Trail building equestrians of New Mexico

[Patricia Hug <trish_hug AT hotmail.com>]

This is an interesting take on bicycles and manure. I have to admit I've never heard this before and am not disputing it, but I wonder about mountain bikers who ride through mud; what's the difference? I've got no problem getting off my horse and kicking the poop off the trail, or with a little advance notice, turning my horse's butt off the trail so it falls in the weeds.  —Trish

> Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2009 12:01:56 -0700
> From: una.smith AT att.net
> To: treq-nm AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: [TREQ-NM] Manure on trails
>
> The February newsletter from the Lower Rio Grande Chapter of BCH NM,
> distributed via TREQ-NM today, mentions a small interaction with a
> mountain bike rider concerning manure on the trail near a trailhead.
>
> My take on this issue is divided. I should mention that for 20 years
> I commuted to school and work on a bicycle, and I have ridden my bike
> over fresh manure. Not only is it unpleasant to have my back sprayed
> with bits of manure, but due to its stickiness I get sprayed in front
> too. On rock or pavement, it can also make a very slippery slick. But
> the greatest concern by far is that fresh manure sometimes fouls the
> bike's brakes to the point that they no longer work. This can put the
> bike rider's life at risk. Having learned this from hard experience,
> I try at all costs never to ride through manure. As horse riders here
> in sunny New Mexico all know, it looks fresh only a few minutes before
> the exterior dries and turns brown. Old manure is no danger to bike
> riders but any manure that is still intact merits caution because it
> might not be old.
>
> Mountain bike riders often assume everyone knows this, which explains
> much of their hostility toward horse riders. Mountain bike riders may
> assume horse riders know this and leave manure on the trail *anyway*.
>
> Many trail users would prefer that no one ever travel off trails, to
> limit human impact on the environment. I belong to an orienteering
> club that not only encourages but trains people to navigate on foot
> cross-country, off trails. We get grief from several quarters about
> going off trails. Many trail users want horse riders to stay on the
> trails but not leave manure there.
>
> I make a point of noticing when my horse poops on a ride, on or off
> trails. The frequency, quantity, and consistency of manure tells me
> if she is properly hydrated and has normal gut function.
>
> Trails near a trailhead merit extraordinary care, and I will dismount
> and kick or scrape the manure off the trail. I also remove manure
> from the trailhead. I do not clean the trailer at the trailhead; I
> clean the trailhead at the trailer.
>
> Horses are prohibited from trails in certain ecologically sensitive
> areas due to concerns about introduction of foreign seeds, especially
> weed seeds. This has been an issue with the Valles Caldera National
> Preserve, where prior to one visit I was asked to not only feed my
> horse seed free (not just weed free) feed for 3 days beforehand, and
> to drive my vehicle and trailer through a carwash.
>
> If the trail riding community wants to use trails in highly protected
> areas, we may have to show that we are prepared to pack out our horses'
> manure, just as in some places dog owners are expected to carry out
> their dogs' feces. On some trails in the eastern USA, and in parts
> of Europe, leave no trace advocates encourage also carrying out human
> feces. I have hiked trails in Europe, prior to the leave no trace
> movement, where the trail passed through stinking fields of shit and
> used toilet paper. I hope never to see or smell their like here in
> beautiful New Mexico.
>
> Just my 2 cents, and then some...
>
> Una
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