Anger after horse mess left on pavement

Photo: Journeaux

Frank Salt

A Castleton man has spoken of his anger at horse-owners riding their horses on the pavements and allowing them to foul on the footpaths.

Frank Salt was walking with his guide-dog, Ossie, when he walked through a mound of horse droppings.

Further up the road Ossie walked nearer the kerb to avoid more horse mess causing Mr Salt to slip from the kerb into the road.

“Luckily, no traffic was near,” said Mr Salt.

Mr Salt said: “I would be grateful if the horse owners and riders could be spoken to, to avoid a repeat of this fouling of the pavement, heaven knows what mothers with prams and another child walking alongside had to do to avoid this awful mess.”

Mr Salt continued: “I am informed that this is a regular occurrence and that the horses use the footpaths instead of the road.”

The highway quote says that horse riders should not mount the pavement.

Rule number 54, of the Highway Code’s rules about animals, reads: “You MUST NOT take a horse onto a footpath or pavement, and you should not take a horse onto a cycle track. Use a bridleway where possible. Equestrian crossings may be provided for horse riders to cross the road and you should use these where available (see Rule 27). You should dismount at level crossings where a ‘horse rider dismount’ sign is displayed.
[Laws HA 1835 sect 72, R(S)A 1984, sect 129(5)]”

Castleton Councillor, Ted Flynn, said: “I think that horse owners should clean up just like dog owners do.”