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@Fox
I encountered a rather frisky horse and rider, accompanied by a dog, down a lane this morning.
My usual plan when passing horses is to pass them as slowly as possible and give them as wide a berth as possible, on the basis that I don't want to spook them and I'd feel bad if the horse reared and threw the rider.
For the same reason, I don't call out, because it seems the cycling equivalent of driving slowly up behind a horse then sounding the horn.
The rider of the horse, presumably knowing it was frisky, was riding it down the grass verge of quite a narrow lane. As I passed, slowly, and on the far right of the lane, the horse took fright and the rider just about managed to stay on.
He then complained that I "Should have called out to let him know I was coming", or words to that effect. Surely if I'd slowly ridden up behind him then shouted 'CYCLIST!' he would have been complaining that I'd made the horse jump, probably from the ditch...
I have Hope hubs on that bike, so the freewheel is therefore pretty loud. And I'm used to riding past horses, I ride in the countryside a lot and have passed plenty without incident.
What is good horse passing etiquette though? It's not something I've thought about much before. I suspect this horse was basically too nervous to be out on the open road, but if it was my fault I'd like to know...