It’s the kind of complaint only urban hipsters would care to air; that there is manure on the ground. But that’s exactly what Torontonians have been griping about this hot-as-heck summer, when the Toronto Police Mounted Unit have left behind some not-so-sweet-smelling surprises. Of course, we horse lovers can only laugh. Most of us relish the smell of horse farms, including manure; it is good for the soul, right?

But for the city-slicker on his or her bike pedaling like mad while balancing a latte in one hand, and their iPhone12 Pro in another, it ruins the effect of the urbane sophistication for which they strive.

One Twitter poser wrote, “Almost slipped to my death on the forty metric tons of shit the police horses left in the Dundas bike land…”

While another irate Millennial ranted, “Toronto: where the cops don’t pick up their horses’ shit off the road but we aren’t allowed to drink in parks.”

If you can figure out the connection on that last one, you’re a better person than me. This sort of whining from the so-hip-it-hurts 416 isn’t the first time the subject of police horse manure has been written about. Last year the website Blogto.com ran a story about the origins of the Toronto Police Mounted Unit, where Sergeant Kris McCarthy said the following.

“It’s been something that’s been spoken of for many, many years… Horse manure is completely non-harmful to humans…unlike dogs, they’re hay eaters, it’s no different than leaving grass clippings on your front lawn.”

McCarthy adds that there are such solutions as diapers and manure-catching gadgets for horses, those types of gear can be hazards for officers. His suggestion for Toronto’s elite complainers is to call 311, and wait “for the City to clean the streets, or just waiting for the manure to dry out and blow away in the wind.”

Or people can get over themselves ‒ there is far worse litter on the streets and parks of Toronto than manure.