Читать книгу Tahoe Rim Trail. The Official Guide for Hikers, Mountain Bikers and Equestrians онлайн

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Depending on individual circumstances and as a practical matter, all users should yield to each other. In general, hikers should yield to horses, while mountain bikers must yield to both hikers and horses: In other words, horses have the right-of-way on the trail. In the mid-1990s an article appeared in the Tahoe Rim Trail newsletter written by Sonja Willits, a woman with years of experience riding horses on Sierra trails. Willits did a good job of explaining trail use from the horse’s point of view. With her permission, I’ve summarized the main points below.

 A horse believes that everything will eat it until proven otherwise. The first instinct of many horses is to run away, which can endanger both horse and rider, as well as anyone in the flight path who could get trampled or knocked off the trail. It is the job of all humans—equestrians, hikers, and mountain bikers—to assure the horse that no harm is intended.

 When you are approaching a horse from behind, be sure to talk to the rider. Talking calmly lets the horse know that you are not something that will hurt it. A bike that comes speeding up from behind a horse can severely frighten it. Be particularly cautious when rounding blind corners—horse riders often can’t hear you coming.