Horse passing etiquette?

[ChefAcB]

Today, I went on an exploratory gravel ride and ended up on some private property. It was next to a wildlife management area and looking at google earth this property seemed to be apart of that. Well it wasn’t, there was about 20-30 horses roaming free on this property. The gravel road I was riding down i passed 2 groups of these horses. No other humans around except me.
What I did, slowed down to <5 mph or <8kph, took my sunglasses off and gave them lots of space. While riding by I spoke to them in a calm tone. “It’s okay, I’m your friend”, “ good girls and good guys” stuff like that.
I’ve had many run ins with horses but that’s usually with humans on top of them. These were free ranging horses with some younger ones around, so I was being very cautious and acted calm towards them. I always feel even though they’re a little domesticated, they’re still wild animals. No other humans around so I played it as safe as I could, it was a little sketchy tbh but was all good in the end.
Here’s a photo of one of the groups, real Florida.

[QuittingBikes]

Best to draft behind the horse until the final sprint.

[MI-XC]

@ChefAcB

No other humans around so I played it as safe as I could, it was a little sketchy tbh but was all good in the end.

I’ve never heard of a horse charging after a rider. Looks like you had plenty of distance and I don’t think you were at any risk at all.

[John_Koch]

@tgarson

I’ve had enough bad experiences with horse riders that it’s always better safe than sorry and call out as far in advance as you can.

This is an aside from your specific situation, but my biggest beef with horses are people who have spookable horses putting themselves in crowded multi-use trail situations and then expecting the entire world to accommodate them. Bikes have to yield to horses in any trail situation in my area, but if you are riding a multi-use trail and have a horse that requires people to give you a 30ft berth to avoid freaking out then you’re the asshole in the same way it’s irresponsible to bring a bad tempered dog to a dog park.

Yeah I get what you’re saying, but at least we get to enjoy all the poop that they leave in the trails.

[JoPage]

I’m the carer of a very nervous, very spooky, horse youngster, and a very small pony.

I also ride bikes and know how easy it is to come round a bend too fast and find yourself in a situation you weren’t prepared for.

These are my top tips for dealing with horses

1. announce your presence, vocally, as soon as you see the horse. The rider may not hear but the horse probably will. Keep amnouncing politely until the owner hears you. Horses arent scared of people (generally) so if they know its a human moving they tend to settle.
2. do not use an electric bell. They are a terrifying unusual sound to most horses. Many horses are noise sensitive.
3. ask if its ok if you can pass. 99 percent of the time it will be fine, but sometimes young horses cope better if they are turned to face ‘the threat’ until they are used to it.
4. Pass slowly. You will be helping train a horse to become confident in the world rather than scaring it by passing too quickly. The more good experiences horses have with bikes, the more they get used to their presence and eventually stop worrying about them.
5. If you do fly round a blind bend and accidentally spook a horse, just apologise. The rider may, or may not, acknowledge the apology at that time, but it will be appreciated later.
6. Forgive a horse rider who looses their shit if they are frightened. Crashing on great big downhill mountainbike trails has nothing on being perched atop a large unpredictable animal that has just been scared out of their skin. It can be a real adrenaline spike and not everyone can handle those well.
7. Remember horses are not dogs. They are prey animals and evolutionarily expect to be killed and eaten at any time. Just because a little pony is being walked in hand like a dog, doesn’t mean they will behave like a dog when you pass. Please, still slow down. Its much harder to control a spooked pony on the ground than when riding.
8. Please remember most horse riders/horse handlers don’t want to be on the roads, but they have no choice. Sometimes horses need to move fields/be walked to the yard/be ridden to the trail head.