Got lectured by a horse rider on my run today...

shooba wrote:

It sounds like the general consensus is that I should have yelled out a warning as I was approaching, in addition to moving off the trail. I'll start doing this from now on.

I have a little more trouble accepting that I also have to slow down, or altogether stop running, as I pass. I should've qualified that these trails aren't out in the boonies: They're in a semi-urban environment, right next to cars and cyclists. I agree with several other posters who said that if someone is going to take a horse out in a place like this, they should accept that a spooked horse is going to come with the territory, or at the very least not get indignant about others' presence.

Thanks for the replies. Appreciate the advice.

I come across the odd dickhead on a horse in a similar environment as you, but most riders are OK.

I always give a bit of warning if coming from behind, just loud enough for them to hear and to try not to spook the horse, then give as much space around them as possible, same as you did. But you'll still get the odd one who thinks the universe revolves around them and get their knickers in a knot and have a go verbally, especially if their horse gets spooked. My response to them is to give as good as I get, "Mate, if can't control your friggin' horse don't bring it out in public areas where there are others users like kids on bikes, walkers, runners, etc."

This is a great example of why you should wear headphones while running. You can just act like you can't hear him and keep running like you did.

People should not be in public riding an animal prone to freaking out and kicking random strangers in the head. No stupid tradition should make that legal.

Put them in designated horse zones like they do with dogs. They should be either leashed or fenced in AT ALL TIMES.

Drainthefecesswamp wrote:

You say that you moved well out into the road to pass him. If this was potentially dangerous in his mind, what does he think will happen when a car goes past at the speed limit?

I don't think you did anything wrong. Maybe you could have given a "on your left" call when you were still 50 feet back, but that is all I can think of.

You should never drive past a horse at the speed limit.

In the UK at least the highway code says you have to slow down to pass. Common sense would at least dictate that anyway.

OP- did the horse look relaxed when you passed it?

Horse people can be the absolute worst. Where I grew up they used to take their horses into the public park that had a trail system. This was technically within the rules, but more than once I came around a turn to find myself face to face with 1 or more horses. the riders always acted angry and entitled, drove me nuts.

Like the other poster said, if you have a large animal that you can't control properly, then don't bring it to a place where people run, bike, walk their dogs, etc.. They show up and expect everyone to accommodate them at every turn. completely insufferable.

It's like if I brought a gun to a public park, then got mad every time someone ran by me and shouted "I could have shot you!"

I ran past a woman walking her dog and after I passed she told me to sit and stay. She also called me a good boi for not barking, which I thought was a little odd.

On many NJ trails there are signs that have horseback riders, pedestrians, and cyclists. Cyclists are supposed to yield to all, and all yield to horses.

I don't know anything about horses other than I'm not f**king with them. I will stop and walk by a horse or wait til it's gone.

I've been a horse rider for over 50 years and a runner for over 60 years.

There is a shared dirt trail where I do my runs that also has horses and riders. You did exactly the right thing given that you had a choice between the road and the trail. On a shared dirt trail you slow your approach staying as much to a side of the trail as you can and go by slowly waiting to a reaction from the horse, not the rider. If the horse is spooky you back off until the rider gains control and stops his horse then go by slowly. The important thing here is the horse has already seen you because they have close to 360 degree vision though not sharp. You won't surprise the horse in all likelihood but you probably surprised the rider, who in my opinion should not be on horse on a shared trail.

I and my horse would share a trail anytime with you.

George

ps. A horse I helped breed was 9th in last years Kentucky Derby...Flameaway

George Smith wrote:

ps. A horse I helped breed was 9th in last years Kentucky Derby...Flameaway

When you say helped do you mean helped make a joint decision as to who to breed to who or actually assisted in the breeding shed?

The horse actually ran 13th , not 9th. A small detail but one which you may be expected to be more accurate on with your close association with him.

Horse riders are just jerks. Run into a group one time and they were pissed even though I gave them about 25 feet of space. Told them I'd eat their horses if they yelled at me again.

Take everything in stride. Let them hate on you

On the rare occasion that a horse rider has choice words for me, I remind them that it is an Open Space rule to pick up after your pets, and horses are pets, and that I'll start listening when they start picking up horseshit.

Eeee Gaddddd

You are dead on!!!! He was 13th. Memory is a tricky thing, not black and white, but subject to change depending on the circumstances and in my poor defence I wished he was 9th out of 20 cause 13th is worst than 9th. Thanks for looking up the result and straightening me out. By the way he is working at Fair Grounds and the works are good so you might make a couple of bucks on his comeback run, just saying. Thanks Stallion Handler and by the way if that is your real profession, it is not an easy one. I remember Silver Ghost who would just as soon as tear your arm off and leave his mark(s) on you.

George

"Got lectured"

"telling me to "halt.""

Doesn't sound like a lecture.

George Smith wrote:

Eeee Gaddddd

You are dead on!!!! He was 13th. Memory is a tricky thing, not black and white, but subject to change depending on the circumstances and in my poor defence I wished he was 9th out of 20 cause 13th is worst than 9th. Thanks for looking up the result and straightening me out. By the way he is working at Fair Grounds and the works are good so you might make a couple of bucks on his comeback run, just saying. Thanks Stallion Handler and by the way if that is your real profession, it is not an easy one. I remember Silver Ghost who would just as soon as tear your arm off and leave his mark(s) on you.

George

Stop being so nice, tell him to get fecked, this is the LR forum, everyone exaggerates.

For instance, they earn $250k a year, have a model wife or girlfriend and sub 14:30 5K.

Of course, there is always the exception to the rule, I earn $500k a year, have a model wife and girlfriend and a sub 13:30 5K.

There's a pretty simple answer to this, I ran into a similar situation a while back. Since horses are easily spooked by people running, horse-riders will typically bring their horses to an equestrian trail so as not to be disturbed by joggers, kids playing around, etc., so if this was on a designated equestrian trail you're fully in the wrong for running there since those are specifically designed for people to ride without worrying about their horses getting spooked, however if this was just any old public trail then its on the rider for being dumb enough to bring their horse somewhere with a lot of foot traffic.

Typical liberal whining. Sounds like you got bested in a debate by a strong conservative man who used logic and reason.

I live in Mexico where I run trails and arroyos all the time and there are plenty of free roaming, unaccompanied horses and cattle out and about. Never once have I ever had any issue in terms of the horses getting spooked and taking off. I'll typically give them as wide a berth as I can but sometimes, where the canyons are narrow, I'm forced to run practically within arms reach of these beauties. When this happens, I'll just slow my pace and speak to them in a gentle voice. It can feel quite magical but honestly, they are just content to let me pass and there's really no magic to it.

Sometimes the bulls freak me out though, especially when they have cows and calves with them but, for the most part, they too are happy to let me run by without incident. Once in a great while, I'll have to turn around if my passage is completely blocked or if a bull starts to snort and paw the ground but this is very rare. All in all, I like the added excitement of these animal encounters but I would hate it if they came equipped with some jackhole yelling at me for "doing it wrong".

Good point.

Personally, I would cross over to the far side of the road (can't tell if OP did).

Bad Wigins wrote:

People should not be in public riding an animal prone to freaking out and kicking random strangers in the head. No stupid tradition should make that legal.

Put them in designated horse zones like they do with dogs. They should be either leashed or fenced in AT ALL TIMES.

The horse is tended and held by reigns. People don't just pick random paths to ride horses. Bridal paths are specifically designated for horses. The are riding in "horse zones." They allow others to use the trail, but generally they are bridal paths and by using the trail you acknowledge that the very large beast have right of way. You, as a pedestrian, are free to not use that trail.