Breaux Bridge Outlaws Horseback Riding
Regulations passed in April deemed 'impractical'
August 26, 2009
By Ken Grissom
The Teche Today Newspaper
HORSEMEN BLACK AND WHITE protest an ordinance being discussed by the Breaux Bridge City Council at its regular meeting Aug. 11. The council by a vote of 4-1 agreed to prohibit the riding of horses on city streets. The ordinance doesn’t affect trail rides or the keeping of horses within the city limits.
The City Council Tuesday night pulled the trigger on its threat to prohibit horseback riding on city streets.
Citing public safety as their chief concern, the city fathers stressed that permitted trail rides would not be affected. Nor will the keeping of horses within the city limits, although that has spawned concerns as well.
Horsemen black and white attended the meeting to protest what they termed punishing the good for the deeds of a few bad apples. An earlier ordinance passed in April prohibits horseback riding on city streets after dark, and also specifically outlaws riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
While complaints about in-city horseback riding all involve black riders and generally emanate from the a predominately black part of town, it is patently not a black-and-white issue. A black man rose to complain about having to remove horse droppings from in front of his house and suffer damage to his rose bushes. White horse-lovers were among those protesting the additional regulation of a pastime of long tradition.
The two blacks on the council were split on the issue. Albert “Da Da” Menard cast the lone nay vote, saying “You can’t ban horse riding for one or two not doing the right thing.” But Howard “Doc” Alexander had little patience with those who claimed it was good healthy recreation for the youth.
“This is 2010 and we’re not fighting for our children to have access to computers, or to go swimming,” Alexander said. “No, we’re fighting for them to ride horses.”
This was after one young mother rose to plead on behalf of her neighborhood’s nascent horse culture. “There are no drugs now because of the horses,” she said. “And y’all want to take the horses away?”
City attorney Chester Cedars focused the issue on the matter of public safety, noting that Police Chief Charlie Thibodeaux has asked for the ban.
“The chief has said (the earlier ordinance) is impractical to enforce,’ Cedars said.
The ancillary issue of how horses are cared for in backyard “stables” is not addressed by this ordinance.
Regulations passed in April deemed 'impractical'
August 26, 2009
By Ken Grissom
The Teche Today Newspaper
The City Council Tuesday night pulled the trigger on its threat to prohibit horseback riding on city streets.
Citing public safety as their chief concern, the city fathers stressed that permitted trail rides would not be affected. Nor will the keeping of horses within the city limits, although that has spawned concerns as well.
Horsemen black and white attended the meeting to protest what they termed punishing the good for the deeds of a few bad apples. An earlier ordinance passed in April prohibits horseback riding on city streets after dark, and also specifically outlaws riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
While complaints about in-city horseback riding all involve black riders and generally emanate from the a predominately black part of town, it is patently not a black-and-white issue. A black man rose to complain about having to remove horse droppings from in front of his house and suffer damage to his rose bushes. White horse-lovers were among those protesting the additional regulation of a pastime of long tradition.
The two blacks on the council were split on the issue. Albert “Da Da” Menard cast the lone nay vote, saying “You can’t ban horse riding for one or two not doing the right thing.” But Howard “Doc” Alexander had little patience with those who claimed it was good healthy recreation for the youth.
“This is 2010 and we’re not fighting for our children to have access to computers, or to go swimming,” Alexander said. “No, we’re fighting for them to ride horses.”
This was after one young mother rose to plead on behalf of her neighborhood’s nascent horse culture. “There are no drugs now because of the horses,” she said. “And y’all want to take the horses away?”
City attorney Chester Cedars focused the issue on the matter of public safety, noting that Police Chief Charlie Thibodeaux has asked for the ban.
“The chief has said (the earlier ordinance) is impractical to enforce,’ Cedars said.
The ancillary issue of how horses are cared for in backyard “stables” is not addressed by this ordinance.
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