Horse riders have every right to be on the beaches
WITH reference to the individual that wrote in last week’s Guernsey Press about banning horses on the beach and the picking up of horse excrement (Open Lines, 3 July):
Firstly, equestrians were banned from the beach in the late ’80s due to an incident between an English tourist and an equestrian at a beach on the south coast of the island. This knee jerk reaction by the government was heavy-handed and totally reactionary at the time. The vast majority of horse riders are responsible and love their island. They have every right to ride their horses and they have every right to use the beach.
As for excrement: dog excrement is a health risk. That is why it has to be picked up. Horse excrement makes your carrots grow (amongst other things). The suggestion that equestrians dismount and collect their horse’s excrement is impractical and would be dangerous. A far greater irritant for our island nation are cigarette ends that seem to continually pollute our island.
Common sense and priorities please.
ANDREW WALKER BSc,
Equicentric Ltd.