This is kind of crappy...

[dobesgalore]

With dog poop, a bag in one hand, and the poop usually fits in one hand, and you can carry a bag with you until you get to a trash can. A horse, not so much. You can get off and kick it to the side, but getting off and on and off and on a horse isn't always so easy. If you have a nervous or spooky horse it can be a challange to get back on. Also if you are like me, and your SMALLEST horse stands 17.2hh, you have to have a step stool to mount, you won't be able to get back on. The best bet is to use a diaper(which may take some training, depending on your horse), or just don't ride anywhere where anything other than horses are allowed. Horse poop really isn't so bad. Its just grass, hay grain. Once dry, you can pick up pieces and throw it at someone.

 

[darkchild16]

See this is where i have issues. Why not learn to deal? For example I have had loose dogs and even leashed dogs harrass my horses. Your dog rolls in poop its icky. Your dog spooks my horse and we go crashing through trees, or horse rears and goes over I can die. Dirt bikers are usually decent but I have had some that wizz right up behind my horse and pass with in inches. Not only is that dangerous for the rider, its dangerous for them. Hikers are usually no problem. (unless they are a hoard of children who then try to swarm the horse.. but that has only happened once)

Horse poop isn't 'icky' it doesn't stick to things the way dog poop does, it isn't 'squishy' so you can't loose a shoe in it, it doesn't carry the same bacteria.

Horses were here first as well. How about you stay off trails if you can't train your dog to stay out of the road apples? (the old train don't complain motto) No one is making you use those trails. You want to stop people from using the trails all together (the riders) because you can't walk around some horse poo. Its simple and hygenic to pick up after a dog, its not simple and creates no hygene problem for horses.

The reason it is responsible to pick up dog poo is because it is a hygiene problem.

Exactly. Ranger ended up do spooked of small dogs for a LONG time because I took him on a training excercise on a trail. To many little dog owners thought it was cool to let their dogs off leash that would then come terrorize me and my horse. HECK one even bit ranger. So I geuss I should have written to the gvt to ban small dogs. (im not the only one that had that issue) Luckily ranger had been around big dogs his entire life but I almost got thrown a few times because of other peoples dogs. One in particular was a lab that someone had offleash who thought CHASING my horse and I was funny and at this time it was DANGEROUS for my horse to run, but I couldnt do anything about the owner because they were allowed on the trail. Ranger did end up kicking the dog finally though.

And dobe I trained him to the diapers but you know what WHENEVER I put one on him he froze and would NOT move until it came off. He didnt mind it when he was walking in the paddock or with me on him in the paddock but outside of there NOOOO way!! And at that time he needed to be on the trail because that was the only way he could get his excersice (he fractured his cannon bone and could only walk on the sandy trails. He also had to be ridden at least 5 miles there and back to get in his excersice. I love how people are complaining about something that is sooo big you cant miss it. What about us on horses who have to look out for your dog poop?? Ranger almost slipped once on what had to be a mastiff/great dane sized pile and I almost fell off which in esscence could have KILLED me.

 

[dobesgalore]

Exactly. Ranger ended up do spooked of small dogs for a LONG time because I took him on a training excercise on a trail. To many little dog owners thought it was cool to let their dogs off leash that would then come terrorize me and my horse. HECK one even bit ranger. So I geuss I should have written to the gvt to ban small dogs. (im not the only one that had that issue) Luckily ranger had been around big dogs his entire life but I almost got thrown a few times because of other peoples dogs. One in particular was a lab that someone had offleash who thought CHASING my horse and I was funny and at this time it was DANGEROUS for my horse to run, but I couldnt do anything about the owner because they were allowed on the trail. Ranger did end up kicking the dog finally though.

And dobe I trained him to the diapers but you know what WHENEVER I put one on him he froze and would NOT move until it came off. He didnt mind it when he was walking in the paddock or with me on him in the paddock but outside of there NOOOO way!! And at that time he needed to be on the trail because that was the only way he could get his excersice (he fractured his cannon bone and could only walk on the sandy trails. He also had to be ridden at least 5 miles there and back to get in his excersice. I love how people are complaining about something that is sooo big you cant miss it. What about us on horses who have to look out for your dog poop?? Ranger almost slipped once on what had to be a mastiff/great dane sized pile and I almost fell off which in esscence could have KILLED me.

It dosn't sound like he was fully trained to it, otherwise he would have rode on a trail with it as well as in the paddock. Never had a horse to slip on dog poop regardless of the size of pile. I can much better see the dog owners and bicycles having some issues with horse pile on the trail, not the other way around.

 

[darkchild16]

When your horse just got the clear to excercise because of a cannon bone injury thingsare different hes the only one who did that and it was the second ride after I got the all clear after his injury and it was the injured leg so he was already having issues. And yes he was ALL my other horses could wear them and were trained the same way but he got scared of it in strange surroundings. I have trained at least 20+ horses to take the bags and diapers I do know what Im doing with it.

 

[dobesgalore]

When your horse just got the clear to excercise because of a cannon bone injury thingsare different hes the only one who did that and it was the second ride after I got the all clear after his injury and it was the injured leg so he was already having issues. And yes he was ALL my other horses could wear them and were trained the same way but he got scared of it in strange surroundings. I have trained at least 20+ horses to take the bags and diapers I do know what Im doing with it.

Thats exactly what I'm meaning- He hadn't had enough time to be fully trained to it. If he had, injury or not he wouldn't have been afraid of it. Strange surroundings didn't cause it. If he was in strange surroundings, it was likely the strange surroundings that caused some fear.

 

[darkchild16]

Actually we worked on him for 3 years with it.

 

[dobesgalore]

Actually we worked on him for 3 years with it.

And you STILL couldn't get him to accept it?

 

[darkchild16]

Nope he was a moody and weird Anglo-Arab Stallion. That is also the only time I called a professional trainer in as well. All my horses were trained by me adn my father.

 

[smkie]

IF you step in horse manure it will most likely be gone by the time you get to your car. IF you step in dog crap you will know it and if you get it in your car you will be sorry. I dont' know but the latter is far worse than the former. I run across horse manure all the time in the woods and paths that we frequent, it really doesn't bother me at all..and the dogs certainly could care less. IF i was a horse I wouldn't want a bag stuck to my butt.

 

[dobesgalore]

Nope he was a moody and weird Anglo-Arab Stallion. That is also the only time I called a professional trainer in as well. All my horses were trained by me adn my father.

An Arab and a stallion too.. bad combination. I would have gelded him if he was like that. We bought one of our Belgians as a stud who at 14 years old had been used only for breeding. Never any form of gear on him. He was also never taught any form of respect, so considering his size(18.1hh 2012lbs) We had him gelded right off the bat. It was like a light switch. Once we got ground work done and started him under saddle, then it was about sixty days in the arena and then he took his first trail ride....like a pro! I wouldn't keep one stud, much less an Arab.

 

[darkchild16]

I was not gelding him that was not a option he was supposed to be the beginning to my stable.

His only true problem was the diaper and IM not willing to sacrafice all that for a diaper, poop bag.

 

[dobesgalore]

suit yourself. Unless I was planning on breeding, a snip job is in order for mine. And if breeding, a stud should be a perfectly well behaved gentleman both in hand and under saddle and even during breeding.(If its done in hand, to help prevent injury by the mare). jmo.

 

[darkchild16]

The only time he wasnt was when you attacked something to his rear thank you very much. And when a male tried to ride him (my dad scared him when he was around 12 hrs old). In fact he NEVER had a lead line unless I was off my property I could tell him from anywhere to go to his stall and he would be there right after I told him.

Im not gelding a great breeding prospect for a stupid issue like a poop bag.

 

[dobesgalore]

OOOKKKK... Just be careful!

 

[darkchild16]

I spent my life on a horse and catlle farm even raised a few intact mustangs

 

[Gramps Fish]

... Why not learn to deal? ...

Horse poop isn't 'icky'...

The reason it is responsible to pick up dog poo is because it is a hygiene problem.

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

Someone once said "an individual's rights and freedoms end when they begin to infringe on the rights and freedoms of another individual."

The fact that folks who spend a lot of time with horses don't feel horse poop is objectionable doesn't alter the fact that a whole lot of other folks look at a "road apple" in the middle of a trail and see nothing more than... well, a pile of poop.

My guess is that if you were enjoying a can of your favorite beverage while traveling down a trail, there's absolutely no chance that you'd drop the empty can and leave it on the trail.

Based on the number of beverage cans I've seen on trails, I'd say there are an awful lot of folks who feel there's nothing wrong with leaving an empty can on a trail. And there's certainly no hygiene issue with that one little dropped can.

So why do folks carry their empty cans with them and dispose of them properly? Could it be because by dropping the can they infringe on the rights of other folks who will be using the trail?

I think most folks agree that if a rider is on a horse trail, there's no problem at all with letting the horse poop fall where it may, since just about everyone using that trail would have no problem dealing with road apples on the path.

My guess, though, is that a whole bunch of folks who do not ride horses would feel that a pile of horse poop in the middle of a trail also used by folks walking, jogging, or riding bicycles infringes on the rights of those other folks to enjoy the trail.

If I'm walking down a trail in a forest preserve and I see a pile of deer droppings, my reaction is "oh, look - a deer has been here," and I'm going to look around to see if it is still nearby.

If I'm walking down that same trail and I see a pile of dog poop, my reaction is slightly different - more along the lines of "geeezzz.... another inconsiderate dog owner didn't clean up after his pet. If stuff like this keeps up, they're going to ban dogs from the trail."

I am not suggesting that horses be banned from the path. I am suggesting that if the actions (or inaction) of the folks on horseback are infringing on the rights of all the other people on the multi-use trail, that the folks on horseback find a way to prevent or fix the infringement.

As with litter left along a 4 mile trail that has no trash cans, the fact that it is inconvenient or not real easy to keep the trail clean doesn't mean you shouldn't.

I've enjoyed this discussion, but I've got dozens of calendars and name badges that I've fallen waaay behind on because I've been posting here instead of working. So lets agree to disagree and I'll try and get some product made and shipped.

Have a GREAT day!

Rob

 

[dobesgalore]

I know where you are coming from, me also. I am a certified insructor, Certified trainer and certified in western riding with dressage background. I have in the past ridden in clinics under Lynn Palm and Richard Shrake. Most recently though, I have ridden in a Clinton Anderson clinic, and Three clinics with Linda Parelli. I graduated from Meridith Manor International equestrian center which is where I got my certifications.

 

[darkchild16]

I dont do it anymore never went to clinics or anything (i was only 18 the last time I had a horse) I ended up having to put Ranger to sleep and after that decided no more professional horse world for me. I will just end up with a few trail horses one day.

 

[dobesgalore]

I guess thats the differance, for me its been proffesional. Teaching is my main love, and as soon as our place is set up for it I will be back at it. Horses have been a professional part of my life even as a child, so I guess its in my blood. My brother rode young horses for Tim McQuay for a couple of years and tried to talk me into a position open at the McQuay Ranch, but teaching is my dream not reining so That is the way I am going to continue.

 

[darkchild16]

My senior year of high school I trained and taught riding classes and did it most summers after my sophmore year. I was also the mare stare person at the ranch. I also picked and assisted in ALL the breedings at our farm my dad put me in charge of everything horse after I was 10 and before that I got a chance to give my input.

But the day of graduation I got pregnant and a few months before I lost my love. I rode barrel and was top in my region for 3 years and one of my students did her first run at 11 seconds. And I did my last run on a race green mustang stallion at 10 seconds. It was my life and blood.