18-March-2010

Horse manure on the footpath

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I was reading the gripe about horse manure on the road and I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to bring up something that has been irritating me for the last couple of weeks. Yes, I’m afraid it’s another horse manure story and this time it’s not on the road.

I travel to and from a nearby village which is about a three mile round trip and I do this around two to three times a week taking my stepdaughter to school. It’s not that far and as I don’t have car I tend to either cycle or walk. It’s a pretty busy road so I wasn’t surprised when I saw a horse and rider on the other side of the road, not actually on the road but riding along the footpath. Probably a very sensible thing to do because there are a few sharp bends and the traffic tends to be steady and fast.

Anyway, a few days later I’m cycling along this path (again, the sensible thing for a cyclist to do as the road is manic) and I turned a corner to run into a whole load of horse manure. There was piles of the stuff, some quite large and it was generally spread up the hill for about a hundred yards. I’m sure it didn’t all come from one animal because there was a lot o it. My pop would have had a field day (literally) because he used to keep a bin full of manure in the garden for the veggie patch.

Now I know this stuff washes away (eventually) and it’s not the most harmful substance in the world, but it doesn’t half make a mess of things and it doesn’t smell too great either. “Well why didn’t you avoid it?” I hear you say… Well I would if I could, but it was more than one small pile and it wasn’t easy to dodge. As it happens we had to travel on foot for a few days recently (bike had a puncture) and it was quite challenging to keep the little one from stepping in piles of horse manure. It was starting to get dark around then too which didn’t help matters, plus a couple of rain showers and a hoard of school kids walking that way had spread it around even more.

Not suggesting banning horses, fining the riders or forcing them onto the road (definitely not around there anyway!). But I think in this instance making the effort to pick up your horse manure would be a nice thing to do for the rest of us pedestrians and cyclists who also use the path. It’s one thing on the road, but on the pavement it’s quite inconvenient.

Perhaps stopping by on the way back from the stables with a shovel and a few bin liners perhaps?

By: Alexander

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Horse manure on the road

Bah Humbug, Grassroots!

I shall report you to the RSPCA for Cruelty to Reindeers : (

Can't you just gather the reindeer droppings and put them on your roses? Assuming you have access to your roof area of course!

Nikki 17-Dec-2009 07:55

At this time of year we get reindeer crap on the roof. It's disgusting. I have put up spikes around the chimney but it does no good.

Grassroots Opinion 16-Dec-2009 20:16

Me too G, me too.

Your safety barrier idea is a good one, but would probably be far too expensive to ever be implemented.

Nikki 16-Dec-2009 20:01

I don;t bother about horse manure on the road ,it is not there very long as most people see it as a gift from the lord lol and the only way it is dangerous is if you are driving too fast any way,a dead bird is much worse!
I came across wrong earlier I am not against horses riding on the road I just worry about them getting stressed and I think there should be special lanes perhaps running alongside main roads with a barrier for vunerable people such as horse riders and cyclists you should be safe but while there are ignorant people in the world I just worry about the safety aspect.

G 15-Dec-2009 20:40

It is not a criminal offence to allow a horse to foul the pavement or footpath.

Agreed on the act of trespass though. However, were I ever to ride a horse again on the public highway, I would most certainly ride on the pavement if there was one. If you don't, you take your life in your hands and open yourself up to abuse to passing motorists ... a case of Damned if you Do, Damned if you Don't.

Nikki 03-Jul-2009 21:46

I made a mistake....
according to the Highways Act 1835 it IS an offence to ride a horse on the pavement ot footpath.

Ted 01-Jul-2009 00:18

It is an act of trespass to allow a horse on the pavement or footpath.
It is a criminal offence to allow the horse to foul that pavement or footpath.
It is also a criminal offence to ride a cycle on the pavement or footpath.

Ted 01-Jul-2009 00:12

It's a shame that the riders don't go back and clear up (assuming they know that their horse has fouled the footpath). I agree entirely, this is take the p***. Pavements and footpaths are meant for people on foot, not for people on horseback.

However, sometimes horse riders are forced to ride on the pavement because of speeding traffic or some other danger. I for one have frequently had to ride on a pavement for this reason, even though it is illegal to do so. Better to break the law than have a dead horse. But if I was aware that my horse had fouled the pavement, I would most certainly go back and pick up.

No need for any nasty remarks Road User. You just make yourself look vindictive.

Nikki 13-May-2009 17:15

Where I live there are loads of young children walking to school along footpaths. Also plenty of young parents with buggies. Not to mention the toddlers and young kids walking with their families. A ruddy great mountain of horse poo is not something any of them deserves to encounter on their footpath. (That's footpath, not hoofpath). Nikki, you must accept this, or if you don't then you'll prove the stereotype of holier-than-thou arrogant horse riders.

Road User 12-May-2009 13:32

What, on the footpath ? You shouldn't be riding a motorbike on a footpath.

I am assuming that you mean the road, at least I hope so !! Maybe if motorcyclists took into account where they were riding, they would be going slowly enough to be able to avoid manure. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, Allan.

In other words, when riding a motorbike in the countryside, assume that round the next bend there could be a ruddy great pile of horse poo, or a pool of oil left by a passing tractor, or a herd of cows, or a flock of sheep, or a slow moving farm vehicle.

It is all about paying attention, and driving slowly enough to spot and avoid hazards. I am an ex motorbiker as well as horse rider.

Nikki 12-May-2009 11:02

No its not alright on the road Motorcyclists often come a cropper after hitting Manure left by horses.

Allan 12-May-2009 09:00

Hey, yeh!!! Horse dung is great! I reckon it should be compulsory to drop it on roads so we can scurry about collecting it for our gardens. What a wheeze if we could sell it on ebay too!! I can't wait. I'm writing to my MP to suggest legislation to stop you riders wasting horse dung in fields. It isn't right. We demand poo on roads where it belongs!

Christopher Fotheringhay-Wolvenholme 29-Apr-2009 13:30

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