Horses have become a common sight on footpaths, council reserves, playgrounds, road berms and the like at Whatuwhiwhi and Tokerau Beach, and local Te Hiku Community Board member Lawrie Atkinson is not impressed.
"This is not the Wild West," he said, and the damage hooves were doing to reserves, and piles of excrement that were being left on footpaths, was not appreciated.
A recent weekend had been particularly irksome, the booking officer for the Karikari Hall turning up to inspect the facilities before an unveiling encountering a pile of horse dung in front of the entrance to the hall.
"This behaviour by the horse owners is totally unacceptable," Mr Atkinson said.
"Horses should not be on public reserves, playgrounds and footpaths.
