Horses’ mess on pavements unacceptable
The level of faecal pollution on the sidewalks of George by the horses from the riding school next to Knysna Road is cause for serious concern. The photograph clearly shows how the sidewalks are polluted. What it cannot show is the quantity of about two litres of horse urine running into the gutter from the sidewalk. No effort whatsoever was made by the riders to clear up the faeces.
The riding school has a huge natural grass area to exercise the horses and to train the young junior horse riders. It is difficult to understand their motivation for taking the riders onto sidewalks where people have to walk.
According to a spokesperson from the Groenkloof Retirement Village who complained to the municipality about the faecal pollution, the municipality responded by informing him that the horses are allowed to walk on sidewalks because it is a public road.
The faeces and urine left by the riding school horses lie unattended on the walkway for weeks causing flies and other insects to infest the area. It is also a real danger for the very young horse riders themselves because the road next to Groenkloof is extremely narrow and huge building equipment like caterpillars and tipper trucks traverse the area. Elderly and frail people using the sidewalks have to walk into the street to allow the horses to pass. It is inevitable that this practice will result in injury or fatality. It is incomprehensible to regard these sidewalks as safe for horse riding. There is so much open grassed areas to use like the grassed area next to Knysna Road itself where horse manure will be beneficial. Through your paper, we request the riding school to stop using tarred pavements for horse riding and for the municipality to clean up after this type of pollution. Allan Oates, George Riding Club president (GRC) replies:
The GRC celebrates 50 years this year, and as the urban edge has expanded, the interaction between the horses and residents has increased. We believe the random horse defecation that occurs whilst riding has minimal impact, as in the area are other farm livestock, and wildlife, from buck to baboons, that also defecate randomly. We have been sharing the area for many years and many local residents make use of the grounds to walk or walk their dogs, and we are quite happy to share. Some folk even come and ask for the horse manure from the stables for their gardens. We regret that this individual finds such a natural product so offensive and chose to raise their agenda through the media and not with the riding club. Annaliese Maree, GRC livery manager:
Although I fully agree that horses should not be using paved sidewalks for riding on as it is meant for pedestrians, I certainly cannot see the problem with horses using grassed areas next to the road for riding.
I hope the author is aware that there are many workers waiting for collection and pedestrians using the walkways that urinate there too.
I have unfortunately frequently witnessed this with my own two eyes.
The riding club horses are not the only horses in the area. I have seen plenty of Pacaltsdorp riders and riders from other yards and private properties around using the roads.
To claim that it is only the GRC horses is unfounded.
I do agree that riders using public roads have a responsibility to make it safe and pleasant to all road users, including pedestrians. There is a place and time for everything and everyone, and good manners and consideration towards others go a long way. Hennie Maree, instructor at GRC:
Most horses from George Riding Club are competitive horses that do not go on outrides. The riders that are under my supervision do know riding etiquette and how to be considerate to pedestrians and other road users. It is time that people stop falsely accusing the riding club riders, we daily witness riders from elsewhere riding in the area. George Municipality indicated that they would investigate the matter.