To think that riders should have to clean up horse mess?

[CarriesBucketOfBlood]

You can get a £120 fine or whatever it is if you don't pick up after your dog. As a dog owner, I think this is absolutely right. Dog mess is antisocial and poses a health risk. I think it can cause blindness if ingested (?)

So why don't riders have to do the same? At the end of the road (suburban, we are a couple of miles from the nearest stables but they do occasionally make it this far across some farm land) there is a trail of horse mess that stretches about two metres across pavement and road.

It's rained multiple times and not been washed away, we don't have street cleaners that will come and clean it up. Why should the rider be able to leave it? It's just as disgusting and anti-social as a dog.

I mentioned to Dsis about it (she use to ride) and she semi agreed. Just made the point that they would need big bags to pick it up.

AIBU to think that riders should be forced to pick up after their horses?

[FurryDogMother]

So, how would that work, then? You're riding along, your horse has a poo on the road - what do you do? Dismount and - holding the reins with one hand, a bag with another and presumably a shovel in your teeth you clean up whilst avoiding surrounding traffic and keeping your horse calm? I can see that would be perfectly reasonable...

[OTheHugeManatee]

Yabu. Dogshit is a disease carrier, horseshit is your OP fertiliser.

[MythicalKings]

Horse shit doesn't blind people like dog shit can.

[NewLife4Me]

Go round with a shovel and put it on your roses.
If we ever rarely get any round here, there's a scramble to shovel it up.
The flowers are pride round here

[SoupDragon]

Is it time for this again?

[JohnCusacksWife]

Huge difference. Horse shit is essentially grass which will just wash away/dry out in time and does nobody any ham. Dog shit's horrible.

[SladeGreen]

Horse poop is mainly digested grass, it does not pose a health risk to humans like dog poo does.

[Twunk]

YABU

[lavendersun]

Carnivore poo is far more toxic than herbivore poo, which is little more than accelerated compost.

If they have to cross the pavement to get onto the track there isn't much that can be done but they shouldn't be on the pavement otherwise.

[TheWitTank]

How do you suggest this happens? Should the rider carry a bin bag and shovel, hop off in the middle of the road (of an 18hh horse in my case), attempt to secure horse to something safe/hold horse while shovelling, and remount holding heavy shit sack and shovel? Impossible and dangerous. Horse poo is harmless, unlike dog poo (yes, I do pick up after my dogs). Perhaps if so many bridleways hadn't been closed, taken over by roads, unmaintained and overgrown or were not bisected by roads then it wouldn't be such an issue, but that's another thread. Road riding is pretty unavoidable on most rides sadly (unless you are very lucky!).

[InQuiteAPickle]

It's just grass that's gone through a horse so nowhere near as bad as dog shit.

[Therewere5inthebed]

Yes, YADBU. Just that.

[RuffWearer]

Horseshit is inoffensive, useful, semi-dry and visible from a distance, so you or your toddler don't end up with it all over your shoes/scooter/pushchair wheels. Also seldom on the pavement. No way is it equivalent to dogshit.

Also, are you suggesting riders carry a dustpan and brush, clamber down and attempt to control a large, easily-spooked animal on a public road, while they scoop?

[BathshebaDarkstone]

Exactly Furry.

[OurBlanche]

Ye gods! Just get a bin bag, shovel it up and say thank you. People will pay good money or that and you have the opportunity to get it for free!

And if you want to know what real poo misery is, move to a really rural spot near a large dairy farm. When you work out what it really is that is coating you, your car, kids, etc, you will look back fondly on a bit of horse shit.

Do some people really need to live in a perfectly sanitised world?

[mmmuffins]

I find horse shite to be way less offensive than dog shit, I don't think I'm in the minority opinion here.

Love dogs and horses both but it's really not the same situation.

[wasonthelist]

Yabvu

[SoupDragon]

Whilst I do not think it should be picked up from roads, I do actually think theorises should make the effort to go back and clear it up from pavements when they've finished their ride.

Toxic or not, stepping in shit or wheeling a pram/wheelchair is unpleasant.

[Every1KnowsJeffHesUsuallyACunt]

My grandad would have collected it for the Roses too Newlife!

Dh would say that yanbu because he rides a motorcycle and it can be pretty dangerous for riders.

I'm a bit...meh. It's not going to be practical to cart around a bucket or a sack and a shovel, then the dismounting and having to pick it up while controlling an animal...

[DonttouchthatLarry]

YABU - horses are herbivores and poo grass, dogs are carnivores and their poo is much more disgusting! And logistically it's just impossible to pick it up. People complain about dog poo on pavements, parks etc. but most horse poo will be on the road - if you stay on the pavement you can keep your shoes clean.

[Devilishpyjamas]

This again?

You have clearly never ridden a horse if you believe this is even possible.

[spillyobeans]

My mum rides and we had this convo. Like said before really how would you? Carry round a bin bag and a huge spade?

[CarriesBucketOfBlood]

The poo at the end of the road is actually half on the pavement, half on the road. God knows how the horse did it rotatiting pooing .

I know that its a lot of poo, but surely all it would take was a couple of sainsburys bags, pick it up like you do for a dog, and hang it off the saddle when you continue. Unless horses poo loads more frequently than I'm imagining?

[MissFitt68]

Isn't it cat shit that blinds?

I didn't think dog was as bad as opposed to cats, health wise

Cat owners should follow the cat to collect up cat poo then?

[Twindroops]

YABU they are nothing alike.

WRT the practicalities- perhaps a horse-nappy would be better than poop scooping? I'm imagining a carrier bag looped round horses tail type contraption? Actually stables could sell it by the bag then! I'm off to dragons den....