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???

If you’re more vulnerable, you take more steps to protect yourself.

That's not how it works. If you're more vulnerable, road users who pose a threat to you need to take greater steps to protect you.

I was walking along a track which is well used by walkers, cyclists, children and horses. I was holding an umbrella as it was raining. A couple of horses and riders came towards us screaming at me to put my umbrella down. I put it down but strongly resented the manner in which they made the request. I think that you can ask someone pleasantly to modify their behaviour without being an entitled oik.

Why do you think you shouldn't? Walking is the norm, running is exercise. I would walk and I'm a runner.

It wouldn't even occur to me NOT to stop running. They're big skittish animals, who would run towards one?

But the problem is Goldbar has a problem with her child being asked to walk.

The main issue is that there often isn't time in these situations for me to get to my child and ask them to walk before the horse comes past us. It's like when cyclists come very fast around the corner hammering on their bells and get annoyed when your little toddler on a trike is in their way.

The cyclist knows they are coming, the rider knows they are coming. Other path users may be unaware of the danger or make take some time to react to it. So the onus is on the cyclist/rider or whoever presents the danger to safeguard others.

What a ridiculous thing to say! First of all there is no "hierarchy" in terms of rights when on a highway. I would also argue a runner is more vulnerable ....more vulnerable to a 500kg horse knocking into them.

My horse is an angel and very well behaved but on rare occasions if something gives her a fright then yes of course she's going to spook!! They are animals.

However I think if you are taking a wide birth around a rider when running and not taking anyone by surprise then yes perhaps they are being a bit precious

However riding on public tracks and roads is so dangerous know due to totally irresponsible drivers maybe they are a bit sensitive?

Also I have horses and love very rurally and have zero bridle ways to ride in hence having to ride on the roads

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I didn’t say the the runner has more right.

You sound very selfish and entitled for wanting the runner to stop, whereas posters upthread who are riders say they understand it’s their responsibility to keep their horse away from people and not expect people to stop for them.

And it’s ridiculous to compare horse riders to wheelchair users. Horse riding is not a disability. The entitlement is crazy on this thread.

And the rider IS protecting against a potential risk by asking the runner to slow down briefly.

[facepalm]

@MadameCamembert i don’t think they was saying that they wouldn’t stop the child is asked, I think they meant that should the child run ahead and there be a horse there that the risk is the horse being out in the first place, which I do actually agree with, being a rider I know it’s a risk to take a huge animal out incase it gets jumpy, I’ve had situations with other horses where it can be as simple as a bird flying out of a bush for the horse to get spooked.

the child is not the risk here, we as riders need to train our horses to try and know how to deal with situations when they crop up.. a child should not take the brunt of that just because I chose to take my horse round the woods instead of using the facilities at the stables..

most stables I know have riding paths.. I’ve been to quite a few, I often try to stay on them tbh and still be vigilant.

I am surprised by the OP attitude given her and her daughter ride. I might have thought there would be a bit more understanding and empathy. It's only a few seconds consideration to ensure everyone's safety.
All horses are potentially dangerous. No horse is 100% bombproof even the Police ones have limitations. They are animals not machines. My public liability cover is £30 million for that reason. But by same logic every dog is also capable of biting, every cow of trampling you, every driver of a vehicle of using it dangerously. We live in a world of risk. Our world would be much poorer if there were no horses, no dogs, no cattle in public places.
As a rider I am very conscious of safety for myself, my horse and the public. I am polite and considerate. My horse is very well behaved. However I would still ask runners to walk if coming from behind or on a narrow path if I can't move out the way. Same with mountain bikers. But I will have in turn also slowed to a walk or halt. I'm not trying to canter past walkers/cyclists because that would be intimidating/dangerous for them. All I want is to get you past safely and on your way asap. I'll always smile, say thank you and chat if you're friendly. Luckily most of my local runners and bikers are nice people. A few I know quite well now and they like saying hello/petting Fat Cob.
A lot of the time when I'm most at risk. It's my actually animal under control. So many times Im stood still facing down an out of control dog because an owner has no recall. Someone has overtaken me at 50mph mounting the footway as they did so (that one he was bloody lucky he didn't kill a pedestrian). Cyclist going too fast and can't stop so goes into back of my horse, screeched his brakes on so luckily only tapped him with actual bike and Fat Cob was a saint about it.....My view is in those circumstances the dog owner, driver, cyclist is responsible for any accident. Not me.

Entitled oiks sums it up well.

And shouldn't children be taught to exercise caution around horses, if you live in an area where there are horses around?

DB and I were to taught not to get within kicking distance of horses, not to run up to them in case they were spooked etc, in the same way that we were taught not to run up to dogs or touch them without the owner's consent, and how to cross roads.

Slightly off topic, we live semi-rurally and I often see horse riders on their phones, texting or talking. One group of riders from a local livery are sometimes also leading other horses but sill on their phones. Is this legal?

If a horse is so skittish a jogger will spook them then they shouldn’t be on a public road with cars and so on

I run. What irritates me is the horse riders that ride on public footpaths which they are not supposed to do. I live near the sussex downs and they do this all the time and it irritates me so much. They shouldnt even be there- there are bridleways for them to go on and plenty of them round where I live but they often start on them and migrate to the footpaths meaning yes, I do have to slow down but I shouldnt have to because horses shouldnt be on there in the first place.

I love horses so much but riders should respect where they are riding and not ride on footpaths that arent meant for them. That behaviour certainly IS entitled.

I teach my child not to cross at pedestrian crossings without checking that the cars are going to stop. We live in an area where drivers often ignore pedestrian crossings and speed through them.

Of course children should be taught to take steps to protect themselves, but that doesn't change the fact that those drivers are still arseholes putting kids at risk.

This

I used to be a keen runner and would pass horses frequently. I would always walk the few seconds I was passing (as someone who really hated being forced off my stride!). Better safe than sorry for all involved.

Same. I don't want either myself or the rider to get injured.

The rider knows their horse best, so if they ask me to do something, I do it. It's common courtesy when using shared spaces.

"if their horse is that skittish they need to stay on private land"

Alternatively, if you are that precious about maintaining your run pace at all times, surely you should be on private land? What do you do when you reach a road crossing etc?

@wesurecouldstandgladioli lol your posts are amusing. You clearly have some sort of vendetta against horse riders which is preventing you from having any sense of reasonableness or proportion about this conversation. You seem to think one persons hobby (running) is more valuable or important than another persons (riding) and are happy to disregard any common sense just in the name of some sort of bizarre principle. Why not run towards a horse, have it spook, kick the runner and throw the rider eh? At least you've stuck to your principles then.

I wasn't comparing riding and disability (obviously), I was making the point that it's quite normal to be considerate of other people when using public spaces. And this example is no different.

It's a real shame that people have attitudes like you because it makes riding a much more risky and scary hobby when you know there are people out there who are driving or running or walking in such a state of fury and entitlement that they refuse to modify their behaviour in any way for other people.

Yanbu. Horses shouldn't be out in public if they get spooked that easily. They should stay on private land.

Of course you should walk past. As herd prey animals running past one might cause it to bolt. How difficult can it be.

Mind you I detest joggers running up behind me too.

I dislike passing horses who need special treatment, I remember one rider asking my sister to move her pram onto the grass in the mud as the pram being on the pavement (horse and rider were on the road) was spooking her horse. I think such a horse is too skittish to be in a place like that. I find them a bit entitled, but I may be biased because horses scare the shit out of me. There are a few horse fields next to pavement near me where the horses can reach their heads over onto the narrow pavement and I have to walk on the road because they've been fed by people and run up quite hot to the fence and try and interact with people who pass by and I'm worried they'll take a chunk out of me 😭

I know nothing about horses OR running. So reading with interest this car driver just wonders why they don't have wing mirrors for horses.