As a walker who uses the Redmond Ridge paved walking trails on a daily basis, I have a question.

Why are dog owners required to pick up their dogs feces, yet the horse owners leave steaming piles of horse dung all along the paved trails?

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration online info about the environment and Horse Friendly Surface Materials, walking horses on asphalt or cement paving is poor for horse comfort.

Redmond Ridge has non-paved trails throughout the area. Why are the horse owners not required to use only the non-paved trails?

Recently, I walked south to north on Redmond Ridge Drive Northeast between Northeast Union Hill Road and Northeast Novelty Hill Road and west to east on Northeast Novelty Hill Road between Redmond Ridge Drive Northeast and Trilogy Parkway Northeast.

I took a thick piece of cardboard along to scrape the horse dung off the paved trail into the planted areas along the trail. I removed AT LEAST eight separate piles of dung each of which measured 2-8 feet in length. Most of this dung was in the center of the paved trail.

This situation is unpleasant to all other people who use the trail.

I propose that horse owners should take responsibility for their horses’ feces like dog owners. Dog owners have to carry plastic bags with them to remove dog feces from the trail.

Why can’t horse owners be required to scoop the horse dung off the paved trails?

Linda Knowlton, Redmond