Control of horses seems to have improved following reminders on social media from Ōpōtiki district councillor Barry Howe.

Mr Howe went public a few days ago after reports that Memorial Park playing fields had been fouled by horses just ahead of the rugby season.

As chair of the Ōpōtiki Rugby Club, he worried the fields would be declared unplayable just as junior rugby (JAB) teams assemble there in about two weeks.

“I loved horses when I was young too. Myself, my brother and all our mates were right into them, and I’ve always been a great supporter of keeping horses in town.

“But every now and then, we have a bit of an outbreak and things get out of control. People bring too many horses into town. Instead of restricting themselves to one-per-person, for some reason we’re getting some people bringing three or four.

“We haven’t got the grazing or the paddocks to hold them all. Then we get the scenario where the horses are hungry, so they come into Memorial Park.

“Soon we expect 200-300 JAB kids down here practising on Tuesdays and Thursdays for their winter sports.  We can’t have all this bloody horse sh*t from here to Kingdom Come.”

Horse dung carries a risk of tetanus infection (the tetanus bacteria is commonly found in soil and animal manure).

“We need this park cleaned up before the rugby season kicks off.

“Our horsey people know what’s required as most of them played JAB when they were kids. But I came down here this morning and there as eight to 10 horses on the park. Later there were only two (tethered), so I am hoping they came and took them away.”

A homeowner opposite the playing fields told Mr Howe he’d got out of bed last week to find three horses eating apples from a tree at the back of his property.

“It’s funny, but then again, it’s not funny as they then sh**t on his lawn and all over the footpath. We like our horsey people in Ōpōtiki to take control of the situation – which they do seem to do.

“The majority of them are responsible. We hold one of the biggest horse sports days in the country, comprising up to 200 horses which compete at the Rodeo Grounds.

“But now, we have this massive influx; people who are renting the paddocks get hoha (frustrated) with others who just chuck them in there. So, they get let out onto the roads.”

Mr Howe recalls a major council debate at which several councillors called for changes to the bylaw to ban horses in town.

“I was a strong advocate to say, ‘no’ we must have our horses. They’re something positive for our kids, rather than seeing them constantly playing computer games. Horses have been part of this community from year dot.”

Mr Howe said “big brother” coming in and laying down the law did not work in a town like Ōpōtiki.

“But what does work is when we get our own people to police our own problems – and previously they have done just that.

“Now we’re hoping that will happen, rather than us bringing in MPI to impound horses, get them euthanised or sent off to the works. That’s the last thing the council wants to do.”

There is already a rule that no stallions are to be brought into town.

“Stallions have been known to break down fences and create all sorts of chaos, we can’t have them in the township.

“Right now, my biggest concern is not having anywhere for the JAB kids to train. But I’m looking around and somebody seems to have moved all the (offending) horses on. So, fingers crossed.”