How common is this rule?

[Paks]

Preddy Creek Park near Charlottesville apparently has a rule that if your horse poops on the trail you have to dismount and kick the poop off the trail. https://www.facebook.com/groups/534796986564869/permalink/1463492650361960/ This post was put in at least 3 groups on facebook and is causing quite a stir. There are people escpially those with bad knees or backs who say this is rediculous. Others saying it is perfectly resonable and if you can’t mount from the ground you have no business one a trail and some even so far as saying no business on a horse. Then there is someone who rides with large groups who says she came across that regulation once with her group and they were stopping every 5 minutes.

The history of the park is that it was set up for horses initially and then came hikers and Mountain bikers.

So COTH trail riders, is this rule common is it reasonable, and in the case of disabled riders (bad backs, knees, fused joints) that can’t mount from the ground because of their disability is it a violation of the American with Disabilities Act. Or should they just stay off horses if they can’t mount from the ground as some commenters have suggested. That last pissed me off. I guess I’m just supposed to collect my VA disability check and sit on the porch.

[AKB]

I would be very annoyed at that rule. Many of us can’t mount from the ground. It seems like many municipalities welcome the taxes that horse people pay, but don’t want us in the parks. There are exceptions. The State of Florida makes a huge effort to provide parkland and good trails for riders. In heavily utilized areas like the San Felasco park near Gainesville, there are parallel trails for bikes and horses. This avoids potential conflicts. Florida realizes that horse people pay taxes and don’t use a lot of services.

[knic13]

I CAN mount from the ground if I HAVE to, but it is not pretty. Tiny person, big horse. I would not be thrilled.

If the hikers and mountain bikers can’t deal with a little manure than they probably don’t need to be in the great outdoors. They can stick to the air conditioned gym ;).

[trubandloki]

It seems like the polite thing to do on a multi-use trail, keep manure off the main trail.

Why not move your horse off to the side when they manure so the manure is already off the trail?

I (barely) can get back on my horse from the ground. I in no way think that people who can not mount from the ground should not be riding. I just think the issue is not such a mountain and not so black and white.

[enjoytheride]

Unusual, and driven by the hikers and bikers who are not only more vocal but probably threaten to take their money elsewhere.

Our local bikers occasionally complain bitterly about poop on the multi use trails, yet don’t have a response when asked why they don’t just stay on the bike only trails.

[Nezzy]

It is silly. if i have to get off my horse to kick poop off to the side every time, I would never get to enjoy my ride. Horse manure is safe and biodegradable and if you are riding a bicycle, go around it with your 3 inch thick tires. I also am unable to move my horse to the side when the poop. They have already pooped before i realize it.

[Mukluk]

I think the compromise is to keep your horse moving when he/she poops so that the result is a line of little poopies than a big pile of poop.

[RPM]

Stupid rule. Unforceable. If the riders ignore it, it will go away.

Cyclists can be the most special of special snowflakes. Notorious for peeing on the go, in their bike shorts and off the side of the bike, why are they so upset about horse poop on the trail? :lol:

[DancingArabian]

@RPM

Stupid rule. Unforceable. If the riders ignore it, it will go away.

Cyclists can be the most special of special snowflakes. Notorious for peeing on the go, in their bike shorts and off the side of the bike, why are they so upset about horse poop on the trail? :lol:

It can cause someone to have an accident on a bike, especially at speed.
Wouldn’t enough complaints about the poop result in horses being banned from the trail?

[Paks]

Apparently the land was donated specifically for horse trails. The get off and kick the poop off the trail rule applies to entire park. So basically what is happening is that a horse facility is being taken over by the mountain bikers and the horses are being forced out. Now there are trails that are mountain bike only no hikers allowed no horses. That’s where the bikers can go at speed. Since on the rest of the trails there are hikers apparently by some reports out with children the bikers shouldn’t be whipping around blind corners not just because of possible manure but because of possible pedestrian traffic.

[paintedtrails]

@Paks

Apparently the land was donated specifically for horse trails. The get off and kick the poop off the trail rule applies to entire park. So basically what is happening is that a horse facility is being taken over by the mountain bikers and the horses are being forced out.

that is such sad news to me…I live just a few miles away and looked forward to having to close trails when my home barn is done!

[poltroon]

Horse manure isn’t really worse for mountain bikers than mud except in their own minds.

[cutter99]

@RPM

Stupid rule. Unforceable. If the riders ignore it, it will go away.

Cyclists can be the most special of special snowflakes. Notorious for peeing on the go, in their bike shorts and off the side of the bike, why are they so upset about horse poop on the trail? :lol:

I am sorry, but this attitude is just flat out wrong, and is one of the reasons we, as horse people, lose more trails every year. The reality is that people, who are not equestrians or farmers, do not want to deal with manure. Many non-equestrians of multiuse trails look for any excuse to exclude horses- trail erosion, the danger of horses with bikes and hikers, and yes, manure. I have been around long enough to have witnessed significant loss of trail use over the years.

I have seen this rule applied in the Northeast, specifically in Pennsylvania. And yes, I got off the horse and kicked the poop to the side of the trail when necessary. Trails that require you to do this usually post the rule quite clearly in the trailhead parking lots, as well as along the trail. If you are not going to follow the rules of the trail, do not ride it! Why ruin it for the rest of us?

And yes, I would question a rider who cannot dismount and remount when on the trail. If mounting is a challenge, figure it out- stand the horse downhill, get a portable mounting device, or god forbid, work on your level of fitness and mounting! If you cannot or will not abide by the rules of a park, find another place to ride that does not have those rules, get a friend to dismount and remove your manure for you or stick to your riding ring! I would be surprised if the ADA applies to trail riding horses!

And I have encountered plenty of mountain bikers over the years, and have yet to see one peeing in their bike shorts or off the side of their bikes! Seriously???

[csaper58]

I predict a big money pay off for a new expandable tool to scrape poo off the trail.

I’m thinking a hybrid of hockey stick x golf club.

Those riding ex polo ponies will have an edge in the successful use of said tool.

Or perhaps a renegade mountain biker will develop an Uber type app that trail riders can use to call for a biker + shovel. For manure removal assist of course.

Shark Tank here we come!!!

[Paks]

@cutter99

And yes, I would question a rider who cannot dismount and remount when on the trail. If mounting is a challenge, figure it out- stand the horse downhill, get a portable mounting device, or god forbid, work on your level of fitness and mounting! If you cannot or will not abide by the rules of a park, find another place to ride that does not have those rules, get a friend to dismount and remove your manure for you or stick to your riding ring! I would be surprised if the ADA applies to trail riding horses!

. Try this. Get 3 sharp rocks about 1/2 inch in their shortest dimension. Put them in your riding boot at least one under the ball of your foot. Now go try and mount from the ground. Figure out how fit you have to be to not have the pain shoot through your leg. My sharp rocks are in my knees and my ankle and unlike you I can’t take them out. But yeah I guess as a disabled vet I should just collect my pension and sit on the porch. Leave all the fun stuff to you able bodied people.

[lawndart]

@Paks

Preddy Creek Park near Charlottesville apparently has a rule that if your horse poops on the trail you have to dismount and kick the poop off the trail. https://www.facebook.com/groups/534796986564869/permalink/1463492650361960/ This post was put in at least 3 groups on facebook and is causing quite a stir. There are people escpially those with bad knees or backs who say this is rediculous. Others saying it is perfectly resonable and if you can’t mount from the ground you have no business one a trail and some even so far as saying no business on a horse. Then there is someone who rides with large groups who says she came across that regulation once with her group and they were stopping every 5 minutes.

The history of the park is that it was set up for horses initially and then came hikers and Mountain bikers.

So COTH trail riders, is this rule common is it reasonable, and in the case of disabled riders (bad backs, knees, fused joints) that can’t mount from the ground because of their disability is it a violation of the American with Disabilities Act. Or should they just stay off horses if they can’t mount from the ground as some commenters have suggested. That last pissed me off. I guess I’m just supposed to collect my VA disability check and sit on the porch.

IMO, what I bolded is what usually starts issues like this. I have nothing against large groups, but they do tend to leave piles of manure, especially in the first mile. Sometimes even in the parking area. I have gotten off on the way back, walked the last 1/2 mile kicking poop off the trail. I have cleaned it up at the trail head. I am getting tired of doing this for others. The answer is to either A: keep your horse moving while pooping (yes they can!) or B: train your horse to move sideways to get his rump off the trail. You won’t get all the poop off, but it helps, especially if they don’t poop a whole load in one spot. It takes a while to get a horse to voluntarily move sideways when he knows he is going to poop, but with time, they will do it. I’m currently training my new guy to MOVE while pooping. Next, we will do the sideways maneuver. It just takes time, and believe me, I’d rather just ride and not worry about it too.

The reality is there is less and less public trails to go around. The hikers have a VERY strong lobby. The Mt. bikers get out there and clean trails, and help build new ones. How many horse groups do the same? Just having places big enough to park rigs is getting harder to find.

I feel the pain when it comes to mounting. I too have bad knees, and my horses just keep getting shorter. I find the best way to re-mount is to have the horse step his front end only over a log, or even a big clump of dirt or grass. That way they are perfectly positioned for a re-mount. I’m well aware that these things are not always available, so I do work on mounting fitness.

Leave no trace is a good guideline. We will leave hoof prints, lets try not to leave huge piles of manure. I imagine in the Western states with its drier climates this is not such an issue.

I cannot imagine that a park can enforce that rule. If so, we will all be riding with tail bags like the carriage horses.

[cutter99]

@Paks

. Try this. Get 3 sharp rocks about 1/2 inch in their shortest dimension. Put them in your riding boot at least one under the ball of your foot. Now go try and mount from the ground. Figure out how fit you have to be to not have the pain shoot through your leg. My sharp rocks are in my knees and my ankle and unlike you I can’t take them out. But yeah I guess as a disabled vet I should just collect my pension and sit on the porch. Leave all the fun stuff to you able bodied people.

First of all, you do not know me or my situation. Secondly, while I appreciate your service, do not use it as an excuse to not follow the rules we are all supposed to adhere to! Rules are in place for a reason, and yes, they apply to you too! I left the Northeast do to the loss of trail riding land, and if we all think the rules do not apply to us, for any reason, we will continue to lose more places to ride.

I recall no one telling you to sit on your porch and collect your pension- I recall saying find a solution to your problem mounting or find another place to ride where moving manure is not required. What happens if you are dismounted while out on the trail? You can’t mount and you must not be able to walk back, correct? Sounds like a problem to me!

[enjoytheride]

I have found at my local parks as the mountain bikers become more and more active some of them get very righteous.

There was one entire FB thread in which a mountain biker said he simply wasn’t responsible for controlling his own speed going downhill on a multi use trail. He was quite irate at coming across some hikers and wrecking. He got very very upset when it was suggested that he stick to the one way mountain bike only trails if he was truly out of control.

Yes, the horse people also participate in trail maintenance when they know about it, in some cases you have to seek out the mountain bike groups and join them to be aware of any maintenance.

[candyappy]

@RPM

Stupid rule. Unforceable. If the riders ignore it, it will go away.

Cyclists can be the most special of special snowflakes. Notorious for peeing on the go, in their bike shorts and off the side of the bike, why are they so upset about horse poop on the trail? :lol:

If riders ignore it , the riders will be the ones to go away.

With so many trails now being open to bikers, hikers and horses, I think it is only fair that they don’t have to bike and walk through horse manure.

If you cannot mount your horse from the ground ride with someone who can or get stirrups or mounting aids you can raise/ lower. I mean, how often does your horse poo on the trail under normal circumstances??

[MsM]

Most times those riding horses are in groups. Sometimes everyone is willing and able to do their own clean up. Sometimes one person is designated “sh**-kicker” They have to do the honors no matter who’s horse did it! This might be from drawing the short straw, or getting free adult beverages afterward, etc. Other times the limber person on the short horse offers if the rider of the offending horse would have a tough time. In one case, a rider handwalked the first part of the trail since she knew there would be a lot of deposits from excited horses.