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

[JacknDiane]

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.

Because horse manure is vegetarian and non-toxic.

You can't live rurally if you're worried about driving through a bit of horse poo!

Roads around here are covered in manure, sheep shit, cow pats and all sorts.

Per shit is pet shit as far as I’m concerned. If an animal you own shits on land that doesn’t belong to you, you have a responsibility to clean it up. It is irrelevant whether it comes out of a horse, a dog or a rabbit. Get rid of the shit that belongs to you. I can make an exception for people that keep birds.

My shit is also vegetarian, but I’m pretty certain most people would object to me leaving it on the street.

My thoughts exactly, your precious car might get some dirt on it? The trauma.

My car looks like a wheelbarrow with the amount of muck and hay that makes its way in there.

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

Horses do not eat meat so their poo is less smelly and less harmful.
Horses have earnt special considerations, left over from when they were our main mode of transport.

Why would people not want to drive over it?

I always think this about police horses. I mean they're the only horses I ever see. But when they come down my road they regularly leave an enormous pile of shite.

It's absolutely grim. It looks like it weighs more than I do?! Stinks like a filthy farmyard.

The same cops that would probably put someone in jail for leaving a 20 gram dog poo if they couldn't afford the fine.

I'm with you op, I don't care if it isn't toxic it is still unpleasant and there is usually piles of it just from one horse. They should stop and attempt to brush into the gutter out of the way. I'm sure there are telescopic implements they could take with them for such eventualities.

It's like saying soil isnt toxic but would you go and dump a load in the middle of the road? Nope.

I'm not a fan of horses on roads full stop for safety issues and this is just another reason to add.

Horses are on the road and dogs are on the pavement

Roads were used by horses for centuries and clearing up their manure would have been very difficult, can you imagine the omnibus driver stopping the bus to clear up the horse manure - and then what would they do with it? taking it on the bus wasn't an option

20g of dog shit could blind a child. A ton of horse shit won’t.

I wouldn’t class cows and sheep as pets in the same way as horses are. People don’t usually have whole herds of nameless horses to provide their livelihood in the same way farmers keep cows. Horses out on roads are usually there purely for the riders enjoyment or individual hobby lessons, not out of farming necessity.

As previous posters have said horse poo is non toxic.

A lot of time it gets cleaned up by people who take it for their garden aa it's excellent compost.

Beside the point, but now reminded of the days when I was a kid and me and my friends would go down the fields, and dare each other to poke cow pats with sticks to see who got the fresh one…..

If you have any allotments near you they would love the horse poo!

Anyway horse poo does not contain bacteria and pathogens like dog, cat or human poo.
It breaks down quickly and does not cause harm to the environment.

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.

Can you use a mobile phone while riding a horse.

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

Dog poo contains about much more toxins (more than human) and is not natural to the land. It is considered a biohazard which can cause serious illnesses.

The amount of dogs in public areas, compared to horses, is also much higher.

Horses poo is non toxic and has zero health implications for humans.

Well yes, this.

It's vegetable matter - doesn't make anyone ill if they come into contact with it.
Unlike dog shit which is vile and stinks.

Horses are still considered livestock in the same way cows and sheep are, which is why their poo falls under the same "class" and doesn't need to be picked up.

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.

We have the privilege of living next to a bridlepath. Not hugely used but I nip down with a bucket once a week. My borders are spectacular.

Horse shit is a precious commodity.

'Dog poo contains about much more toxins (more than human) and is not natural to the land.'

Soil is natural to the land. Would you deposit a few shovels full of soil on a public road?

If for whatever reason a rider can't clean up at the time they should pop back later with a shovel and do it then.

Why would anyone be doing that regardless of what kind of shit it is?

But horse shit in general is not toxic - it's just grass/hay/plants.

I SO agree. We live on a housing "estate". Fuck off with your horses