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Original poster

Why are horses allowed to shit in the street when dogs can't?

254 replies

JacknDiane · 08/02/2026 12:35

Just seen a horse and rider going down our road, we are near to open fields. The horse stopped and left a massive dump in the middle of the road. Then the rider made him walk on.
Now this is a busy street we live on, with kids out on their bikes a lot and generally people coming and going.
Why are horse riders allowed to let their horses do this?
Im not stupid, I haven't a clue how the rider could clear it up. But it still seems totally wrong.

OP posts:
99pwithaflake · 08/02/2026 13:44

Ithinkofawittyusernamethenforgetit · 08/02/2026 13:41

Yes of course! They have all that land, those farm animals shouldn’t be on roads, poor things 😔

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😂

wanderingstarz · 08/02/2026 13:44

You can't put fresh horse manure on your garden either not unless you want to burn your plants.

Ithinkofawittyusernamethenforgetit · 08/02/2026 13:44

nomas · 08/02/2026 13:43

Is this serious? What about when the animals need to get from one grazing area to another?

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In the farm truck.

nomas · 08/02/2026 13:43

Ithinkofawittyusernamethenforgetit · 08/02/2026 13:41

Yes of course! They have all that land, those farm animals shouldn’t be on roads, poor things 😔

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Is this serious? What about when the animals need to get from one grazing area to another?

TheMorgenmuffel · 08/02/2026 13:43

I think their right to shit freely is grandfathered in.

Nannyfannybanny · 08/02/2026 13:43

For the garden,you need to leave horse poo, for a year, because otherwise it's too acidic.

nomas · 08/02/2026 13:42

I’m not horsey at all but even I know it could be dangerous to get down from your horse every time they did a poo.

A bit of common sense, OP.

Ithinkofawittyusernamethenforgetit · 08/02/2026 13:41

99pwithaflake · 08/02/2026 12:52

Do you think farmers should follow their cows and sheep around and clean the shit off the roads and paths too?

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Yes of course! They have all that land, those farm animals shouldn’t be on roads, poor things 😔

99pwithaflake · 08/02/2026 13:41

Ithinkofawittyusernamethenforgetit · 08/02/2026 13:38

That’s an awful price to pay - why are they using the roads if they have fields and stables?

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I assume you're taking the piss 😂

MandingoAteMyBaby · 08/02/2026 13:40

BilboBogginsAndHisNoggins · 08/02/2026 12:37

horses are vegetarian

Cool.

Did Linda McCartney shit in the streets ?

wanderingstarz · 08/02/2026 13:40

GreyfriarsJobbies · 08/02/2026 13:33

Yeah that was a bit weird; the ultimate townie comment! The idea that horse poo is going to cause a crash because it's slippy is a good one too - god forbid whoever posted that ever encounters rain, or the countryside.

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Rain is a bit different to a pile of steaming shit. And lets face it. Shit is shit.

Ithinkofawittyusernamethenforgetit · 08/02/2026 13:38

Port1aCastis · 08/02/2026 13:07

Doesn't bother me but then I live near a stables and a farm. Getting horse shite on my car is part of living here although I do try to avoid driving through a heap of it

That’s an awful price to pay - why are they using the roads if they have fields and stables?

Cherrysoup · 08/02/2026 13:34

Mymanyellow · 08/02/2026 13:18

Nappies for horses?

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Imagine the spooking when it flapped!

Actually, despite being a horse rider, I think I empathise (a bit) and what if the horse had a large worm burden, was wormed then dumps the worms on the road?

GreyfriarsJobbies · 08/02/2026 13:33

EBearhug · 08/02/2026 12:47

Who cares about driving through it? Obviously some of you didn't grow up on farms.

Yeah that was a bit weird; the ultimate townie comment! The idea that horse poo is going to cause a crash because it's slippy is a good one too - god forbid whoever posted that ever encounters rain, or the countryside.

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 08/02/2026 13:30

Because they don’t eat meat so their poo isn’t toxic to life or plants. And tbf doesn’t smell like dog shit does

99pwithaflake · 08/02/2026 13:22

ImPamDoove · 08/02/2026 13:18

We live in a horsey village. Horse shit rarely stays long on the road as gardeners go and scoop it up.

Same here, our local riding school is often followed up the road by people wanting the manure Grin

MikeRafone · 08/02/2026 13:20

Netcurtainnelly · 08/02/2026 13:06

Can you use a mobile phone while riding a horse.

yes

usedtobeaylis · 08/02/2026 13:20

It's harmless and breaks down quickly. I've lived semi-rurally with a lot of horses around and didn't really find it to be a problem. Even if your car drives through it, your car is generally staying outside and again, it breaks down quickly. Its the least offensive of all the common animal shits.

ImPamDoove · 08/02/2026 13:18

We live in a horsey village. Horse shit rarely stays long on the road as gardeners go and scoop it up.

Mymanyellow · 08/02/2026 13:18

LittleCrumblyBiscuit · 08/02/2026 13:16

Hilarious 🤣

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Nappies for horses?

LittleCrumblyBiscuit · 08/02/2026 13:16

BollyMolly · 08/02/2026 13:15

Or, instead of insisting on drama, riders could put a manure collection bag on their horses before using shared roads.

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Hilarious 🤣

Christwosheds · 08/02/2026 13:16

BillieWiper · 08/02/2026 13:11

Ok fair enough. But are you saying it's not hazardous to rub horse shit into your home or onto your skin/eyes/ mouth?! It's shit. Literal shit.

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No it’s not hazardous.

WearyAuldWumman · 08/02/2026 13:16

I was a child in the '60s and we still had deliveries via horse and cart to a small extent. I recall my mother explaining to me that horse dung was 'clean' compared to other excrement - for the reasons that others have already given.

Folk used to go out with a shovel and scrape up horse dung for their gardens.

By contrast, dogs used defecate all over the place and their owners didn't clean it up. Yeuch.

BollyMolly · 08/02/2026 13:15

WibbleyPie · 08/02/2026 13:03

Apart from anything else can you imagine the logistics? Horse poops on road, rider stops, gets off, produces a shovel (maybe tied to their back? Not sure where you'd keep it?) holds horse with one hand while trying to scoop into bag, with other, reattaches shovel and gets back on.
People have enough trouble slowing down and navigating around horses moving on the road (or bikes or anything for that matter) safely, some would be fit to combust at waiting behind that scenario. It would cause an obstruction to traffic and means the rider can't be in full control while the horse is on a public highway holding it with one hand while attention is elsewhere.
Horse poo doesn't carry the dangers that dogs do, and it's impractical and dangerous for it to be picked up.

Or, instead of insisting on drama, riders could put a manure collection bag on their horses before using shared roads.