If you ride out on the trails, you've probably noticed that we riders don't have the wide open spaces to ourselves. We share them with hikers, bicyclists, and others who value outdoor recreation. The simple guidelines in this article will keep your chance meetings with fellow trail users safe and under control for both of you.
There's a second reason, along with safety, for learning and using trail courtesy. Although you and I see riders and horses as a positive presence on the trail, the other guy may not. Maybe his only previous horse-related experience out in the open was stepping into manure left on a shady path or being tripped up by a deep hoof print at a stream crossing. He may feel intimidated by the sheer size of horses and by the way riders look down at him from the saddle. Each encounter a non-rider has with horses on the trail leaves a ripple effect of feelings, positive or negative, that persist long afterward, and that can ultimately help decide whether we riders continue to have access to the trails. So let's do what we can to make those meetings pleasant.
The Rules and How They Work
Hiking and mountain biking are popular activities just about everywhere trails exist. The regulations for multi-use trails on public lands are standard everywhere: Mountain bikers yield to hikers, and cyclists and hikers both yield to horseback riders. This right-of-way rules acknowledges that your horse has special needs and may react unpredictably, so you, the rider, need to call the shots. But it also means that, as the privileged user, you have extra responsibility--for being alert to others, thinking ahead about keeping encounters safe, taking charge of meetings when they occur, tactfully educating those you meet about horse behavior, and creating a positive overall feeling. That may sound like a tall order, but as I'll show you, it's not.
Courtesy in Action
Trail manners are mostly about communication, with the goal of simply getting the other person on your team and giving him a chance to be the good guy. Often, the hard part of communication is just knowing what words to use; so as we talk through some typical trail encounters, I'll share with you the "scripts" that have worked well for me in my 25 years of trail and endurance riding.
OK, you and your buddy are out on the trail. Here's how it works:
Stay alert for others. I often hear other people before I see them. Listen for hikers talking to each other or their dogs, or for the squeak of mountain bike brakes. Watch for people who may startle your horse because he can't see them easily until they're quite close (for instance, a hiker in camouflage clothing is hard for a horse to spot).
Make voice contact. Even on foot, some people--because they're conversing, listening to personal stereos, or simply preoccupied--won't hear your clip-clopping, jingling, leather-squeaking approach on your horse. So don't wait for them to notice you; as soon as you're aware of someone else on the trail, slow to a walk (if you're working at a faster gait) and call out "hello!" or even, "Hey, you! Hikers up ahead!" until you get a response. Call out to mountain bikers the minute you hear bikers ahead of or behind you.
Make eye contact. You want to make sure the other trail user sees you, so you know she or he will see any simple hand signals you use. If she seems startled when she finally does spot you, don't just ride past with a wave and leave her rattled (and, naturally, a little angry). Say something like "I'm sorry; I didn't want to scare you. I've been trying to get your attention. Good thing I wasn't a mountain lion!"
Take responsibility. As the trail user with the right of way, you're responsible for directing the situation to keep it as safe as possible for everyone. If you encounter a fast-moving pack of mountain bikers, for instance, use the same sequence as above--make voice contact, then eye contact--and then use the universal "stop" signal (hand raised to shoulder height, palm outward) to arrest the action. If your horse is used to bicycles, stay on the trail to reinforce your request. (Do you hear cyclists approaching fast around a blind turn? Right of way or not, get off the trail quickly but calmly and in control; a few scrapes or scratches are better than a collision with a mountain bike. The same is true if cyclists see you but make no effort to stop.) Once the group halts, ask that they all move to the same side of the trail while you pass, so your horse (and you) won't feel squeezed.
