Don\’t horse around, when horses are around!

Any bicycle rider who uses off-road paths is apt to be sharing the space with, not only other cyclists; but with runners; walkers; and — equestrians.

I don\’t often encounter equestrians while out on my bicycle, but now and then there are a few; and it\’s important to be very careful around horses.

If I know only one thing about those animals, it\’s that they spook easily. I, for one, would not want to be responsible for scaring one and having the rider get thrown. That\’s one of the reasons I have a bell on each of my bicycles.

If I see a horseback rider ahead, I can ring the bell and call out, \”Bicycle!\” well before I get too close. The rider can move aside, or even stop and turn the horse so that I won\’t be coming up behind it. Anything moving behind a horse scares the animal big time, which is why cart horses wear blinders behind their eyes.

Then I slow down until I\’m well away from horse and rider. Sure, taking those precautions means I lose a little time; but it doesn\’t hurt to be careful. I could lose a lot more time if I don\’t give warning, and the horse panics. That\’s why I say, Don\’t horse around.