How easy is it really for horses to get startled by passing cars?

Question

I slow down to <10mph & try to leave a wide gap when overtaking horses & their riders, just as the highway code says, in case they get startled and suddenly start running across the road or crashing at my bonnet with their hooves.
Sometimes however I've been behind people that have driven wrecklessly elsewhere but suddenly become complete saints when it comes to overtaking a horse ... in fact they overtake at a rediculous snail's pace bearly faster than the horse.
If you own a horse, can you tell me what really startles a horse:
Squeely brakes?
Revving engine?
Fast but quiet car?
Close car?
How about if the car approaches from in front -does that scare them or is it only from behind?
Have you ever been on a startled horse?

Answer 1

As most people have said it depends on the Horse, I've been in several situation some turned out ok some didn't, for example while riding my friends horse my brother drove past me, blasted the horn and yelled out the window at me before screeching to a halt to say hi, the horse didn't flintch? Another time, same horse a gust of wind set a beer can rolling down the road and he freaked out at the noise, lea pt in the air and landed in the middle of the road in front of an approaching police car! I was so embarrassed, I thought I was going to get a telling off for not being in control but I didn't, he just got out of the vehicle asked if I was ok and what had happened then he picked up the beer can and put it in the bin. Another time riding a different Horse up a country lane and a lorry came by quite close the Horse was fine till the Lorry drove through a puddle in front of us then he freaked at the noise and I ended up in the middle of the Farmers field. You just never know why or when a Horse will spook, that's why the Highway code advises to slow and pass wide.

Answer 2

It depends on how "bomb proof" the horse is - some horses are used to traffic, while others are not. Some riders are confident with their horse in traffic, while others are afraid or nervous and transmit this to the horse. What scares the horse is the unknown - remember this is a prey animal trained by its evolution to take flight at every perceivable threat just in case it gets killed.
Being on top of a startled horse is very scary, even if you are a good rider because it is unpredictable.

Drivers - please slow right down and give horses and riders as much room as you would a toddler straying on to the road. If the horse rears or bolts you may end up driving over the rider - who could easily be just child.

Watch the Horse Whisperer starring Robert Redford. This will give you some idea of the damage that can be done by careless drivers.

Answer 3

The truth is, there are so many things that can cause a horse to spook, and it's too risky on the roads to gamble with how the horse will handle a car.

Basically a horse generally spooks at something they see as threatening, so if a car is making lots of noise and moving towards them, the horse might see the car as threatening and run out of instinct. If you make a sudden movement or loud noise with your car, you can give them a fright which will give you the same result. They have evolved to be very quick at responding to anything threatening by running away. If the horse feels trapped or cornered, they may buck or kick.

If you drive carefully and slowly, you give the horse time to see the car, and figure out whether it's life is at risk or not, and it also gives the rider time to comfort the horse and convince it that the car won't hurt the horse, or gain control of the horse that is scared.

Answer 4

A horse has a fight or flight outlook. Most of the time it's flight. It can occur from a piece of paper blowing in the wind or a car sounding it's horn. There really is not telling - one day they will be okay the next not.

Yes I have been on a startled horse that reared in the street and took off - very scary. We also had a young lady at our barn that was killed because her horse was started, went to run across the street and was hit by another car.

When passing horses, please use every caution.

Answer 5

You regularly see horses on country roads in the UK. I always slow right down and turn the car stereo down.

Most of my horse riding friends, though, would be very wary of taking any horse out on the road which they did not know was "bomb proof" or at least not likely to startle easily. Most of the time if a horse is out on the road, the rider is fairly confident that it is not a jittery horse who is going to freak out the first time a car passes it.

Obviously if you screech past a horse at 70mph with your stereo blaring it may well freak out even if its normally a placid type. which could be potentially dangerous for the rider.

Answer 6

Any loud noise will startle a horse. Especially if it is high pitched and sudden. Maby they might get used to some. Or like poison oak, the more exposure will make the reaction worse. But only motor vehicles are allowed on freeways in California. You must be from Kentucky or somewhere around there.

Answer 7

Any of these thing can startle a horse.
My horse is not affected by traffic.
He is ok with motorcycles and bicycles and cars and trucks.
It took lots of time to get him that way.
You should slow down and get over as far asyou can safely. let off the gas as you pass them and then move on.
That is the best thing you can do.
My horse will start to run off but stops when asked to do so. He has been chased by dogs once and I got him to stop.
He walked up to the road grater while it was running on one of our gravel roads. They guy on the truck was trying to stop but my horse just walked up looked and moved on like no big deal.

Answer 8

horses get startled if something appears suddenly like cyclists as they dont hear them til its to late. your usually alright passing in a car. you sometimes get horses refusing to pass unusual things and they'll dance on the road, keep a wide berth then. they can be unpredictable some spook at the stupidest things. i would like to think riders taking their horses on the road are pretty confident they,ll be safe, otherwise they'd not be on the road

Answer 9

An excellent question.

As a horse owner, the thing which gets me most is when people slow down for horses. THANK YOU. However, horses like consistency so if using a hedge trimmer, for example, DON'T stop it when a horse passes by. Please don't get upset when two horses ride side by side. In the horses riding and road safety code, two horses are MEANT to ride side by side as they are MEANT to take up the space taken by a car. One thing is that when turning right the horse rider is supposed to stick to the left and signal right, so as NOT TO HAVE car drivers passing on EITHER side. I know you drivers might moan, but think on please. There is room for all of us out there, but just consider other road users please and think logically. Horses are not machines.

If I may get on my soap box, please would horse riders please acknowledge (with a smile) riders who slow down for them. Thank you.

Rear wipers can upset horses. Don't ask me why!

Answer 10

It depends on the horse and where it was raised. If it's use to the quiet then yes it can easily be started but if it's use to farm equipment of passing cars then no. I was on a horse that threw me off and fell backward almost landing on me because my jacka** cousins jumped out of a tree.