# Cyclists overtaking etiquette



## LetAGrlShowU (Mar 25, 2009)

I dont know proper etiquette, but anyhing too sudden or too loud may spook a horse. I think keeping your distance, but close enough to hear a firm but nice "Excuse me, to your ____(right,left)" and let them know which side you're approaching. some riders will signal their fellow riders, but dont count on it. Continue with your signal until you're clear of the horses. Dont ever yell, ring a loud bell, etc as you could cause a dangerous chain reaction. It sounds like you did ok.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

How nice of you to ask this! Speaking out in a calm voice, but loud enough to be heard , while you are still some distance back is helpful. 
I ride in the woods and runners/walkers sometimes see me and then walk off the trail into the bushes , in order to give me more room. However, my horse thinks there is something lurking in the bushes and interprets their move as predatory. If they just speak out, he then knows, Oh , it's only a human being. I swear, sometimes in the shadows he sees movement but doesn't recognize it as a human being.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I just want to say a HUGE thank-you for actually taking time out of your day to ask this question. I wish all cyclists had the same attitude as you. So - a giant thank you from me on behalf of the equine community.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

Were you on a "horse" trail? If you were, maybe that is why the lead horse person said something. Either way, you handled it fine.


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## Zeke (Jun 27, 2010)

I think you did well, but adding a little verbal heads up could do wonders. 

I'm curious though for some other opinions. I was out with a few experienced students on experienced horses but we encountered a skateboard on a small private road next to the trail we were on. The road was smooth so the board made no noise but the quick and unnatural movement caused our horses to give more then their usual second glance and one even quickly moved away. All worked out ok but in the future ill beware of similar things. 

As a horse rider how should I address someone being polite and letting me know they are there but I would really appreciate if they slowed down or let me get to a safe place before passing? Is this a reasonable thing to ask?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I also think that you handled it very well and I truly appreciate your concern about having proper etiquette. I am unsure about what the true "proper" way would be but I like what everyone else has said, if you are coming up behind, slow down and give a verbal warning like "Cyclist coming up on your left/right". Give them as much room as possible and continue your verbalization until you are past.

One other thing that I don't think was discussed is what you should do if one of the horses begins to spook as you are going past. In that event, I would advise you to stop immediately and remain still or slowly back away from the horse that is freaking out. You might also want to be prepared for the event that the rider may want to approach you with the horse and let the horse get a good look/smell of you before continuing on.


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## heartprints62 (Feb 27, 2010)

smrobs said:


> I also think that you handled it very well and I truly appreciate your concern about having proper etiquette. I am unsure about what the true "proper" way would be but I like what everyone else has said, if you are coming up behind, slow down and give a verbal warning like "Cyclist coming up on your left/right". Give them as much room as possible and continue your verbalization until you are past.
> 
> One other thing that I don't think was discussed is what you should do if one of the horses begins to spook as you are going past. In that event, I would advise you to stop immediately and remain still or slowly back away from the horse that is freaking out. *You might also want to be prepared for the event that the rider may want to approach you with the horse and let the horse get a good look/smell of you before continuing on*.


My thoughts exactly:

My previous house was on a road commonly used to cyclist races and practices. Bikes were something my horses had never seen, especially not 20 of them coming at me at once. One day on a ride, we got into a situation where I crossed a small creek bridge (then a truck started coming behind me) and at that same moment about 15-20 cyclists topped the hill coming downward at me. My horse freaked out feeling trapped, the truck noticed and stopped on the bridge and a few of the cyclists noticed and got everyone to stop and get off their bikes. I got off my horse, who was starting to rear up and dancing in panic, and walked him over to the group of cyclist. They were all very friendly and let my horse smell them and the bikes, then ONE BY ONE they got back on and left him standing (they retreated from him, it's a horse training tactic). To this day, he will walk/trot/run to try to keep up with a bike if it passes us, like he has to catch it! It was a bad situation that took no longer than 5 min to correct and those considerate people were able to teach my horse a VERY valuable lesson. 

Thank you for being so kind. There are fewer and farther between good, curtious people these days.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

i want to also add my thanks to you for being considerate enough to ask the question!

the only addition i have to the great advice given would be to not only hollar to make riders aware of you, but also ask the riders if it is OK that you pass.. because you don't want to be beside a horse who is freaking out. so by asking before you actually start passing, you might save yourself (and the rider) a lot of trouble by just waiting a moment for the problem horse to turn around, move over, whatever necessary to make both you and the rider safe during the pass.

i think the above is proper regardless of the vehicle doing the passing.. i have seen some ugly situations where other riders passing only hollered 'on your right' and then proceeded to run past young/green/whatever horses. its always worth the extra 5 seconds to make sure nobody is going to get into a bad situation!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

See how much horse people appreciate your kind of courtesy? It's because we all too often encouter the opposite type. So, pass it on and could we clone you?


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## Reiterin (Mar 28, 2010)

Thank you so much for asking this question. I have a horse that can get kind of spooky, and I appreciate your consideration of the situation. 

It is always good to speak up whether you're coming from behind or in front. Horses don't always know what bikes are, so if you just say "hello, how are you?" or anything, it helps the horse undestand you're human.

Also slow down - be prepared to stop and/or take instructions from the horse rider if his/her horse begins to spook.

Each horse will behave differently, so it is hard to give advice on THIS is what you're supposed to do, Everytime. but it sounds like you did the right thing.

Thank you so much! When we all share the trails, we all win. However, horses need more consideration as they are a _little_ less predictable than bicycles.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Something like "Hello and may I pass?" would be great.  

Especially the "Hello" because like TinyLiny said, sometimes horses don't recognize people as humans if they are on a bicycle or standing off on the side of the trail. 

It's a funny thing really, because horses know what a human looks like, but in a spot they aren't expecting to encounter one (like a hiker standing off to the side of the trail) the can get spooky. I even have a horse that is great with cars when they are driving along on a road, but if we encounter one parked in the woods, he gets all nervous about it. Like he expects them on the road, but out in the woods, they must be up to no good! :lol:


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

spiderplant0 said:


> Hi, I'm a bike rider and not a horse rider but I thought someone here can tell me what the correct way for a cyclist to overtake a horse is.
> 
> The other day I was cycling along a single track road (paved) and came across a group of horse riders (about 6). The riders at the back of the group heard me and they went into single file. I overtook slowly leaving as much of a gap as possible (say 1.5m). None of the horses got spooked - but the lady on the leading horse might have been cos she shouted something at me a few minutes later (advice I think - not abuse). Couldn't really make out what she was saying cos I was concentrating on manoeuvring onto the main road.
> 
> ...


Great question, 

My friends and I love to venture to a local park in my area where it is shared not only by Equestrians, but also by avid Cyclists. It's a very popular place, and very large with tons of variety of terrain. 

You don't need to ask permission to over take, you just let them know that you are coming up, make your presence aware and just wait for the riders to merge over, or move off the trail for you to go ahead. 

Whenever a Cyclist comes in our general vacinity, we just let eachother know, and we move as far off to the side of the trail as possible so that the cyclist can get past us. Or we halt and allow them to get by.

Each encounter has always been with smiles, greetings, and voila - they venture onward just as we do.

As Reiterin stated, each situation will always be different, but if you announce yourself/make yourself known, then you're doing the right thing.


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## horseluver250 (Oct 28, 2009)

We ride at a local park that actually has signs up on the trails indicating pedestrians are to yield to bikes, bikes are to yield to horses. So horses basically have the right of way to everyone. If approaching head on, most of the cyclists will pull over to the side of the trail at let us go by, unless we have already moved over and wave them by. If approaching from behind I prefer if a cyclist announed their presence, slowed up slightly and gave me a chance to get off the side of the trail and halt my horse with his nose facing them before passing. I have had some cyclists just try to zoom by without announcing themselves and I have ended up in the woods with a spooking horse with branches whipping me in the face, not at all enjoyable.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Most of my rides are close to the city, So we always experience mountain bikers and hikers. And its great training for the horses to deal with them.

The advice above is great. I'll add this.

Downhill trails are great fun for the bikers to get up to faster speeds. This will sometimes cause you to over take horses very quickly and surprise them, especially in heavily wooded areas. I'm not here to discourage you from going fast. But with increased speed, comes the challenge of not suddenly over taking and surprising a horse. Bikers that make noise, Really help me to hear them coming and I can prepare my horse for the sudden appearance. It's great when there are several bikers who are whooping it up amongst themselves as they come down hill. Some bikes have bells or objects that make a noise so the bikers don't have to talk or yell constantly. Sound travels faster than the bikes, So I hear them coming.

You will have to look at your situation and see what works. If you like to go fast and are in an area where the possibility of horses is high, I'd do something to help alert the ridders that you are coming when in areas that have limited visability.

Out in more open spaces, during hill climbs when the bikers are working hard at climbing the trail. the horse ridders will have plenty of time. Just talk normal. Beautiful Horse you have there, Yep cool bike you are riding. I always try to motion to the bike riders when it's appropriate to come on past. Many bikers stop and move off the trail around here. I hate to see them loose their momentum, So if the trail allows it, I often call head to stay on your bike and keep pedalling. My horses can deal with a slow approaching biker. It's the sudden appearance of a fast mover that spooks them.

Another issue, if you pull off and wait by the side, Be aware that horses may not respect your space. If a fly lands on their butt, They may swish their tail just as they pass you. I've had bikers and hikers call insults after me because they stood right on the edge of the trail and the horse hit them in the face with a big tail of stiff horse hair. A horse has his own mind, and sometimes regardless of what I ask him to do, They will take the path of least resistence and walk right down the center of a narrow path, Once you have given the right of way to the horse, ( by yeilding the trail) Horses will assume they are more dominate than you, and crowd into your space.( in the horse world, He who yields first is lower in the pecking order.) So if you yield the trail, Step far enough off that the horse won't bump you as they go past.

I've had bikers and hikers stop for us to pass, But stand right on the edge of narrow trail. Yes the horses feet can walk down a 1 foot wide trail, But their shoulders are 2 feet wide. And my knees sticking out on the side of the horse add another foot..

Have fun and see you on the trail


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## coffeegod (May 6, 2011)

I totally agree on cloning this OP. Thank you for the consideration. Having both bikes and horses in my background, I appreciate it on multiple levels.


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## Ladytrails (Jul 28, 2010)

I agree we need to clone this OP! It sounds like you did great! One of your questions that I didn't see answered yet was whether horse riders have etiquette to warn each other. Yes - we are supposed to call out that there is a car/cycle ahead, or coming up from behind. So, once you have your closest rider aware of you, they are supposed to let the others know. Then, your job is to do what tinyliny and smrobs mentioned, of being smooth and steady and acting like a human (talking a little) so that the horses know what you are. It's said that a rhythmic movement and sound is not as likely to frighten them as a random movement, so cars that move are okay but cars with suddenly waving hands sticking out of windows are definitely not. If you are interested and have the time and energy, and depending on the horse riders, it is valuable to offer to stop and let the horses check out your bike. All good riders would recognize the opportunity for training and would appreciate your effort. 

And last but not least, I would bet that the lead rider hollering after you was saying something like, "Thank you for your courtesy, you did great, we really appreciate it and you are awesome!"


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## jdw (Mar 17, 2011)

Yeah, what THEY said!! I was thinking many of the same things; I also have seen cyclists get off and walk past and many times the horse group will stop and let you pass. I think the story above with the horse freaking out says it all. thanks for being so very considerate!! (Don't you wish everyone was just like this???)


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