[dwaugh]

David, you might want to have more options to your survey, like rate it on a scale from 1 to 5; just some advice from a weathered college student.

I just wanted to post this for fun and for a bit of info. My report is really on erosion and some user conflict.

I didnt know you were supposed to get off the bike and walk around horses. I rarely see horses, but I ride past when I do. Maybe those are just good horses that dont freak at something 4 times smaller than them.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>I didnt know you were supposed to get off the bike and walk around horses.

Good God, yes, man. Walk around 'em. Especially if you're riding here in Colorado.

On singletrack with approaching horses, I'll actually dismount and pull the bike up into the woods (after they've seen me) to give them wide berth.

Nothing, I repeat *NOTHING* will get a trail closed to bikers faster than a pissed off equestrian.

-S.S.-

 

[dwaugh]

I've never passed them on the trail, just on the dirt roads, but still prety darn close. They didnt seem to care a bit. I rarely see horses though, so thats a good thing. Plus, I just dont like horses much, so if I know horses frequently use a trail, I probably wont go there.

 

[Skookum]

Horses aren't bad, again the key is to just talk to them. Once a horse figures out you're a people animal and not some trippy looking thing on wheels that wants to eat them they're totally cool.
If you are on tight singletrack on high exposure, (like the clearcut cliff sections of whoopsie whoodle) spooking someone on a horse can cause it to fall off the trail possibly killing the horse and the rider. There is way more chance of that happening than a biker being kicked, but that can happen too.
i've come ripping down Wildcat on Green Mt. and when i came out i saw a guy collecting his horse. Evidently he wasn't paying attention and was walking up the trail spacing off waiting for his freinds and the horse heard and saw me coming and freaked out. He was totally cool about it i quickly got off my bike and after a couple minutes of freindly conversation with him, me and my freind, and the horse was totally fine. Even so much that another biker "BLEW" by us and the horse seemed fine with it. i was thinking to myself, wow, we just trained this horse to chill out, as an unfortunately ignorant mt. biker passed just minutes later. i really don't think that mt. biker was trying to be a dick, i really think he was clueless.
Anyways, i've ridden my mt. bike with a girlfreind who has a horse on a few rides. Mt. bikes are about equal on flat, horses kick our ass uphill, and we kick their ass downhill.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Horses aren't bad, again the key is to just talk to them. Once a horse figures out you're a people animal and not some trippy looking thing on wheels that wants to eat them they're totally cool.
If you are on tight singletrack on high exposure, (like the clearcut cliff sections of whoopsie whoodle) spooking someone on a horse can cause it to fall off the trail possibly killing the horse and the rider. There is way more chance of that happening than a biker being kicked, but that can happen too.
i've come ripping down Wildcat on Green Mt. and when i came out i saw a guy collecting his horse. Evidently he wasn't paying attention and was walking up the trail spacing off waiting for his freinds and the horse heard and saw me coming and freaked out. He was totally cool about it i quickly got off my bike and after a couple minutes of freindly conversation with him, me and my freind, and the horse was totally fine. Even so much that another biker "BLEW" by us and the horse seemed fine with it. i was thinking to myself, wow, we just trained this horse to chill out, as an unfortunately ignorant mt. biker passed just minutes later. i really don't think that mt. biker was trying to be a dick, i really think he was clueless.
Anyways, i've ridden my mt. bike with a girlfreind who has a horse on a few rides. Mt. bikes are about equal on flat, horses kick our ass uphill, and we kick their ass downhill.

How does she manage to carry the horse when riding?

 

[JRB]

The horse folks just destroy the trails in the mud here. I hated trail riders when I was shoeing horses. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't shoe trail horses. If there is one breed of people I feel superior to, it's them. They are mostly wannabe losers. I have met like 3 cool ones. Most others, I want to kick in the nuts. I was going to take over some trails as steward, but they allow horses in the mud. I bowed out. The trails I am steward over, are strictly mtn bike trails. Unfortunately, these ass fondling peckerwoods continue to ride my trails and destroy the steep climbs and leave pock holes when it is wet. I have no respect. I won't start a confrontation, but I'll be damned if I will ever go out of my way.