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Jackrat
23rd January 2004, 22:10
What do you people do when you come across horses on the road side.
My wife rides a horse and reports allsorts of different things happening with road users in general.Bike riders seem to come off with a pretty good rep' but of course there is always some that don't care.
So what is your opinion about the things.
Just in case you wonder,I try to pass em' in a calm quite manner, but I would rather not come across em' in the first place. :sweatdrop

Zed
23rd January 2004, 22:25
What do you people do when you come across horses on the road side.
My wife rides a horse and reports allsorts of different things happening with road users in general.Bike riders seem to come off with a pretty good rep' but of course there is always some that don't care.
So what is your opinion about the things.
Just in case you wonder,I try to pass em' in a calm quite manner, but I would rather not come across em' in the first place. :sweatdrop

I also pass them quietly, only cos someone told me once that their hearing (like many animals) is awesome, and loud motorcycles scare them!

The last thing I want to do is to encourage a horse to gallop after me! Imagine if it caught up and passed me? (never!- oh maybe if I was riding a 150cc or something. :eek5: )

Zed

wkid_one
23rd January 2004, 23:43
Well - having had (past tense) a partner for 10 years who who an equestrian rider....I was 'told' what to do.......and berated if I didn't 'empathise' with the riders situation.

The old VTR was a bitch around horses - however they got a fairly good idea you were coming. If coming from the front - just shut the throttle, pulled the clutch and coasted past on idle. If coming from the rear - I also slowed a little to allow the rider time to gather the reigns if need by and I would take a wider berth using the other lane if poss.

The R1 was different as it didn't project much noise forward - so was quieter when approaching horses.

The problem with horses is not primarily their hearing - but when approaching from behind - they have LITTLE IF ANY rearward vision - which means that they are easily startled from behind........most road problems occur when a bike/vehicle is approaching the horse from behind...

Also horses are notoriously stupid - in that they can see the same thing for 4 days in the row and then get spooked by it on the 5th day even tho nothing has changed.

However - I do disagree with riders taking horses on the road - KNOWING that the horse is spooked on the road and a danger.....this is just asking for trouble.

LB
24th January 2004, 04:58
I slow down, keep the bike as quiet as possible, give them as wide a berth as I safely can.

Horses can move and change direction very quickly. Had a bit of an experience a couple of years ago round East Cape - the horse was on its own, we slowed etc but it was really spooked (had been spooked already I think, not just because of our three m/cycles, all of which had standard exhausts at that stage). The horse was running really fast along the berm in the same direction as us. It kept zig-zagging between the fence and the road. We just had to pick our time to idle past. That was the first time I realised how agile and fast they could move.

I would not like to hit a horse on my bike (not least of all because I don't like killing things)

Motu
24th January 2004, 08:27
I'm always careful around horses - roll off the throttle and be as quiet as possible,go wide and generaly let the rider know I have seen them and am taking care and attention.I try not to totaly back off - this is just as noisy on some bikes,and the XLV750 has a fearful snap crackle and pop.On roads in the middle of nowhere and off road things can get difficult,someone may have to give way,usually the bike,in which case I switch off and wait.

Some horse riders are great,they understand that you are looking out for them and apreciate that,but some are just anti bike and think they have all the rights.If off road acsess comes an issue - the horse riders win,they are usually stroppy women and may even be on the council.When planning an off road event I would talk to the local riding school/horse trek opperator to make sure we didn't clash,she was no trouble (my kids went there) but some riders are snarly.

I've come across a lot of animals on the road in my riding,and nearly all try to get away from the bike,but you have to be careful as they can cut back across the road,sheep are particually mindless - but bulls are scary,I've had some near misses with bulls,they come at you as you go past,felt like only inches at times.We used to go onto farms to practice trials - the sheep and horses would run to the opposite end of the paddock and stay out of the way - but cows are very nosey and would come over to watch.We would make a practice section,maybe a nice steep climb out of a stream - get to the top and a whole bloody heard of cattle are at the top watching.

wildfire1
24th January 2004, 08:50
I try to pass them as quietly as possible, and as far away from them on the road as possible, i.e.- if the horse is on the L/H side of the road, and i can safely cross the center line to keep my distance I will do so long as I'm not endangering myself to do so.

I think most horse owners/riders are aware of vehicles on the road, and while the may appreciate that motorcycle riders do what they can to minimize their bikes noise - if they are near a road they are likely to be confronted with all manner of loud vehicles - cars with big bore exhausts, trucks, tractors, etc

you would have to be a real Wan*er to try to create more noise as you pass!!

mangell6
24th January 2004, 09:03
For me it is nice and quiet as I pass them and I always watch the rider to see if they are aware of you and have the horse undercontrol. Assuming that there is a rider.

Seen what horses, cows, pigs can do to cars, we would probably bounce.

SPman
24th January 2004, 13:04
Run past on a trailing throttle with a wide berth as possible.

They had an article on (Auckland) TV about this back in the 70's, complete with footage of how to go about it. A mate provided a CB350 and his services....managed to come off while avoiding the horse - grabbed the front brake when he got on the gravel verge and splat! :doh:
They left it in the footage.:o

georgedubyabush
25th January 2004, 08:52
All the kids around here have an old nag to ride around on, and they wear no helmets or riding gear, and invariably bareback. I try to get right over and clutch it and coast past at idle. I ride horses on occasion and anything or nothing will spook them and they will happily jump sideways 6 or 10 feet so watch out.

duckman
2nd February 2004, 11:26
I've always slowed a little and pulld the clutch in as the Duke makes a bit of a racket.

Can anyone confirm if this is best ??

Perhaps just keeping the noise constant as you pass would freak the horse less. - You know, first it hears something coming, then silence, then a bike goes scooting past with just chain lash noise.... ??

I dunno, I'm not a horse rider so I just try to be courteous. :cool:

Dave
2nd February 2004, 12:06
I always shut off the throttle and slow down/keep wide.

Some horses are going to go nuts nomatter what you do,but i get told that its appreciated.

One to think about is horses in floats-half of them are shitting themselves anyway so don't tailgate and take it easy when passing floats as well.

curious george
2nd February 2004, 19:00
During a cycle race, a horse jumped into the peleton, and galloped along. Two riders out with injuries, six crashed, bunch split, and third place to the horse!
(Not really third). It did cause a lot of damage though. Cycles don't make that much noise, so I guess the horse just wanted a bike :p
On a motorbike, I just idle past, as far to the right as possible.

ching_ching
2nd February 2004, 19:53
Ditto,

Slow right down and kind've quiet up on tippy-toe... in a motorcycle kind of way aye :2thumbsup

Have a few of the bros taking horse treks around Lake Rotoaira. Just go slow as going past, keeping an eye out and give them the 'cher bro salute'... (raise the eyebrows and a quick raising of the head backward and upwards).

Seems to do OK.

ching_ching

jimbo600
2nd February 2004, 20:24
I'm of the be cool with them and they'll be cool with us notion.

I usually button right off and pull the clutch in and coast past. Typically the horse rider always waves, and usually they are pretty spunky too, so there's always the hope of bumping into them later.

The more people we can get onside the better in the long term.

DEATH_INC.
3rd February 2004, 16:57
I just cruise past as far away as poss......
I think pulling the clutch and coasting is the wrong thing to do,they have enough trouble hearing you coming as it is.....
I've never had trouble with any of the nags I've had,they always had pretty good road sense....

RiderInBlack
8th February 2004, 10:07
Good to hear your commends re:pasting Horses. Have ride both Bikes and Horses I know what can happen. A friend of mine near got killed when her young horse got spooked by a speeding truck and trailer, jumping between the truck and it's trailer. Also when trail riding on horse back, I found the horses had less problems with the motorcross bikes (which they could at least hear coming) than mountian bikes (which would come out of nowhere and rattle a chain as they came pass). I work as a Farrier (Horse Shoer) and have worked as an Orthopaedic (bones) Nurse so am well aware what damage a spooked horse can do!
Pass them with care and give them some distance.

Coldkiwi
8th February 2004, 10:24
I'm like wkid on this one. My fiancee is a made keen horse rider and I have been educated on what to do!! (slow and wide... but even then some horse riders seem awfully offended by the fact that I might even be riding on the road disturbing their horse!) She wasn't sure but seemed to think that there is some bit in the road code that says vehicles should slow down to 10k or something to pass horses. Anyone want to look that up? (sounds a bit dangerous for traffic following to me)

Motu
9th February 2004, 11:45
I've only had one run in with a horse rider - I won of course,in my own way.

We were living on a farm,the padocks were leased for grazing and we had the house and home padock.It had a long drive,very rough,huge holes and spread with rejects(kumara sized rocks) Coming up on my CB750 one day...it's hard work on this thing,have to fight the bars and stay in 1st - I met my neighbour coming down the drive on her horse,she didn't graze it on her own property,oh no,no this specimen.Of course her horse went apeshit and nearly took me out - then she came back and went ballistic,tearing a strip off me big time.No worries,I'll sort you out bitch.

Part of the lease agreament was that no stock was to be in the home padock - so one day when I saw her horse in the home padock I made sure the road gate was open that morning...the horses went over to the corn field across the road and enjoyed themselves.So when she stormed over to rip into me I just politly said...oh,how did he get out,he wasn't in the home padock was he? I never saw here horse on our side again.

wkid_one
9th February 2004, 12:16
Gotta disagree entirely with that - it is one thing to take it out on an owner - but you also put the horse as risk. I can't condone that - it was just irresponsible and immature. Regardless of whether you were right or wrong, you beef was with the owner not the horse. If you knew it was on the home paddock - you should have approached the owner directly rather than just let the horse out.

If that was my horse, and something had happened to it....I would have more than torn verbal strips from your back regardless

You dropped to her level - but also put a horse at risk.....not smart at all

Motu
9th February 2004, 12:40
Whatever gave you the impression I was responsable and mature? I would of done the same thing if it was your horse.

RiderInBlack
26th February 2004, 11:32
Whatever gave you the impression I was responsable and mature? I would of done the same thing if it was your horse.
:Oi: :stupid:With that kind of mentallity, look out for you bike. Someone might return the favour :ar15:
:Playnice: Respect other people property or suffer the concequences :kick: :bash:

jrandom
26th February 2004, 11:52
keeping an eye out and give them the 'cher bro salute'...

Funnily enough I seem to remember reading in National Geographic or summat that the 'cher bro salute' greeting is one of the most globally recognised generic communication gestures, even observed in some very isolated communities - seems to be one of those deep-programmed things like smiling almost.

Motu
26th February 2004, 11:55
:Oi: :stupid:With that kind of mentallity, look out for you bike. Someone might return the favour :ar15:
:Playnice: Respect other people property or suffer the concequences :kick: :bash:




keep your eye on your mirror,one day it could have a Pajero in it.

Lou Girardin
26th February 2004, 16:09
keep your eye on your mirror,one day it could have a Pajero in it.

It's that car thing coming out again, Motu. Are you trying to join the lightside?
Lou

Motu
26th February 2004, 16:24
Man,I'm itching for a personality change - I want to go to sleep at the wheel,I need to text on the move,I need to feel something squishy under my wheels.

RiderInBlack
26th February 2004, 20:49
keep your eye on your mirror,one day it could have a Pajero in it.
Don't think for one minute that four wheels makes you safe. I would have thought riding on two would have made you more road smart. To bad, you better stick with four or stay off the road. Bikers don't need their regos increased by ACC because guys like you.
Sure do what you like as long as you only harm (or kill) yourself, but leave others out of it. Letting that horse out on the road was an act of a stupid w*nker. One day you'll find some loose stock on the road on a dark night on a blind corner (hope your reactions are fast).
PS: don't threaten me with you Pajero. I spill, you kill. I won't care as I'll be dead, but you would have to live with it for the rest of you life.
Wise-up Motu or live with shame and Utu.

marty
26th February 2004, 21:28
careful motu, the horse whisperer has spoken :)

marty
26th February 2004, 21:29
What do you people do when you come across horses on the road side.
. :sweatdrop


i usually wipe it off, as if i don't, the girls tend to stick to them.....

Motu
26th February 2004, 21:47
Don't think for one minute that four wheels makes you safe. I would have thought riding on two would have made you more road smart. To bad, you better stick with four or stay off the road. Bikers don't need their regos increased by ACC because guys like you.
Sure do what you like as long as you only harm (or kill) yourself, but leave others out of it. Letting that horse out on the road was an act of a stupid w*nker. One day you'll find some loose stock on the road on a dark night on a blind corner (hope your reactions are fast).
PS: don't threaten me with you Pajero. I spill, you kill. I won't care as I'll be dead, but you would have to live with it for the rest of you life.
Wise-up Motu or live with shame and Utu.

Gosh Rider in Black,thanks for the attention - it's a blue Pajero,long wheelbase,mags and a Tweety Bird cover over the spare wheel.

RiderInBlack
27th February 2004, 07:05
Gosh Rider in Black,thanks for the attention - it's a blue Pajero,long wheelbase,mags and a Tweety Bird cover over the spare wheel.
Thanks Motu. Your Pajero is the same as my horsey ex-wife's.

ManDownUnder
27th February 2004, 08:06
Respect them and give them space.

Spook the thing and you have a ton of muscle and bone in your way or trampling on you, and they have small minds of their own too so they react in many ways like a small child would...

Noting all the above, it's a respect thing as well - I try not piss off other users of the road, so why make an exception for this one?

You know they do have an advantage over a bike... you can't get done DIC on a horse... You're not deemed to be in charge... the thing has a brain all of it's own!

... So I heard anyways...

MDU

MikeL
27th February 2004, 08:48
You're not deemed to be in charge... the thing has a brain all of it's own!
MDU

I can well believe it. I've been more scared on a horse than ever on a motorbike.
:sweatdrop

riffer
27th February 2004, 09:40
Horses are okay uphill, especially when you are riding up a farm track with manuka either side and the buggers are trying to knock you off against the trees - I always enjoy that challenge.

The tricky bit I have found is riding them down a hillside - the brakes ain't the best and the throttle seems to stick a bit :laugh:

Hitcher
27th February 2004, 11:24
The tricky bit I have found is riding them down a hillside - the brakes ain't the best and the throttle seems to stick a bit :laugh:

And worst of all -- no KILL switch!!

SILVER SUZI
27th February 2004, 11:43
Lynda, don't be fooled, if you hit the horse you are far more likely to die than the horse!