Access on roads

Spencer

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22 May 2012
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The village where I keep my horse have had a meeting of the local parish council this week.
One resident has brought forward a motion of banning horses from the roads around the village (they are normal, residential roads) as they dislike both noise and mess.
There are occasional happy hackers but not a huge amount of equine traffic.

This parish council are rather 'excitable' (think Hot Fuzz). My question is.....can they actually do this?
 
No, they can't.

Tell them the amount of noise and crap released by a horse is like a gnat on Mars compared to that which is released by a car. Then you could always (tongue in cheek) suggest that there should be a ban on all motor vehicles on the same roads ...
 
Of course not, a road is a road. Who would enforce it? Ask the local police to sit in their car all day in case someone came along on a horse? I think not ......................

I did once have a surreal conversation with a man from the Council who was desperately worried about the health hazards posed by horse droppings. Luckily I was able to quote from a recent report in H & H that said a study in America had found NO evidence of anyone ever getting anything nasty from horse poo! Also that it is grass and dries out and blows away. He took some convincing though!
 
Thank you all for your reassurance. We are contacting the local BHS officer for advice. I was fairly certain it was impossible but the idea was so very bizarre I wondered if they knew something I didn't!

I have advised people from our yard to be vigilant and if said complainer approaches riders then they should record and complain to the police, citing harassment.

Why can't people just be nice?!
 
Roads are public rights of way open to all traffic including horses, with the exception of motorways. They have no chance in hell of banning horses so I wouldn't worry about it.
 
Wow. Just wow! Maybe these people should consider moving out of the country into a town?! They won't get very far with this, after all a road is a public highway, the clue being in the name...!
 
Actually although this is funny its becoming a worrying trend and as seemingly thought of as "minority users" I think it ought to be taken seriously before we are driven off the roads altogether with silly rules and regulations :(
 
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