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

[tazzle]

well we got a "new" bridlepath courtesy of it being upgraded to a shared path with cyclists as the "bridlepath that was" was almost unusable for much of the year due to mud and various other issues...... it was resurfaced with two types surface alongside each other the softer being suitable for horses /cantering. Both types of rider benefited

notices were put up to remind all users of how they should pass each other etc.

those with horses that did not like bikes either did not use it..... or habituated their horses to it ..... seemples

 

[Spudlet]

Never look a gifthorse in the mouth The horse I rode in London was fine with bikes, I'd happily take him onto a cycle path. As others have said, if bikes are an issue, avoid using them but if not, well any new route is better than none right?

 

[MaisieMooandCometToo]

I think it's a good idea

 

[Trinity Fox]

Horses can get used to bikes our main hacking route has been put on to some kind of suggested cycle route recently so we have zillions of large groups of bikes whizzing around.

I think some of the cyclists could do with a bit more equine awareness but any we have asked to slow down or anything when taking newly broken horse out have been fine, only really a problem if they zoom up behind and horses dont hear them can spook them.

My sisters horse did spin and throw her off when one appeared suddenly at speed around corner the man on bike looked terrified he did say it was very spectacular ha ha, but all of ours are pretty good with bikes as a result now and its better for horses to be faced with things like this i think than avoid them.

 

[indie999]

I think pedal cyclists are one of the worse group of people in the countryside especially the racing fraternity...ride 2 abreast on main roads and dont move over.No warning they are coming along..wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee past you only the odd person shouts "Cyclists" but most dont!

But yes I think we should use the paths as during the week they will probably be quieter..they should be banned.

 

[Miss L Toe]

I think pedal cyclists are one of the worse group of people in the countryside especially the racing fraternity...ride 2 abreast on main roads and dont move over.No warning they are coming along..wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee past you only the odd person shouts "Cyclists" but most dont!

But yes I think we should use the paths as during the week they will probably be quieter..they should be banned.

there are racing cyclists round here, if cycling two abreast they are having a chat, and a training ride, they would not appreciate being called "pedal cyclists"
I think I have heard people complaining about horse riders "riding two abreast and don't move over", I assume the poster was driving a car on a tarmac road, and was desperate to get to the next petrol station.

 

[Jesstickle]

I knew it, some horse owners are even sending their horses to university, well done you!

Hehe. But seriously. If you want to see just how bomb proof horses can be you should come and see him hack out round us. He is an absolute legend bless him. As are the cobs that ably escort him.

We hack up the main road into Cambridge, over an elevated light controlled roundabout which is on a road bridge over the A14, go through the village with all the buses and cyclists and then come back the same way.

I have photos of them doing it. A bike is the last thing they see that they'd worry about on our routes! I should sell him to the Police, he'd ace it!

 

[Ibblebibble]

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.

how do you ask a cyclist to call out hello if you haven't seen them?! most round here are very good and do call out a warning, and the bridle track got gravelled a couple of years ago and the cyclists aren't so keen on it now.

 

[Luci07]

Not keen. We are on Ranmore and the racing cyclists are rude and a liability. They behave as they totally own the road and show a complete lack of consideration to all road users. They also use the (single track) road past us as a race track (its downhill) which is seriously unfunny if you are the unlucky motorist OR rider (I have been both) who is coming up the opposite way. It has got SO bad that there is no one in my yard who will use that road now (with horse or car). We also had time last year when a local club kindly ran a race over the universal paths, thus rendering them totally unusable for riders and walkers. I checked with the local council (Surrey). Strangly they had not been told of any race (they are obliged to notify the council) so were able to damage the paths with no worry about the council going after them for repair. The result was alot of paths that were unusuable for the rest of the winter.

Ranmore is a heavily used area and everyone else gets on. I would happily see cyclists banned to make it more pleasant for the rest of us - with the excpetion of the geniune moutain bikers. For some reason these lot (while clearly nuts to access the places they do) are always considerate!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Well woops on about 1000+ occasions then, there are cycle path etched on the main roads around here and i ride in them, also been passed by police and nothing done or said, never even stopped

I am not riding in the middle of the road when the cycle path is clear, cars dont give enough room without putting yourself further in harms way IMO.

 

[Jesstickle]

Well woops on about 1000+ occasions then, there are cycle path etched on the main roads around here and i ride in them, also been passed by police and nothing done or said, never even stopped

I am not riding in the middle of the road when the cycle path is clear, cars dont give enough room without putting yourself further in harms way IMO.

I do this too. Your hacking sounds about as charming as mine! I don't think many people have to ride on roads big enough to have a cycle path so we're probably warped in our view anyway!

 

[Pale Rider]

Lots of the out riding around us is used by mountain bikers, walkers as well as horses.

Of course you get th odd idiot on a bike, that cuts it a bit close, similarly walkers sometimes feel a bit intimidated by the horses.

As far as horses being frightened or spooked by bikes, this is down to the rider to ensure that no matter how inconsiderate the bike rider is the horse is sound with it and able to be confident enough not to freak out. If you cannot trust your horse to behave properly, you shouldn't be on the trail really.

I do think its a good idea though to be able to use cycle paths, canal tow paths as well would be good, after all thats what they were made for.

 

[fidleyspromise]

Well woops on about 1000+ occasions then, there are cycle path etched on the main roads around here and i ride in them, also been passed by police and nothing done or said, never even stopped

I am not riding in the middle of the road when the cycle path is clear, cars dont give enough room without putting yourself further in harms way IMO.

Same here. There's one I'm on frequently and I've met loads of cyclists and some of them before I get near, pull over to let my horse past - usually I take my horse over and make sure they have the track. They've all been polite and smiling.

We also get the racing cyclists here on the roads and there's a mob of about 8 that go out regularly together and the horse doesn't blink at them. All the racing enthusiasts are friendly and I simply make sure I look behind me constantly so I know what's happening!

I see nothing wrong with cyclists and horse riders sharing paths, especially as we're being pushed onto more and more roads with off road riding being taken away.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I do this too. Your hacking sounds about as charming as mine! I don't think many people have to ride on roads big enough to have a cycle path so we're probably warped in our view anyway!

Yeah the idiot drivers that aim to take your foot off at the ankle, charming isnt it.

I have a fair amount of hacking that I do, no school so best way in winter to keep ponies fit is to hack, most of the roads are country back roads but I have to cross two A-roads and sometimes I have to go up the town main street to get to where I want to go.

But I think putting yourself in the middle of the road is a very bad ideam if your in the cycle lane it might teach the cyclist to actually acknowledge you and your horse other than whizz by and leave you with the mess to deal with .

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

As far as horses being frightened or spooked by bikes, this is down to the rider to ensure that no matter how inconsiderate the bike rider is the horse is sound with it and able to be confident enough not to freak out. If you cannot trust your horse to behave properly, you shouldn't be on the trail really.

Now that to me is a ridiculous statement. Both my horses have been accompanied by my OH on his bike and he whizzes up and down when hes not riding one of the horses himself. They KNOW the bike is there therefore they are fine with it.

However when a silent road bike that the horses have neither heard nor seen comes whizzing within 2ft of you its another matter, like a bird flying out the hedge or a gun going off randomly, horses are flight animals not machines and mine are very well behaved but they still spook occasionally. So as a horse person i would say that statement is a bit off.

 

[brighteyes]

No probs for me - I lead my horse off my bike Also, the more poo we leave, the less bikes and then we'll have them all to ourselves!

 

[Pale Rider]

Now that to me is a ridiculous statement. Both my horses have been accompanied by my OH on his bike and he whizzes up and down when hes not riding one of the horses himself. They KNOW the bike is there therefore they are fine with it.

However when a silent road bike that the horses have neither heard nor seen comes whizzing within 2ft of you its another matter, like a bird flying out the hedge or a gun going off randomly, horses are flight animals not machines and mine are very well behaved but they still spook occasionally. So as a horse person i would say that statement is a bit off.

Well they are hardly going to have a big reaction to something they KNOW is there, It's having the confidence to cope with the suprises that count. lets face it there are spooks and spooks, if a person cannot can't cope with it, then stay at home. You cannot expect everyone to treat horses like a horseperson would. They don't know any different and so it's up to us to be aware of what can happen and be prepaired. This means making sure your horse is confident with everyday occurences, because thats what they are.

 

[tazzle]

just an idle thought .... round our way the racing bikes all use the country roads ( and usually travel in packs ) and NOT the cycle paths, would it not be an idea to use the cycle paths to get away from them


seriously though..... the worst brown pants experience I had on the roads was when I joined two riders I hardly knew for a pootle. Part way round one tells me horse scared of bikes after it pranced when one slow pedal bike passed us.

I was in front a while later as we approached a left hand bend .... suddenly one horse up my inside forcing us over slightly right and the other shooting forward on my right then spinning in the middle of the road .... with a pack of racers whizzing past us from behind and on the other side of the road.


Had any vehicles been coming the other way it would have been utter carnage, loss of life for sure


Thank goodness Taz stood still "on command".

 

[Serenity087]

Erm.. bikes are allowed on bridlepaths and roads... so why is horses on cyclepaths the only way the two are going to meet?

Anyway, Dorey is fine with bikes, bring it on! (means I can hack to my house )

 

[Goldenstar]

This is reality near here where part of the national cycle way is open to riders and part of an ancient bridleway forms part of the cycle way it poses no issues I have used it a fair bit I have trained my horses to accept cycles as mountain biking became more of a thing and I saw more and more particularly in our nearest FC wood where there are a lot of mountain bikers now.
I have had no issues with this any off road riding is a good thing if you can't control your horse around bikes dont go but it's not an issue for most of us .

 

[mandwhy]

I would be happy, there are lots of good cycle paths in Cambridge! Don't know about all the ones next the river mind if theres a spook likely :-/

 

[Flame_]

I think it sounds great but if I were a cyclist I wouldn't be very chuffed to have our paths invaded by horses. What would they gain from having to share with horses ETA - apart from aggro, people wanting them to slow down and falling off and having dramas they don't have to deal with now? I can see it meeting opposition.