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?

Just accept that the majority of people detest cyclists.
Grow up, get a job and buy a car