Sharing the Trail
Photo: OET (Oregon Equestrian Trails Coalition)
You're riding your bike down the trail, minding your own business, and as you swoop around the corner, you see a horse and rider on the trail in front of you.
Do you:
Yell at them to get out of your way?
Slow down so they have a chance to move off the trail and let you go by?
Stop, call out a friendly hello, and ask the rider what the safest way for you to pass is?
Or you're riding your horse down the trail, minding your own business. Suddenly a mountain bike sweeps around the corner in front of you and startles your horse. Do you:
Yell frantically at the cyclist to stop?
Ride your horse into the brush beside the trail to get him away from the scary bicyclist?
Call out a friendly hello and ask the cyclist to stop, then coach him on the safest way to pass?
If you've had much experience with horse/bike encounters on the trail, then you know that (3) is the correct response in both cases. But, on the other hand, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. After all, you're just out enjoying the trail, so it's no big deal, right?
Photo: OET (Oregon Equestrian Trails Coalition)
Unfortunately, it can be a big deal for a horse to get startled on the trail. Horses are prey animals, and in the face of perceived danger, evolution has taught them to run away NOW and analyze the danger later. The sudden appearance of a speeding mountain bike can spook their horse and cause it to whirl away, dumping the rider on the ground and seriously injuring them.
Equestrians need to expose their horses to mountain bikes in a controlled setting, of course, so the horse can learn that a mountain bike is not a mountain lion intending to eat them for lunch. But even the best-trained horse can be frightened when a mountain biker unexpectedly appears on the trail or approaches them at speed.
So, what's the best way to avoid a disastrous horse/bike encounter? Three simple steps can keep everyone safe and calm.
Stop. Halt your bike and your horse as soon as you see each other. Don't wait until you get close to one another. Instead, stop far enough away that the horse doesn't perceive the cyclist as a threat.
Speak. A friendly hello can go a long way toward reassuring a fearful horse. If the hello comes from the cyclist, it helps the horse recognize that the cyclist is a human, not a threat. And if the hello comes from the equestrian, it tells the horse that the rider isn't scared, so the horse doesn't need to be.
Smile. The horse can hear the smile in your voice, and the people you encounter on the trail appreciate it, too. So do your part to make each encounter pleasant for everyone involved.
You've undoubtedly seen the famous "Yield Triangle," which specifies that bikers and hikers yield to horses on the trail. This doesn't mean that cyclists and hikers must always step off the trail to let the horse go by. Instead, depending on the terrain, it may be safer for the horse to get off the trail and let the other trail users pass. "Yield to horses" simply means that the horseback rider should determine the safest way for everyone to pass and inform the other trail users.
So here's the bottom line: When you meet others on the trail, have a friendly conversation about the best way to pass, and these encounters will be pleasanter and safer for everyone.
Photo: OET (Oregon Equestrian Trails Coalition)
