Equestrian etiquette

[Tamirra Stewart]

At first glance, this topic doesn't have much to do with head injuries but it definitely could. I'm a cyclist but I'm also an equestrian. Please, please, please let equestrians know you're behind them on the road OR on the trail and let them tell you how to proceed. Horses are prey animals with no natural defenses. They don't know whether you're a cyclist or a mountain lion. My friend, a very experienced rider, almost got thrown from her horse when a cyclist neither announced himself nor stopped to see if everyone was ok. This has happened 3 out of 5 rides I've done. Fortunately, my horse isn't skittish but you never know. Let's stop potential TBIs. K, thanks.

[Randy]

Tamirra:

Good points. The potential for injury to the cyclist or to the equestrian is great. I always stop on the trail whenever I encounter a horse and ask the rider if it is OK to proceed. I do not just slow down, I STOP. Same thing goes for trail runners and hikers. Also, I always stop or move way over and give the ascending riders the right of way. And I always smile and say "Hi" and make small talk with hikers.

If you are wearing a sponsor's jersey, you had better be positive and friendly and represent! If a rider is having mechanical trouble, take five seconds and ask if they have "everything they need." Occasionally they will say that they in fact need something. On last weeks' training ride, I came across a rider with a broken chain. "Everything you need?" got a positive response since the rider did not have a chain breaker or a repair link. We stopped and got them going in about 5 minutes. I gave him a $5.00 Powerlink to get him rolling again (paying it forward I guess). Turns out that he manages a local bike shop and offered to replace it with 3 new links. The kicker was that several miles later I broke my chain! Fortunately I carry two links and was rolling in no time. Share the trails! Be decent human beings! And play nice.

Randy

[Tom Gakes]

When I'm on the road and have to pass an equestrian on wider roads I slow down and make sure I don't get too close to the horse to scare it. That's for my own and the equestrian's safety. On smaller roads I actually stop.

Randy, good thing about helping others. I also always ask if someone needs help if he has a problem. Most of the times they don't need anything, but sometimes a little help can be very important. When I was just starting as a cyclist, I got a problem with my bike I couldn't fix myself. I was just over 30 miles/50 km from home. I was realy happy some other cyclists helped me that day. In the years after that I also helped some cyclists to at least get home. Try it, and find out it makes you feel better to help someone else.

[Tamirra Stewart]

IMHO, our sport is wonderful. People are generally kind and we look out for our own. It's good to hear there are a couple of fellow cyclists whom I can depend on and can could count on to not endanger me, my horse or anyone around them. Spread the good karma with your fellow riders. I'm not sure who rides with the idiots because I always see them alone.

Hope everyone's doing well with their TBIs. I found a great neuro here in OC (thanks for your help Randy - I'm taking a beginning mtb clinic on Saturday so we're getting there). Anyone wants to go for a ride, just ask!

Tamirra