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news
horse incident video screenshot.PNGDramatic footage serves as a reminder for cyclists to take care around horses
A video* of a horse rearing up as a group of cyclists approached has outlined the importance of taking extra care around horses, according to the road.cc reader who recorded the footage.
> Look out for horses — here's how to pass horse riders safely
The video shown a group of cyclists slowing down on a descent as a horse and rider comes towards them. The animal was somehow spooked, and a man pushing a pram behind managed to get out of the way as the horse reared and turned.
Luckily, the woman riding the horse managed to get it under control quickly – and road.cc reader Adrian, who shot the footage, told us that the baby in the pram slept throughout.
Adrian told us: “I have posted many near misses by cars and vans, showing careless or wilful dangerous driving over the years towards cyclists and thought this video may be something of a change to remind us of other vulnerable road users, namely a baby in a pram.
“Whilst out riding with [Adrian's cycling club], enjoying the sunshine and new lockdown rules, this Easter Sunday our group of seven riders encountered a very nervous horse.
“Our club president was ahead of me and you can see us bunching up, showing braking was taking place,” he continued. “We would have normally carried much more speed than this to help with the hill to come.”
As for what caused the horse to suddenly rear up, we wondered whether it might have been the flapping jacket that one of the riders was wearing?
“I think you may be right about the flappy jacket as two of our riders passed without any incident,” Adrian replied.
“Louise with the blue jacket was a bit flappy as the temperature had warmed up from near freezing to a pleasant 13 degrees-ish.
“So just a reminder to pass horse riders wide and slow.
“Only the lightning reactions from Dad, removing the pram from harm’s way, saved the day.
“The good news was that the baby remained asleep throughout, completely unharmed and totally unaware of the incident,” he added.
As we highlighted in our article on Monday about the latest update to the Countryside Code, in 2018 Cycling UK teamed up with the British Horse Society to launch a nationwide Be Nice, Say Hi! campaign – the concept was originally devised by Cycle Sheffield – to encourage horse riders and cyclists to share country roads and bridleways safely.
> New version of Countryside Code urges people to be nice to each other when enjoying the outdoors
The Be Nice, Say Hi! initiative was drawn up in part due to an incident in the 2018 Royal Windsor Triathlon in which a participant on the cycling leg of the event made contact with a horse and rider as he undertook them at speed.
The incident made national headlines and the cyclist, Iain Plumb, was subsequently given a life ban from events organised by Human Race, and was also found guilty at Windsor Magistrates’ Court of riding without due consideration.
Equestrians, like cyclists, are considered vulnerable road users – as the British Horse Society and British Cycling pointed out in leaflet issued in 2016 entitled Code of Conduct for Horse Riders and Cyclists: “We share similar risks when riding on the road". You can find more advice about riding bikes safely around horses here.
* Update, 11/4/21: The footage of the incident has been removed following a request.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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76 comments
Or a ton of anything mechanical. Let's remember - cyclists and horse riders are not natural enemies.
this story seems to have gotten a new headline?
plastic bags, traffic cones, wheelie bins, drain or cable covers are all examples of things that cause a spook "(I've seen a) Monster!" reaction in a horse - it could be a combination of things.
I make "clip clop" sounds, so the horse thinks I'm another horse. I might throw in a little whinney and brrrrrrrrrr if they look friendly.
Be carefull, you don't want to sound too friendly.....
Nobody did anything wrong. It is a reminder that horses are occasionally skittish and very large. So a bit like a Range Rover, but rather more attractive.
As a roadie and horse owner/rider I'll say the following.
1) Chances are the dad with the buggy is the partner of the horse rider and they are all out for a walk.
2) Bleed off as much speed as you can and pass as wide as you can. It's a "just in case" thing but keeps everyone safe.
3) If coming up from behind call out. If the horse can hear you they are unlikely to get spooked.
4) It's very likely a noise set the horse off. Possibly a squeak of a brake.
5) The horse rider is totally in charge and brings the horse back under control very quickly.
Also roadie/horse owner - agree with all of this.
When solo I'll call out and speak normally to the rider so that the horse knows I'm people, regardless of the direction of approach. Can't really tell from the video about the speeds involved here but generally I'll pass a horse at very very low speed too. I'd wager slower than the group in the video.
"The horse rider is totally in charge and brings the horse back under control very quickly"
Unless you are suggesting that she wanted the horse to do this, then she is not totally in control, she managed to stay on and get it to move as directed 27 seconds after it was spooked.
I'm sure your mammoth knowledge of horse riding tops mine.
Whatever it is it can't top my horse knowledge of mammoth riding
They are disputing your point 5 not making a claim about horse knowledge. You could argue it was about 10 seconds before the horse was stopped but even then, it was heading towards a junction on the wrong side of the road. Not seeing this as 'very quickly'
I may not have much experience with horses, but that was not "totally in Control" as you claimed. It turns unexpectedly, travels in the opposite direction and then comes to a halt across the road. Only when it starts being directed back up the road is it "totally in control". The rest of the time the horse rider was in a damage control exercise to stay on and bring the horse to a halt. Only when making moves directed by the rider is it "Totally inder Control"
The fact that it isn't under control is the whole point of the video being shown here, the fact that the child was exposed to a risk by this lack of control only akes this scarier to see
You're going to have to help me find that quote. The version I see is:
5) The horse rider is totally in charge and brings the horse back under control very quickly.
You seem to skip 7 words between "totally in" and "control".
Apologies for the Typo, substitute Charge for control and my argument still stands, the horse was in charge, not the rider.
Great comment, all of it.
No2, pass slow and wide - totally agree. I try never to actually stop since once you're stopped, as a cyclist, if the horse reverses into you you're in big trouble as you can't get out the way. I don't think the movement of the slowly passing bike is the problem anyway - so staying stock still won't help. Horse is probably happier to see you moving slowly past and away.
No way were those two together, if you've ever spent any time around horses or handling horses, youll know full well walking up behind a horse especially with its ears pricked is liable to end up with you getting a horseshoe shaped imprint on your head.
Is that "totally in charge" in the same way that a dog walker with three Rotties on the end of an extending lead is "totally in charge" of them?
The cyclists did nothing wrong here!
Wearing lycra?
Not paying road tax?
Carefully editing the video to ensure that the bits where they jumped red lights on the pavement whilst scattering pedestrians hither and thither are gone?...
Oh yes, wt-so-called-js. I think we can all tell the agenda that your narrative is coming from.....
The cyclists did slow down - but they could also have slowed down a bit more.
Also - rider in front should have shouted a warning.
A warning to whom, about what? Everyone could already see everyone else.
He might have shouted the warning on approach. The video starts with them already slowing down anyway and some sports cameras turn down the mike when wind and / or close noise being constant. You could barely pick up what the one guy in front was saying when they stopped and waited.
They did indeed slow down, they were also on the correct side of the road, how much slower before the horse isn't spooked, what if its spooked by a squeaky brake or a noisy freewheel, or the calls between cyclists to let the group know whats happening.
If a beast that size can be out of control for 27 seconds (that what i reckon from being spooked to moving as directed) then it is a serious danger ot other road users
A couple of things strike me:
As for the pram being right behind the horse, perhaps the horse had just overtaken the man with pram?
And for people saying horses should only be allowed on bridleways: this is exactly the argument used to say cyclists shouldn't be allowed on the roads. Can't cope with cars!
That's another good reason to try to walk facing traffic when there's no pavement.
I wasnt going to mention that specifically but... 😉
...actually another countryside rule is more applicable, never ever approach a horse from behind like that,because you will get a rear hoof aimed at your head.
Horses cant see behind them without turning,but they can hear plenty fine and will react to unexpected noises
The cyclists werent a problem imo the horse can see them,and the horse rider was prepared in case the horse decided it wanted to do something differently, but what you cant prepare for is reacting to things behind you, that's why horse riders always say it's best for us as cyclists to shout out we are approaching.
At the start of the video the horse and rider were at a greater distance from the pushchair and father. When the cyclists started to pass, the horse and rider came to a stop while the father continued to push the pushchair.
And remember, cycles and cars are the Johnny come latelies. The roads were built for horses and pedestrians.
an incident in the 2018 Royal Windsor Triathlon in which a participant on the cycling leg of the event made contact with a horse and rider as he undertook them at speed. The incident made national headlines and the cyclist, Iain Plumb, was subsequently given a life ban from events organised by Human Race, and was also found guilty at Windsor Magistrates’ Court of riding without due consideration
Many of you will recall the recent topic in which someone posted a video of a vehicle charging round a bend on the wrong side of the road and hitting one of a pair of horses. The poster remarked 'it's not only cyclists who are treated like shit', if I remember correctly. That driver was punished with the frightening driving course! It's becoming difficult to fail to despise the Magistrates Courts as well as the police- this is not to say the cyclist didn't deserve whatever punishment he received, but the driver certainly deserved a lot worse. We see incident after incident on here where drivers really are 'let off' by police and courts with an excessive sympathy for dangerous driving in motor vehicles.
I was surprised at how close the pram was behind the horse - not a good place to be if it decides to kick.
Horse riders have every right to use the road and the number of incidents caused by horses being spooked is absolutely minimal. I'm not seeing any particular blame here as horses can get spooked and similarly, humans can have unpredictable medical episodes that cause them to lose control of a vehicle (or indeed fall off a bike if they're a cyclist).
I do wonder who would have been considered at fault if a more serious incident had occurred. It does seem slightly unfair that the burden always seems to be on everyone else to avoid spooking the horse, and never on the rider to control their animal or avoid taking it into public places if it cannot be properly controlled.
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