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Cyclists and horses (licensed CC BY SA 2.0 on Flickr by Michael Podger)Cyclists and horse riders urged to look out for each other after girl's pony spooked
Cyclists and horse riders are being urged to be more considerate of each other’s needs after an incident in Gloucestershire at the weekend when a 10-year-old girl fell off her pony after it was apparently startled by a group of bike riders.
Grace Burton dislocated her knee when her pony was spooked in the incident which happened at around 10am on Saturday morning, reports the Gloucestershire Echo. The newspaper says that the incident prompted a “heated debate” on its Facebook page.
Grace’s father, Chris Burton, had said that a group of cyclists sped past, five or six abreast, causing his daughter to be thrown from her pony in the village of Teddington.
But Simon Worsley of Cheltenham and County Cycling Club said the bike riders were fewer than originally reported, and they were riding two abreast.
"The group I was in numbered around 20,” he said. ”As soon as we saw the horses we slowed right down as we always would.
“The pony carrying the girl veered to the left and she came off (thankfully on the grass verge not the road).
"Our ride leader did a great job if calming the girl down and our whole group stopped for at least 15 minutes out of concern for the girl, before her companions advised us to ride on."
Mr Burton had said: "I don't want to stop anyone enjoying themselves, but I would just say to them, you need to be more careful."
He added that he wanted to meet with cyclists to discuss how people riding horses or bikes could share the road safely.
"We need to look at ways of keeping the highways safe for everybody,” he explained. "The debate online seems to have focused on the fact that I got the number of the cyclists wrong.
"When you're running up the road because your daughter has been injured, you don't stop to count them.
"I wasn't trying to point the finger. Let's have a discussion about how we can make this safer."
"We do not want to penalise or discriminate against cyclists,” he added.” We just want to raise concerns that more accidents will occur if large packs of bikes continue to use small village roads."
Many horses are easily spooked by bicycles, especially when approached from behind, with one school of thought being that they are taken unawares because unlike with a motor vehicle, they cannot hear their approach.
If you see horses being ridden on the road ahead, you should cur your speed to a minimum, call out “bike approaching” or something similar, and give the animals as wide a berth as possible – easier said than done on some roads, and of course you should be mindful of your own safety if there is oncoming traffic.
In our experience, most horse riders will acknowledge consideration given to them by cyclists – one thing both have in common is they are among the most vulnerable of road users.
The British Horse Society has published a code of conduct for horse riders and cyclists to provide “guidelines to ensure equestrians and cyclists co=exist harmoniously and safely when in close proximity.” You can find it here.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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The small frame, the aggressive posture, lots of standover height.
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52 comments
Tell me about these considerate equestrianist again...
Ah yes - clean up after your dog, but a horse "No problemo, your highness!"
I ride in the country a fair bit, and while every cyclist expects to see other cyclists and cars and even trucks on the lanes, some horse riders seem to exist in a fairyland all to themselves.
I could cite many examples, but most memorably was the young man (13?) on a huge horse, riding down the centre of the lane. I kept left and slowed, but as I approached, a sheet of paper blew out of the verge and spooked the horse. The rider had no ability to control the horse and I braced for a collision. Thankfully, they missed me, but really, horses are strange creatures with minds of their own. If they are unpredictable, or ridden by those unable to control them, they should remain on private land.
I use my bell (if a horse is spooked by a bell, see above) but a while ago I came up, very slowly, behind two riders (again, in the middle of the road) chatting up a storm. Bell - nothing. Bell - nothing. Finally "HELLO!" Oh - there's someone else on the road! I suppose if a horse had bolted, it would be my fault?
And on bridleways? Well, obviously the name says it all. They are supposed to be for horses only (some think).
Not when it's being trodden through the carpet.
folks who ride bikes and folks who ride horses are on the same side and one incident, the details of which seem to be a little vague, does not represent some kind of tribal conflict between the two. I see lots of horses on the roads from children on ponies to professional riders on racehorses and never have any problems. We have more in common than divides us and horses are beautiful animals which I love to see on the roads when I go for a ride
It's not about sides or tribes, or at least it shouldn't be.
To be fair, there is quite a difference between the two excrements. Gardeners will be pleased to pick up horse muck, but dog muck is nasty stuff.
I usually get on with horse riders, and I am careful not to spook them. I have encountered a rather snooty attitude from the hunt though.
Horse shit every time.
Herbivores and carnivores you know.
Dave, it has to be remembered that horses are prey animals and herd animals.
As a herd it is instinctive for them to run when other members of the herd run. Add a good deal of training and you have either a racehorse or a cavalry charger.
As a prey animal, anything approaching from the rear, at speed is immediately regarded as a threat. How many wildlife documentaries have shown deer, zebra and all sorts of other animals being hunted, attacked and killed by big cats, where do the big cats attack from, usually 3/4 behind.
So, a cyclist, or multiples thereof approaching fast from behind kick the horses instincts into action. On a well trained and accustomed horse, nothing happens, on a spooky, or young horse, it can provoke a reaction.
But in this specific case, the group of cyclists was approaching from in front.
I'm mildly surprised by the attitude of some fellow cyclists commenting on this.
I'm used to slowing down, waiting, and passing wide while driving a car around fellow cyclists. I think it's entirely reasonable to do the same thing when cycling around horses.
The code of conduct linked in the article suggests: "If possible, ask the horse rider if it is safe to pass before attempting to go by and call again if they haven’t heard you."
This is exactly what I've done when encountering horses in the past - ask if it's ok to pass, not just shout "coming through!" or something similar which seems rather rude and inconsiderate to me. You don't have a right to overtake when you want, whether it's safe or not, just the same as car drivers don't.
If I'm able to do so safely, I also switch off the bright flashing lights I have on my bike (there for the inattentive drivers) as I figure they might spook some horses. I then turn them back on at a safe distance, often round the next bend.
As a cyclist it seems surprising that some cyclists seem unable to empathise with the needs of other vulnerable road users.
That said, it does sound like the mother in the article was looking for someone to blame for her daughter getting injured, which is understandable but not necessarily just. It sounds like the cyclists behaved perfectly reasonably.
What I have never quite understood with horses is that they can be trained to charge into battle without getting distracted/spooked, yet they seem to struggle with routine distractions on roads. Perhaps an equestrian could enlighten me on why this is - there must be a reason!
I am not an equestrian person, but I always thought part of the point of blinkers on race horses was to stop that getting distracted, yet I have never seen a horse on the road with such a thing, I guess it doesn't sort out the hearing???? and hearing but not seeing would also spoke a horse??
What I do find slightly more concerning, I know riders who want a "flighty" horse as it is a challenge, this might be fine away from other road users but you have to ask if a horse with attitude is really a sensible proposition on roads?????
Most of the time I have no issue. Bad horse riders/bad cyclists/bad motorists aside. A horse is a prey animal so it is an alert thing. It is usually aware you behind it long before the rider, its ingrained. Its the training of the horse and its behavior on the roads that is more of an unknown. Just treat it as its going to be nervous and you are covered. Saying that, I've had one put its head through my car window (we were stationary) and another bolting horse jump onto the roof of our car and destroy it (Parents were NOT impressed, it was brand new), thank god we had the sunroof closed (again, we were parked and stationary)...so deep down I hate the dumb animals being on our roads.
Surely the obvious solution is that, before any horse is allowed to go on the road, it should have to go out on a bicycle.
(although an even more obvious solution is for cyclists to be very sensitive around horses, which are large, unpredictable and often rather stupid)
10 year old girl on a big powerful unpredictable animal riding on a public road not sufficiently experienced or able to control her horse when it gets spooked. Father goes mental at cyclists! Sounds like the cyclists did everything reasonably possible in the situation.
Durrrr! The problem here is the Dad who allowed his 10 year old girl to ride such a powerful animal on a public road without her having sufficient skill or experience to properly control her animal. If the horse was of a nervous disposition he should not have allowed her to ride it. He is reckless with the safety of his daughter and other road users. Period.
The father is at fault here. He is angry with everyone, but himself. Grossly exaggerates what has happened to suit his own agenda to shift blame.
Don't normally have a problem with horses or horse riders, BUT the thing that horse riders NEVER do is clear up the shit their steeds leave on the road which can be lethal for other road users - cyclists and cars alike. Where several horses are being ridden together the road can resemble a shit fest. Lethal for other road users especially for cyclists if you hit the piles of it in either the dark or during the day especially if frozen it can easily cause you to come off and crash; also for cars causing a skid hazard. It is an offence to let fall and leave material on a public highway. At best horse shit is a menace and or at worst can have terrible consequences for other road users. The riders/owners should have to clear it off the road/path like dog owners now have to do with their animals shit. Why not have a bag under the horse's backside as in times past?
Can't help wondering if, since Mr Burton thought it was Ok for his daughter to ride an animal which she had no hope of controling if it bolted, Mr Burton would be happy for his 10 year old daughter to cycle along that road. Probably not.
Pehaps it time for horses to be tested before they can be taken onto roads and mixed with traffic to stop things like this happening.
really couldn't make this up
http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/Siogn-banning-cyclist-road-near-Win...
The sign isn't actually near Winchcombe, it is near Alstone, which is next to Teddington, ie round the corner from the above accident, literally around the corner! Not sure where the second sign is, but fairly certain that we would have passed the signs on Saturday morning...
So, what is the definitive way of dealing with a tonne of easily spooked animal being ridden by one of the privileged classes (disclaimer: 'probably' a member of the privileged classes)?
Do we ring a bell or not? Do we call out or not? I encounter horses quite a lot - there's a commercial stables in the village - and I've been told off by riders for ringing a bell, for not ringing a bell, for calling out, for being too quiet, for being too fast, for being too slow, for being too near, and for wearing hi viz (apparently all of these things scare the horses). As far as I can tell, cars are OK, though.
This thing about horse riders being privileged is bloody boring and wildly inaccurate. People from lower middle class backgrounds and people in normal teaching & nursing jobs massively outnumber the 'privileged classes' at most horse events. Even if they didn't are you suggesting that we don't have to treat people (and their animals) with respect because their poshos?
The plural of anecdote isn't data, but my cyclist friends are far posher than my horse friends. Would you like it if someone more deprived than you cut you up when you were on your bike?
I pass horses wide & slow and start singing when I see them if I'm coming in from behind.
No, I wasn't saying that. I was making a (clearly unwarranted) presumption based upon the price of a horse and the likely maintenance costs of the same. And was a bit miffed off by the reactions of had from my local equestrians (as per my earlier post).
The idea of singing loudly as I approach is a good idea, though; thanks.
Yes dear, they're the staff.
One can never have too many servants.
"People from lower middle class backgrounds and people in normal teaching & nursing jobs massively outnumber the 'privileged classes' at most horse events"
That is true. It costs a fortune to own a horse, and lots of people choose to do so without being enormously rich. As is their right. When I cycle past racehorses in Lambourn, as I do quite often, I don't immediately think that the wee jockeys are aristocrats.
It is also true that lots of cyclists are very rich.
But frankly, why does the consideration that you give to other road users depend on their social status? And doesn't the huge shoulder chip slow some people down on climbs?
I always shout a warning of "Cyclist" and ride as far across the other side of the road as safe to do so when passing, and usually get a thank you from the rider.
Some horse riders could also help themselves a bit more by looking behind them occasional, not just when they hear an engine, and I've lost count of the number of times I've seen a horse rider enter the road from an off road position without looking to see if there's anything coming.
I can't really see what more the cyclists could have done... they acted reasonably & in consideration. They slowed down & then stopped for 15 mins ! These things happen & Mr Burton &/or the media are looking for a story/someone to blame.
The Echo have form....
I've heard it was just one very fast ginger bloke, gingerbloke... doing around 54.526kmh
Funny how things get reported elsewhere, 40 bikes now 5-6 abreast...!!
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/girl-falls-hack-cyclists-spook-pony-497369
>We just want to raise concerns that more accidents will occur if large packs of bikes continue to use small village roads.
PACKS OF BIKES
LOL
I always shout “cyclist” when approaching and slow down….I get a smile and a “Good morning” from the usually attractive lady upon the said nag, And we both go about our day.
Much better response from the laaydeeees than I used to get at the discothèque
Sometimes shit happens. This seems one of those times.
Having said that horses do worry me a tad. The rider essentially has ZERO control if that horse decides to freak out because it doesn't like the look of a leaf that's just blown past.
I read the code of conduct for cyclists and it seems sensible enough. Some horses spook more easily when they see a recumbent, so when I approach from the rear I always call ahead and warn the rider that I'm on an unusual bike. Never had a problem so far & the riders are always appreciative.
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