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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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AIBU - Horse riders pick up poo?

894 replies

kaz2810 · 28/12/2017 00:20

First time asking on here so here it goes!

I'm bloody fuming, we live in a fairly large town but are lucky enough to live by a lovely canal. First 1/4 mile or so is a concrete path wide enough for 2 people to walk side by side. I'm walking along this afternoon and in the distance there are some horses & a women with a buggy feeding ducks. One of the horses poo's and as normal keeps going leaving a steaming pile all over the path meaning that anyone with a pram, wheelchair etc cannot get past unless they lift over or roll straight through it. ( bushes one side & water the other side of path) this is a daily occurance and I'm totally fed up of dodging it. Surely when on a concrete pathway the riders could show some consideration to others?

OP posts:
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MiltonTheChristmasCockroach · 28/12/2017 01:31

I am not the wheelchair user and are you seriously suggesting that is a suitable mode of transport for a weekly 50 mile round trip for somebody in their 80s?

Holy shit (pardon the pun) a 50 mile round trip in a wheelchair?!

Faez · 28/12/2017 01:35

Thank you and yes please spread the word and also that the prognosis is very good if the dog is sedated (not with diazepam, this makes it worse) and supported so the ivermectin can be processed. It has a half life of 2 days so can take a few weeks to make a full recovery.

lackingimagination · 28/12/2017 01:36

milton it was referring to a car trip! Totally separate argument to the horse shit!

Please people read the thread before attempting to weigh in.

DonnyAndVladSittingInATree · 28/12/2017 01:36

That’s really useful, thank you!

riledandharrassed · 28/12/2017 01:36

As someone with a horse , this is the most obscure thing I’ve ever read

DonnyAndVladSittingInATree · 28/12/2017 01:39

Most horses probably aren’t ridden where their poo would make a road/path unusable to others so it isn’t a consideration. Which is fine, it doesn’t need to be. But for anyone using a path like described in the Op I think it wouldn’t hurt to think about it. Personally I would just stick to the 6 other bridleways rather than risk making the 1/4 mile access to houses and shops unusable for some.

Tessliketrees · 28/12/2017 01:45

If you can't think of a solution to this horse shit problem you should probably not ride a horse, or stick to bridlepaths which I have never heard of before but assume are like a cycle path for horses.

Why do some people think riding a horse is necessary?

I don't ride a horse every day. I have managed to go my entire adult life without ever riding a horse, it has been super easy.

MiltonTheChristmasCockroach · 28/12/2017 01:48

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

MiltonTheChristmasCockroach · 28/12/2017 01:56

Oh and please feel free to quote the post when you mentioned being a car user @lackinginagination because it must be wearing the fabled cloak of invisibility.

Happy to wait.

Beerwench · 28/12/2017 03:35

See, I'd be more than willing to hop off and kick into a bush, or use one of the other bridleways so a shared space is usable by all. (Where is this bridleway heaven BTW? Six in such a small area is heaven! I have 2 near me, and one is unusable!)
It isn't always possible to know your horse has 'gone' as they sometimes do it through excitement or fear whilst on the move with no warning or sign. But maybe the livery yard where the horses are kept could come to an agreement that they'll head out once every so often and clear the path? I'd take my turn at that to keep the peace and make sure everyone can use the path. If it's as narrow as you say though OP and used frequently by wheelchairs and prams, a horse being dismounted, held while poo is dealt with and then remounted, could and would cause more of an obstruction than the poo itself. People would need to wait behind or in front as this was achieved and I can't see that being suitable either.

But then actually, I'd be much more inclined to have a reasonable discussion and come up with a solution if people didn't fucking stereotype me because I happen to love horses. Have always been obsessed with them. Owned my first at 30 after years of saving and work fucking hard to keep mine. Yes worked and still do, in a minimum wage job. Serving people who treat me like the shit on the tow path because I'm a 'server'. Then because I choose to spend my money on a beautiful animal, I am suddenly an entitled, posh arse or moron, whichever slight on my character you prefer?
People really need to get over this idea that all horse riders are entitled posh rich twats. Yes of course there are people who ride horses that are like that, there's also people who push prams that are like that, or drive cars or whatever.
If I were one of the riders causing the issue, then I'd be happy to try and sort a solution amicably, but come at me with an attitude towards how I choose to spend my leisure time like has been displayed here, and there's no chance of even getting a conversation out of me about it.

Lucylululu · 28/12/2017 03:55

Why is everyone acting like this is such a stupid idea. "You expect a horse rider... To... GET OFF... A horse????!!!!!" Oh yeah because that would be SO difficult for them to do! Hmm yes of course they should clean the poo.

InspMorse · 28/12/2017 04:34

Oh I love a horse shit thread!

Let me summarise re. horsey people clearing up stinking dirty Horse shit manure !

  1. Nothing they can do about it (and they don't have to)
  2. It's a bridleway so... horses were there first (and they don't have to)
  3. They're umm... 'working' animals and they were here first
  4. It's biodegradable Compost! that tarmac path/road really benefits , they don't have to and the horses were here first.
  5. The poor, timid beasts wouldn't cope using a manure bag, horses were here first and riders don't have to pick anything up and umm, the horses were here first.

So, suck it up the rest of us (not literally) - doesn't matter where, it's legal so it's ok. Hmm

Margaritaanyone89 · 28/12/2017 04:44

Have a nice bath, relax and stop stressing.

It's manure, it's natural and it will add to the eco system. There are plenty of things to be narked off about and this isn't one!

BattleCunt · 28/12/2017 04:55

What a load of horseshit.

InspMorse · 28/12/2017 04:57

Nice!

AIBU - Horse riders pick up poo?
InspMorse · 28/12/2017 04:57
Grin
GetOutOfMYGarden · 28/12/2017 05:13

Manure bags should be mandatory if you're using a route a pedestrian may also use. I live near a bloody riding school and the amount of shit on the pavements is stupid Angry

GetOutOfMYGarden · 28/12/2017 05:17

Also all the 'it's not harmful to health' doesn't matter. It's still fucking vile. If it's that good for roses and shite then tell your pals to come and pick up the shit from outside your house.

brizzledrizzle · 28/12/2017 05:24

If you seriously think a glove will do the job then you've not seen much horse shit.

PassiveAgressivePenguin · 28/12/2017 05:25

And I suppose when you hit wildlife on a busy main road you stop to clear it up? No! Didn’t think so.

Riders don’t always want to ride out on the road but sometimes it’s unavoidable. Accessing tracks through residential areas can be an issue too.

However, if you choose to live in the countryside then you really need to respect rural activities that go on there.

Horse shit is far better for the environment than your household waste...I didn’t see David Attenborough talk us through what horse shit is doing to our oceans!!

mamasiz · 28/12/2017 05:30

@yorkshireyummymummy 🙄 and how exactly are cat owners supposed to run around after their cats to pick up their poo? Before you say ‘keep them indoors’ - under the law cats that are able to go outside have the right to roam, totally unlike dogs, who don’t.

holyshitdude · 28/12/2017 05:32

TBH if a horse shits on the road I usually wouldn't give it another thought but on a narrow footpath that pedestrians use, I would normally jump off the horse and shove the shit to one side with my foot (I usually ride in muckers) because I also don't want shit all over my pushchair wheels, but saying that, it's not easy for everyone, some people can't get back on the horse

fuzzyduck1 · 28/12/2017 05:56

Totally agree with you..
It’s a class thing
Rich people can afford horses so there is no law on where and when they can poo.
Where as poor people can only afford a dag.
Hay presto here comes a law they have to pick their dogs poo up or get fined,
It’s a bit like Robin Hood in reverse take from the poor and give to the rich.
Maybe house riders could employ someone to follow them and do the pitching for them.
That would bring down the unemployment figures to.

Win win situation.

GetOutOfMYGarden · 28/12/2017 06:04

As my nan used to say "Horse riding's for tories...."

The riding school near mine has been spoken to multiple times about the pavement shit and they've essentially told us to go fuck ourselves. "It's a 40 road, we can't have children on horses on a 40 road so we use the pavement", "we won't send anybody out to do anything about it because it's legal", "stick it on your roses". They're happy for my partially sighted 80 year old neighbour to stumble out of the house and almost slip in a big pile of horse shit.

Mummyoflittledragon · 28/12/2017 06:07

Shit on pavements and narrow pathways is vile whichever animal it comes from. It matters not that bridle paths were originally created for horses, the world has changed. We now have motor cars and motor ways and all manner of mod cons.