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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

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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11
aloamora · 28/12/2017 08:36

Aloamora, you've got the solution, excellent. Where do we find these amazing horses that don't defecate ?

^
Same place as we find dogs that don't defecate? Or like dogs, when we find that isn't true- we clean up after ourselves and animals.

I realise what I said was contradictory in that I said I don't deal with horse shit and then said I live near that beach. I didn't really think when I said it but The beach road I am driving so the horse shit doesn't bother me then (nor would dog shit). The horses shit on the beach obviously but that doesn't matter as you can walk around it , same for the dog shit.

Missingstreetlife · 28/12/2017 08:38

It's not a bridleway or horse would have priority. It's not a highway. It's a towpath, horses pulled the boats but not designed for riding. It's a shared path, any bylaws or waterway authority guidance? Other litter is also a problem

aloamora · 28/12/2017 08:40

so No one can go out on their horses and enjoy themselves in case they poo and inconvenience anyone? I’d like to go out and not put up with things that annoy me, but I realise the world doesn’t revolve around me

^
I'll remember that next time I'm running home and bursting for the loo Wink

Although I guess if it's only a wee I can do it in your garden as I've never heard of anyone catching something from urine. I'd also be watering the roses everyone seems to have. The smell is fine though right as it's not evil toxic doggy poo?

And my friends vegan dog can poop where he likes as well?

maddening · 28/12/2017 08:40

Also whilst the canal paths were originally made for horses many are now footpaths and are not permissible for horse riding so possibly check out the status with your local council

happygardening · 28/12/2017 08:41

Clostridium tetanus’s is present in horse faeces so it’s not harmless. Horses should not be ridden on pavements, I might stand my horses on the pavement as a last resort if a large fast or noisy car/bus/lorry is coming down a road but as a general principle hoses are no more allowed on pavements than adults on bicycles or cars.

As a life long and fairly serious rider I’m many cases in would not be practicle for horses to wear nappies, secondly getting on and off may be problematic for young horses, very large horses/small riders, aging riders etc. Finally I would query if the horse in the OP original post was allowed on the path she mentioned, sadly horses riders don’t always stick to the law (which inevitable pisses non riders off) when it comes to where they can and cannot ride, although often because they’re desperate to avoid traffic.

ClaryFray · 28/12/2017 08:43

Yes. We'll get off, no where to tie horse, no rope to tie horse. I'm sure it'll just stand there and wait patiently.

If it happens to get spoken and run of I'm sure it'll be fine...

YABU.

Phalenopsisgirl · 28/12/2017 08:43

Aloeamora- the op didn’t mention she owed the path in question- what’s your point here?

Smeaton · 28/12/2017 08:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maddening · 28/12/2017 08:44

also in olden days there were men that made a living from going round picking up the horse shit, this does not exist now therefore horseriders should come up with a solution - horse manure bags already exist for example

greendale17 · 28/12/2017 08:45

**Dog owners get practically stoned in our village if you miss picking up a poo ever.
Horses and bloody bloody cats shit where ever they want and this is ok seemingly- drives me mad. **

^Completely agree. And in my opinion horse manure on a path is far worse than dog poo

aloamora · 28/12/2017 08:46

Yes. We'll get off, no where to tie horse, no rope to tie horse. I'm sure it'll just stand there and wait patiently.

If it happens to get spoken and run of I'm sure it'll be fine...

^
I'll remember that next time my fictional dog has a shit. I mean you can't expect me to train it to a standard where it behaves adequately in public? I am far to important. It might run ahead of me if off lead or jump at someone excitedly who hates dogs while they walk past if on the lead whilst I'm faffing around with poo bags.

aloamora · 28/12/2017 08:48

Aloeamora- the op didn’t mention she owed the path in question- what’s your point here?

^
Sorry yes I'll just do it on the pavement outside your house then. That's fair I suppose. The rain will eventually wash away the smell of wee - as long as I don't keep coming back. Wink

happygardening · 28/12/2017 08:49

Carry a small trowel/shovel could work if riders used a saddle bag the biggest problem is it may not be possible to push it one side. Horses digestive system and diet means that that shit more frequently 8-10 in 24 hours being the norm. Secondly a horses that sees something it’s afraid of will often squeeze one out, my horse was recently scared stiff of some turkeys and squeezed out three in quick succession, not a good moment to get off as contrary to what many imagine riders are more in control when on a horse rather than off it.

GrrrHotdogs · 28/12/2017 08:50

Wow, it's sad that so many posters feel the need to be so sneery and unpleasant. Is it really so hard to make a point without being so sour.

OP, I can see in your case it must be irritating but it doesn't look like there is an easy answer. There are loads of horses around where I live and even though I walk a lot I don't have a problem with horse dung. I hardly ever see any. I can see a narrow tarmac path would be different though.

froshiechipandbrickie · 28/12/2017 08:51

As a life long and fairly serious rider I’m many cases in would not be practicle for horses to wear nappies, but when riding a (obviously walking...) horse on a shared path and especially on pavement?

You could simply take it off as soon as you’ve left the shared paths etc.

I used to ride when I was younger. Yes, the idea of having to get off the horse and shovel shit isn’t appealing, I agree. Not to mention that riding with a shovel and getting off / on etc might cause some other (serious!) problems

I personally don’t mind pushing a pram through horse shit. But an elderly person might fall / slip.

londonrach · 28/12/2017 08:54

Yanbu. Needs removing from path be it kicking it etc.

Nottheduchessofcambridge · 28/12/2017 08:54

Dog owners manage to pick up poo whilst holding a dog (or 6), it’s not easy no, but they manage. I’m sure a good horse rider could hold reins in one hand and flick poo of the path with the other. Would it be awkward? Yes, quite possibly. Picking up dog poo in a small bag is awkward too. We do it though! OP is not asking for you to collect it in a bag but just remove it from the path! Just because it doesn’t smell as bad as dog poo doesn’t mean we want to spend time close up and personal with it as we remove it from pram wheels!

Whatsinanameanyway201 · 28/12/2017 08:54

So many people saying "well how would that work" and "how is the rider supposed to do that?" DONT HAVE A BLOODY HORSE IF YOU CANT CLEAN UP AFTER IT. That's no different at all from someone disabled having a dog and being unable to pick up their mess.. Just because its difficult they shouldn't do it?! Yeah right. Its s**t on the floor, its disgusting, pick it up.

Bearsinmotion · 28/12/2017 08:55

I’m not bothered when my bike goes through horse poo on my cycle ride....by the time I get home there’s no sign of it on my tyres

If my wheelchair goes through horseshit it won’t come off on grass because I can’t go on grass. It will come off on my hands and clothes. How easy do you think it is for the average wheelchair user to clean their own wheels?

If, and it is a big if, the path is wheelchair accessible and is a shared path rather than a bridle way, why is it ok for horse riders to make it inaccessible?

happygardening · 28/12/2017 08:55

frosh horses shouldn’t be routinely ridden on pavements I think it’s illegal like bikes they should be on roads. They can not be ridden on footpaths either. They can be ridden on bridleways, permissive. bridle and tracks ways, byways roads etc not on footpaths or pavements.

MERLYPUSSEDOFF · 28/12/2017 08:58

If it was a concrete pathway I wouldn't expect shit of any type to be left behind.
If it was a mud path, horse poop is no worse than mud and I would have to clean wheels (most probably) before wheeling pram/wheelchair into the house.
If I was hiking through a field with livestock I would consider their poo to be part of the obstacles to go around.
The subject of people's pets pooping is always a hot bed of discussion.

aloamora · 28/12/2017 08:59

Can I also say that most dog owners probably find it a bit of a pita to carry dog shit with them until they find a bin. But a reasonable dog owner accepts it as part of owning a dog.

I would not expect a horse rider to clean up in a field (although if it's potentially dangerous for dogs maybe they should in some cases? I don't know but if it's dangerous to dogs could it not be dangerous to sheep etc?) I would not expect a horse rider to stop on a road as I would assume it would often be dangerous. I would expect them to clean up pavements and footpaths. If they can't the horse should stick to fields and riding schools until it is better trained to stay calm. And if the only time it wasn't cleaned was when the horse had a fright there would be a lot less poo and people wouldn't mind the odd accident!

I would also expect a riding school to come out and clear roads that are regularly used by their horses if there is a lot of it. Unless they live in one of these neighbourhoods where the residents are happy to have it for their roses.

froshiechipandbrickie · 28/12/2017 08:59

Dog owners manage to pick up poo whilst holding a dog (or 6), it’s not easy no, but they manage. I’m sure a good horse rider could hold reins in one hand and flick poo of the path with the other.

You’re comparing apples with oranges. (Actually, more like apples with coconuts...). And if the path is narrow / if there’s a canal on one side? That might be actually impossible. And it would definitely block the path, which would cause a whole other set of issues.

And what the heck is this obsession with cleaning wheels? It doesn’t tend to stick. And if it does... well, take your garden hose, spritz some water on it and you’re done.

Sparklingbrook · 28/12/2017 09:01

Holding onto a dog. Exactly the same as holding onto a horse. This thread. Grin

happygardening · 28/12/2017 09:01

Nittheduches horses are flight animals (unlike dogs) they are very easily frightened, and can then become unlredictable. It is possible to train horses and many do but some are less nervous than others and thus easier to train and they remain at heart unpredictable. Secondly unlike dogs your average horse weighs at last 500kg and is not an manoverable as a dog and as I said above a rider is more in control when on it it than off it. Thirdly it may not be possible to kick it to one side. Fourthly as I said above remounting may not be possible for some.