Oops, I wrote to the local paper

Midnight_Ashes

Midnight_Ashes

Active Member
Apr 1, 2008
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County Durham
We have a local paper in our small town and the back has a letters section. Someone has written in about dogs fouling and owners not cleaning up after them (I agree with this) but he/she has also added "May I also extend my tirade to horse-riders who follow tracks used by walkers and, especially in wet weather, cut-up the ground. I have yet to discover if any rider attempts to "bag" the horse manure left throughout the East Park and Hardwick Park."

Well I used to hack round these routes when I liveried in the village, and I was furious, so I put pen to paper (well, actually I emailed :giggle:) and wrote a polite, but rather stern, letter to the paper myself :giggle:

Wanna read? :running:

Dear Sir/Madam

I write with regard to R Smeeton's letter in the November letters column. Whilst I agree that some dog walkers need to take greater responsibility for cleaning up after their pet and disposing of it correctly, suggesting that horse riders remove the manure left is nothing short of ridiculous. Horses are herbivores and as a result their manure is less offensive and not harmful to people or livestock as dog muck is. Manure is also commonly used by gardeners as a natural fertiliser because it rots quickly into the soil and really helps the plants grow. With regards to horses "cutting up" the tracks - they have as much right to use the paths as walkers. The number of bridleways in our area is dwindling, and the ones that do not share access with walkers and cyclists are few and far between. With an increasing number of cars on our roads, and many drivers intolerant of horses, the roads are often too dangerous to ride on. Up until recently I used to ride my horse around the Hardwick Park and other areas of the village and I, along with all the other horse riders who do the same, have as much right to access as anyone else.

Kind Regards

Jennifer Green
 
I just don;t get it, folk are becoming SOOOO far removed from anything agricultural or mucky or earthy. Carrots get washed so do tatties. When I was a kid all veg came as it came off the farm, un trimmed, un washed and you took it home and washed it or stored it outside in paper sacks.

These days a bit of dirt or muck sends people hysterical.
 
The best bit is, I live in Sedgefied - you can't live here and be a towny; it's farm traffic and tractors blocking up the high street all summer and then the tractors come back in the winter with snow ploughs attached! And every other bloke is a farmer and every other woman a farmer's wife :tongue:
 
But there's always the loonie who moves to the country and wants to get the cows to stop mooing, or cockerels to stop crowing, or farm dogs to not defend the farm gate when they go past..

What would she do when the farmer moves his cows or sheep? Some days you have to stop and wait for 10 minutes for some of the flocks of sheep to go past us. and when they have gone there's sheep purls all over the road......and when our neighbour has moved his cows....there are cow flops for miles, what's he supposed to do, fill his pockets?
 
Very nicely written, well said :biggrin:

I'm laughing at the bin liner idea...I'd have the fastest hack ever :giggle: S is petrified by plastic bags despite many attempts at desensitising her.
 
I agree with the letter, but as a kid my mum always taught my sis and I to dismount and kick the poo to the side of the path so as not to upset folk. I had my horse out in hand the other day and came across a lady picking up dog poo and did feel mighty embarrassed when my horse decided to poo just after. I was ready with reasons as to why I wasn't picking it up as you've suggested in your letter but I still kick it out of the way on the path.
I would do the same when out riding but I can't get back on if I get off.:redface:
 
notpoodle said:
maybe we should carry a collapsible shovel and a belt with casually clipped on binliners full of sh*t when we go out hacking?
Click to expand...

:bounce: Love it!

I work for a company who make mechanical horse poo pickers - now I'm thinking of a new product....a Honda powered poo sweeper towed along by the horse, instantly removing an droppings as and when they land....will get the prototype sorted first thing monday morning!!:giggle:
 
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Flipo's Mum said:
I agree with the letter, but as a kid my mum always taught my sis and I to dismount and kick the poo to the side of the path so as not to upset folk. I had my horse out in hand the other day and came across a lady picking up dog poo and did feel mighty embarrassed when my horse decided to poo just after. I was ready with reasons as to why I wasn't picking it up as you've suggested in your letter but I still kick it out of the way on the path.
I would do the same when out riding but I can't get back on if I get off.:redface:
Click to expand...

I do this when leading on the pavement (our school is across the road and walking on pavement is the only safe way of getting there. trips with poopicker are also made regularly on this bit of pavement). if its in the road, it's not always safe to dismount and mount again. luckily horsepoo 'dissolves' quite quickly really :)

:poop:
 
Good idea on the pavement...if you can get back on :giggle:

The tracks vary between grass, hardstanding and that sort of beaten down track you get from years of people using the route. If there's poo....walk round it :tongue:
 
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