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aprilm
07-08-07, 10:51 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-xR1HErmH8

I saw this video about a year ago, and watching the TDF reminded me of it (although this wasn't during any TDF)... :lol:

Meant to post this in Foo... oh well :o
a_fire_inside
07-08-07, 11:12 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-xR1HErmH8

I saw this video about a year ago, and watching the TDF reminded me of it (although this wasn't during any TDF)... :lol:

Meant to post this in Foo... oh well :o

They showed this on VH1 yesterday. Great clip.
HigherGround
07-08-07, 12:23 PM
And you thought it was bad to draft your teammate after he had eaten Beef-a-Roni...
G. Bucci
07-08-07, 04:35 PM
Tete de la course
meb
07-08-07, 05:06 PM
When did this occur?

Was this the Tour or another race?

I'm surprised so many riders stayed proximate the horse lest he take some unexpected change of speed or direction.
cruzMOKS
07-08-07, 05:11 PM
I liked the one guy who made a break away durning this. No one followed him.
meb
07-08-07, 05:14 PM
I liked the one guy who made a break away durning this. No one followed him.

I noticed that too. Interesting breakaway opportunity.

Any idea whether seeing those cyclist traveling at speed spooked the horse into fearing a preditor or if it got excited about having someone to run with?
aprilm
07-08-07, 05:54 PM
Any idea whether seeing those cyclist traveling at speed spooked the horse into fearing a preditor or if it got excited about having someone to run with?

Horses have a strong herd instinct. My guess is, he was in this field alone (horses normally don't do well without other horses around), saw the cyclists, thought maybe that was his "herd", and went for it. However, he looked like he was having a little too much fun, so he may have just been doing it for the pure joy of it. :D

This was during the '97 Criterium International.
godspiral
07-10-07, 05:17 PM
My understanding is that horses just like to run socially.
aprilm
07-10-07, 06:46 PM
It isn't necessarily that they like to run socially. They're just social, period. They don't like to be away from other horses. This horse apparently mistook a bunch of cyclists for his own kind. The interesting thing is that he went to the front of the pack. Must have thought it was "his" herd, and he needed to direct traffic. :D
godspiral
07-11-07, 06:34 AM
I dunno about mistaking cyclists for herd. Dogs can tell dogs from cats and people, and can be friendly to varying degrees with all of them.
Paniolo
07-11-07, 06:04 PM
That was cool when the horse jumped the gate out of the field!
meb
07-11-07, 08:14 PM
I dunno about mistaking cyclists for herd. Dogs can tell dogs from cats and people, and can be friendly to varying degrees with all of them.

Horses seem comfortable around cyclists on upright bikes as they have a profile similar to rider on a small horse. By contrasts, the lower longer profile of many recumbents is similar to that of a cougar predator, so it tends to spook them.

The horse is comfortable around humans and if the humans a riding some other horselike critter, the horse may enjoy the chance to socialize. There is quite a bit of comfort in the peloton riders profile so in view of another poster's comments about horses running socially the opportunity to run with something comfortable my be the socializing running opportunity the horse enjoys.

I previously raised the issue of being spooked by the fear the peloton was fleeing a preditor. Many species will graze, feed, and water together keying on the other animals ability to spot differing preditor clues, so that is why I also asked about that concern.

Seems to me last year on OLN, I got a chuckle when I saw riders pass fenced in horses and saw a couple of the horses elected to run along opposite side fence while watching the cyclists-though they never lept their fence.
meb
07-11-07, 08:15 PM
Horses have a strong herd instinct. My guess is, he was in this field alone (horses normally don't do well without other horses around), saw the cyclists, thought maybe that was his "herd", and went for it. However, he looked like he was having a little too much fun, so he may have just been doing it for the pure joy of it. :D

This was during the '97 Criterium International.

I'd be interested in knowing if the horse upon realizing the peloton had made the turn he missed, attempted to backtrack and rejoin the peloton. :lol:
aprilm
07-11-07, 08:37 PM
I'd be interested in knowing if the horse upon realizing the peloton had made the turn he missed, attempted to backtrack and rejoin the peloton. :lol:

Hehe, I bet he did! That horse looked like he was having the time of his life! :p