Sometimes I get tired of dodging people on the track, so I go to our local rail trails. Let me take a minute to praise the makers and upkeepers of these trails. You guys are awesome! Thank you for giving me a beautiful place to run, walk, and bike!
Another nice thing about these trails is that I don't have to deal with a ton of other people. I do have to deal with what people leave behind. Seriously guys? Can't we clean up after ourselves? Particularly - our animals?
Actually I'm surprised to admit that it seems like most dog owners respect the law of consideration and pick up after their furry friends. So why is it that they are expected to do this, and horse owners can just leave giant piles in the middle of the trails? I mean the horses leave giant piles, not the owners. But the owners should pick them up...you know what I'm trying to say there, right? That makes sense.
People seem to respond to this by saying that horse poop is all natural, so it can simply degrade on the trail and not hurt the environment. Really? So the only reason dogs should be picked up after is that their leavings aren't biodegradable? If it was, would we have to live with it being left all over the place? I bet plenty of dog owners feed their pets natural products. Does that mean these particular dogs don't have to be cleaned up after? I'm not sure this makes sense to me. If people eat all natural, vegan foods, can they poop on the trail too? Okay, maybe that took it too far.
Horses just always seem to leave these heaps right in the middle of the trail. Can you pull over and let the horse do his or her thing? Probably not, I guess. Maybe the horse doesn't tell them when it's time to go.
I guess there isn't a way to argue this one. A horse's poop dries out and breaks down to be just another part of the trail. It's only hay and grass, right? That doesn't mean I'm excited for the times I have to step in it, run around it, or jump over it. Thanks for making the trail slightly less pleasant, horse owners. Glad you're above the rest of us.
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