It is a fineable offence if dog owners fail to pick up their pet's poo in a public place, but horse riders are not obliged to jump down and get their shovels out whenever the inevitable occurs.
So, why are they held to different standards in the UK?
Reddit user AlewelePomme was wondering the same thing when they posed the question to the AskUK community today after reportedly spending most of their run "dodging horse poo".
The answer, provided by Benjymous, is all to do with public health.
They suggested: "Herbivore poo doesn't contain the same sorts of dangerous bacteria that carnivore/omnivore poo does."
Their answer is backed up by a similar response given by a council to SurreyLive when locals were asking the same question in 2018.
A spokesperson said at the time: "One of the reasons that there are no legislation or enforcement powers covering horse dung is that unlike dog fouling, horse dung from a healthy horse presents no risk to human health."
The science shows that risks are higher with meat-eating dogs as their poo can contain bacteria such as Salmonella, E. Coli and Campylobacter, which can be dangerous if transmitted to other pets or humans.
Horses' plant-based diets mean the risks of toxins are significantly lower, even if their piles of manure on the road are more sizeable.
While the science is clear, this does not mean everyone is happy about the different legal requirements.
One Redditor, Stooby2, said: "It's still as slippery as dog poo when you come around a corner on your bike /motorbike and there's piles of it across the road.
"No reason why it shouldn't be cleared up."
