Horse Riding On The Roads

[Carlos NSR125]

Hey
Now I dunno if it's just me that gets annoyed by this, but Iv been riding on the road for about 2month or so now and I have seen like 10 Horse's riders on the road. I pass them slowly, and try not to make to much noise as I pass, but most times I do this, the Rider still looks at me as if to say Im doing some thing wrong !!
It annoys me so much, next time I'm gunna put my bike in High RPM past them lol.
Anyone else have a problem same as this ??


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CBT Passed 11-04-09 Honda NSR 125 3-04-09
New Tyres 30-6-09

[Dr. DaveJPS]

i always pull the clutch in as i pass, and quite often get a thank you wave.

[Acemastr]

I tend to slap it in 5th at 20mph or so and cruise on by, always had a wave, but does annoy the hell out of me when they shit everywhere, it's like leaning on ice.... Dog owners are made to clear it up... and their shit isn't even dangerous...
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2017 KTM 350 XC-F - 2014 Yamaha R6 - 2005 Yamaha YZ125
2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited

[The Tot]

Clutch in, slow right down, usually to about 10mph or less and pretty much cruise past on biting point. I've always had a courteous wave or a nod back. Guess it's only fair since I've jumped off a wheelie bin when drunk trying to do a swanton bomb and felt pretty messed up after that. Imagine getting bolted off a horse that's a lot taller and landing on your waist/hip.

Some of my quicker mates lack the observational skills to recognise there's a horse and quite often i'm left with the wrath of a pissed off horse rider and their guide! Mates from uni flew past one at 80+ on some B roads because they were unfamiliar with it!
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Hi, sometimes you can come across the snooty types, Sod 'em and just pass wide and steady or clutch in if you can.
Here's what i got upto
https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=166832&

Pat
They really shouldn't be on the roads tho [/url]
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Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[doggone]

1) Make sure they know you are approaching - if it's windy they might not hear you.
Slow right down and consider a little throttle blip with clutch in or even a brief toot of horn when still far enough away not to spook.

2) Try to establish eye contact with rider - and horse.

3) Maximise the distance between you and it, even if oncoming traffic has to slow or stop. They can leap sideways in an instant and this can be a precursor to lashing out with rear hoof.
At least a car length is advisable.

4) When passing keep revs absolute minimum and be prepared to stop altogether while they get to a place further on with wide verge or gate they can stop in.

5) Some horses are used to traffic and won't flinch, others are terrible especially with anything unusual. They are strange and flighty creatures who might have no fear of a 30 ton truck then leap sideways into you if there's a little plastic bag stuck in the hedge!

6) A little nod or wave after passing is a nice touch even if things have not gone so well - from both sides...

[NSR Mick]

Horses should stay in fields where they belong.

Most of the problem is that the riders seem to think they have a God given right to take up all the road. It makes my blood boil.

theres one snoot cow round here who strikes out with her whip at cars and bikes if she doesnt like the way they pass. she would only do it once to me.

I pass slow and then give it some when I'm far enough away for the spooked horse not to hit me.
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If you dont like the way that I ride.......Stop trying to keep up!!!

[Louise]

Normally ride through the new forest which is full of horse back riders.
I slow down but with the loudness of my pipe I still get some funny looks.
Other week a horse got spooked by a trailer and started to run along side it, as I was behind I could see a lamp post - horse sopts and bucked into the road. Any closer I would of been hooved off my bike.
So, dont open the bike up lol

[Mister James]

Horses were on the roads long before cars and bikes were invented, so I'm puzzled by those who seem to think they have no right to be there.

If you don't like seeing them, move to the city - I've only seen a couple of groups in the last 5 years.

Have a bit of courtesy (as indeed, most of us seem to be doing) and treat them with respect as you pass - for a start, it's not the horse's fault it's on the road, it's that of the posh dribbler rider.
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>Soultrader Mister James, I bet you are a copper
>Bazza Wow. Eyes like a shithouse rat, you...

[the grim reaper]

[s44678]

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Ok it might appear to some as hypocritical of me, being as i spent time getting a horse used to traffic yet wanting horses off the public roads. As they're not banned i wanted my friend to be safe.
They shouldn't be on the road without some basic training and an assessment. There is a minefield of problems linked with the assessment thing.....is it the rider? the combination? But the fact is a horse is the only vehicle that doesn't have a direct link to brakes or steering and when they go wrong they either do an endo, u-turn, wheelie or go flat out.

Pat
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[Tonka]

A little nugget of insight - most horse riders do not like to take their horses on the road. The reason they do is because the field the horse is kept in and where they need to exercise the horse has a few roads in between. Therefore it's a necessity rather than a choice of route for fun.

It's a chicken and egg situation getting a horse used to traffic - introduce to traffic on the road in order for the horse to become accustomed to it, so that it is not scared. Bear in mind also that there are many different vehicles with different noises and these all seem 'new' to a horse.

At the end of the day ignorant, inconsiderate people use different modes of transport. There are horrid car drivers, nobber bikers, moronic cyclists and stuck-up horse riders all giving the majority a bad name - try not to be one of them. I use all these forms of transport and I'd like to think I'm polite and considerate regardless of what I'm doing.

As for horse poo on the roads.....more accidents from diesel spills have been posted on this forum than from horse poo and farmers leave mud from their tractors, they are all hazards we have to face and deal with sensibly.
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'The core of a man's spirit comes from new experiences'
Suzuki SV650S (Clean); Yamaha XT250 Serow (Dirty)

[Carlos NSR125]

Fair comments
But I also think, if some horse riders get mad at us and look at us to as if to say we are doing something bad. Then I say to my self well don't be on the road lol.

But I will have to see what happens next time I pass a Horse.

Carlos
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CBT Passed 11-04-09 Honda NSR 125 3-04-09
New Tyres 30-6-09

[Tonka]

A dog is a predator, a horse is prey! Therefore a horse needs to be alert to moving things that will threaten its life - it's a primeval instinct and therefore cannot be removed only managed. Hence the necessary long haul 'teaching' it to accept that cars are not a threat.

Also, bear in mind that a horse does not see in the same way that we do as they process the information slightly differently. If they see with their left eye on the way down the road, they then see it all over again with their right eye on the way back - they don't think 'oh, there's that thing I saw earlier', it's like 'bugger me that's frightening, where's that come from'
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'The core of a man's spirit comes from new experiences'
Suzuki SV650S (Clean); Yamaha XT250 Serow (Dirty)

[Robby]

I treat horses the same as any other vehicle on the road, and overtake them accordingly. I don't rev the tits off it, nor do I select a high gear and go as slow as possible.

Should horsey rider find this unacceptable, they are welcome to cry themselves to sleep over it. If they choose to ride an unpredictable vehicle that likes to leave greasy shit on the road, then other road users are welcome to extend them the same courtesy.

The hunt though. 40 horses blocking both sides of the road, with the riders acting like they own it, and the followers blocking the whole thing and parked on the verge for miles around. They get the redline until they move over and let me pass. If it spooks the horses and one or two throw the rider, then I would do a little sex wee.

[Tonka]

I'm sure Stinkwheel can explain better as he's an expert, but it's something to do with processing information in the brain - vision for us is 100% each eye, so we see something one side the other side also knows it's there. With a horse it's less (can't remember if it's 40% or 60% now) and they spook at strange things. For instance bin bags (black and flappy) are a known problem. They do learn and if things are familiar they get to know them but if stuff moves about and is the same thing but in a different place they often spook all over again and you, as a rider, have to re-assure them. Younger horses are usually more nervous than older, wiser ones but sometimes old ones get cranky!! (bit like us really!)

Not sure horses drink coca cola, but hey?
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'The core of a man's spirit comes from new experiences'
Suzuki SV650S (Clean); Yamaha XT250 Serow (Dirty)

[Tonka]

Yeah, to a degree this explains that a little, but there is also something to do with the way the brain processes too the overlap bit, but I'll google some more!!

Note the ten foot behind bit - pretty much where we tend to sit on our bikes!

Edit: Can't find the % given for any overlap, but the article above suggests that there is none! I was led to believe there was some but meh!
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'The core of a man's spirit comes from new experiences'
Suzuki SV650S (Clean); Yamaha XT250 Serow (Dirty)

[ThoughtContro...]

[Carlos NSR125]

Wow, that's some thing new to me
Learn some thing new every day.

That would just get on your nerves having to see what they see lol.
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CBT Passed 11-04-09 Honda NSR 125 3-04-09
New Tyres 30-6-09

[Tonka]

[Tonka]

[Clanger]

Looking at it from a different aspect, how many of you have been driving your car, and spotted a bike coming up the road behind you, and you move over to let it through...does the biker always look at you and wave to say thanks?

No, not always...! Why? Well sometimes it's best to keep both hands on the handlebars and do what you need to do...could be the same for the horse-rider.

They might be thinking, 'oh thanks...' but the look on their faces shows snooty to you...but seeing as you don't actually know that person or know how they 'look' when grateful/ worried/ scared/ concentrating...it is really hard one to call.

Don't expect thanks for everything all of the time, and such things won't bother you.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss