| Whilst 'coasting' is not generally the right thing to do, I find if I pull in the clutch and allow the bike to idle just before I reach the horses, this allows me to pass fairly quickly and with minimum noise. They hardly know that I've been there. Selecting first gear and crawling past slowly may well keep you in the animal's physical (and emotional!) 'blind-spot' for a longer period and increase the likelihood of it being 'spooked'. It goes without saying that you need to leave a lot of room between you and 'it' though.
(I remember a racer on the IOM hitting a horse a few years ago, and being killed outright. Not sure now who it was). |