Horses Have the Ultimate Right of Way
#1
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Horses Have the Ultimate Right of Way
Did you know that on trails, horses have the ultimate right of way? What out for horses!
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Makes sense--try NOT yielding to a horse that is determined to get past you! And the horse is larger than anything else on the sign (owner of a gentle horse, but I won't get in his way!)
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Jackasses have the ultimate right of way. Just ask 'em; in fact you don't have to ask.
#7
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The term horseback riding is mildly disturbing. Unlike other rideable animals, we have to specify the part of the horse that is being ridden.
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Serious cyclists don't care, they never yield to anybody.
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the Airline Trail and Hop River Trail in CT have a fair amount of horses. I'm not fond of passing them. I don't trust them.
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#16
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When I see a horse, I slow down to a crawl. If he looks spooked, I get off my bike and walk it past. They deserve the utmost respect.
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I first became aware of the supremacy of horses when I hiked the Appalachian Trail. The AT is a footpath only trail, except some sections in the Great Smoky Mountains where they are grandfathered into the trail system. And I've walked on the trail in those sections in 2-foot gullies/trenches.
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A former co-worker described horses as "cows with a nervous condition". As a rancher's son who's been thrown a few times, I'll agree that it does accurately describe some equines.
Most paths in this region see use by equestrians. I try to keep a reasonable distance (far beyond kicking range), try to see if the rider has seen or acknowledged me, and not make too much noise or unpredictable movements. This is partly courtesy and partly because anyone affluent enough to own such an cost-intensive hay-conversion object also has the cash to hire attorneys to sue me into oblivion should their mount misbehave in my presence.
Most paths in this region see use by equestrians. I try to keep a reasonable distance (far beyond kicking range), try to see if the rider has seen or acknowledged me, and not make too much noise or unpredictable movements. This is partly courtesy and partly because anyone affluent enough to own such an cost-intensive hay-conversion object also has the cash to hire attorneys to sue me into oblivion should their mount misbehave in my presence.
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I used to see horses on the roads where I ride but haven't in a few years. They've opened more trails in the area and I expect equestrians now prefer those. If I ever get around to getting a cross bike I'll try those trails and will likely start encountering horses once again.
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Pretty much all of my close encounters of the horse kind are in the dirt. How each interaction is handled varies with the conditions. Since I don't speak horse, and the horses I come a across aren't ever wandering around alone, I communicate with the rider. On both my gravel bike and MTB, I use a rattle-bell in situations where it's appropriate to let other trail/road users know of my presence before we are face to face. It's been pretty effective, especially on trails where visibility is limited.
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Obligatory comment:
Per Federal Highway Administration, this sign is not approved for use on paths open to public travel in the US. Any agency wanting to use such a sign should contact FHWA to inquire regarding experimental approval.
Reality: path managers install them anyway, despite the sign layout which probably cannot be accurately comprehended without stopping and pondering.
And yield signs in the US have been white and red since 1971, but I suppose enough people remember the old black on yellow signs for this color combination to be used.
Per Federal Highway Administration, this sign is not approved for use on paths open to public travel in the US. Any agency wanting to use such a sign should contact FHWA to inquire regarding experimental approval.
Reality: path managers install them anyway, despite the sign layout which probably cannot be accurately comprehended without stopping and pondering.
And yield signs in the US have been white and red since 1971, but I suppose enough people remember the old black on yellow signs for this color combination to be used.
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Yes. They're all over the Arcata Community Forest, and for good reason. Horses are prey animals, and you don't want to be anywhere near a 1,800lb horse when it panics. Etiquette says for bike riders to wait and let the rider tell them what to do; i.e. wait, proceed slowly, come meet the poop machine with the very large teeth, etc.
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