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Dogs win, horses lose in horse beach closure

Rainer Repke, KallarooNorth Coast Times

I HAVE walked that beach about once a week for more than 10 years, sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon.

The horses can be at the 160 metre-stretch of the beach from Monday to Saturday until noon. The rest of the time the dogs have it all.

My observation is that most dogs come in the afternoons, by that time the horses are gone.

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So, where is the point to eliminate the horses?

The dogs will not win anything, the horses lose all.

I have talked to people who have signed the petition to increase the dog beach. Did they want the horses to go? No.

I have talked to tourists and they love to see the horses at the beach.

I have talked to a handicapped man. He says that riding his horse in the ocean is a great joy for him and the horse.

Moreover, not only are the horses owned by people living in Joondalup, Wanneroo and Bullsbrook, there are also horseowners living in Stirling and City Beach who use this horse beach.

Consequently, I see no conflict, no advantage for the dogs but a loss for the horses, the horseowners of the region, the tourists and people like me who just walk the beach.

I guess the council should vote No on June 28. That would end the story.

I hope that the horse community will attend that council meeting in numbers and ask questions and make statements.

RAINER REPKE, Kallaroo.