Alan Newton Way

[nbt]

Horses are barred from public footpaths (Although walkers can use bridleways as can cyclists, although in the case of the latter this is only at the express permission of the owner of the land).

Just as a minor point, cyclists have a permissive right to use any trail designated as a bridleway,  they don't need express permission from anyone. The issue of "rights" of way is much bigger though and probably not something we need to go into here. I do agree though that roads are much busier and more dangerous these days

[My login is Henrietta]

Yes I think the "health" problem is a bit of a side issue.  The Alan Newton Way should be a cyclists' commuting route between Marple and Stockport, walkers can obviously use it but few would use it to get to work. To take part in the Government's aim to increase sustainable transport then this route should certainly be mud free and preferably horse residue free as what company would want their employees arriving splattered in mud etc.  There are many fields in and around Marple that cater for horses and surely it is time for the horse riding fraternity to consider trying to create horse only routes between them.  This way the horse riders would have complete freedom to ride as they wish, and people who are willing to leave their cars at home can make use of the urban bridleways without having to cope with the  poor surfaces that are created by horses.

" it is time for the horse riding fraternity to consider trying to create horse only routes between them" Umm...well, what are bridleways, urban or otherwise, then? Get a grip, CTCREP

We're doing our best but in many cases fighting a losing battle. I think it was "Marple Rambler" who formerly was involved with Stockport East Bridleways Association. He will confirm that even where bridleways exist there are often problems with land owners erecting fences or locked gates and using other means to (illegally) prevent the use of bridleways by horse-riders.

Horses are barred from public footpaths (Although walkers can use bridleways as can cyclists, although in the case of the latter this is only at the express permission of the owner of the land). It has become positively life-threatening for horses to use the roads and often bridleways can only be reached by using busy roads. I've kept my horse in Charlesworth for nearly 16 years and in that time I have seen how riding on the A626 has become more and more dangerous. I started riding on the road as a little girl in the 1950s, when most car and lorry drivers still had experience of working horses using the roads and knew how to behave when they met them. That is not the case now. Over the years I've ridden and driven along the A626, I've noticed it getting worse with more and more idiots in motor vehicles who are a menace to horses, cyclists, pedestrians and other motorists.

At the yard where my horse lives we are lucky as thanks to a combined effort by Derbyshire County Council and the land owner there is direct access to a new(ish) bridleway through the yard but people who don't keep their horses on the yard have to use the deadly A626 to get to it.

[CTCREP]

Yes I think the "health" problem is a bit of a side issue.  The Alan Newton Way should be a cyclists' commuting route between Marple and Stockport, walkers can obviously use it but few would use it to get to work. To take part in the Government's aim to increase sustainable transport then this route should certainly be mud free and preferably horse residue free as what company would want their employees arriving splattered in mud etc.  There are many fields in and around Marple that cater for horses and surely it is time for the horse riding fraternity to consider trying to create horse only routes between them.  This way the horse riders would have complete freedom to ride as they wish, and people who are willing to leave their cars at home can make use of the urban bridleways without having to cope with the  poor surfaces that are created by horses.

[marpleexile]

Or more likely is the fact that as vegetarian animals, horse muck is not harmful to humans, nor is it particularly smelly. Dog mess on the other hand positively stinks and can cause very serious illness.

The phrase "polishing a t u r d" springs to mind.

Whilst it is less dangerous than the waste from other animals, it's still a pile of poo, and still quite unpleasant.

[nbt]

No, I got the intended humour in that post, I'm just beginning to get fed up of lazy dog owners trying to use horse muck as a way to justify the fact that they are too lazy and selfish to clean up after their pooch. The vast majority of horse riders I encounter are very pleasant people, and while a lot of dog walkers are similarly pleasant, the sheer number of stuff walkers means the number of rude ones and those who don't clean up is quite high.

[Harry]

Perhaps it's altitude sickness

Whoosh!

[My login is Henrietta]

Or more likely is the fact that as vegetarian animals, horse muck is not harmful to humans, nor is it particularly smelly. Dog mess on the other hand positively stinks and can cause very serious illness.

I can confirm that about horse muck. There is a slight (and it is VERY slight) possibility of horse muck passing salmonella infection to humans but in the unlikely event of the horse carrying the bug in its digestive tract you'd probably have to eat the muck to catch it. I've been around horses for over 60 years and I've never heard of an actual case. Horses do pick up intestinal worms but the sensible owner treats them preventatively and in any case the varieties of worms that horses get are not communicable to humans, unlike those of cats and dogs.

Most commercial equine feed nowadays is organic so the stuff is great for the garden. Be like our grandparents and if a horse or pony kindly leaves you a present, a scoop it up quick and put it on your compost heap or put in on bare ground in the autumn and let the worms do all the hard work.

When we consider the service that horses have given us in the past (and perhaps even more so in this 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme), we should be happy to see modern horses having a comfortable life as companion animals giving pleasure to their riders.

Those of us who are lucky enough to own our horses and those who work for rides or pay a lot of their spending money and wages in order to enjoy riding school horses, love them just as much as other people love their cats and dogs. We don't accuse people of being anti-social if they play football or enjoy knitting so why start on us? Unless, of course, it's a matter of inverted snobbery!

[nbt]

Or more likely is the fact that as vegetarian animals, horse muck is not harmful to humans, nor is it particularly smelly. Dog mess on the other hand positively stinks and can cause very serious illness.

[Cyberman]

House riders should always pick up ALL their mess like dog owner do, but for some reasons house riders show no respect to other people….,  therefore how can house riders expect anyone else to respect them?

Perhaps it's altitude sickness

[ringi]

House riders should always pick up ALL their mess like dog owner do, but for some reasons house riders show no respect to other people….,  therefore how can house riders expect anyone else to respect them?

[nbt]

Cyclists are permitted to use all Bridleways, but - as is only polite - should give way to horses and pedestrians. Cyclists may also use any part where the owner has given permission

It would be nice if rather than worrying about whether you were legally allowed to do so, we had more people getting out and about - on foot, on bikes or on horseback - and being nice to each other while getting first and generally enjoying the outdoors.

[My login is Henrietta]

I have just received this.  Perhaps others would be interested.

Cyclists
 
You are invited to a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for The Alan Newton Way to take place at 2pm on Saturday July 2nd at the far (north) end of Hilltop Drive, Marple
 
Alan, Stockport born-and-bred and a medal-winning cyclist at the 1952 Olympics, has more recently also opened the nearby Chadkirk Bridge.
 
If any of you are, or are in touch with, members of Alan’s former cycling clubs, please consider playing a part in the latest big day of Alan’s cycling history as he and Stockport’s Mayor open this route.


My personal opinion is that this would be even better if the surface of the route between Marple and Stockport was actually suitable for cyclists, and that there was an iInformation Board at Rosehill to tell people where it was and where it went.

Are horses allowed to use it? Cyclists are permitted to use some bridle ways if the land-owners gives consent.

[CTCREP]

I have just received this.  Perhaps others would be interested.

Cyclists
 
You are invited to a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for The Alan Newton Way to take place at 2pm on Saturday July 2nd at the far (north) end of Hilltop Drive, Marple
 
Alan, Stockport born-and-bred and a medal-winning cyclist at the 1952 Olympics, has more recently also opened the nearby Chadkirk Bridge.
 
If any of you are, or are in touch with, members of Alan’s former cycling clubs, please consider playing a part in the latest big day of Alan’s cycling history as he and Stockport’s Mayor open this route.


My personal opinion is that this would be even better if the surface of the route between Marple and Stockport was actually suitable for cyclists, and that there was an iInformation Board at Rosehill to tell people where it was and where it went.