Looking for riders input on horse riders leaving poop behind

[ShenanAnna]

I think that people don’t realize the various stages of manure – fresh, dried, and composted – when used as fertilizer.

I was walking down the sidewalk in a college town surrounded by ranchland and saw an apartment building’s large front yard “fertilized” by a large quantity of cow manure (we connoisseurs can discern the animal of origin ) dumped on the lawn. It was generally dried, but still mostly in patty form. A couple of weeks later, I saw that the large lumps and piles had killed the grass underneath, I assume by blocking sunlight and water.

[Newtohorseppl]

Thanks! I’m trying to understand the riders side as well. I have no problem with horses or the riders, I get what you guys are saying about getting down from the horse and dealing with the poop. And I’m absolutely fine with it not getting picked up immediately. It would be fine if they came back after the ride and just scooped it off into the woods. I’ve only been living at this place for a few weeks now and have had several poops left behind. My grandparents that I inherited the house from hadn’t been in the house for almost 2 years, so it wasn’t an issue for them. I just don’t think I should have to clean it up as some people are suggesting. I’m just trying to understand both sides.

[Newtohorseppl]

It’s called doing a little research to learn about the other sides prospective. Joining a horse message board took 3 minutes and selecting the proper forum about trail riding was pretty easy to figure out as I’m dealing with horse riders. I don’t know why you’re cutting me down for trying to understand how to go about this, I simply don’t want or should I have to clean up horse poops when I don’t have a horse. This is one of several poops left behind already in a few weeks.

[Scribbler]

Let’s say I go out for a 2 hour ride, get back to the barn exhausted and then do an hour caring for my horse. Let’s say other exciting things happen on the ride, good pr bad. I am not going to remember where my horse pooped 5 hours ago, especially if I’m driving home in the dark. Horse riding and care is so detail oriented. At my barn, we are supposed to pick up our own poop from any shared areas. I can see poop, make a mental note to pick it up once horse is back in the stall, and totally forget. You can’t shovel poop while holding a horse

Actually if you want people to get off and deal with poop on your frontage you could invest in a mounting block! But if there is a drop off on the other side and a narrow road you are likely in a place everyone wants to pass through quickly, they likely wait for cars to go by.

Fun fact. My horse will quite regularly poop about 15 to 20 minutes out of the barn, as her metabolism warms up. After that, she is much happier and more forward.

[Scribbler]

@Newtohorseppl

It’s called doing a little research to learn about the other sides prospective. Joining a horse message board took 3 minutes and selecting the proper forum about trail riding was pretty easy to figure out as I’m dealing with horse riders. I don’t know why you’re cutting me down for trying to understand how to go about this, I simply don’t want or should I have to clean up horse poops when I don’t have a horse. This is one of several poops left behind already in a few weeks.

I think it’s great you are asking here!

We tend on this board to think we are a hidden corner of the internet but if you Google “Horse Forums” this is pretty much the first thing that comes up.

[Janet]

@KBC

I’m old, 66 years old, I have ridden all my life, across two countries, and have never picked up poop on a ride.

I am older than you, but have the same experience.

I live in Virginia, where the rule is that 10 feet from the edge of the road is considered part of the public right of way, and therefore open to horse riders. (In some cities there are rules about disposing of manure on the public right of way, but those kinds of rules are rate outside cities.)

The only time I would ride on a paved road (you don’t say of yours is paved or not) is to GET TO a trail or dirt road. We DON’T LIKE having to ride on paved roads.

The only time I have picked up manure from a ridden horse was when riding in an arena with fancy footing, and there was a prominent sign saying that everyone had to pick up any manure their horse produced.

[Newtohorseppl]

Yes that’s exactly what I did, pretty simple really.

[Scribbler]

@alpine1

It doesn’t sound like the horses are on your property, so I guess I don’t understand the problem. If the horses are being ridden across your front yard, that would be another thing entirely. As people have said, horse poop is just grass in clumps. Who cares if it’s in the street? One time it landed near your driveway, big deal. This is like moving next to a fire station and complaining about the sirens.

As for why you would find a message board…I would think you’d ask a neighbor or call your municipality and ask them what the regulations are. Horses are not like cats–they’re not going to return and poop in the same place every day. If you really hate the horse poop so much, put signs all across the front of your yard saying NO HORSES. That’ll be way uglier than the occasional horse poop in the vicinity, but whatever.

I actually think it makes sense if you are internet savvy, to ask a question on a chat group for background before going to talk to people in person. I do this about all kinds of things.

[Newtohorseppl]

Where I’m at the road is pretty narrow and there is mabey a 1 foot of shoulder, I’ve noticed that the riders do tend to stay off of the pavement and on the shoulder of the road. They do tend to take up more of the 1 foot shoulder probably like you say because they don’t want to be on the pavement. That’s reasonable I can understand that, but it also means that they are cutting on my driveway and yard too. I don’t really care about them doing it to be honest, I would just like the poop picked up at some point if they happen to go onto my driveway a few feet.

[endlessclimb]

If this isn’t a joke, I suggest the OP fix up the house and sell it asap. The horses were there first, and if you can’t figure out how to take a shovel and whoop it on the lawn so it breaks up into fertilizer, you’re in for a bad time at this house.

[Newtohorseppl]

I do understand that the rider may forget, and be tired we are only human, they do have to drive past my place on the way back from the horse farm tho. I mentioned before it would be fine if they would take care of it at some point after the ride. Not get off and have to deal with it while trying to hang onto their horse and use a shovel, now that you guys explained how much of a hassle it is to do. I had never considered that until I posted here. I literally know nothing about horses and riders, this is giving me a great education tho

[George_T_Mule]

@2DogsFarm

Why, @George_T_Mule I’m amazed you can think this!

Composted manure, sure. Just the way it hits the dirt? We haven’t had any luck with it.
And I realize there are ways to get horse poop to compost, but we live in a semi-arid climate, and only a small portion of the manure in our poop-pile will actually compost in the ~6mo intervals between having to pay somebody to come and haul it off. They tell me it goes to a facility that specializes in making compost, and that it takes a couple of years to get it to happen. Thus endeth my knowledge of the subject :-D.

[trubandloki]

I admit, that I am not only surprised by some of the answers given, I am totally shocked by the attitude.

I live in a reasonably rural area.
I ride down the road periodically.

When my horse manures in a place that is a rude place to leave piles of manure, I do go back after and clean it up. Sometimes that even involves tossing a muck bucket in the truck and driving there and scooping up the manure and driving home.

Manure just on the shoulder of the road not causing a problem is left. But for sure if my horse manures on the end of the driveway of someone (it has happened) I will make sure that is picked up as soon as I can. None of my neighbors should have to deal with the mess my horse makes on their driveway.

I think it is not unreasonable for the OP to ask here, we are horse people.

I also think it is not unreasonable for the OP to ask at the local barn where these horses likely come from that if they manure on the driveway could they please stop by after their ride and remove the manure from the drive.
The conversation with the barn owner will likely go best if you tell the barn owner that you have no problem with the riders, but please can they do something about the mess on the driveway.

@Scribbler

you don’t usually know your horse is pooping.

???
What are you riding that you do not know your horse is manuring?

[ShenanAnna]

A question for you manure-savvy folks – I rode for a while at a barn that had just built an indoor arena and floored it with stall cleanings. Fresh manure and pee-soaked shavings, just dumped on the bare ground.

The question – how bad is it to inhale that stuff? I was required to take lessons, which were always in the indoor. It was dusty, brown dust, and my nose would be coated inside with brown. Ew. But how dangerous is it, really?

[Newtohorseppl]

It’s residential I guess, I’m the only house on the same side as the horse farm. There is quite a few places on the other side but those are set way off the street. The farm is only a few years old, my grandfather was gone before it was built. My grandmother was struggling living alone so she moved to assisted living shortly after the farm was opened. The houses on the other side were there and a few more popped up recently. When my grandparents built their house 50 years ago they were the only house on the road. And for what ever reason they built it fairly close to the road, maybe didn’t want to shovel out a big long driveway in the winter. Horses ride by during the week but definitely see many more on the weekends. I don’t care about the poops along the roadside. I just would like it if my little driveway didn’t have horse land mines left along the first few feet of it as i had it redone with crushed stone when I moved in.

[Newtohorseppl]

I don’t have horses, why does this have to be my job to clean up after someone else’s horse? Should I go down and shovel out the horse poop from the barn too? I’m trying to fix up and maintain a nice little house in the neighborhood. I’ve mentioned before I don’t care if the poop on the roadside. If they wanna stay off pavement while riding it’s fine I get it, but when the horse leaves a pile on my driveway when they cross over I think it’s pretty much common sense to come back and clean it up

[Shagyas_Rock]

Sigh.
Urban encroachment on previously real areas is a very sad thing for equestrians…
And it’s true that manure is so much a part of being a horseman/woman that we scarcely notice it.
That said…if I was riding in a residential area and had to cross someone’s driveway and my horse picked that driveway to relieve herself, I would feel guilty if I didn’t clean it up on my way home. Provided I had access to a shovel or fork. If I was boarding my horse, I couldn’t just take the muck tools off the property as they aren’t mine. If there was a shovel or fork near the driveway, I would clean it up.
However I wouldn’t give it a thought if my horse poops on the side of the road. Horses produce over 50 lbs of manure daily. If we stopped to clean everything they pooped, we’d never get to ride.

[Newtohorseppl]

Thanks I appreciate your support! I don’t think I’m outta line here. I have enough stuff to do with fixing up the place and dealing with a full-time job. I shouldn’t have to clean up someone’s horse poop from my driveway even occasionally.

[Gardenhorse]

I think you can tell from the answers here that most horseback riders don’t think that this is a problem and that you’re overreacting. So if you want to stay on good terms with your neighbors, my suggestion is that you drop the issue and buy yourself a shovel. If you want to be “that neighbor”, then go ahead and have your first conversation with them be a complaint.

[ShenanAnna]

This is similar to the " everyone wants to go live near nature until nature comes along and poops on their lawn" concept, except OP’s house was there first and for other animals, like dogs, poop is not to be left on other people’s property.

I never thought about poop from horses being offensive, but OP makes a good case and seems to be trying to be reasonable. I don’t know about any solutions, though; nothing so far proposed seems to be really wonderful.