Picking up after your horse

[Chocoholic]

https://www.facebook.com/1365111236849523/posts/4544260712267877

So this discussion is going off on my village Facebook page about how riders should be picking up horse poo.
Anyone else experienced this or got into an argument about it (the path in question is a greenway and is signposted as available to horses/walkers/cyclists)

 

[Equi]

Its a never ending complaint but i don't even let it bother me, it will never be law to pick it up because its wholly impractical. Id like to see how the complainers would react if the cav had to stop every 5 seconds for a rider to dismount and pick up the horse shit in london traffic

 

[SEL]

It doesn't last 5 mins around here before a gardener has grabbed a spade and nabbed it.

We became a very popular area for people to move to from London post the first lockdown and they were surprised to see horses on the roads. There were a few mutterings on FB but they were laughed at and it was pointed out that processed grass decomposes safely unlike dog poo bags hung from trees

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Our yard has just been approached by local council about getting off and kicking poo off paths on a local amenity area (old pit heap reclaimed). YO pointed out that some of the larger horses couldnt be mounted again from ground (probably thinking about me needing a mounting block!) and asked if they would put mounting blocks in as someone would moan if the bench seats were used. Also pointed out the scorched grass areas from fires...rubbish...dog poo in bags in trees etc which other users don’t remove. It was mentioned we may be banned from using the area...

 

[TPO]

Our yard has just been approached by local council about getting off and kicking poo off paths on a local amenity area (old pit heap reclaimed). YO pointed out that some of the larger horses couldnt be mounted again from ground (probably thinking about me needing a mounting block!) and asked if they would put mounting blocks in as someone would moan if the bench seats were used. Also pointed out the scorched grass areas from fires...rubbish...dog poo in bags in trees etc which other users don’t remove. It was mentioned we may be banned from using the area...

The country access code means you cant ban anyone from anywhere and no trespass laws in Scotland. If they did put up gate the BHS access officers are pretty good at challenging things like that.

I know the area you mean, it's been a while since I was last there but it was full of litter, dog dirt and poo bags. Youd have thought the council would prioritise the harmful mess ? the worlds gone mad!

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

We already squeeze through the narrow pedestrian gate to ride there as the larger gates are kept locked. It would be catastrophic to our yard if only pedestrian access was allowed...our other leg stretch ride has planning permission for a waste incinerator.....

 

[TPO]

We already squeeze through the narrow pedestrian gate to ride there as the larger gates are kept locked. It would be catastrophic to our yard if only pedestrian access was allowed...our other leg stretch ride has planning permission for a waste incinerator.....

Might be worth contacting BHS just now about the gates? It's supposed to be access for all, I cant remember all the details but the BHS are really hot on it

 

[scats]

I do have some sympathy for people over this (hear me out). To a complete non-horsey person, they don’t view it any differently to dog poo. They don’t really care that horse poo is not toxic, they just don’t get why it can be left. They are usually coming at it from the point of view of it being unsightly, gets on pushchair wheels, cars drive over it etc. Then when they ask why equestrians don’t have to pick it up, they get told that it’s impractical to get on and off a horse/try to dispose of it... except I imagine they translate that as “how on Earth am I supposed to get off my expensive animal that I’m priviledged to own to clean up after it!”
That argument tends to get people’s backs right up round here!

 

[Keith_Beef]

Our yard has just been approached by local council about getting off and kicking poo off paths on a local amenity area (old pit heap reclaimed). YO pointed out that some of the larger horses couldnt be mounted again from ground (probably thinking about me needing a mounting block!) and asked if they would put mounting blocks in as someone would moan if the bench seats were used. Also pointed out the scorched grass areas from fires...rubbish...dog poo in bags in trees etc which other users don’t remove. It was mentioned we may be banned from using the area...

Banned from using the area... this reminds me of another thread, about Tendring Beach.

The country access code means you cant ban anyone from anywhere and no trespass laws in Scotland. If they did put up gate the BHS access officers are pretty good at challenging things like that.

I know the area you mean, it's been a while since I was last there but it was full of litter, dog dirt and poo bags. Youd have thought the council would prioritise the harmful mess ? the worlds gone mad!

The world hasn't gone mad, it has ever been thus: the organisation sets itself targets that it can hit.

The council knows full well that it is incapable of nabbing the dog walkers who leave their dogs' mess on the path or who bag it and hang it in the trees and bushes. There are too many of them, and the dogs and their owners are scary!

On the other hand it is much easier to install obstacles to stop horses using the area and a smaller number of people would be inconvenienced by it.

I do have some sympathy for people over this (hear me out). To a complete non-horsey person, they don’t view it any differently to dog poo. They don’t really care that horse poo is not toxic, they just don’t get why it can be left. They are usually coming at it from the point of view of it being unsightly, gets on pushchair wheels, cars drive over it etc. Then when they ask why equestrians don’t have to pick it up, they get told that it’s impractical to get on and off a horse/try to dispose of it... except I imagine they translate that as “how on Earth am I supposed to get off my expensive animal that I’m priviledged to own to clean up after it!”
That argument tends to get people’s backs right up round here!

Scats, posting about poo... how apt.

The better argument, then, is definitely not to say "we shouldn't be required to gather up the horse dung because it's inconvenient for us to do that". The argument needs to be about the stuff being harmless or even good for the environment in small amounts, and that many gardeners would welcome the chance of getting a bit of free fertiliser.

 

[dogatemysalad]

I was berated by a man who owned a new build which was situated in an also newly built cul de sac at the entrance to a bridleway. He was worried about getting his car tyres dirty. I smiled but thought, good luck with that mate. Some people aren't suited to country life.

However, when riding through a busy high street in a village, I was stopped by a very verbose lady who wanted to chat about my horse. After a few minutes, I pulled my horse onto the wide pavement to let the traffic pass, where he eventually left a pile of poo. I went back in my car with a bucket to clear the mess off the pavement, just out of courtesy.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I do have some sympathy for people over this (hear me out). To a complete non-horsey person, they don’t view it any differently to dog poo. They don’t really care that horse poo is not toxic, they just don’t get why it can be left. They are usually coming at it from the point of view of it being unsightly, gets on pushchair wheels, cars drive over it etc. Then when they ask why equestrians don’t have to pick it up, they get told that it’s impractical to get on and off a horse/try to dispose of it... except I imagine they translate that as “how on Earth am I supposed to get off my expensive animal that I’m priviledged to own to clean up after it!”
That argument tends to get people’s backs right up round here!

That is why the difference between horse and dog waste needs to be highlighted. Nobody is going to get a disease from horse waste, whereas they might well from dog waste. And imo, anyone who is daft enough to push their buggy through a heap of horse muck has only themselves to blame for mucky wheels.

 

[scruffyponies]

We had a local facebook 'discussion' a couple of years ago. It has been referred to locally many times since as "pooh-gate". The one local who vociferously complained was shut down in no uncertain terms by some equally vociferous, sarcastic and very funny long-term countryside residents, to whom I am very grateful!

It's different if you end up pooing somewhere really inconsiderate. I will usually dismount and kick aside if it's the middle of the pavement, front of the fire station or something... but then I'm only on a pony.

 

[scats]

Scats, posting about poo... how apt.
.

Eh?

 

[scats]

That is why the difference between horse and dog waste needs to be highlighted. Nobody is going to get a disease from horse waste, whereas they might well from dog waste. And imo, anyone who is daft enough to push their buggy through a heap of horse muck has only themselves to blame for mucky wheels.

I don’t agree with them. I am simply conveying the sorts of comments that crop up on our local FB groups about it.

 

[cauda equina]

I do have some sympathy for people over this (hear me out). To a complete non-horsey person, they don’t view it any differently to dog poo. They don’t really care that horse poo is not toxic, they just don’t get why it can be left. They are usually coming at it from the point of view of it being unsightly, gets on pushchair wheels, cars drive over it etc. Then when they ask why equestrians don’t have to pick it up, they get told that it’s impractical to get on and off a horse/try to dispose of it... except I imagine they translate that as “how on Earth am I supposed to get off my expensive animal that I’m priviledged to own to clean up after it!”
That argument tends to get people’s backs right up round here!

I agree; not everyone is as chilled about horse muck as we are
That's why I always go back and pick it up if my horses poo in the village

And I'm certain that K_B didn't mean anything unkind - it was just a reference to your user name

 

[Indy]

I don't think Keith meant anything rude Scats. I've heard fox muck referred to as fox scats before

 

[TPO]

Eh?

Scats is another name for animal faeces ?

 

[scats]

I agree; not everyone is as chilled about horse muck as we are
That's why I always go back and pick it up if my horses poo in the village

And I'm certain that K_B didn't mean anything unkind - it was just a reference to your user name

I just googled my username and realised what it means haha!

 

[bouncing_ball]

Scats is another name for animal faeces ?

And poo ? related fetishes! ?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprophilia

 

[cauda equina]

I just googled my username and realised what it means haha!

 

[scats]

Scats is another name for animal faeces ?

I’m starting to wonder if my ‘quirky’ childhood nickname was not quite so innocent after all!

 

[Keith_Beef]

Yes, sorry if I annoyed you, it was meant in jest.

 

[scats]

Yes, sorry if I annoyed you, it was meant in jest.

Sorry Keith, I genuinely had no idea what scats meant!
**poor scats slopes off into the corner... to be with other piles of scats...**

 

[Keith_Beef]

Sorry Keith, I genuinely had no idea what scats meant!
**poor scats slopes off into the corner... to be with other piles of scats...**

If it's any consolation, the first thing that pops into my head when I see you name is "Cats", cute, little, furry bird-devourers.

 

[Tarragon]

I once liveried at a lovely yard that was on the edge of a village. Once horse kept there was the sort that would walk and poo frequently, imagine 4 or 5 lumps at a time. During the winter months when daylight was scarce we would exercise around the lanes of the village, and I must admit that I was embarrassed by the continuous trail of poo left outside people's houses. I would have felt very uneasy if they had made a complaint, as I felt it was justified.
I used to get my pony to stop and use a grass verge, just before the village started proper, and he would poo for me 4 times out of 5. Sometimes I waited for 4 or 5 minutes, but it was a good system.

 

[Tarragon]

I was once told a funny story by a friend. She was riding her mare down the main street of a busy touristy village on a hot sunny day and the mare stopped and did the longest and smelliest wee in the middle of the road, then said wee ran like a little river down the road with all the pedestrians that were crossing the road running to avoid it!
Or the other time we were riding across a river in France, when the horses all chose to poo, and we watched the poo floating downstream towards a group of canoeists ...
There are times when these horses set out to embarrass you right royally

 

[Scotsbadboy]

There is a cracking youtube video of someone going out for a ride and picking up after their horse, its very tongue in cheek obviously. I would post that in response. Let me try and find it

 

[Nicnac]

I do try and stick his bum towards the verge if on a road (we don't have pavements). I'm just conscious of motorbikes hitting it especially if it's been smooshed down by cars and not visible.
As to those townies who moan about anything in t'country, what I want to say would get me banned.

 

[meleeka]

The facebook pages round here have now banned the subject as it was coming up so often, resulting in insults. There seems to be couple of people with a real bee in their bonnet about it who usually kick off. The moaners seem to have a hard job understanding that riders wouldn’t even be on those roads if the council hadn’t turned the off road hacking into a country park and banned horses!

it really feels like horses are been squeezed out round here. There’s also a new 50mph road being built on another permissive bridleway so currently there’s on small circular hack in the area which is off road

 

[Melandmary]

https://www.facebook.com/1365111236849523/posts/4544260712267877

So this discussion is going off on my village Facebook page about how riders should be picking up horse poo.
Anyone else experienced this or got into an argument about it (the path in question is a greenway and is signposted as available to horses/walkers/cyclists)

You must be local to me ?, that was on my fb page. I think it is petty, you aren't likely to step in it unlike dog poo as you can't really miss it. It is part of country side living and as one person answered- if you don't like it, move to the city.... Although my horse left a mighty fine dollop close to the town centre which cars were swerving round last time I rode out ?