To think I shouldn’t have to stop my run to walk past a horse?

[Famousperson2023]

This has happened twice now. Out for a run and the horse riders have asked me to stop running while I go past their horse!!

I’ll put this in context- daughter rides, I used to ride. When passing a horse or pony I’ll go wide and slow, or stop and wait at a passing place on narrow roads (often while the riders amble up at a slow walk deep in conversation with their fellow riders, 3 abreast….and without a hint of thank you). When I’m out with our dog I’ll make sure she is on the lead while we pass. but being asked to stop and walk???

The one who will be in the righteous and satisfying coma is the rider who can’t manage their horse and shouldn’t be on the public road.

Yes, because accidents never harm other people

Do you genuinely not understand that if you are the one with the unpredictable animal then you should stop and consider what you need to do to make others safe, and not ask them to stop?

We are ALL animals. And often we are in control of large and heavy pieces of equipment which can cause serious damage.
Most riders will have a good knowledge of the Highway Code or will have passed a test for being safe on the roads - I did and that’s made me a much safer and more conscientious cyclist and driver.
They aren’t riding round in a haze of complacency, either. They know they’re on a sensitive animal that can be scared and will want to run away in those circumstances.
Horses don’t attack. They don’t mindlessly run through people, they take care to give space. They are fundamentally gentle souls who unless they feel backed into a corner will not hurt anyone except maybe their rider by accident.

Yes. And that is obeying the rules of the road and showing consideration to others, not kowtowing.

Of course.

But even if a rider stops the horse, the horse can still spook (as has been explained multiple times) and bolt off. So often it's a case of both parties changing their behaviour - the rider should stop if their horse is unsafe and the runner should also be willing to slow down too.

Dear God. Slow down for the horse for a few seconds.

It's a communal world.

I think that’s fine. What OP seems to be describing is different.

But we are agreed.

I'm defending asking someone to stop if you've risk assessed the situation and think a runner is in danger unless they slow down or wait. But yes, riding 3 abreast and not paying full attention, or thanking someone (I always nod or says thanks if I need both hands on the reins) is bad manners. Respectful communication between rider and other path user is what's required.

In fairness, she hasn't actually said whether the rider stopped or not.

I ride and if I genuinely felt the situation was unsafe, then I would stop and wait, but I would think it incredibly arrogant if a runner (or any other road user) decided they knew my horse better than me and decided to fly past anyway, despite being asked to slow down.

So if you are on your bike then and I fly past you way too fast, scare you and you fall off and die from being run over, that's your fault then?

Good to know.

Also horses can spook while stopped and waiting if some moron runs up behind them after being asked to wait. It isn't just the rider in danger. A horse bolting is in a blind panic and WILL mow you down. So the runner would be in danger too.

Saying thanks is neither here nor there. Every rider I've ever passed has thanked me. The school mums I let cross the road this morning didn't so what should I do run them over next time?

There is an argument to keeping a horse moving forwards in walk on occasions, if fear is taking hold. Standing and waiting without fuss might be less achievable than a controlled walk forwards (away from whatever is unsettling them). You'll often see the King's guard horses being walked out of the sentry box and round the back and in again, if they've become usettled (and they are meant to be the most bombproof!).

Yep. We once caught a horse running past our house sans rider but wearing all the gear, tied him to the fence and went looking. Found the rider not far, fallen off and broken her leg. Called an ambulance and then her friends from the stables. Ambulance arrived before the friends from the direction of our house, the horse who was already nervy got spooked again, ripped himself free and bolted into the fields across the road and then down the lane on the other side. Apparently he just went home, but that did involve a few different roads. Dangerous for everyone involved. That was a stopped horse.

That's a good point as well. Stopping can make them even more spooked sometimes.

I wonder if the anti horse wankers are also the anti dog wankers? 🤔

She does that when in a car (her second post)

If the rider is scared they should stick to private land.

if a runner wants to run without considering others they should stick to private land.

But the horse riders are asking OP to stop whilst they continue on. It’s the horse riders who should stop, whilst OP slows down. Considering they also never thank OP when she stops for them, they are extremely arrogant.

You’ve got that the wrong way round, it’s the rider who doesn’t want to consider others.

''@Ktime

Do you genuinely not understand that if you are the one with the unpredictable animal then you should stop and consider what you need to do to make others safe, and not ask them to stop?''

What a bizarre logic...

You do understand that animal are always going to have some degree of unpredictability?

A horse is not a car.

The fact that you ask the horse to stop does not mean that there isn't a possibility that it will suddenly spook.

Having to slow down your run for a few seconds to keep yourself, the horse and the rider safe is frankly the best option and of very little inconvenience to anyone to actually has a degree of common sense...

But hey, feel free to ignore logic and continue to stupidity speed when going past horses especially on narrow path but then don't complain if one of them one day, kicks you or if you cause its rider to get injured.

It really takes a gigantic sense of entitlement to think that your time is so bloody precious that you can't slow your run briefly for the benefit of everyone...

Why would anyone other than you give the tiniest shiniest shit about your run time?

You used to ride, your kid rides, yet you seem to have no understanding of how horses work. They aren’t machines. How are youngsters supposed to learn? Are you so important you should not stop and have a horse potentially freak out and harm the handler/rider?

Why would anyone other than the rider give the tiniest shiniest shit about their safety?

As a PP has said upthread, it's often safer to keep a spooked horse going forward than it is to stop them.

I agree they should say thank you, but the fact that they don't doesn't give OP the green light to put them in danger either.

Probably just overall wankers, tbh