Should horses be allowed on the road?

[davidtq]

I dont see historic precedent as a reason for any antiquated practise. Weve weeded out many practises that are deemed archaic and no longer viable usefull.

I believe the test for a horse to be on the road should be its fitness for use on the road, any horse that is stressed by everyday traffic should not be allowed out with everyday traffic. A simple horse traffic safety "MOT" should be fine.

If the horse isnt safe or if the horse is frothing at the mouth in fear, its dangerous and cruel, sorry Im an animal lover that means I try to give my animals the best I I do believe if I had an interest in horses Id be keeping them in a field and riding them across moorland, not on busy 60mph limit roads. To me it seems theres far too many horses on the road which are simply being stressed for their riders personal pleasure.

If a horse cant hack being on the road under normal road use it shouldnt be there. Same as a car or cycle in a dangerous state. I feel the same way about unlit cyclists at night or cars with dangerous defects.

Local incident :- http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/d...me=yes&more_nodeId1=134831&contentPK=19686679

Motorcyclist shows enough couresty respect to the horse riders to completely shut down his vehicle in their presence but despite that when he restarted it after they had passed the horse rider was injured by their mount. Not the motorcyclists fault, thats a horse or horse rider combination that shouldnt have been out on the road in my opinion.

I do also believe that a diaper or similiar should be mandatory for road use plain disrepectful to everyone else to leave that stuff all over the road. A little courtesy to other road users, its nasty stuff...

I have no problems with horses being on the road, but I think it needs to be made sure its safe for everyday traffic, and to be ensured that its not causing the animal unnecesary distress and that its not littering the road.

 

[Tetedelacourse]

well said. And maybe if they were made to cart their own muck around they'd think twice about going out for a trot on a public highway in the first place.

I think the same should hold true of cyclists.

 

[LLB]

I dont see historic precedent as a reason for any antiquated practise. Weve weeded out many practises that are deemed archaic and no longer viable usefull.

I believe the test for a horse to be on the road should be its fitness for use on the road, any horse that is stressed by everyday traffic should not be allowed out with everyday traffic. A simple horse traffic safety "MOT" should be fine.

If the horse isnt safe or if the horse is frothing at the mouth in fear, its dangerous and cruel, sorry Im an animal lover that means I try to give my animals the best I I do believe if I had an interest in horses Id be keeping them in a field and riding them across moorland, not on busy 60mph limit roads. To me it seems theres far too many horses on the road which are simply being stressed for their riders personal pleasure.

If a horse cant hack being on the road under normal road use it shouldnt be there. Same as a car or cycle in a dangerous state. I feel the same way about unlit cyclists at night or cars with dangerous defects.

Local incident :- http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/d...me=yes&more_nodeId1=134831&contentPK=19686679

Motorcyclist shows enough couresty respect to the horse riders to completely shut down his vehicle in their presence but despite that when he restarted it after they had passed the horse rider was injured by their mount. Not the motorcyclists fault, thats a horse or horse rider combination that shouldnt have been out on the road in my opinion.

I do also believe that a diaper or similiar should be mandatory for road use plain disrepectful to everyone else to leave that stuff all over the road. A little courtesy to other road users, its nasty stuff...

I have no problems with horses being on the road, but I think it needs to be made sure its safe for everyday traffic, and to be ensured that its not causing the animal unnecesary distress and that its not littering the road.

Lol, the idea of a nappy on a horse. I take it you never visited a farm yard as a child, and FFS, don't ever think of going to a 3rd world country as you might encounter animals which actually poo.

If you don't want to see animals, go live in the city. The countryside is not for you !

 

[davidwalton]

There are horses that should not be on the road, for their own safety, just like there should not be some Cyclists on the road for the same reason.

You do not suddenly say go screw yourself as we now don't want you on our roads. The roads do not belong to any one group, and horse and rider have just as much right to use the road as any other.

We should be designing transport to take in to account ALL road users needs, not just the latest and so called best mechanical gas guzzling monsters.

shoot happens, just more so when behind a horse It will wash away in time as it always has done.

 

[davidtq]

Lol, the idea of a nappy on a horse. I take it you never visited a farm yard as a child, and FFS, don't ever think of going to a 3rd world country as you might encounter animals which actually poo.

If you don't want to see animals, go live in the city. The countryside is not for you !

Never visited a farm as a child? Im Devon born and bred doesnt mean I think we need sh!t all over the roads.

horse "nappies" have been around for a long long time - things like this :-

http://www.bunbag.com/

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhsussman/Nashville03/photo#5081857552309145666

Theres a lot goes on in 3rd world countries that I dont think we need over here... I dont feel a personal need to live as people do in third world countries...

I can see all the animals I want, I have no issues with horses on the road persay, I do think they should clean their own mess up like a dog owner should, and that the animal shouldnt suffer unduly and that if a horse isnt good with regular traffic it shouldnt be taken on the roads.

I feel the same way about RLJ and pavement riding and all manner of other unsafe illegal road use, its not a "horse" thing.

 

[BentMikey]

There's a big difference between horse doodoo and dog doodoo. Horse poo is relatively innocuous stuff and I'm not bothered with it on the roads. Dog poo is truely evil stuff, like that from most meat eaters.

 

[davidtq]

There's a big difference between horse doodoo and dog doodoo. Horse poo is relatively innocuous stuff and I'm not bothered with it on the roads. Dog poo is truely evil stuff, like that from most meat eaters.

I dont like horse poo either, possibly because I see too much of it... Pig poo is possibly the worst, cow isnt too bad wouldnt want it on the street either though.

Look back in urban history to that rose tinted time when horses ruled the road and you will find that one of the biggest complaints was the horsedroppings.

I dont believe leaving our crap on the streets is good in any form whether its old TV's - which dont smell and dont slide under tyres and dont stick to metal, or coke cans or diesel or anything else.

We had a good slogan down this way for a while, "leave only footprints"

 

[Maz]

Horses should be allowed on the roads only if they can cross safely and know the green cross code.

 

[LLB]

I dont like horse poo either, possibly because I see too much of it... Pig poo is possibly the worst, cow isnt too bad wouldnt want it on the street either though.

Look back in urban history to that rose tinted time when horses ruled the road and you will find that one of the biggest complaints was the horsedroppings.

I dont believe leaving our crap on the streets is good in any form whether its old TV's - which dont smell and dont slide under tyres and dont stick to metal, or coke cans or diesel or anything else.

We had a good slogan down this way for a while, "leave only footprints"

I thought you said you lived in the country. Cow muck has a much higher water content, and pig shoot is like humans.

 

[4F]

Horses should be allowed on the roads only if they can cross safely and know the green cross code.

I thought horses were colour blind, how would that work ??

 

[Maz]

I thought horses were colour blind, how would that work ??

In which case they should know the grey cross code. There's also a large print version for those that are visually impaired and one in braille for blind horses, though I can't see how that'll work what with their hooves.

 

[davidtq]

I thought you said you lived in the country. Cow muck has a much higher water content, and pig shoot is like humans.

Ive seen plenty enough country pancakes... I've never anazlysed them at a scientific level Ive not run comparisons to analyse the difference content of different animals feces. I would say generally my order of preference goes cow, sheep, horse, pig, dog, thats not in order of moisture content thats just personal preference...

Ive already said I wouldnt want large amounts of cow pat all over the roads either, regardless of its moisture content. (and cow stuff dries relatively fast anyway) I dont seem to remember the moisture content of poo being the issue... Lets be clear here I dont like dung on the roads, regardless of source. I dont like litter on the streets regardless of type. I wouldnt have a problem with a person throwing a macdonalds wrapper on the ground in a refuse site. I dont have a problem with animal manure in a field etc etc.

I live here:-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/davidtq/home.jpg

Ive spent a HUGE amount of time wandering across Dartmoor. I've seen plenty enough animal droppings in my time, I dont think the roads are the right place for large piles. Oddly enough I have no problems with animal droppings in the fields, but I dont think leaving your crap in the streets is right... whether literal or just regular refuse.

 

[Maz]

Biggest pile of crap I've ever heard.

 

[Arch]

I've never anazlysed them at a scientific level Ive not run comparisons to analyse the difference content of different animals feces.

You might be surprised at the number of people who have! I managed a whole BSc dissertation on the subject (related to archaeological deposits).

 

[davidtq]

I've never anazlysed them at a scientific level Ive not run comparisons to analyse the difference content of different animals feces.

You might be surprised at the number of people who have! I managed a whole BSc dissertation on the subject (related to archaeological deposits).

I dont doubt theres many people who have im sure the archaelogical stuff was generally quite low in moisture content?