesky ways. Aside: I once saw a video of horses being prepped for duty for the Obama inauguration - they were walked through a barn of screaming, yelling volunteers, getting into the faces of the horses. The animals just quietly sauntered through like it was nothing. Pretty neat.