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Under the Michigan equine activity liability act, an equine professional is not liable for an injury to or the death of a participant in an equine activity resulting from the inherent risk of the equine activity.
Share the Trail
Non-
Whether you are hiking on the single-
How to Safely Approach Horses on Multi-
If approaching head on:
Stop! Please stop your movement
Stand Back! Stand back off the trail but do not hide, remain in view of the horse and rider
Speak! Call out in a friendly tone to alert horse and rider of your presense. At this time allow the rider to pass by or they may ask you to pass by
If approaching from behind:
Speak! Alert the rider and horse of your presence
Stop! Ask the rider if it is OK to pass, they may need time to turn their horse around and they may want to walk back and past you
Give Space! Whether you pass or they do, give them plenty of room
Articles and Videos
Safe Encounter with Horse on Shared Use Trails
Trail Etiquette and Safety Article
Trail Etiquette
Safety Tip
Other trail users should yield on the down side of a slope to allow horses to pass uphill. This will protect the horse and rider from slipping off the trail and down the slope.
MANURE
Please practice leave no trace in our staging areas throughout Michigan. Dispose of manure in bunkers or please take it back home with you. Help keep our staging areas clean for all to use. Check for rules for the areas you ride.
Horses are only afraid of two things: everything that moves and everything that doesn't.
Riders work very hard to gain their horses trust and expose them to a wide variety of experiences and continue to build on this throughout the horses lifetime. The fact is, horses are prey animals and they can view everything as a potential predator, not all do, but they can. This is why staying in the sight line of the horse and speaking as you approach is so important, horses know human voice and it comforts them. If a rider is having trouble, ask what you can do to help and even if a rider is not having trouble, it is always good etiquette to ask how they would like to handle passing each other on the trail.
Share the Trail
Motorized Multi-
Motorized trail users are required to yield to all other trail users, horses included.
How to Safely Approach Horses on Multi-
If approaching head on:
Stop! Please stop your movement and turn off your engine
Remove your helmet so the horse can see you are a human.
Speak! Call out in a friendly tone to the horse and rider. At this time allow the rider to pass by.
If approaching from behind:
Stop! Please stop your movement and turn off your engine
Remove your helmet so the horse can see you are a human.
Speak! Call out in a friendly tone to the horse and rider.
Ask the rider if it is OK to pass, they may need time to turn their horse around and they may want to walk back and past you
Give Space! Whether you pass or they do, give them plenty of room
