Horses pooing out hacking!!

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bumblelion

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A motorcyclist friend of mine said why don't we have to clean up after our horses on roads as it can cause an accident with them slipping off their bikes on it and coming off! I explained that it wouldn't be an easy thing to do, what with having to get on and off and having to carry a pooper scooper whilst rdidng etc which in all could be very dangerous!! What do you think? He also mentioned about getting fined for not picking up dogs poo, so why not horses!?
 
I think if you're riding in a city it's only polite to go back with a spade (that's what we used to do at the city farm I used to ride at, anyway). In the country? Live with it. As a mate of my cobbler said to a newly arrived townie neighbour who complained about mud from his tractor dropping onto the road (:rolleyes:) 'You're in the country now mate... you get ***** in the country...':D

Anyway horses should be at the very edge of the road, while motorbikes should not be at the very edge, and besides that, they should be on a track day if they want to go so fast when they can't see enough of the road ahead to spot a poop in time IMO.:p
 
I live in a City and when we ride out we are not required to pick up our horses poo, but dog owner's are required (by law) to pick up theirs. They are always giving us guff about it.

Dog poo is full of nasty pathological bacteria, horse manure is not. Horse manure disappears quickly when exposed to the elements, dog poo may turn white and/or hairy and will stick around for a long time, sometimes months. Another is that you would be hard pressed to "accidentally" step in horse manure, dog poo is pretty easy to miss.

Whenever someone yells after us about a pile one of our horses left, we tell them that it's free fertilizer and that usually shuts them up.
 
But surely he shouldn't be taking a bend so quickly that he has to cut right into the kerb on the kind of lanes horses tend to be found on?:confused: That's what track days are for, that's when you get your knee down - not on the road when you might crash into me, thanks all the same!
 
Spudlet said:
But surely he shouldn't be taking a bend so quickly that he has to cut right into the kerb on the kind of lanes horses tend to be found on?:confused: That's what track days are for, that's when you get your knee down - not on the road when you might crash into me, thanks all the same!
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Totally agree and have told him so!
 
My carriage-driving friend does carry a shovel to move any muck out of the road, but it wouldn't be practicable to do that when out hacking! Your motorcyclist friend would have to be going pretty darn fast, and over the speed limit, to miss a pile of horse poo in the road.....about as large as a log (excuse the pun), and similar coloured, yes? Seems to me he would have more to worry about if it was a similar-sized object.

Yes, horse muck on the roads may be unsightly, but it poses no threat to health, unlike dog mess:

Toxocariasis is an infection of the round worm Toxocara canis5. It is a zoonotic6 disease that is spread via unwashed vegetables and dog faeces. Young children in particular are at risk due to their weaker immune systems and because they are more likely to expose themselves by ingesting the eggs. A puppy can pass as many as 15,000 eggs per gram of faeces, and they are a major source of environmental contamination.

Each T. canis female can lay up to 700 eggs a day. These are passed out when the dog defecates and can survive for up to three years in soil. After two to three weeks of warm weather the eggs develop into an embryo state, containing larva - this is when they become infective to dogs and people.

The larvae try to migrate through the human body as they would in a dog's, but the human body treats them as foreign material, which causes a reaction and tissue damage.

There are two types of toxocariasis: visceral larva migrans (VLM) and ocular larva migrans (OLM).

In VLM, the larvae reach the liver, causing inflammation and symptoms such as abdominal pain and pyrexia. Most people recover spontaneously.

OLM occurs when a migrating larva reaches the eye. It causes a granuloma to form on the retina, causing significant visual impairment and in severe cases even blindness.
 
I have lost count of the many times i have had the dog poo thing said to me.
When we did the wagon rides in the village, we would go around and pick the poo up, but that was because we stuck to the same route, and if we did'nt pick it up it would build up.
When someone said to me that all riders should pick their horses poo up , i replyed that what were we supposed to do, carry a bucket and shuvel on the saddle, or put a blooming nappie on it??
 
bumblelion said:
A motorcyclist friend of mine said why don't we have to clean up after our horses on roads as it can cause an accident with them slipping off their bikes on it and coming off! I explained that it wouldn't be an easy thing to do, what with having to get on and off and having to carry a pooper scooper whilst rdidng etc which in all could be very dangerous!! What do you think? He also mentioned about getting fined for not picking up dogs poo, so why not horses!?
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As a biker all I can say, if your mate is riding in the gutter on his/her bike then he/she is gonna end up in the gutter in a pile of poo.... maybe you should point out to your friend what they would of been taught whilst learning to ride... being in the gutter on a bike is a BIG no no, recipie for disaster...
 
A couple of things come to mind...

Firstly, there is a great difference between horse poo and dog poo, both in composition and volume.

Secondly, if the biker is riding in a manner that a small amount of horse poo is going to cause him to lose control, then to me he is riding too fast for the road conditions. Does it not occur to him that on rural roads livestock and tractors are other road users, both of them inevitibly leave evidence of their passage, he seems to think that all rural roads are solely to provide him with a rural racetrack.

I used to live in Ashby-de-la-Zouch where theres a road through to Loughborough that cuts off two sides of the A42/M1 triangle and became a defacto motorcycle racetrack, I forget how many times I came across bikers in ditches.

Dont think I'm anti biker, far from it, in general I find them to be far more courteous and respectful of horses when you meet them on roads than any other group of rosd users.
 
I ride a motorbike and have done for 35 years. I can think of a few occasions where horses crossing the road have caused me a 'moment', but not once have I slid on horse poo. If we have to clear all that up, then what about tractors coming off muddy fields, or gravel kicked up from the side of the road (really nasty stuff), or rain on roads that have been dry for a while, or snow, or black ice.... better still, perhaps he should just buy a car.

Another point, and one I have used: Tell him you will pick up all your horses poo, which is harmless and can be recycled onto gardens, vegetable patches etc, if he will collect all the poisonous gasses that come out of the back of his motorbike.

I do so dislike this attitude of people saying YOU should do something so that I am not inconvenienced.
 
Hanno Verian said:
A couple of things come to mind...

Firstly, there is a great difference between horse poo and dog poo, both in composition and volume.

Secondly, if the biker is riding in a manner that a small amount of horse poo is going to cause him to lose control, then to me he is riding too fast for the road conditions.
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I hear what you're saying... but, horse poop can cause a rider to lose control but I don't think that the speed would have anything to do with it at all... its the substance on the road not the speed. It is incredibly easy to lose a front wheel on a bike (the wheel skids out from under you, I don't mean that it 'falls off' lol) Its more to do with their riding position and they shouldn't be that close to the gutter in the first place.

The worst thing on the road for making a rider skid is the white road markings because when they are wet after rain its like riding over ice, extremely slippery for a bike. But yes horse poop can make a biker skid but the biker shouldn't have taken up that sort of road position in the first place.
 
My OH is a biker and a horse rider, for him oil on the roads is the biggest hazard. Horse poo is a hazard too, but generally more visible and like muck from tractors, something experienced bikers watch out for in rural areas.
I've always found bikers to be really considerate to riders in our area where on a summers evening we can be passed by 20 or 30 during a hack.
Regarding horse poo, I did go back after a ride in my car and pick it up, after my horse pooed on a wide pavement when we were stopped in the high street by a lady wanting to chat. Was mortified that my horse dumped a big pile opposite the co op. (Think he got bored with the verbal diahorrea.:D)
 
I usually find motorbikers one of the best considerate road users around. A lot of them like the rural roads for speed open space. Our A road is one of the best for them they advertise good roads to use they love the turns in them , but I do find them the best road users and are happy to share it with us!

I agree horses were around a long time before mechanised vehicles, that said I appreciate we have to share now.

Horse poo is grass, dog poo isnt. I would say if he is on a bend and cant see whats in the road..ie pheasant, deer, child ahead he is going too fast.

I have known gardeners rush out to scoop up a prized dollop! Also years ago it was acceptable to push a dogs bottom into the kerb to poo. I appreciate if its been dumped in the middle of a busy pavement that perhaps it should be collected. I live on an A road and have seen horse riders go onto the pavement for safety.

Cylists in some areas have cycle lanes perhaps we can have them for horses too.
I think he is being petty!
Is there a national statistic for death by horse poo, can he produce that? Bet Speed will be the top cause?
 
Speed probably is quite a high factor of motorcylce accidents... but I would say the worst culprit to cause a skid even at VERY low speed on the roads is spilt diesel, this is more common at roundabouts where the diesel has sloshed about in the tank and come out of the overflow... It would be interesting to see how many accidents have been caused by horse poop, I doubt there would be very many...
 
lea840 said:
As a biker all I can say, if your mate is riding in the gutter on his/her bike then he/she is gonna end up in the gutter in a pile of poo.... maybe you should point out to your friend what they would of been taught whilst learning to ride... being in the gutter on a bike is a BIG no no, recipie for disaster...
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This^^

My other half is biker and you ride in the middle, not at the left side where say you'd ride a push bike, you are told to ride in the middle.

Suppose I can understand their point if there is horse poo scattered all over the middle of the road (as in the side you are riding on) but then as a biker, you have to look where you are going to avoid debrey and pot holes etc so you have to keep your eyes focused and be prepaired to shift around things, if you can ride round pot holes then you can ride round a pile of horse poo surely!
 
I can't say i have seen motorbikers that have slid off on our local lanes....although one or two of them drive like idiots!
(not classing all bikers as idiots, most are great! ;)

But does that mean that the local farmers have to clear up after they have transported their muck piles around as that is all over the road at times?
 
Hanno Verian said:
I used to live in Ashby-de-la-Zouch where theres a road through to Loughborough that cuts off two sides of the A42/M1 triangle and became a defacto motorcycle racetrack, I forget how many times I came across bikers in ditches.
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Haha I know that exact bit and used to ride all through their with my little coblet! My friend from unis bike was one of those bikes once, she had a horse too and slowed down a lot after that :)
 
If a dog is properly wormed the dog poo shouldn't contacin 'toxins'. It is usually on the pavement,whereas a horse will dump on the roadway. But horse poo can carry tetanus, so isn't entirley harmless. But having a rider dismount, scoop up the poo and get back on the horse would surely present more dangers than the poo itself!!!
 
Must admit I always return and pick up if either of my two horses poo whilst riding along my village roads which tbh is a real pain as I have to get the car out pretty sharpish after getting back with the horse and it's not always convenient, plus extends the act of riding.

Why do I bother? Because I ride most days and have to start and end through the village whichever route I ride and I'm conscious that local people know me and my horses by sight. As there aren't many horses round here, it's obvious who's responsible for any poo piles left and I don't want to become unpopular with the locals I suppose so a bit of a PR exercise if I'm honest. Also aware that it's the same locals that I want to take care when they drive past me with their vehicles as I ride, so hope the picking up helps them generally look more favourably on me as a rider too.

There's absolutely no way I'd pick up piles out of the village though, that's out of the question. I think I'm being ultra good as it is with my village clear up!
 
Thanks for all of your replies. He wasn't being awkward when asking the question, just curious as to why we don't have to! He knows he shouldn't ride in the gutter but I think he meant if it was in the middle of the road! It was just an innocent question from him!
 
Just had a discussion with the bike riding, non horsey OH about this.
According to him horse poop or ' steaming deposit' can make one fall from their bike. So can a slippery dog t*rd. Apparrently cow ***** is the worst.
He reckons it cant be helped. '***** happens'
Kx
 
Rose Folly said:
My elderly neighbour loves it when our horses poo outside his house. He's straight out with a shovel, saying "Well done, straight on my roses!"
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Years ago, when most people grew their own veg, there would usually be someone popping out of their house for poo if they heard a horse coming along. I use some of mine on our veggie patch :D
 
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