What Do YOU Do When You Encounter an Equestrian on a Trail?

[unterhausen]

Originally Posted by benb

Around where I live if you encounter a horse it's probably a very wealthy person playing dress up and they are not in very good control of their horse and don't necessarily even know their horse well as they pay someone else to take care of it. So you better be really careful, and they are probably going to be A-holes to you.

Originally Posted by windsurfer

Well in my last encounter I stopped, moved off the trail about 20' to stand behind a tree and still got yelled at an lectured about how I need to keep clear. I asked what else I should have done and her reply was to yell "stay out of my way" My response was that if I was a problem for her, she probably shouldn't be on that trail since there will be many more cyclists, all of which would be less accommodating.

I was riding on a forest road a while back and heard a horse around the corner. So I got off my bike and started walking. The rider asked the person walking with them if I was supposed to be there. The other person said yes, but it shows the entitlement.

The incident that's going to inform my treatment of horse riders until something changes my mind was on the Swatara trail. A group of 5 riders was approaching me at a distance, and one of the horses reared. That horse was too far away to be doing that, so it's irresponsible to ride it on a trail that tight. As a courtesy, I got off my bike and walked, which turned out to be a long way. One of the buffoons in the group hectored me as they went past. Not a single word of thanks from any of them. I still can't believe it, and part of me wishes I had ridden closer to them to cause a little more mayhem. I was in no danger whatsoever at that distance.

[benb]

I volunteered some years ago at a farm locally because they offered PTSD horse programs for veterans. (This was through work, where we tend to do some sort of community service 1-2 days a year).

That place was like $300/hr for your kids to go there for the normal programs, and the horses were cooped up in a field that wasn't more than 1-1.5 acres. Which probably means they weren't that happy. (We rebuilt their fence!) These are animals which roam over huge distances normally, although they have been effected by humans for thousands of years. It's probably akin to keeping killer whales in pools in some sense.

But a 2 acre Pen here probably costs $2M just for the land alone.

We got an invite to their charity Gala at the end of the year because we had helped out but didn't go cause it was $10,000 a plate!

[glepore]

Originally Posted by benb

Around where I live if you encounter a horse it's probably a very wealthy person playing dress up and they are not in very good control of their horse and don't necessarily even know their horse well as they pay someone else to take care of it. So you better be really careful, and they are probably going to be A-holes to you. I think this is almost 100% where this whole thing comes from.

You probably say the same about the guy on the 15k new Madone who is on the back of the ride.

There are dorks in every activity you can possibly think or.

[robt57]

Horses are way more used to human voice than mechanical bike noises. So I speak loudly albeit calmly making conversation with pilot soonest. Technically they should yield to you, but like cars on road, you can only loose contact. Right of way not withstanding.

[Alistair]

Originally Posted by robt57

Technically they should yield to you,

Where is this? I’ve always heard that everybody on trail yields to horses, for all the reasons mentioned so far.

https://nuxx.net/files/mtb_trail_cou...ld_sign_v1.png

[benb]

Originally Posted by glepore

You probably say the same about the guy on the 15k new Madone who is on the back of the ride.

There are dorks in every activity you can possibly think or.

The clueless cyclist doesn't scream at everyone and make the group stop so he can ride alone.

That's all anyone gets upset about.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Alistair

Where is this? I’ve always heard that everybody on trail yields to horses, for all the reasons mentioned so far.

https://nuxx.net/files/mtb_trail_cou...ld_sign_v1.png

I could be thinking of my most traveled MUTT here. Horses allowed, but signage shows they need to yield to all. It is paved so when I see some one on a horse there I have to wonder why they'd want to be around busy Ped and Bike use path frankly.

[Likes2ridefar]

I encounter horses occasionally both wild and domesticated on my rides.

Ive never seen a trail that shows rules that doesn’t say a cyclist yields to a horse. I just ring my bell and communicate. They either step off the trail or I do… some people ask me to talk as I pass by but usually not.

[fourflys]

so my kid does english riding, hunter/jumper for those in the know.. they ride primarily inside an arena and they horse they half-lease is something like 18 y/o and has been a show horse for many years. I say all of this to say the horse if very calm and very well-trained. I have seen this horse startle at a plastic bag or a white rain sheet on another horse through the trees (ghosts)..

horses are all different personalities and can/will react different, esp to things they are not used to.. they can be moody or just weird some days.. just like people.. Now, one of that excuses a horse rider from being an A-hole to other trail users.. I'm a huge believer that if your horse isn't used to being outside an arena, around different users, you need to slowly expose that horse to that environment at slower use times.. we, as riders, still need to pay heed to a horse on the trail. When I was in San Diego, I rode in a park that would have several horse riders.. I would announce my presence well ahead of time if I was coming from behind and, 90% of the time, had a very good interaction.. but holes are gonna a-hole 100% of the time, unfortunately..

give a little grace, accept a little adversity from folks.. we're just out riding a bike for fun after all..

but yes, horse owners typically have a LOT more pull than bike riders in any given area.. and I've only seen all other trail users yield to horses signage..

[tellyho]

I have definitely spooked a horse before I knew better. It was scary to watch but luckily not injurious for the rider. I always dismount and communicate with the rider(s). All of them have been unfailingly polite, in my experience, but there is really only one place where I encounter horses and we all know it's a busy state park.

Now, dog owners....

[benb]

When in doubt be careful of course.

That is my default behavior, everything I said was just based on the experiences of the really skilled equestrians saying it was not necessary, whether that was on the trail or things like the draft horses in the city.

Be careful by default and see if you get lucky and they say it's not necessary.

Horses that are cooped up and expected to live/work indoors.. probably going to be even more skittish since that's not their nature. Then you take them out with a rider who isn't their primary care taker and isn't hanging out with the horse a lot every day and that makes the horse even more uncomfortable.

You can argue they are not intended to travel in trailers and a lot of the horses you encounter in a park on a trail got transported there jammed in a trailer and bounced along the roads so they're probably stressed by the time they get to the trailhead.

Sure the horse people will say none of that is true.. and everything is peachy but is it really? See the olympic scandal about the horses getting whipped.

[fourflys]

Originally Posted by benb

Sure the horse people will say none of that is true.. and everything is peachy but is it really? See the olympic scandal about the horses getting whipped.

yep, we've moved barns a couple of times because the trainer we really like didn't like how the first barn owner (mostly a lesson business) ran their horses.. and we really like this trainer, so..

[pwgoode]

Originally Posted by jamesdak

Well I know this is a useless point to make for many here but there really is not any health danger from horse poop and it's actually good for the environment.

"Horse manure is a solid waste excluded from federal EPA solid waste regulation because it neither contains significant amounts of hazardous chemicals, nor exhibits hazardous characteristics. The chemical constituents of horse manure are not toxic to humans."

Now that said, and this is coming from someone raised on a horse farm, it is a "pain" to encounter it on the trail in some ways.

While not toxic, I'm guessing it has some bacteria that I wouldn't want to get stuck on me or my water bottle and accidentally ingest.

I always stop and step off the trail when I encounter horses and let them pass regardless of the circumstances. Makes for good relations between the user groups. Most horseback riders appreciate that and say so. I do feel like horseback riders have some responsibility to acclimate their horses to situations that they might encounter on the trail or road. For their safety and the horse's safety.

[verticaldoug]

Originally Posted by benb

When in doubt be careful of course.

That is my default behavior, everything I said was just based on the experiences of the really skilled equestrians saying it was not necessary, whether that was on the trail or things like the draft horses in the city.

Be careful by default and see if you get lucky and they say it's not necessary.

Horses that are cooped up and expected to live/work indoors.. probably going to be even more skittish since that's not their nature. Then you take them out with a rider who isn't their primary care taker and isn't hanging out with the horse a lot every day and that makes the horse even more uncomfortable.

You can argue they are not intended to travel in trailers and a lot of the horses you encounter in a park on a trail got transported there jammed in a trailer and bounced along the roads so they're probably stressed by the time they get to the trailhead.

Sure the horse people will say none of that is true.. and everything is peachy but is it really? See the olympic scandal about the horses getting whipped.

I'd be surprised if a real horse person will say anything is definitive without caveats. At best it depends on a lot of little variables.

For a lot of disciplines, the best horses and best riders become quite narrow in focus. Riding styles vary lot between disciplines,

Here in the UK, we have about 70 horses a year get killed by cars. We have about a hundred cyclists a year get killed by cars. Equestrians have been a good group to work with walkers and cyclists to get traffic laws changed to help protect vulnerable users. Although, recent statistics show it hasn't helped stem the rise in bad behavior post-covid.

Most accidents are caused by drivers passing too close. I've actually been hit by a mirror on a car while riding my bike from a driver looking at his phone. Imagine what that must feel like when a driver's mirror catches your stirrup and yanks you sideways in your saddle.

I'm sure you've seen the calvary horses that bolted in London and ended up hurting themselves quite badly.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...in-break-loose

[Spaghetti Legs]

I tend to cover up or turn off my blinkie front light if I have one. Always seemed to me something that might spook a horse.