A cyclist recently got in a heated confrontation with a horseback rider in Parker, Colorado about who had to yield while crossing a bridge and it has sparked an online debate about rights of way on mixed use trails.
The exchange occurred at a bridge along the Cherry Creek Trail where the horseback rider was acclimating her animal to the crossing bridges. The cyclist had been tailgating her while crossing the bridge. Once she had crossed the bridge she stopped and attempted to explain that horses have right of way over bikes to which he responded:
“I am not going to stop and wait for a horse.”
To be clear, according to Colorado Parks & Wildlife trail etiquette protocol, horses always have the right of way over bikes and bicyclists must yield to equestrians.
Yielding to horses while on a bike is not only the rule for sharing Colorado’s trail systems, it is commonsense as horses are large prey animals that can be easily spooked, especially by fast-moving objects like bikes, triggering a fight-or-flight response that can endanger the horse, its rider and anyone on the trail.
Remember folks, if you’re sharing the trail with horseback riders, give as much space as possible and speak in a calm and measured voice when approaching. If opportunity presents itself to pass, do so without any abrupt movements so as not to startle the horse.
