Does horse poop damage roads?

[suzyqet]

I have to admit, that being a horse rider and owner, I never ride 2 abreast unless it is a case of safety. I.E, the horse nearest the edge of the road is scared of something and is threatening to shy into the path of vehicles, in this case, and this case only, I will ask a more experienced horse to block the horse in. I NEVER ride 2 abreast for the sake of a chat! (unlike some I know)
I also agree, as a horse rider AND a car driver, that it is totally unacceptable for horse riders not to acknowledge courtious car drivers/motorbike riders in some way, even if it is a nod of the head.
I have been hit on the road by passing vehicles as they have passed too close. On one occassion, I was leading my then 3 yr old daughter along a very short stretch of road to get back from the beach. We were on the verge out of the way. I was inbetween the pony and the vehicles. Lucky I was, otherwise it wouldnt have been my hand which was hit by the passing car, but my daughters leg!
Being courtious works both ways, but unfortunately, it always seems to be the horse riders who arent courtious which are remembered rather than the car drivers who arent courtious.
Riding 2 abreast is not illegal. It is, however, pure courtesy not to ride 2 abreast.

The highway code states:

"never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends"

Havant Road, I agree, is classed as a busy road, but West Lane, however, is neither classed as a busy nor a narrow road.

[Murph]

Originally Posted by suzyqet

I have to admit, that being a horse rider and owner, I never ride 2 abreast unless it is a case of safety. I.E, the horse nearest the edge of the road is scared of something and is threatening to shy into the path of vehicles, in this case, and this case only, I will ask a more experienced horse to block the horse in. I NEVER ride 2 abreast for the sake of a chat! (unlike some I know)
I also agree, as a horse rider AND a car driver, that it is totally unacceptable for horse riders not to acknowledge courtious car drivers/motorbike riders in some way, even if it is a nod of the head.
I have been hit on the road by passing vehicles as they have passed too close. On one occassion, I was leading my then 3 yr old daughter along a very short stretch of road to get back from the beach. We were on the verge out of the way. I was inbetween the pony and the vehicles. Lucky I was, otherwise it wouldnt have been my hand which was hit by the passing car, but my daughters leg!
Being courtious works both ways, but unfortunately, it always seems to be the horse riders who arent courtious which are remembered rather than the car drivers who arent courtious.
Riding 2 abreast is not illegal. It is, however, pure courtesy not to ride 2 abreast.

The highway code states:

"never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends"

Havant Road, I agree, is classed as a busy road, but West Lane, however, is neither classed as a busy nor a narrow road.

There's a lot of reassuring stuff in your post, BUT...

Any horse likely to shy at ANYTHING has no business on the road.

A three-year-old on a pony on the public highway? Really? You think that's a wise thing to do? (Note: I have toned down what I was originally going to post in order not to cause offense).

[Farfromit]

In a somewhat mellower frame of mind than previously I would say that riding horses for anything but the shortest distance on the main road is not only dangerous but selfish. Likewise horse drawn vehicles. Riding 2 abreast on anything but the most rural roads, or not stopping to allow vehicles past is also selfish. the Highway Code may spell out the legalities but does not tackle selfishness. I am quite happy to give horses all the space they need on roads suitable for riders.

[suzyqet]

Originally Posted by Murph

There's a lot of reassuring stuff in your post, BUT...

Any horse likely to shy at ANYTHING has no business on the road.

A three-year-old on a pony on the public highway? Really? You think that's a wise thing to do? (Note: I have toned down what I was originally going to post in order not to cause offense).

Trust me, I wont ride a horse on the road if it is likely to shy at the slightest of things. However, a horse must meet different objects first in order for it to know that it wont be hurt for example by this said object.
Having said that, I think even a person might 'jump' at some of things horses jump at. For example, riding past a high wall down a very quiet road only to then have a very LARGE dog running up to a gate which is 'open' barking ferrousiously (sp?) and chasing said horse and rider down the road. Now, if the horse had kicked the dog, it would've been the horse who was blamed, not the dog? But if it was a pedestrian, it would've been the dog who was blamed. Now what if a car had been coming down the road at the same time?

With regards to a 3yr old on a public highway, no different to a 3yr old being on the back of a pushbike. And the distance I am talking about was probably about the equivalent of the width of a road.

Originally Posted by Farfromit

In a somewhat mellower frame of mind than previously I would say that riding horses for anything but the shortest distance on the main road is not only dangerous but selfish. Likewise horse drawn vehicles. Riding 2 abreast on anything but the most rural roads, or not stopping to allow vehicles past is also selfish. the Highway Code may spell out the legalities but does not tackle selfishness. I am quite happy to give horses all the space they need on roads suitable for riders.

I couldn't agree with your statement more. I have been known, whilst driving my car past horse riders, to actually stop and get out of my car when I have not been treated with the respect I expect and always show others. I have made my views quite clear, but most of the time they fall on deaf ears. Whenever I ride on roads, which is very rare and only to get from one track to another, I am always aware of the vehicles around me, always pull off the road where possible to allow vehicles to pass, always ride in single file and always acknowledge other courtious road users. However, it would also be nice, if, when the horse you're riding does get startled by something unexpectedly and you ask oncoming vehicles to either please wait or slow down, they actually acknowledge your request, rather than speeding up and not only putting the horse and rider at risk, but themselves too.

[Farfromit]

Originally Posted by suzyqet

Trust me, I wont ride a horse on the road if it is likely to shy at the slightest of things. However, a horse must meet different objects first in order for it to know that it wont be hurt for example by this said object.
Having said that, I think even a person might 'jump' at some of things horses jump at. For example, riding past a high wall down a very quiet road only to then have a very LARGE dog running up to a gate which is 'open' barking ferrousiously (sp?) and chasing said horse and rider down the road. Now, if the horse had kicked the dog, it would've been the horse who was blamed, not the dog? But if it was a pedestrian, it would've been the dog who was blamed. Now what if a car had been coming down the road at the same time?

With regards to a 3yr old on a public highway, no different to a 3yr old being on the back of a pushbike. And the distance I am talking about was probably about the equivalent of the width of a road.




I couldn't agree with your statement more. I have been known, whilst driving my car past horse riders, to actually stop and get out of my car when I have not been treated with the respect I expect and always show others. I have made my views quite clear, but most of the time they fall on deaf ears. Whenever I ride on roads, which is very rare and only to get from one track to another, I am always aware of the vehicles around me, always pull off the road where possible to allow vehicles to pass, always ride in single file and always acknowledge other courtious road users. However, it would also be nice, if, when the horse you're riding does get startled by something unexpectedly and you ask oncoming vehicles to either please wait or slow down, they actually acknowledge your request, rather than speeding up and not only putting the horse and rider at risk, but themselves too.

You are my kind of horse rider then, would that all riders were as responsible. I have actually seen horses being ridden down Elm grove towards Mengham which I think is just irresponsible.

[Murph]

Originally Posted by suzyqet

With regards to a 3yr old on a public highway, no different to a 3yr old being on the back of a pushbike. And the distance I am talking about was probably about the equivalent of the width of a road.

Firstly - if you really think that it was no more dangerous than having a kid on the back of a pushbike, then I really don't know what to say to you that wouldn't be pointlessly insulting. Secondly - it was still far enough for you to be involved in a near miss with a car. What if the driver had been a foot further to the left?

[suzyqet]

Originally Posted by Murph

Firstly - if you really think that it was no more dangerous than having a kid on the back of a pushbike, then I really don't know what to say to you that wouldn't be pointlessly insulting. Secondly - it was still far enough for you to be involved in a near miss with a car. What if the driver had been a foot further to the left?

If the driver had been a foot further to the left, then I probably wouldnt be here typing this today.

The fact is still the same though. It is the horse rider who is being blamed, not the car driver.
Like I said, I was on the verge! (and a very wide one at that) Not on the actual road itself. The car driver, deliberately drove past as close as he could. Yes he did leave the carriageway. Yes he did do a hand gesture out of his window as he drove off at high speed along a road which has a 40 mph speed limit. If I had of been on a push bike and the driver carried out the same manouvre, then neither myself nor my child would be here today.

[andyw]

Whatever happened to the original topic?

Now it's turned into yet another pop by the anti equine brigade v horse rider argument.

Someone start yet another "should horses be allowed on the roads" thread - I'm still itching to find out the results of horses doofahs versus tarmac & the impact on the environment when these two materials combine (Higgs boson found on Hayling side street -read all about it).

[Carrera30]

Originally Posted by andyw

Whatever happened to the original topic?

Now it's turned into yet another pop by the anti equine brigade v horse rider argument.

Someone start yet another "should horses be allowed on the roads" thread - I'm still itching to find out the results of horses doofahs versus tarmac & the impact on the environment when these two materials combine (Higgs boson found on Hayling side street -read all about it).

Right folks lets get back to the "Pile of Wight" in Station Road

[rexy]

Getting back on track, I think it is the 'orses 'ooves that damage the road surface not the poo, it rains so much that the poo is washed off often.