How much consideration for horses?

Easy_Rider":397z4ohp said:
Isn't the order of right of way, walker, cyclist, horse?

No, cyclists give way to horses and walkers, horses give way to walkers. Walkers do what the hell they like and have the right to incessantly moan about the damage that horses and cyclists do to the 'trails'.
 
Russell":3f1lpge9 said:
Easy_Rider":3f1lpge9 said:
Isn't the order of right of way, walker, cyclist, horse?

No, cyclists give way to horses and walkers, horses give way to walkers. Walkers do what the hell they like and have the right to incessantly moan about the damage that horses and cyclists do to the 'trails'.

oh right, seems a bit silly that way round, horse being much bigger and can cause much more damage :?

My second point, isn't it just a highway code i.e especially on the trail, there is no real legal requirement to give way, just a code as such. :?:
 
We get alot of horses on the shared paths around here, best thing i've found is to give a cheery good morning or afternoon and let the Horse known youre a person - also i've met a couple of snobby riders and a cheery hello gets up their noses better than reinforcing their view of riders. Must say we seem quite lucky around here though. 99% of riders seem spot on and to be honest some arn't bad scenery either.
If they can't control their horses then they shouldn't be on public rights of way - simples
 
There is no way a 12 year old girl can control an animal that weighs twenty times what she does. If it was up to me, you'd have to be licensed to ride a horse, just as you do with a motorbike.
 
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My wife has horses, she says thats more than enough room. If the group were riding out from a riding centre with someone 'in charge' then there should have been someone capable and responsible at the front and the rear of the group. If the leader was in any doubt of the temprement of the ponies she should have stopped the group and dismounted.
The wifes advice is that when approaching from the rear a cheery hello from about 30m is great just to let the horse know you are there :wink:
 
i too am scared of horses and try to give them a wide berth. my practice is to let them know i am there as early as possible and pass wide and slow. i have a "mate" who hates horses and riders with a passion (he's an inverse snob who fails to realise that poor people ride horses as well as the rich") and he treats them with contempt. it is so embarassing i wont ride with him anymore.

around my new local trails there is a rich farming family who own some woods so there are regularly horses around. the majority of the riders are spot on and appreciate that you have slowed down for them. there is one guy however that clearly thinks his family still own the village.

i am more concerned with the welfare of the horse than the rider to be honest. as a rider you must know the risks involved. it cant be pleasant for a horse dealing with unexpected bikes.

i really think you did exactly what you should have done
 
In times gone by, when horses were the main form of transport, was the air filled with people cheerily shouting "hello" to warn each other :?

I feel a lot of horses are taken out onto public rights of way far too early, also I think some horse riders attitudes is that they are their trails not the public but these give the nice ones a bad name

edit: I also believe that if the rider is nervous then the horse will naturally be nervous too.
 
Thanks for your observations and reassurance - a few comments:

a. aside from the leader and support, these were really quite small riders - a good riding school will give them only the most placid horses to ride, a not so good school might take a chance with a slightly flightier horse

b. I agree with the cheery hello, but 30 metres is quite a long way away anyway, and in this case there was a strong wind against, so it would have been difficult to make myself heard unless if I had shouted at the top of my voice, which might have defeated the object

c. if this had been a trail not a field, I wouldn't try to overtake, but nor would I think it necessary to hang back 30 metres - 10 metres seems enough to me, if the horses are fit to be ridden by small children.

I agree with the view that some horseriders seem to feel superior, partly because they are wealthy and partly just being so high off the ground and literally talking down to you. But on the other hand, the majority of horseriders are the most considerate and civilised of all the users of the countryside in my experience.
 
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