A good idea?..I personally don't think so.

Agree!! We have enough problems round our area with cyclists zipping up behind us on the bridleways, they never get out the ruddy way, seem to have no concept of 'space' and so overtake really close and don't get me started on when they start ringing the bl**dy bells!! Add to that kids on pink bikes with pink streamy ribbons flapping in the wind!! Gggrrrrrr!!

Feeling my angst!?
 
Sounds good to me.
Surely the more places you can go with your horse, the better :).

ETS: Just because you may be able to go on a cycle path, doesn't mean you have to.
If your horse dislikes bikes, avoid. Simples :D.
 
With current horse we'd be fine... there a quite a few local 'serious' cyclists where we hack and horse is used to them. Horse is also good with balloon/streamers and so forth.

With old Arab it would be a bit more fun... but he had great hearing so was usually OK by the time they got close.

But there was one I used to ride who never got used to them (ice cream vans, fun fairs, heavy London traffic all Ok, just not bicycles!)
 
I personally wouldn't like to ride my 'spook at a shadow because it will eat me' section D on a bike path but I suppose it would be good to get him used to bikes :o I'm undecided on this one tbh :rolleyes:
 
Surely bikes are no different to cars on the road, but are much smaller.

We have loads of bikers come down our road so horses are totally bomb proof to them, and any new horses I don't find much of a problem, just do a bit of ground work with them and they're fine.

If they can go on our bridlepaths only fair we can go on theirs :D
 
I agree, having lived up near the Forest of Dean a lot of the lovely grass forest tracks were ripped up and laid as tracks for the cyclists. They opened several cycle hire places and it became a no go area, there were cyclists all over the place, speeding along zooming down hills, coming out of tracks all over the place. One was going hell for leather along a track - sort of loose grit on the top, my horse was just walking. The cyclist didn;t see us, well he wouldn;t his head was down. I shouted to him, he looked up, slammed on his brakes and skidded on the gravel. the bike went down, the cyclist too. The bike came straight for us, hit my horse in the front legs, he went down, throwing me. the cyclists response............ what were you doing on the track!!!!!!!! not sorry, not how are you, nothing like that. Just sheer amazement that someone else could be on the track. Had it been a child walking he could have killed them. I accept that not all cyclists are like this. But alot of them are. And bikes and cyclists just do not get on. I hated riding in the Forest of Dean - I used to go into the Wye valley as that was not given over to cyclists and we had gorgeous grass tracks. I personally do not want ot have to ride on grit tracks, and if riders are allowed to ride on cycle ways then you can be sure more and more bridleways will be hardcored and gritted to make them suitable for cyclists, therebye loosing more grass tracks.
 
I would, my horse is absolutely fine with bikes. He has to be being a Cambridge lad. Sounds great to me frankly!
 
I sometimes use one near us, it doesn't say you can't! They spent over a million on a cycle track alongside a lake, and I rarely see bikes on it they prefer to use the main road next to it! The road is a 50mph and the cycle track is on tarmac but there is about 1-2m of grass between the road and you and frankly I've never really had a problem, you just get dog walkers on it and most of the cars once they have seen you slow down when they go past you.

The amount of times in the quiet lanes we use that the lycra wearing racing cyclists come speeding down the hill behind us and you can't hear them until your horse shoots forwards (mine is fine with bikes but hates them speeding behind her), once had two coming down a dark lane behind us and spooked our horses so made mine a bit on her toes knowing something was behind her and they asked to pass and I asked if they could just wait while we went past a house with a barking dog just to the junction about 15metres away as I didn't want her jumping into them or kicking out etc but they just shot past :s me and my friend were a bit gobsmacked! About 90% of the cyclists we come across are great and friendly just these racing cyclists seem to be quite impatient!

Bit of a rant! But I think the more places to go the better, the bridle paths near me are either stoney anyway or impassable.
 
Great idea. Respect works both ways so as long as riders and biker's work together then its a good thing. If my horse was worried by fast bikes or bike noises then that's my problem and I'd work on it, don't quiet understand why you'd complain about someone on a bike using their bell? Isn't it there to alert people to them coming???? If your horse has a problem with a little ting-a-ling bell then I think you need to get yourself to some de-spooking sessions. :rolleyes:
 
In our area there are many cycle paths which are also for horse riders. One is primarily a bridlepath running alongside a road, which doubles up as a pedestrian/cycle path. Its a godsend for riders on a busy stretch of road.

Others are cycle routes which also permit riders and they are lovely. The tracks go through beautiful countryside and don't get boggy in winter and provide good grip in wet weather. The only downside is that there are limited opportunities for cantering due to the surface, but in parts there are tracks to the side or bridlepaths leading off into meadows/woodland where riders can canter.
For the most part, cyclists and riders accommodate each other very well, particularly as the routes are popular with families/disabled people and dog walkers and are wide enough to give room for everyone to pass safely.

There seems to be trend towards making the countryside more accessible for all people to enjoy and if horse riders are included in that, then its got to be good. Riding on roads is not fun for horses or the traffic that has to pass us.
 
jesstickle said:
I would, my horse is absolutely fine with bikes. He has to be being a Cambridge lad. Sounds great to me frankly!
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I knew it, some horse owners are even sending their horses to university, well done you!
Sustrans was the original cycling charity organisation and they set up a lot of paths, but they told me they got no support from the BHS, so did it alone, and that is why they were not horse friendly.
Most of the people who use CP's are families, so no particular danger, ie must be safer than riding on a main road.
[DANGER: I FEEL A RANT COMING ON!]
I have no idea why it is illegal to use them in Scotland, I would risk it if the alternative was a main road, [ie., my haggis guzzling, sporran wearing, alter ego would risk it].
We don't have proper bridleways in Scotland either, Local authorities usually come along and put up notices [notices pollution, I call it] if riders use their facilities, I know some idiots abuse the facilities, but it is an indication of a need unfulfilled, we are asked to go forth and multiply our fitness levels, but only in an "approved" way, it seems.
We need a Private Members Bill, or a SUN campaign, anyone know a happy hacking MP, or even better SMP [Scottish Member of Parliament]
It is restriction of my human rights and I want to claim £50,000 through the European Courts!!! :eek:
 
To share a mountain bike cycle path in a forest area would be very risky--they really do ride with their heads down and it bugs me that they often get the scenic tracks in the forests!

To share a cycle path which avoids riding on a main road should be OK and would be classed as multi-use.

Multi-use routes will be surfaced and cantering not possible both for safety reasons and your horses legs.

In Scotland we dont have bridlepaths as such and need to share routes--politeness on all sides comes into it!
 
well seeing as we meet enough of them on the bridle track i don't see that riding on a cycle track could be any worse!! if your horse doesn't like bikes then don't use it;)
 
Switchthehorse said:
Agree!! We have enough problems round our area with cyclists zipping up behind us on the bridleways, they never get out the ruddy way, seem to have no concept of 'space' and so overtake really close and don't get me started on when they start ringing the bl**dy bells!! Add to that kids on pink bikes with pink streamy ribbons flapping in the wind!! Gggrrrrrr!!

Feeling my angst!?
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The cyclists around here are in general fantastic around horses, both the serious cyclists and the leisure riders. They all tend to give us a wide berth, and call ahead or ring their bell to alert us that they are approaching, and quite a few request permission to pass, so I'm very impressed :)

Whats this about them getting out of the way? :confused: They usually travel faster then me if I'm walking, either very much slower or just a bit faster than me if I'm trotting, and if I want to canter and there's cyclists or pedestrians on the track, I just hold back until the path is clear. I must be missing something :confused:

Mutual respect, works both ways surely. I think I'm all for the proposals, but then the cycleways around there are decent width and off roads, and have no more cycle traffic then the bridleways. Maybe I would feel otherwise if this were different.
 
I always ask cyclists to call out 'hello' when coming up behind - find it stops the 'scoot along on the bum' spook that a silent cyclist can cause.
 
Ibblebibble said:
well seeing as we meet enough of them on the bridle track i don't see that riding on a cycle track could be any worse!! if your horse doesn't like bikes then don't use it;)
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^ This!

I really would appreciate it if they would give some warning before whizzing past at full pelt out of nowhere, sadly few do that and end up making me jump as much as my poor horse. He isn't scared of bikes, more the element of surprise!
 
quirky said:
Sounds good to me.
Surely the more places you can go with your horse, the better :).

ETS: Just because you may be able to go on a cycle path, doesn't mean you have to.
If your horse dislikes bikes, avoid. Simples :D.
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agree, the more places to ride the better
 
Cycleways would be a welcome addition for places to ride off-road.

I am afraid that if your horses are not good with cycles then you will need to spend some of your time getting used to them.

We ask cyclists to shout 'passing' well before they come past us so that we know they are there. Most the cyclists in my area are sensible but there is always the odd daft one that requires re-educating.
 
I think it's a great idea, up the the individual rider if they decide to use it then or not. At the moment I would not as Tigger is not keen on bikes - I am working on this!

My only real concern would be the cyclists themselves having respect for the horse and riders, I would hope a cyclist wouldn't come flying around the corner at 20mph.... and that they would have respect in going past - and also riders ensuring they aren't galloping along blind corners too!
 
pipper said:
I always ask cyclists to call out 'hello' when coming up behind - find it stops the 'scoot along on the bum' spook that a silent cyclist can cause.
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This and if I see them first I always call out hello, if they speak most horses understand what they are and aren't scared. Cyclists know that their silence can take people (and horses) by surprise but often don't know how best to deal with this.

I know a few very keen cyclists of the lycra wearing variety who tell me that there are often letters in their magazines about this type of thing and lots of angst about whether to call "excuse me" or ring a bell or have intentionally noisy brakes or to just whizz past anyway. Often they have had abuse from people for doing "the wrong thing". So have a bit of sympathy and be nice we aren't the only ones who have trouble with other road users etc. We once had one chap follow us for ages at a fairly significant distance unsure how to pass, we couldn't hear him as he was quite a way back and was meekly saying "um excuse me, um is it ok to pass" once we spotted him we waved him past and apologised for holding him up.

My horse is fine with bikes (although has occasionally jumped when they have come up quickly and quietly) so I would be very glad of any extra paths this opened up to us. It isn't likely to help us though as it is either lanes or footpaths in our area, hardly any bridlepaths or cyclepaths within hacking distance.

If your horse isn't used to bikes it is pretty easy to tackle. My horse hacks out with OH on a bike regularly she hadn't met one before we did this (she'd not really hacked at all) and was a bit wary, especially if he was behind but he spoke to her from his bike and she quickly became very happy hacking with him. Just find a tame cyclist and have them cycle with you when you hack, it helps if the horse knows them already, and they need to talk.

It is also important to note that the CTC (cyclists equivalent to the BHS) campaign for better offroad routes in conjunction with the BHS as partners so there should be no "us -v- them" attitude on either side, we have far more interests in common!
 
that would depend your your level of horemanship and how much time you have invested in making your horse spook proof, id love to have anywhere to ride off road, somehow i dont think my big fella would give 2 hoots,

this si him being a smart ass:D, food helicopter fod? i think food won, this landed very close to him, bovvered nah! this chap used to turn him self inside out at the thought of a sweet paper,

barneyandjellycopter.jpg
 
I'm lucky enough at my current yard to have miles of off road hacking, it's all part of a local project to make cornwall more accessible, especially around the eden project - this means it's all open, and popular, with cyclists, walkers and dog walkers as well as horse riders

we pass loads of bike users and all have always been very good with the horses, even the spooky ones, maybe it's cos they know to expect us but everyone is very friendly, we always say a passing hello and sometimes we even get into a bit of a conversation! A lot of tourists like to cycle the tracks as well as locals using it to train for cycling competitions etc. I've never had a problem sharing with cyclists
 
Being in Holland, land of the Cycle Path and Bike, we ride all the time on cycle paths. Never had an issue (maybe Dutch Horses are just more used to bikes) we also get the 25mph scooters on them as well. Again never an issue.
 
Your not allowed to ride on them in Scotland? Never knew that! And all the cyclists and dog walkers that go along the old railway line/cycle path have never had a problem with the 50+ racehorses that go along there every week!

Saying that the sign at each end of the cycle path does say for cyclists to be aware of horses and to pass them cautiously and for horse riders to proceed at a walk and to move to the side when cyclists need to pass.

We did have one muppet who had cycled up the public track that goes past the top of our gallops and being a mountain biker he thought that going down a nice steep straight line of woodchip would be a good idea - until he met a string of 15 racehorses ... Luckily you can hop up onto a big grassy banking at the side of the gallops so he was out of the way. He did get a bit of a rollicking but was mostly made fun of for being so stupid. He was then told that he could fly up and down the gallops on his bike as often as he wanted after 4pm when there would definitely be no horses out on it then.
 
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