Farmers land owners etc. Allowing riders on land?

[PeterNatt]

I am a British Horse Society volunteer access officer in Hertfordshire and we have in the last 10 years applied for about 270 Bridleways and Restricted Byways. They do take time to come through but if more riders were members of the BHS it would be a more powerful lobying force as the BHS could demonstarte numbers when talking to national and local government bodies. If you need more Bridleways and Restricted Byways in your area then contact your local BHS Access Officer as they will be only too pleased to assist. With the advent of District Plans, Neighbourhood Plans, Active Travel and Cyling and Walking Infrastucture Initiatives there are alot of opportunities out there to obtain public funding for new routes. Also make sure that Equestrians are included as vulnerable road users when your local transport plans are reviewed as that means that the local Highway Authority has to consider Horse Riders and Carriage Drivers when making any changes to the road infrastructures or layouts. Much of this lies in the hands of horse riders and carriage drivers to actually do something and support the various initoiatives available. The issue with Permissive Paths is that they can be withdrawn at any time but a Public Bridleway or Public Restricted Byway will be there for future generations of Horse Riders and Carriage Drivers to use.

 

[Sandstone1]

I am a British Horse Society volunteer access officer in Hertfordshire and we have in the last 10 years applied for about 270 Bridleways and Restricted Byways. They do take time to come through but if more riders were members of the BHS it would be a more powerful lobying force as the BHS could demonstarte numbers when talking to national and local government bodies. If you need more Bridleways and Restricted Byways in your area then contact your local BHS Access Officer as they will be only too pleased to assist. With the advent of District Plans, Neighbourhood Plans, Active Travel and Cyling and Walking Infrastucture Initiatives there are alot of opportunities out there to obtain public funding for new routes. Also make sure that Equestrians are included as vulnerable road users when your local transport plans are reviewed as that means that the local Highway Authority has to consider Horse Riders and Carriage Drivers when making any changes to the road infrastructures or layouts. Much of this lies in the hands of horse riders and carriage drivers to actually do something and support the various initoiatives available. The issue with Permissive Paths is that they can be withdrawn at any time but a Public Bridleway or Public Restricted Byway will be there for future generations of Horse Riders and Carriage Drivers to use.

Yes I agree we need to do more to help ourselves. I have contacted BHS and am a member. It does seem from some replies on here that people are quite negative about it but if we do not stick together and try to get more routes we will soon find ourselves with no where to ride.

 

[FestiveG]

Part of the reason that people don't allow access to private land, is that when people are allowed access to one part, they then assume that they have the right to all the land around it.
There is a footpath next to our land, signs at both ends asking that dogs be kept on leads. Dogs roam the whole lot, hop over the wall into our sheep, "professional " dog walkers have six to eight dogs loose. The land the footpath is on used to be ridden by an eventer who lived in the farm house, no one else has been allowed on it, because the owners are well aware that people will run riot over it. They have had gates and fences destroyed by people on foot, what damage could horses do? We do have a local "common" which is ridden, but the teenagers jumping the memorial bench nearly put an end to that!

 

[poiuytrewq]

I'm a landowner and the insurmountable problem is always going to be insurance.

If you permit people to ride on your land, and they fall off/injure themselves and/or their horses, then YOU are held liable.

For this reason I wouldn't ever be able to open up the land to anyone else. Sadly.

This is precisely why the farm i live on won't allow it. I'm allowed but they aren't even keen on someone else riding my horse, or pony when i used to let a little kid ride him on the LR

 

[SEL]

I am a British Horse Society volunteer access officer in Hertfordshire and we have in the last 10 years applied for about 270 Bridleways and Restricted Byways. They do take time to come through but if more riders were members of the BHS it would be a more powerful lobying force as the BHS could demonstarte numbers when talking to national and local government bodies. If you need more Bridleways and Restricted Byways in your area then contact your local BHS Access Officer as they will be only too pleased to assist. With the advent of District Plans, Neighbourhood Plans, Active Travel and Cyling and Walking Infrastucture Initiatives there are alot of opportunities out there to obtain public funding for new routes. Also make sure that Equestrians are included as vulnerable road users when your local transport plans are reviewed as that means that the local Highway Authority has to consider Horse Riders and Carriage Drivers when making any changes to the road infrastructures or layouts. Much of this lies in the hands of horse riders and carriage drivers to actually do something and support the various initoiatives available. The issue with Permissive Paths is that they can be withdrawn at any time but a Public Bridleway or Public Restricted Byway will be there for future generations of Horse Riders and Carriage Drivers to use.

Peter - are these new bridleways you're applying for? How do you get landowners to agree to them?

 

[Ratface]

OK, the "we will lose subsidies" is really just an excuse to say no, the main reason being frightened of possible public liability issues, plus the thought of having loads of people riding where they shouldn't. I think when asked they immediately think it is going to be the local hunt coming through. Like saying "carriage drivers" - I think 2 old ladies with a shetland, they think Wells Fargo or the Queen's carriage. The subsidies thing can be an issue, but there are ways round it if they are keen.

There are certain estates and local farmers who DO allow riders for a fee. The South Staffs Bridlepaths society organise one, which is around the £100 plus mark for a season permit. There is also one near Bristol, and I daresay there are many more local schemes. Obviously is it is much easier if it is a large estate and one landowner involved in the administration.

However, what most people would find valuable is the thought of everyday local hacking made more pleasant and safer, with a network that joins up bridlepaths, the quiet lanes, woods, etc.The longest established organisation that does this is TROT - Toll Rides Off-road Trust. They got the idea from East Anglian Farm Rides and are based in Kent and have some networks up to 20 miles long, simply doing this. Finding a route that will join up bridepaths to avoid roads. Riders pay to TROT and they pay insurance and then divide out the amount of membership fees between the farmers according to how much land they contribute.

I have been involved in setting up these rides. It isn't easy. Actually I found that most people were in favour of the idea, the hardest part was to get riders to pay reliably. They were all very keen on the idea, but so many wanted to sneak in without paying, or complain that the amount for a subscription was too high. The thing with TROT is that you paid one subscription and then you could use any of the routes, you weren't confined to just your own ride, so it could be good value.

I found that before approaching a landowner you should have certain number of riders who are keen to help support it and committed to paying before you even approach the farmers, who can see why riders would want to get off the roads as much as possible. Most of their concerns can be overcome (TROT would give you tips, if you go with them). You need someone who will be riding their often to be the sort of local organiser, and know who should be there and who not. The farmers said that they hardly ever saw anyone using the route, even when it was newly opened with many members.

For the ones I was involved with - one is still going strong, the organiser lives next to where the horsebox parking is**). One was closed after riders were off the route and were rude to the (Lady) landowner's wife so all horse access was immediately stopped. The third closed because there weren't enough riders willing to pay, and it was a really nice ride, with woodland, field edges, places for a quick canter, but you only need a few people to stop paying for whatever reason - lame horse, moving house - and it becomes unviable.

** The ORIGINAL idea of TROT was simply to improve riders' daily hacking experience, NOT to be what I call a destination ride, where you put the horse in a trailer and take it somewhere, like a Farm Ride, and spend a couple of hours there. So if there are sufficient riders, like near a livery yard, parking for a horsebox is not always necessary.

I also have to say that there are a certain number of people who are completely opposed to any Permitted riding, thinking that it should all be a right of way. I know where they are coming from - BUT people want safer riding NOW, not wait for 20 years for a new bridlepath and there are places where there is never going to be a new bridlepath and if you can get safer riding now, then go for it.

Back in the day, I used the Kent TROT ride frequently. Loved it. Never met anyone else using it, though.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Peter - are these new bridleways you're applying for? How do you get landowners to agree to them?

Yes, Peter, please clarify further . Is this pressing for existing footpaths or byways to be upgraded to bridleways?

There was a successful upgrade of a footpath to a bridleway near us, in which I (and many others) lodged written affirmations that we had ridden it in the past.

ETA At least one of the landowners, an incomer who wasn't even happy about the existence of the footpath, was in fierce opposition to the upgrade to bridleway.

 

[PeterNatt]

Sel! and Tiddlypom! Many of these paths were ones that we carried out Historic research on and/or obtained User Evidence for and then put in an application to have them recorded on the Definitive Map as Bridleways of Restricted Byways. (The Definitive Map is the map that records all Public Rights of Way within a County). In addition we now get Equestrians included within neighbourghood plans, Local Plans, Local transport Plans, Active Travel, Greenways and Rights of Way Improvement Plans. We ask for Equestrians to be included in them as Vulnerable Road users. We also ask for circular local Routes. It is important to always put in comments for Neighbourhood Plans etc as soon as they annonce the plan so that one is in it. The issue is is that many equestrians fail to understand the importance of these plans so we are left out. If you hear of any plans and require asistance please contact your local BHS Access Officer who's details you can obtain from the Bridleway Department of the BHS H.Q Tel: 02476 840500 Good Luck!

 

[maisie06]

Cholsey Farm are slightly different and you pay to 'park and ride' from the farm but the riding does include quiet roads and public bridleways. I've been here a few times and the hacking is great.

Cholsey Farm Riding

Amazing Hacking The Chilterns 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' (AONB) is the perfect backdrop for you to enjoy hacking your own horse around our farm, along beautiful bridleways and quiet country lanes.

www.cholseyfarmriding.co.uk

More places like this would be great as parking is often the problem. I know of a few areas where I could hack (mainly) off road for miles and I have transport but often there is nowhere safe to park for loading/unloading horses.

There's a farm close by doing that, it's brilliant as most of the council or NT car parks now have height barriers or are crime hotspots. I asked if I could park my car there for some different dog walks - a YES and only £5 for a whole day in a safe secure area.