On 29/04/2019 16:13, True Blue wrote:
Travelling the last half a mile to my house yesterday, after a couple of hours on an old railway line, I approached a woman on a horse, on a country lane. As I always do, I rang my bell to alert the rider of my approach. This is almost exactly the tool in question;

https://www.dhgate.com/product/ea14-...400134415.html

On hearing my bell, the woman responded with a haughty "Errr...perhaps ringing the bell isn't a good idea? Just say 'hello' when you approach!" The animal had briefly responded by skewing sideways upon hearing the bell. I rang at about 20 yards behind her and slowed to about 5mph.

I replied by saying that other horse riders appreciated my ringing the bell as a courtesy to them. She didn't seem to believe me.

Of course, in the minute or two it took to get home, I reflected on how I *should* have responded. My considered response would have been "If your animal is so highly strung, that the rather innocuous sound of a small bell causes you to lose control of it, then perhaps you shouldn't be taking it where it can potentially harm others?".

The many other horse riders I have met along this route have been the model of civility.

What's the consensus? To ring, or call out?


the general consensus among horsey types and cycling groups is that you
should speak, not make sharp noises.

"When overtaking, cyclists should give horses plenty of room and proceed
slowly. It is better to wait for oncoming traffic to pass than to be
forced too close to a horse. Cyclists shouldn't do anything that is
likely to startle the horse such as shouting loudly or using a bell or
horn."

The above sums up passing horses.