Bad driving shockingly common around horses too

[Kim]

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/38-riders-222-horses-killed-britains-roads-bbc-breakfast-highlights-shocking-statistics-617143

I've no idea what the annual horse mileage is, so can't make much of that headline statistic.  But the story is familiar and depressing.


Anecdotally, most drivers I see make an effort to keep clear of horses that cyclists can only dream of, but I can remember a few incidents where they've demonstrated either a spectacular lack of equine clue, horrendous misjudgment of passing distance or simply not giving a crap.  Drivers of larger vehicles seem to be particularly afflicted, for some reason - perhaps because a horse looks less intimidating from a higher driving position?

[LMT]

With respect to horses this averages out at roughly one death every two weeks. Horrific.

[TheLurker]

Hate to say it, but I see quite a lot of too close/fast passing of horses by cyclists. I don't think most people have a clue how easy it is to scare a horse.  As usual it's not the vehicle that's the problem.

[Kim]

A plastic bag.  That's how easy it is to scare a horse.  As prey animals, they've evolved to run away first and ask questions later, and their competence at running is a big part of what makes them useful to humans.  I'm the least horsey person I know, and even I know that (though I accept I have specialist cycling-enthusiast knowledge).

I know I sometimes get startled by cyclists sneaking up on me in my blind spot.  Doing that to a horse is just plain suicidal.  I wonder if people have no appreciation for how dangerous a spooked horse can be.  It's hard to go through life without a) seeing video of horses running and jumping, even if you've never actually met one  and  b) knowing what a horseshoe is  but then most people have probably seen an HGV go round a corner at some point too, but fail to extrapolate that to the risk posed by being close to one.

Like the bicycle, if the horse was invented today, it wouldn't be legal to ride one on the road.

[Whitedown Man]

My technique is to shout a cheery good morning / afternoon whist still 10 or 20 metres behind - don't think I've ever done this without the rider turning and saying thank you.

[DaveReading]

My technique is to shout a cheery good morning / afternoon whist still 10 or 20 metres behind

I normally say "good morning (afternoon), horse", so that he knows I'm talking to him.

[mcshroom]

I accidentally spooked a horse yesterday cycling over Cold Fell. There was a group of riders joining a Bridleway after a downhill cattle grid. They were well off the road, heading away from me, and due to a wall next to the grid I hadn't noticed them*. Unfortunately the noise of me rattling over the bars startled one of the horses and I saw it jump around a bit

Usually I slow right down and talk to the horse and rider before passing.

*Though to be fair I really should have twigged the couple people I could see must have been pretty tall.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I wonder if the death figure for horses isn't increased by our habit of shooting horses when they're severely injured? Not that this makes anything any better; more that if we extended the coup de grace from the medieval battlefield to the modern roadside, there would be 222 riders killed too.

[hellymedic]

I suspect several of the horses that have died will have been lone ponies in the New Forest, so will have had no rider.

[Veloman]

My technique is to shout a cheery good morning / afternoon whist still 10 or 20 metres behind

I normally say "good morning (afternoon), horse", so that he knows I'm talking to him.

I/We sing Rawhide when we approach behind the horse and apologise as we go past for lack of originality!

[vorsprung]

It's my impression that horses don't see a lot of bikes and a quiet, fast thing coming up behind in their blind spot seems like a threat

I shout "bicycle overtaking" as soon as I am in shout range

I give them as much room as possible

I will slow up usually.  Sometimes this doesn't work, if it would mean applying squeaky brakes then probably the horse wouldn't like that

I always say "hello hoss" to the horse.  And sometimes "good afternoon" to the riders

Despite all this, on numerous occasions I've had grief from posh, clueless fuckers.   The rule that there are idiots on the road regardless of what they are on (bike, car, van, horse) holds true.   

A skittish horse isn't too blame, the rider is.  The rider is on a horse they can't really control in traffic

Most stupid comment from horse rider:  "you shouldn't wear hi viz, it scares my horse"

[SteveC]

Most stupid comment from horse rider:  "you shouldn't wear hi viz, it scares my horse"

I have met dogs which go crazy at the sight of hi-viz. There's a Jack Russel down the road from us who is quite happy when he sees me, unless I'm wearing hi-viz when he goes absolutely berserk. But so many horse riders wear hi-viz these days you'd have thought that would be a real problem if one can't cope with it.

FWIW, I was advised by a friend who rides to get an use a bell, but to do so when a reasonable distance away. Once the rider knows you're there they can sort the horse and give advice if needed.

[Kim]

FWIW, I was advised by a friend who rides to get an use a bell, but to do so when a reasonable distance away. Once the rider knows you're there they can sort the horse and give advice if needed.

IME the horse usually tells the rider that you're there.

Wind and motors aside, they can hear you from quite a distance with a loudish speaking voice, no need to shout.

I'd be reluctant to use a bell, for fear that the horse may react like some pedestrians do...

[DuncanM]

Today as we were approaching a horse in a group of 6 cyclists, we slowed down, so the car behind us overtook us and the horse really loudly! 
What can you do?

[De Sisti]

I know I sometimes get startled by cyclists sneaking up on me in my blind spot. 

I've had the same experience, so I bought one of these.
When I approach a rider on a horse I always something like "Slow cyclist approaching 30 yards away, 20, 10, mornin'/aft'noon).
It's always appreciated by them.

[Kim]

I know I sometimes get startled by cyclists sneaking up on me in my blind spot. 

I've had the same experience, so I bought one of these.

I've got mirrors, but as the seat restricts your shoulder movement recumbents have blind spots much like cars do; the bike-sized segment where something has moved out of the range of your mirror, but not yet appeared in your peripheral vision.  It's a favourite hiding spot for fast roadies who overtake with a cheerful 'good morning' when you're daydreaming your way up a bastard hill, and for impatient London commuters who have no idea about the braking dynamics of recumbents, who will likely crash into you if you perform an emergency stop.

I find it's less of a problem on the uprights, as I tend to look around more (and I'm not going to massively out-brake another bike).  Dragging things back on topic, horses tend to be less twitchy around upright bikes, too, as they've probably met them before.

[Vince]

About 30 years ago I was on a club run that got decimated by a startled horse. No bad injuries fortunately, but as a result I alway approach horses slowly and with the expectation they will do something unpredictable.

[ElyDave]

came upon a horse and rider yesterday, a very simple "on your right" or similar usually does the trick.

Also do the same when running as I'm even quieter on my feet than a bike.

[ian]

I'm not sure why this about cyclists. I doubt they're killing many horses on the roads.

Anyone who spends any time on country roads and lanes (and I'm mostly a walker) will be familiar with the fact that many drivers simply go too fast and rely on the fact they won't encounter anything else.

Stupid, close passes at speed are sadly de rigueur even if you're walking these days.

[Jethro]

I have often seen horses suddenly go berserk for no obvious reason, so I hate to say it, but should they really be allowed on the open roads these days. 

My cousin never allowed his daughters anywhere near horses and they never have even though both are now adults.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Horses are insane, lethal and very expensive. They are also lots of fun.

Keep those daughters away from boys and men. Horrible things.

Horses and roads don't mix well, IMO, due to the nervous nature of horses and the stupid behaviour of other road users.

[The French Tandem]

I have often seen horses suddenly go berserk for no obvious reason, so I hate to say it, but should they really be allowed on the open roads these days. 

I have seen motorists go berserk for no obvious reason. Perhaps we should ban motorists too!

[De Sisti]

,,,,,, but as a result I always approach horses slowly and with the expectation they will do something unpredictable.

Surely, that should always have been the case?

[mattc]

,,,,,, but as a result I always approach horses slowly and with the expectation they will do something unpredictable.

Surely, that should always have been the case?

It seems to me that Vince has learnt something useful from a very unfortunate episode. He should be praised not criticised.

[DaveReading]

It seems to me that Vince has learnt something useful from a very unfortunate episode. He should be praised not criticised.

Yes, it's a bit mean to criticise someone for not being able to predict that a horse would do something unpredictable.