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Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 11:15am
by Bicycler
Either way I don't think the logic is sound. We don't differentiate between transport and leisure use of our highways for any other vehicle. Why should a horse be an exception? The "nobody does so nobody has a right to" argument has unfortunate parallels for cyclists on main roads. Is it a case of the smaller the minority, the lesser the rights?

I don't object to a bit of dung on the highway. As has been said, it is mostly harmless unlike some other animals' excretions. A normal part of rural life like the cow pat on a public footpath. What next, nappies for cows? That brings up another question. Where animals are driven down a public road are they obliged to be suitably diapered? I can imagine a local farmer fitting and removing many of the things daily.

Also, can I add undertakers to the list of occupations still using horses.

BTW, not everybody would welcome poo bags. I know someone who gets her neighbours to keep a look out for horse poo down the lane and keeps a shovel to collect it. As she is getting older neighbours have been known to turn up at her door having collected the stuff for her :)

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 12:01pm
by [XAP]Bob
Psamathe wrote:I suspect as with so many things it can come down to individuals

--8<---

you get considerate and inconsiderate cyclists, drivers, horse riders, motorcyclists, bus drivers, pedestrians, etc.

And I firmly believe the roads should be available for as many different activities as possible (i.e. not for the exclusive use of any one group).

+1

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 12:16pm
by freeflow
I'm happy for horse riders to stop and pick up droppings if car drivers also do the same for thier exhaust :shock: . We shouldn't differentiate because one is an avoidable solid lump and the other is an unavoidable gas/particulate suspension.

I've always thought that pollution problems from cars could be solved overnight. All we have to do is pass legislation to require the exhaust to be vented into the drivers face :lol: :lol: :lol: .

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 1:33pm
by Si
[XAP]Bob wrote:
Si wrote:
They serve no purpose other than for sport or racing.

Oh the irony of a cyclist asking this :lol:

How many people use a horse as regular transport? I've never seen one tied up outside a supermarket, whereas I often see bikes tied up there.



It's not the numbers, it's the perception.....after all, only poor people and wierdos use bikes for regular transport. Normal people use cars. After all, bikes are totally useless for any trip over a mile or so, and any trip that involves busier roads, or riding in bad weather, or where you have to carry anything, or where you need office clothes, etc.

In reality people ride horses to increase their social, mental and physical health, helps them engage with the environment around them in a much more direct way, and because it's a lot of fun. The use of horses also supports conservation (i.e. it's green). There is also a thriving economy based upon horse use. None of this has to be based on sport or racing. Now, as you can easily substitute 'bike' for 'horse' here, I do find it ironic that a cyclist should consider horses only good for racing and sport.

As for tied up outside a supermarket...dunno, but I bet there is still a good few packaged up inside :wink:

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 1:58pm
by [XAP]Bob
Si wrote:As for tied up outside a supermarket...dunno, but I bet there is still a good few packaged up inside :wink:

Bit close to the truth there...

I wan't suggesting that they shouldn't be allowed for transport - that'd be ridiculous - although I can see where that can be read into what was said.

When I used to have more to do with stables they were generally happy for people to take manure away - it saves disposal...

Unfortunately for travellers in general the memorable ones round here leave horse droppings on the path (they're OK), but also both canine and human faeces (they're not). In addition to the property damage wrought by their offspring.

There is one traveller family who just park up and disturb no-one, leaving a small pile of rubbish near the bins when they leave. But the memory of the other group is much stronger.

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 2:03pm
by Flinders
Si wrote:
In reality people ride horses to increase their social, mental and physical health, helps them engage with the environment around them in a much more direct way, and because it's a lot of fun. The use of horses also supports conservation (i.e. it's green). There is also a thriving economy based upon horse use. None of this has to be based on sport or racing. Now, as you can easily substitute 'bike' for 'horse' here, I do find it ironic that a cyclist should consider horses only good for racing and sport.

As for tied up outside a supermarket...dunno, but I bet there is still a good few packaged up inside :wink:


Agreed. :wink:

Horses have to be exercised to keep fit, including at times when bridleways are too muddy and arenas are waterlogged. We can just put our bikes away for a few days if the weather is bad without the bike finding it difficult to work when we next take it out, or more prone to damage/injury. That's not so for a horse. This winter a lot of arenas were waterlogged for weeks on end, as the water table became so high. 'Roadwork', (as riding on the road is called) helps to 'harden' a horse's legs (i.e., make them fit and strong, just as we're encouraged to do exercise that is high impact to strengthen our leg bones). Also, horses that have had an injury may need weeks, even months, of slow (walking) roadwork to help repair an injury in some cases. Many riders do take road safety tests for riding on roads, incidentally.

Riders and cyclists should work together to get roads to be safer for everyone. We suffer from many of the same problems, bad provision, driver aggression, etc. We can't afford to let other people 'divide and rule' us just because a few individuals have poor manners or may make bad judgements. That means we have to try to understand each other, if we can. We certainly can't afford to question their right to be on the road, that's displaying the same attitude some bad drivers sometimes show towards cyclists and quite rightly we don't like it when it's applied to us. I no longer ride on the road, because my riding school won't let pupils do it due to bad driving and poor infrastructure; when it is necessary, staff do it. We don't want cycling going that way. It's the thin end of the wedge.

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 2:09pm
by Mick F
I was off on a ride this morning, and whizzing along the lanes. :D
On one part, narrow, but just wide enough for cars to pass each other, I saw a horse and rider coming towards me.

I mind immediately went to this thread! Funny how the forum get to you like that.
I stood my ground, noted my speed (17.5mph) and carried on cheerfully. The horse walked briskly and the ride sat tall in the saddle.

We passed. I didn't slow down, and as I whizzed past I called out a cheery "Good morning!".
The lady rider smiled and replied equally cheerily. The horse remained silent on the matter but never broke step.

Excellent.
That's the way it should be.

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 3:07pm
by DavidT
The best advice I ever received regarding horses, from a cycling perspective, (and from a very keen horse riding family member - MickF has probably cycled past her countless times over the years... :wink: ), is to call out with a friendly hello, good morning - or whatever, when approaching from behind. The horse can recognise a human voice and will relax, whilst a sudden appearance, with strange wheel/tarmac, gearshift sounds may serve to unerve it a bit.

Meanwhile from a driving point of view, I was always advised to give the widest birth possible, as you don't want to be in the way - in a car or otherwise, if a horse loses control. (So sympathies to the OP)

I will always remember in my IAM test, during my commentary I mentioned the need to take care approaching a horse on the brow of the hill which seemed to "have a few problems with reverse". I thought my comment was both good observation, and quite funny, but there was no reaction at all from the examiner. :oops:

I once saw a horse genuinely spooked by a recumbent - I think I raised it on here. Apparently IIRC recumbents are more likely to spook a horse - something to do with being very unrecognisable and too similar to potential predators.

I ride in area with many horseriders and relationships tend to be excellent. :D

Happy cycling

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 5:13pm
by yakdiver
Talking of horses, the other day while out on a cycle path I came across three loads of horses poos, it really *... me off so I sent an email to the council, hour later saying they have a sent out someone to clean it up, but the .... rides should do it <rant over>.

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 5:31pm
by Mick F
I often ride up on Dartmoor, and horses, ponies, cattle, sheep are everywhere especially near the roadside. 40mph limit on the moor.
Cars whiz past them, busses and lorries too, and cyclists struggle up the hills one way, or fly past down the other way.

Do the horses, ponies, cattle or sheep notice?
Not a jot. They are wise to it all.

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 6:26pm
by 661-Pete
[XAP]Bob wrote:How many people use a horse as regular transport? I've never seen one tied up outside a supermarket, whereas I often see bikes tied up there.
I occasionally pass a family jogging along in a pony-and-trap, along some of the quieter lanes in our neighbourhood. To my mind a most civilised way of getting around - almost as civilised as cycling that is! Never seen them parked up outside the supermarket, not yet, but maybe the day will come!

Si wrote:As for tied up outside a supermarket...dunno, but I bet there is still a good few packaged up inside :wink:
Of course, over in France, no need for all this subterfuge, pretending they're beefburgers and all that stuff. In our local Leclerc over there, the section of the meat counter labelled "cheval" is plain for all to see...

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 7:10pm
by Flinders
Mick F wrote:I was off on a ride this morning, and whizzing along the lanes. :D
On one part, narrow, but just wide enough for cars to pass each other, I saw a horse and rider coming towards me.

I mind immediately went to this thread! Funny how the forum get to you like that.
I stood my ground, noted my speed (17.5mph) and carried on cheerfully. The horse walked briskly and the ride sat tall in the saddle.

We passed. I didn't slow down, and as I whizzed past I called out a cheery "Good morning!".
The lady rider smiled and replied equally cheerily. The horse remained silent on the matter but never broke step.

Excellent.
That's the way it should be.

TBH, Mick, as someone who rides, I'd pass/cross a horse I didn't know a wee bit slower than that, just in case it was a youngster or something. But yes, that's how it should be :wink:

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 7:16pm
by Flinders
DavidT wrote:
I will always remember in my IAM test, during my commentary I mentioned the need to take care approaching a horse on the brow of the hill which seemed to "have a few problems with reverse". I thought my comment was both good observation, and quite funny, but there was no reaction at all from the examiner. :oops:

. :D



You were dead right. Horses can reverse 'under orders' with a rider on board, but only slowly and one step at a time. And it requires a bit of training, surprisingly enough. (It's called 'rein-back').
If a horse is going backwards at any speed, that's going to be the horse's decision not the rider's, and something is very wrong. You were very right to be cautious! :shock:

Of course, bikes aren't great at reverse either, another thing we have in common.... :wink:

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 7:41pm
by TonyR
[XAP]Bob wrote:We are no more obliged to dismount than they are, although I give a very wide berth - horses and 'bents don't mix well generally.


Not dismount exactly but if you are on a bridleway you are required to give way to people riding horses. (s30(1) of the Countryside Act 1968). So it depends on what the OP meant by "a lane"

Re: Horse Riders

Posted: 11 Aug 2014, 7:46pm
by 661-Pete
From my experience, the first sign that there's big trouble ahead, is if the horse suddenly turns around in the road. Presumably instinct tells it to put its back to danger. And remember that horses kick backwards!