Now that prime camping season is upon us, it's important to remind ourselves to be courteous to others with whom we share the trails. Riders, hikers, and bikers can tend to be a little territorial when it comes to sharing multi-use trails. Whether you are trail-riding, biking, or hiking, a little common courtesy goes a long way, and can help prevent some unforeseen life-threatening accident from occurring.
Came across this You Tube video documenting an encounter between some trail riders and dirt bikers on a high mountain trail. Having spent a lot of time in the saddle exploring the wilderness, I have come across the occasional jerk (usually a young teenager on a dirt bike) who gets a thrill from spooking horses, and causing problems for horsemen.
In my opinion, the dirt bikers in this video did everything they could possibly do to accommodate the riders on a very narrow trail. They stopped, turned off their motors, and got off to the side to allow the trail riders to pass. Even doing so, things took a very dangerous turn as the horsemen tried to pass.
The rider was clearly at fault for what happened, and he should have gotten off his horse and led it pass the bikes. I had a mare that was very high strung and on the skittish side, and I ALWAYS dismounted when I come across a situation when I knew she was likely to spook. This is exactly what the rider should have done, especially since his horse was clearly acting uneasy around the bikes.
In any case, I have to highly commend the bikers for trying to help the rider after the fall. By their example, they have taught us all a good lesson about how to behave during tense encounters on the trail. A little kindness towards one another never hurts, and it always feels good afterwards, knowing you did what you could to help!
Came across this You Tube video documenting an encounter between some trail riders and dirt bikers on a high mountain trail. Having spent a lot of time in the saddle exploring the wilderness, I have come across the occasional jerk (usually a young teenager on a dirt bike) who gets a thrill from spooking horses, and causing problems for horsemen.
In my opinion, the dirt bikers in this video did everything they could possibly do to accommodate the riders on a very narrow trail. They stopped, turned off their motors, and got off to the side to allow the trail riders to pass. Even doing so, things took a very dangerous turn as the horsemen tried to pass.
The rider was clearly at fault for what happened, and he should have gotten off his horse and led it pass the bikes. I had a mare that was very high strung and on the skittish side, and I ALWAYS dismounted when I come across a situation when I knew she was likely to spook. This is exactly what the rider should have done, especially since his horse was clearly acting uneasy around the bikes.
In any case, I have to highly commend the bikers for trying to help the rider after the fall. By their example, they have taught us all a good lesson about how to behave during tense encounters on the trail. A little kindness towards one another never hurts, and it always feels good afterwards, knowing you did what you could to help!
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