Horse badly spooked by inconsiderate bloke on a bike

[roberts8]

About ten minutes ago we were driving behind two horses in single file coming from Cobham Surrey past the Plough pub towards Leatherhead.
Cars were patient and good and overtaking when clear to do so. Our turn came and just as we were level with the rear of the horse an idiot on a road bike bunny hopped onto the pavement and shot past the horse who reared up and just missed our car. Luckily the horse rider just managed to stay on so no injuries.
The moron rode off without a second glance and must have been aware of the rearing horse and the incident he had caused.

Never know someone may be aware of who this idiot is if he relate the incident to anyone but in his favour.

The moral of the story must be that arrogant fools come in many guises, sadly he was a cyclist but I bet he drives a car in the same manner.

Kettle has boiled so rant over.

[meic]

I was cycling with a group of cyclists somewhere around Gloucestershire/Monmouthshire.
Not my normal rural Welsh countryside crowd but townies from across the UK.

We came across some horses and they just flew past causing a similar shock to that you describe. Afterwards the conversation was all about how the horse owners should be able to keep their animals under control.

Call it "townie ignorance" or "expectations of competence from equestrians" but there seems to be plenty of people who are not used to horses on the road who dont actually understand but are not inherently bad people.

[irc]

I was once out on the tandem with mu daughter. On a single track road we met a horse coming the other way. We stopped, dismounted, and leant the bike against the fence. After a couple of minutes of trying the rider could not persuade her horse to go by the bike and retreated back down the road into a field some way back.

Off topic - I'd never gave it any thought but reading "1812, Napoleon's Fatal March On Moscow" this week the writer was talking about horse logistics. For example with 40'000 cavalry it was impossible to bring enough fodder with them so the date of invasion had to be no earlier than June by which time new grass and oats growth would be advanced enough for the horses to graze as they went.

About accustoming horses to the noise and sights of battle - he says they were trained by being led at first, then ridden, towards lines of men banging pots and pans together and waving etc. Each time they reached the line they were given a carrot.

Riding in an Amish area of the USA I was surprised to see that horses drawing a cart didn't flinch at passing traffic but were very started by my touring bike with panniers. despite bikes being widely used by the Amish. Maybe it didn't look like a bike to the horses because of the panniers?

[rjb]

We came across a horse on a descent. The horse rider was dressed in hunting gear and waved us to pass. I let the tandem run but as we passed the horse turned sideways and kicked out at us, fortunately we had enough speed to scrape by before the hoofs would have got us. Take care
One of the horse and cart riders near us has a cycle bell on his carriage. Whenever a cycle passes he rings the bell to alert the horse. I thought this was a nice way to train his steed.

[whoof]

A few weeks ago I was riding a popular loop near the Severn estuary and there was a hunt on. Three really close passes by cars towing horse trailers and one pulled out of a junction from the right immediately in front of me causing me to brake sharply.

Just because your mode of road transport may leave you vulnerable to the idiotic actions of others does not mean you will necessarily take this into account when you meet other vulnerable road users.

[Elizabethsdad]

I understand that horses are often spooked by cyclists because bikes are so much quieter. There is a Facebook group - will you slow down for me now - where horse riders share their experiences on the roads.

[Cyril Haearn]

Sure that is right, many city dwellers are unfamiliar with horses, likely they do not think either. Horses are prey animals and can not see very well ahead of them, but they can see well left and right. When approaching a horse slow down and ring your bell gently several times so it can locate you. Try to communicate with the rider and be very cautious if they wave you past. I love horses but I am very wary of anything bigger than me, a horse has its old instincts and may bolt any time.

In the Carneddau above Penmaenmawr there are many wild horses. They are not nosey nor do they flee when one goes by.

[Rob Archer]

I've been told that some horses don't like the sound of a freewheel as apparently it sounds like a rattlesnake! I'm guessing it must be instinctive in horses with american ancestry.

Most horses don't like recumbents either - I guess they think it's some low carnivore creeping up on them! When I'm on the 'bent and I see a horse I stop, stand up and speak to the rider. Being low down is not a place to be when hooves fly.

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my GT-S7275R using hovercraft full of eels.

[Stewart H]

Another useful tip is to remove your helmet if a horse is reluctant to pass you, they recognise you as human then rather than some being with a shiny oversized head.

[Mr Evil]

I've been told that some horses don't like the sound of a freewheel as apparently it sounds like a rattlesnake! I'm guessing it must be instinctive in horses with american ancestry...

That seems unlikely, as there are no native American horses alive today (the wild ones there now are descended from Spanish horses).

[Heltor Chasca]

I've been told that some horses don't like the sound of a freewheel as apparently it sounds like a rattlesnake! I'm guessing it must be instinctive in horses with american ancestry...

That seems unlikely, as there are no native American horses alive today (the wild ones there now are descended from Spanish horses).

Instinct? Inherent in most animals.

I keep chickens. All run for cover and emit strange eagle noises when birds of prey or ravens enter their periphery. Maybe that's a given.

However when faced with a large rubber, toy snake they went nuts. Ganged up and went in pecking and stamping like secretary birds. They are all American and European pure breeds. Obviously their ancestry is Asian.

Fascinating. To me anyway [emoji6]

[Mick F]

How can people take large dangerous animals out in public? They should need a dangerous animals permit.
If they invented horses tomorrow, they wouldn't be allowed on public roads.

Sorry, taking an obtuse argument here.
It doesn't mean I agree with what I've just said.

[david7591]

How can people take large dangerous animals out in public? They should need a dangerous animals permit.
If they invented horses tomorrow, they wouldn't be allowed on public roads.

Sorry, taking an obtuse argument here.
It doesn't mean I agree with what I've just said.

Yes, horses belong in fields!

[landsurfer]

How can people take large dangerous animals out in public? They should need a dangerous animals permit.
If they invented horses tomorrow, they wouldn't be allowed on public roads.

Sorry, taking an obtuse argument here.
It doesn't mean I agree with what I've just said.

If they invented bicycles tomorrow they wouldn't be allowed on the roads ... and on and on .......

[PhilWhitehurst]

Behaviour like that sounds like a regular Surrey car driver forced to ride a bike as car being serviced. Typical Surrey car driver behaviour in my experience.