General Public's perception of Horse Riders

[Equine_Dream]

Someone recently shared a post of the BHS Pass Wide and Slow Campaign on a local Facebook page. I was quite shocked by the response.
The majority of responses were very anti horse riders on the roads. "Horses belong in a field not on the road"..."horses riders should clean up after their horses like dog owners have to" ... "horse riders are so selfish, leaving their horse's mess all over the roads".
From personal experience I am also finding I'm encountering more and more rude impatient and downright dangerous drivers on the roads. I always without fail thank every driver that slows down for us when I'm out riding.
So do you think the general public have quite a negative view of us riders? If so why do you think that is?

 

[paddi22]

I think people view it as elitist sometimes. I know a neighbour gets annoyed when he's rushing to work and I hold him up at all - I absolutely know he's thinking 'rich bitch (im far from that!) with nothing all day to do but potter on her horse and delay him. it seems to annoy some people to have to slow on the roads and some people just genuinely don't understand horses at all. I've always had horses but my husband shocked me one day by zooming past a horse and not staying wide enough. I went mad at him and he argued back saying that in his head he thought it was safer to just get past it as quickly as possible. I said he was too close and he said 'they should be used to cars', when I said they can spook at anything and react unexpectedly he said 'well then they aren't safe to have on roads' and said he believed they should only be on roads if they are under the control of the owner.

I hack all the time and one the of neighbours goes mad at droppings in the road. a neighbour told me that she thinks it should be cleaned up and that 'if it was cyclists getting off and pooing in the road there would be murder'. she thinks its dangerous for other road users to slip on and unhygienic. she can't see why dog owners need to do it and horse owners don't. I think that's a misunderstanding of the toxicity of horse dung.

From driving past horses m myself I can see some riders not waving because I can tell they are focusing and keeping both hands on reins and eyes ahead. I can read the body language but I think a lot of drivers would see it as rude.

there is definitely a worse atmosphere against horses on the road than years ago.

 

[Equine_Dream]

From driving past horses m myself I can see some riders not waving because I can tell they are focusing and keeping both hands on reins and eyes ahead. I can read the body language but I think a lot of drivers would see it as rude.

there is definitely a worse atmosphere against horses on the road than years ago.

I think you make some really interesting points here. Just to draw on this one, I agree. I have driven past riders and can tell they are concentrating on keeping focus on their horses, but I think a non horsey person might perceived it as rude. When I've been in this situation myself I try and nod my head/smile/shout thank you but I realise this is easier said than done, and sometimes the horse needs the riders complete attention.

 

[PeterNatt]

I have been riding on the roads now for about 65 years now! Including central London. There are more vehicles on the roads now than many years ago but I find most road users are courteous to me and my horse. There are a small minority that are a bit daft and an even smaller number that are aggressive. I always wear a long sleeved Hi-Viz Jacket so that other road users can see my hand signals.

 

[rowan666]

We are also finding an increasing number of drivers being rude, aggressive and downright dangerous. It gets worse every year, I've no idea why. We also had abuse given to us this weekend for riding on a bridle path!! We were walking single file and kept as close to one side as physically possible but apparently we shouldn't have been there ?‍

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Things are definitely worse than they were but that also applies to life in general. It is just such a 'me' centred attitude these days and so many people, not all thankfully, think only of themselves to the detriment to others. God forbid they should have to put themselves out in any way whatsoever for other people even when it involves their own safety. If anything goes wrong it is always 'someone else's' fault.

 

[Tarragon]

I was also completely shocked by the response to a very reasonably worded post about how to safely pass a horse while driving, posted on a petrol head type of forum. Well over half were of the opinion that horses shouldn't be on the road for all of the reasons posted above, and some posters even went as far as saying how much they enjoy winding the horse up! It made for scary reading. The vitriol of some of those posts scared me.
I live in a rural part of the Peak District, and am surrounded by fields of sheep and cattle, and plenty of farm traffic and farmers, and I think it is much better here.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

and sometimes the horse needs the riders complete attention.

And sometimes it is just an ignorant rider. I often see an older woman riding a very well mannered big bay. She never even glances towards you when you slow down and pass very wide. A polite nod would be appreciated at the very least. I am a horse person and always make every effort to be as careful as possible past horses but she is one of those that makes me wonder why I bother.

 

[smolmaus]

I am an inexperienced driver so maybe this is more to do with that but I couldn't give a toss if a person on horseback or a cyclist or even a dog walker waves at me when I do what I'm supposed to do and pass safely. I'm not passing wide and slow for politeness, I'm doing it so there isn't an accident and maybe someone could die???

some posters even went as far as saying how much they enjoy winding the horse up! It made for scary reading. The vitriol of some of those posts scared me.

This is genuinely terrifying to read. I hope I never ever lose the awareness that when I'm driving I am in control of a 1 tonne death machine. Well, a fiesta is probably less but still!!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I was also completely shocked by the response to a very reasonably worded post about how to safely pass a horse while driving, posted on a petrol head type of forum. Well over half were of the opinion that horses shouldn't be on the road for all of the reasons posted above, and some posters even went as far as saying how much they enjoy winding the horse up! It made for scary reading. The vitriol of some of those posts scared me.

They need to check the highway code. Whether they think horses should be there or not is irrelevant. The way to drive around horses is clearly laid out. A strong reason for us all to wear a tabard with camera logo and camera to film any dangerous driving and take the footage to the Police.

 

[paddi22]

yeah I think maybe the public don't understand how reactive or quick a horse can move. my husband was genuinely shocked when I said even my best behaved one could suddenly spook or spin into the road if a pheasant or something genuinely scared it. he argued that if a parent had a child on the road who would suddenly;y thrown themselves onto a car bonnet with no control then the parent should just walk their child in a park or controlled space. I can kind of see his point objectively.

I think people's experiences of horses acting up is gotten from the media and tv, so they probably think an upset horse stands in the same spot and does a controlled rear?? I think if people genuinely understood a horse can scoot in sideways quickly then they would have a bit more awareness?

 

[Splash2310]

I was seriously shocked at a driver a couple of weeks ago. We were walking down the road decked out in high-vis (as always) and as we were going round a corner on the road the car behind tried to overtake us. Despite our hand gestures saying stop, he kept going and nearly crashed into a car going in the other direction, then sped off with no apology!

Irked me even more that he had a dashcam too. Luckily the other driver wasn’t going too fast and the ponies didn’t spook.

It really worries me that drivers seem to forg this part of the Highway Code:

Be particularly careful of horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles especially when overtaking. Always pass wide and slowly. Horse riders are often children, so take extra care and remember riders may ride in double file when escorting a young or inexperienced horse or rider. Look out for horse riders’ and horse drivers’ signals and heed a request to slow down or stop. Take great care and treat all horses as a potential hazard.

Even if they have no experience around horses, they are clearly large and heavy - who would want that on their bonnet?!

 

[Equine_Dream]

And sometimes it is just an ignorant rider. I often see an older woman riding a very well mannered big bay. She never even glances towards you when you slow down and pass very wide. A polite nod would be appreciated at the very least. I am a horse person and always make every effort to be as careful as possible past horses but she is one of those that makes me wonder why I bother.

I agree sometimes it's just rudeness sadly. Shame as it gives the rest of us a bad name

 

[criso]

And sometimes it is just an ignorant rider. I often see an older woman riding a very well mannered big bay. She never even glances towards you when you slow down and pass very wide. A polite nod would be appreciated at the very least. I am a horse person and always make every effort to be as careful as possible past horses but she is one of those that makes me wonder why I bother.

I do take your point and I always thank people, even if my horse needs both hands at the moment I smile and nod. However it does sometimes feel like we have to be grateful for people following the highway code. How many people wave a thank you when a car stops at a pedestrian crossing. Should the driver wonder why they bother stopping at pedestrian crossings if people aren't sufficiently grateful.

 

[Equine_Dream]

I am an inexperienced driver so maybe this is more to do with that but I couldn't give a toss if a person on horseback or a cyclist or even a dog walker waves at me when I do what I'm supposed to do and pass safely. I'm not passing wide and slow for politeness, I'm doing it so there isn't an accident

This is another excellent point. While I do go out of my way to thank every driver, in reality that shouldn't make a difference. Should we really have to thank drivers for following the highway code, driving in a safe courteous manner, and for you know...not killing us?
I suppose it's more out of politeness for the fact I have held them up that I make a point of saying thank you. We shouldn't need to I suppose, but if it means that driver then showing the same courtesy to the next horse and rider they meet I'm happy to oblige.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I thank drivers all the time. As long as it is safe to do so and yes that does include if I'm crossing at a zebra crossing. I'd find it hard to stop as too many years of driving on single track lanes means it is normal and automatic to thank anyone who is even vaguely helpful.

 

[rabatsa]

I gave a wagon driver brown underwear. Trotting along a country lane with a grass verge and hedge at both sides. Wagon coming towards me and the driver probably thought that he had slowed down but was not slow.

Horse levitates sideways to the left onto what should have been grass verge alongside the hedge, only there was a ditch under the green stuff. So we go about three feet lower than expected. Horse scares itself and levitates sideways right, back into the road, much to the horror of the wagon driver. We nearly went into his cab door.

Personally I was amazed that I was still on top of the horse.

The driver was going to a local industrial spot and was in need of a strong cup of tea. He did not know that horses went sideways the width of a car without using its legs.

 

[fankino04]

I agree with Erin that sadly it's a sign of the times and people are much more self centred these days (again not all). There are far more people using the roads now and always in a rush to get somewhere. Also with the loss of so much countryside riders are being forced into the roads more so the car driver is encountering and being inconvenienced much more by them and a lot of these people will be originally from towns and not so familiar with horses.

 

[Cloball]

yeah I think maybe the public don't understand how reactive or quick a horse can move. my husband was genuinely shocked when I said even my best behaved one could suddenly spook or spin into the road if a pheasant or something genuinely scared it. he argued that if a parent had a child on the road who would suddenly;y thrown themselves onto a car bonnet with no control then the parent should just walk their child in a park or controlled space. I can kind of see his point objectively.

I think people's experiences of horses acting up is gotten from the media and tv, so they probably think an upset horse stands in the same spot and does a controlled rear?? I think if people genuinely understood a horse can scoot in sideways quickly then they would have a bit more awareness?

To be honest I don't even think it's just horses. I used to cycle to work in all weathers as I couldn't afford to park in the carpark the abuse you get off drivers for cycling around pot holes 'unexpectedly', for cycling around parked cars 'unexpectedly', for turning right and being in the correct road position, oh and being blown side ways by the wind. A colleague of mine broke her pelvis hitting a pothole and I fell off when I curved my pedal avoiding a car overtaking too close.

Oh and a friend of mine got run down in slow motion because she took too long to cross the road on a pedestrian crossing as it was very snowy and icey.

I don't know what the solution is but it is very scary. People overtake my car in horrifying places. I used to see a lot of RTCs at work and it really made me anxious driving. Maybe that should be part of road awareness..... Look how you body can be held together by only skin.

 

[SEL]

I have to confess that while I try and wave or nod a thank you at any driver who even slows down a bit I do wonder why I'm thanking them for following the highway code - the packs of badly behaved cyclists around here couldn't care less! But thank them I do just in case that means they remember to go slowly past the next horse they come across.

I've seen that kind of vitriol in comments for horse rider related articles before and usually respond by saying that most horse riders would love to be off the road but until local landowners make it possible to link bridlepaths then only way of getting to them is along roads that we all have to share.

 

[Sealine]

I smile and thank any road user who shows consideration when passing whether I'm riding or walking on a road with no pavement. Currently I find cyclists are the least patient but we do have ALOT of cyclists using the lanes I hack on.

When talking to drivers who are reluctant to slow down for horses I mention an incident that happened a few years ago which can make them think twice. A car squeezed past a friend and I when we were hacking on a narrow lane with no verges and high banks. Someone started a chain saw above us in a garden backing onto the lane. The horse my friend was on spun around but as the road was so narrow the horse sat on the car and pushed the side of the car in. The driver was at fault and, if I remember correctly, the horse wasn't insured anyway so it was an expensive lesson in patience and passing horses for the driver.

 

[Uliy]

I find that even driving in my car is scary these days. People rarely drive at the speed limit, drive right up behind you, change lanes without any regard for others - and people are so, so angry to be held up for a matter of 5 seconds because I’ve judged it not safe to pass the bus, or to turn right when there are cars coming the other way. I don’t think I’m an awful driver but apparently following the rules of the road is something to be discouraged.
I’m interested in the governments response to the consultation a few months ago - has anyone seen any outcome regarding the hierarchy that placed cyclists ahead of horse riders?

 

[Bernster]

Yes sadly it doesn’t surprise me now as I expect to see those comments on posts like that. i always wave say thanks and smile or a mix of those and most folks are good but we get the odd inconsiderate driver. We have no choice but to hack on the road at my yard or not hack at all (and in lock down we couldn’t box up anyway). More walkers bikes dogs etc on the common, so my horse-world feels quite crowded these days.

Not sure what the resolution is but I tend to agree that folks aren’t as aware or don’t care and they are in a rush and don’t think.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I live in a very rural part of Ireland that is predominately farming land and farm vehicles on the lanes. The vast majority of other road users are 100 per cent careful and courteous and will go to great lengths to help me the odd time I have been on a difficult horses having a meltdown in the middle of the road. Even going so far as to back way up in huge machinery and turning their engine off to allow me to then get the un cooperative horse past them.

Last time I was in the UK the year before Covid I hacked out as usual with my sister in law but she took me further afield to reach a beautiful spot for a bit of speed. To say I was terrified on those roads would be an understatement, not so much the huge volume of traffic on even rural roads, but the total lack of regard for horses by almost every motorist we encountered, often at very dodgy spots like sharp bends etc.

I told her I would never, ever do that again, next time (please God there is a next time!) I will be sticking to the yard and off road access directly from the yard.

 

[scats]

Sometimes riders don’t really help themselves.
A few weeks ago, on a local Facebook group, a walker put a post up saying he was quite shocked to be given a mouthful of abuse by two riders who were cantering down a path towards him shouting at him to get out of the way (it’s a shared path at the edge of a country park- for all to use) The bloke was perfectly pleasant and just reminded people it was a path for all and could everyone just be aware of that. He said he was happy to move out of the way, but didn’t feel the abuse was necessary.
The responses from some (a lot!) of our local riders was shocking. It was along the lines of “you’ve got pavements and other places to go so get out of our way” kind of thing. Although I see their point that it’s frustrating to have limited places to ride, the man was legally doing nothing wrong and is perfectly entitled to walk on there. The attitude from local riders was downright embarrassing and if I wasn’t a horse person, I would have been forming a not-so-great opinion of them. When I pointed out to these riders that they expect other road users to respect them on a road where they are legally allowed to be, they didn’t seem to see the irony in what they had posted. I made a comment that respect works both ways and if we start hurling abuse at people who are within their rights to walk in a certain place, we aren’t doing much to help our cause when the same person passes us on the road... a lot of people liked it and agreed, but I got some abuse off a few riders for not supporting them.
There was even one man who commented saying that he always slowed down for horses, but seeing the attitude of the riders on the post, he was less likely to be doing that anymore.
I wish people would se the bigger picture sometimes.

 

[stormox]

I think people's experiences of horses acting up is gotten from the media and tv, so they probably think an upset horse stands in the same spot and does a controlled rear?? I think if people genuinely understood a horse can scoot in sideways quickly then they would have a bit more awareness?

And whinnys at the same time.......

 

[smolmaus]

There was even one man who commented saying that he always slowed down for horses, but seeing the attitude of the riders on the post, he was less likely to be doing that anymore.

This makes zero sense to me. If he doesn't slow down he is a) breaking the law and b) going to cause an accident where people could be permanently injured or killed, including himself if it goes very badly. Causing death by dangerous driving doesn't have a "but someone on a horse was rude to me once" get out of jail free card.

I know it was probably just Billy Big Man mouthing off on FB but that attitude is insane! How huge and fragile is someone's ego that getting a bit of attitude off a random person is enough to make them want to risk possibly killing a completely different person?

 

[mini_b]

We are in a rural area and on the narrower roads 95% slow down.

if we are on a wider road then many still drive towards you at 50/60. Terrifies me.

I go way OTT with the thanking and when I can’t take my hands off the reins, I smile and nod.
However I do agree with the sentiments of “thanks for not killing me by following your duty as a fellow road user”

Recently I had some very courteous motorcyclists slow right down for me and go wide, they did their best!
he was still very dramatic about that nearly flicking me off over the top of a hedge. (motorcycles are very scary) then while we were recovering from that, a young girl in a mint choc chip coloured fiat 500 got right up behind me, dropped it down into a low gear and squealed past.
the air was BLUE - seriously?!

I’ve told a family member off before for passing me at speed - they didn’t realise it was me.
but I slowed down was their reply! Not enough was mine!

I do think there is both a real lack of awareness and understanding of horses on the road but also that some drivers don’t care; if your horse can’t cope with vehicles at speed or close by then they shouldn’t be on the road.

a drivers impatience could at least dent their car a bit and very easily kill a horse and rider.
I was in touch with Alan Hiscox about signage but it needs to lobbied for at the council to see a “need” for it. The evidence being the BHS reporting stats.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

People just don't think! Sister and I have hacked together for years, very often, I have ridden the bigger horses Clydesdales, IDx, Draft mare, who probably all weighed the best part of 1 ton but were pretty much bombproof in traffic - drivers very obviously understood that if those big horses landed on their cars, the car would most likely be a write off, hey gave us plenty of room even if they didn't slow down much. However sister's much lighter Appaloosas, which were actually far more likely to react to e.g. the dog behind the hedge, or flowers that weren't there last tie we passed, have never been given such as wide berth as the bigger horses. I'm not sure why drivers think even half a ton will leave your car unscathed. It won't.

But we get a lot of walkers on our single track, no pavement/verge roads and I can guarantee that the vast majority of them will be walking side by side with their friend in the middle of the road and when a car approaches, split up , one to each side of the road, not leaving enough room for a car to get through safely, especially of one or both of the walkers has a dog.
As I said, people just don't think

 

[paddi22]

And whinnys at the same time.......

totally! while I just sit there looking gorgeous with my hair blowing in the wind and a tasteful amount of boob showing