Stop horsing around

9:25am Wednesday 20th March 2013 in Letters

CAN someone please enlighten me as to why people who ride horses are allowed to let their animals defecate where they tread?

I walk my dog by the Leasowe Lighthouse on a regular basis and on a regular basis myself and my faithful pooch are constantly met by horse poo en route.

Treading in it is an issue and so is tripping over it.

Why are horse riders exempt from cleaning up after their animals?

I clean up after my pooch, so why don't you have to clean up after your nags?

Don't get me wrong, I like horses and their riders, but this issue just puzzles me.

Ste by email.

Comments(8)

Jo xCx says...
2:42pm Thu 21 Mar 13

There are major differences between horse and dog waste - the reason people are encouraged to pick up after their dogs, is due to the diseases and parasites that can be spread - many of these are seen as a risk to human health.
Horse muck however does not carry these risks - and poses no known risk to the environment.
As a horse owner, and a responsible dog owner, I find it odd that anyone would expect a rider to dismount from their horse to pick up their muck - this is not practical, nor is it safe. A rider has a lot more control of a horse when mounted, to dismount and potentially have a horse bolt could cause a lot more damage and injury to rider, dogs and their walkers than merely 'tripping over' there mess ever would.
Having spent 20+ years (with vision that can only dream of being 20/20) around horse mess, and walking dogs in areas commonly used by riders and their horses, I am yet to 'trip-over' a horse mess - what's your next target? Mole hills?

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bickyboy says...
7:44pm Sat 23 Mar 13

I agree with the letter writer.

Horse muck may well be more palatable and carry fewer diseases than dog or cat ordure, but at the end of the day it is also poo and it attracts flies.

Unless a more high tech answer can be found, horse riders should get off their horses and pick it up.

Or is such a thing below the dignity of the horse riding classes?

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bickyboy says...
7:47pm Sat 23 Mar 13

Incidentally, the first responder makes what I must admit is a good point about the dangers of dismounting a horse in an area used by the public.

That being the case, what about slinging an extra strong bin bag under Dobbin's tail to catch the ordure before it hits the ground?

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ggarretts says...
6:20pm Tue 26 Mar 13

Horse poop is 100% vegetable matter, excellent stuff to fertilise your roses cannabis or whatever. These gee-gees are providing an excellent public service, keep up the good work.

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barrier36 says...
7:35pm Tue 26 Mar 13

Is this straight from the horse's mouth?

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elainef says...
1:10pm Wed 27 Mar 13

As the above have mentioned, horse poo is not dangerours it is used as fertilser unlike dog poo.

I remember a neighbour who used to rush out with a shovel everytime the local riding school went past for her roses.

Being an owner of both, I cant stand dog poo it makes me retch.

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ggarretts says...
2:58pm Wed 27 Mar 13

Horses have been pooping on the streets of this Great Nation since the dawn of time. I'm shovelling the stuff onto the cannabis I have growing in my spare bedroom. An excellent by-product providing great results.

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bickyboy says...
9:07am Thu 28 Mar 13

I stand corrected. The more horse poo with which our streets are covered, the better. Perhaps we could name some thoroughfares in honour of the equine species and its generous distribution of ordure? Dung Drive? Manure Mews? S**t Street? Poop Place?Filth Fields?

They all have a certain "ring" about them, I must admit.

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