Cyclists and horse riders urged to look out for each other after girl's pony spooked

Tell me about these considerate equestrianist again...

Ah yes - clean up after your dog, but a horse "No problemo, your highness!"

I ride in the country a fair bit, and while every cyclist expects to see other cyclists and cars and even trucks on the lanes, some horse riders seem to exist in a fairyland all to themselves.

I could cite many examples, but most memorably was the young man (13?) on a huge horse, riding down the centre of the lane. I kept left and slowed, but as I approached, a sheet of paper blew out of the verge and spooked the horse. The rider had no ability to control the horse and I braced for a collision. Thankfully, they missed me, but really, horses are strange creatures with minds of their own. If they are unpredictable, or ridden by those unable to control them, they should remain on private land.

I use my bell (if a horse is spooked by a bell, see above) but a while ago I came up, very slowly, behind two riders (again, in the middle of the road) chatting up a storm. Bell - nothing. Bell - nothing. Finally "HELLO!" Oh - there's someone else on the road! I suppose if a horse had bolted, it would be my fault?

And on bridleways? Well, obviously the name says it all. They are supposed to be for horses only (some think).

Quote:

To be fair, there is quite a difference between the two excrements.

Not when it's being trodden through the carpet.

folks who ride bikes and folks who ride horses are on the same side and one incident, the details of which seem to be a little vague, does not represent some kind of tribal conflict between the two. I see lots of horses on the roads from children on ponies to professional riders on racehorses and never have any problems. We have more in common than divides us and horses are beautiful animals which I love to see on the roads when I go for a ride

Quote:

folks who ride bikes and folks who ride horses are on the same side

It's not about sides or tribes, or at least it shouldn't be.

Dave, it has to be remembered that horses are prey animals and herd animals.

As a herd it is instinctive for them to run when other members of the herd run. Add a good deal of training and you have either a racehorse or a cavalry charger.

As a prey animal, anything approaching from the rear, at speed is immediately regarded as a threat. How many wildlife documentaries have shown deer, zebra and all sorts of other animals being hunted, attacked and killed by big cats, where do the big cats attack from, usually 3/4 behind.

So, a cyclist, or multiples thereof approaching fast from behind kick the horses instincts into action. On a well trained and accustomed horse, nothing happens, on a spooky, or young horse, it can provoke a reaction.

I'm mildly surprised by the attitude of some fellow cyclists commenting on this.

I'm used to slowing down, waiting, and passing wide while driving a car around fellow cyclists. I think it's entirely reasonable to do the same thing when cycling around horses.

The code of conduct linked in the article suggests: "If possible, ask the horse rider if it is safe to pass before attempting to go by and call again if they haven’t heard you."

This is exactly what I've done when encountering horses in the past - ask if it's ok to pass, not just shout "coming through!" or something similar which seems rather rude and inconsiderate to me. You don't have a right to overtake when you want, whether it's safe or not, just the same as car drivers don't.

If I'm able to do so safely, I also switch off the bright flashing lights I have on my bike (there for the inattentive drivers) as I figure they might spook some horses. I then turn them back on at a safe distance, often round the next bend.

As a cyclist it seems surprising that some cyclists seem unable to empathise with the needs of other vulnerable road users.

That said, it does sound like the mother in the article was looking for someone to blame for her daughter getting injured, which is understandable but not necessarily just. It sounds like the cyclists behaved perfectly reasonably.

What I have never quite understood with horses is that they can be trained to charge into battle without getting distracted/spooked, yet they seem to struggle with routine distractions on roads. Perhaps an equestrian could enlighten me on why this is - there must be a reason!

Most of the time I have no issue. Bad horse riders/bad cyclists/bad motorists aside. A horse is a prey animal so it is an alert thing. It is usually aware you behind it long before the rider, its ingrained. Its the training of the horse and its behavior on the roads that is more of an unknown. Just treat it as its going to be nervous and you are covered. Saying that, I've had one put its head through my car window (we were stationary) and another bolting horse jump onto the roof of our car and destroy it (Parents were NOT impressed, it was brand new), thank god we had the sunroof closed (again, we were parked and stationary)...so deep down I hate the dumb animals being on our roads.

Surely the obvious solution is that, before any horse is allowed to go on the road, it should have to go out on a bicycle.

(although an even more obvious solution is for cyclists to be very sensitive around horses, which are large, unpredictable and often rather stupid)

10 year old girl on a big powerful unpredictable animal riding on a public road not sufficiently experienced or able to control her horse when it gets spooked. Father goes mental at cyclists! Sounds like the cyclists did everything reasonably possible in the situation.

Durrrr! The problem here is the Dad who allowed his 10 year old girl to ride such a powerful animal on a public road without her having sufficient skill or experience to properly control her animal. If the horse was of a nervous disposition he should not have allowed her to ride it. He is reckless with the safety of his daughter and other road users. Period.

The father is at fault here. He is angry with everyone, but himself. Grossly exaggerates what has happened to suit his own agenda to shift blame.

Don't normally have a problem with horses or horse riders, BUT the thing that horse riders NEVER do is clear up the shit their steeds leave on the road which can be lethal for other road users - cyclists and cars alike. Where several horses are being ridden together the road can resemble a shit fest. Lethal for other road users especially for cyclists if you hit the piles of it in either the dark or during the day especially if frozen it can easily cause you to come off and crash; also for cars causing a skid hazard. It is an offence to let fall and leave material on a public highway. At best horse shit is a menace and or at worst can have terrible consequences for other road users. The riders/owners should have to clear it off the road/path like dog owners now have to do with their animals shit. Why not have a bag under the horse's backside as in times past?

Can't help wondering if, since Mr Burton thought it was Ok for his daughter to ride an animal which she had no hope of controling if it bolted, Mr Burton would be happy for his 10 year old daughter to cycle along that road. Probably not.

Pehaps it time for horses to be tested before they can be taken onto roads and mixed with traffic to stop things like this happening.

really couldn't make this up

http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/Siogn-banning-cyclist-road-near-Win...

The sign isn't actually near Winchcombe, it is near Alstone, which is next to Teddington, ie round the corner from the above accident, literally around the corner! Not sure where the second sign is, but fairly certain that we would have passed the signs on Saturday morning...

So, what is the definitive way of dealing with a tonne of easily spooked animal being ridden by one of the privileged classes (disclaimer: 'probably' a member of the privileged classes)?

Do we ring a bell or not? Do we call out or not? I encounter horses quite a lot - there's a commercial stables in the village - and I've been told off by riders for ringing a bell, for not ringing a bell, for calling out, for being too quiet, for being too fast, for being too slow, for being too near, and for wearing hi viz (apparently all of these things scare the horses). As far as I can tell, cars are OK, though.

I always shout a warning of "Cyclist" and ride as far across the other side of the road as safe to do so when passing, and usually get a thank you from the rider.

Some horse riders could also help themselves a bit more by looking behind them occasional, not just when they hear an engine, and I've lost count of the number of times I've seen a horse rider enter the road from an off road position without looking to see if there's anything coming.

I can't really see what more the cyclists could have done... they acted reasonably & in consideration. They slowed down & then stopped for 15 mins ! These things happen & Mr Burton &/or the media are looking for a story/someone to blame.

I've heard it was just one very fast ginger bloke, gingerbloke... doing around 54.526kmh

Funny how things get reported elsewhere, 40 bikes now 5-6 abreast...!!

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/girl-falls-hack-cyclists-spook-pony-497369

>We just want to raise concerns that more accidents will occur if large packs of bikes continue to use small village roads.

PACKS OF BIKES

LOL

I always shout “cyclist” when approaching and slow down….I get a smile and a “Good morning” from the usually attractive lady upon the said nag, And we both go about our day.

Much better response from the laaydeeees than I used to get at the discothèque

Sometimes shit happens. This seems one of those times.

Having said that horses do worry me a tad. The rider essentially has ZERO control if that horse decides to freak out because it doesn't like the look of a leaf that's just blown past.

I read the code of conduct for cyclists and it seems sensible enough. Some horses spook more easily when they see a recumbent, so when I approach from the rear I always call ahead and warn the rider that I'm on an unusual bike. Never had a problem so far & the riders are always appreciative.