Horses on footpaths confusion

[blowsbubbles]

I was always under the impression that we are not allowed to ride on footpaths; however was looking at the BHS website here:
http://www.bhs.org.uk/access-and-bridleways/bridleways-and-routes-faq

It states this:

'Is it illegal to ride on a footpath?

Unless a traffic regulation order or relevant bylaw prohibits equestrian use, it is not a criminal offence to ride on a footpath. You may be trespassing unless you have the permission of the landowner, unless there are unrecorded higher rights on the path.'

So now I am a little confused!! Are we or are nt we allowed?

The highway code states this:
'54 You MUST NOT take a horse onto a footpath or pavement, and you should not take a horse onto a cycle track.'

Is this the law or just a guidance??


I have a few cracking footpaths near me perfect for horses; (e.g wide grass lanes type rather than going through fields type) which I am sure taking a horse up would nt cause damage but don't want to either upset anyone (no idea who owns them) nor get in trouble myself.

 

[wingedhorse]

I was always under the impression that we are not allowed to ride on footpaths; however was looking at the BHS website here:
http://www.bhs.org.uk/access-and-bridleways/bridleways-and-routes-faq

It states this:

'Is it illegal to ride on a footpath?

Unless a traffic regulation order or relevant bylaw prohibits equestrian use, it is not a criminal offence to ride on a footpath. You may be trespassing unless you have the permission of the landowner, unless there are unrecorded higher rights on the path.'

So now I am a little confused!! Are we or are nt we allowed?

The highway code states this:
'54 You MUST NOT take a horse onto a footpath or pavement, and you should not take a horse onto a cycle track.'

Is this the law or just a guidance??


I have a few cracking footpaths near me perfect for horses; (e.g wide grass lanes type rather than going through fields type) which I am sure taking a horse up would nt cause damage but don't want to either upset anyone (no idea who owns them) nor get in trouble myself.

it is clear. No horses on footpaths, unless have specific permission from landowner, and in your case you dont. My yard has a footpath between turnout fields. Yard owner owns footpath, we can obviously access it with horses.

 

[bakewell]

I'd ask the landowner, who can formalise permissive use (as a bridleway). You'll need to ask the local farms who owns the land. Someone will know.
If you go about it by getting the local authority on side if an objection is raised (say by landowner) that would mean the idea was fairly dead in the water and bad feeling created.

[From personal experience the major problem for most people who have footpaths through their land issues are: loose dogs, dogs going for stock, owners running after dogs all over crops, people on foot straying off the footpath (ie into the garden etc), and majorly... dog poo.
TBH I'd prefer a bridleway from the perspective of people are more cautious with their dogs around horses and horses don't chase cows. Not possible for all footpaths (access etc).
Possibly downsides: during disease outbreaks any right of way through your land can be a source of constant worry. Just bear in mind a right of way is often a total nightmare for the landowner so a polite in person call would go a long way to smoothing the route.]

 

[Pearlsasinger]

You may well not be welcome but it is not a crime.
Always best to get LO's permission unless the footpath is a disputed bridleway, as some round here are. The worst thing about horses on any path is that *some* riders are extremely irresponsible and cut up the going beyond belief.

 

[Passtheshampoo]

I regularly ride on footpaths not the ones at the side of the road though. Our local council put public footpath signs on many tracks, lanes and old packhorse trails back in the 1950s. They were obviously built for horses originally and in my mind they are incorrectly signed. Needless to say our Bridleways Group are putting upgrades in for them before the 2026 deadline.

 

[missrio]

In our area we have several paths which are designated as footpaths on the definitive map but which have been used by horse riders for many years.... we too are trying to get them upgraded before 2026 but keep hitting brick walls as we no longer have rights of way officers and the people in the relevant departments are totally clueless.... doesn't help the cause.

 

[happyclappy]

In our area ootpaths are very regularly used by horseriders. Thay are mainly council owned.

 

[Firefly9410]

If you decide to speak to the landowner about a permissive bridleway, some of the plusses for the landowner are that permissive bridleways can be closed for any reason at any time, temporarily or permanently, at the landowners discretion and a permissive bridleway is not a public right of way. It can never be upgraded to a right of way by historical use either.

 

[Kezzabell2]

I've ridden on foot paths but you have to be careful as some times there are gate ways that you can't get through or styles you can't climb over!

Where I used to live there was bridleways but you couldn't get to some of them without going on a certain footpath, was so annoying, so I used to just ride down it anyway!

 

[Bigbenji]

Has anyone had any luck approaching land owners? There is a footpath linking bridleways near me that would avoid having to use a road which is used as a rat run.
Not much fun using it with youngsters :/

Would the BHS ever approach a landowner on a members behalf? I know a lot of riders use the path anyway but it doesn't sit right with me. Would even be willing to pay a sub!

 

[Marmitesandwich]

I have a footpath that runs right next to my land. The bridle way is at the top of it. I own the footpath, so strictly speaking I can ride down it if I want (and always smile when I see riders squeeze along it (it's very narrow). However, I wouldn't ride down it myself as the local busy body dog walkers would kick off and I just can't be doing with the hassle.

 

[OWLIE185]

Just to explain that if any of you have a public right of way issue that the British Horse Society (BHS) has a volunteer County Access Officer for nearly every county in the United Kingdom. They are in charge of a team of access officers spread all over their county to assist with access issues. If you have any issues contact the BHS Access Department at BHS H.Q and they will provide you with the contact details of your Volunteer County BHS Access Officer who will be only to pleased to assist you with any issues you may have.

 

[sywell]

Some years ago we had discussions about using cycleways along trunk roads as they had an program on non motor user routes and we were making progress but the funding ran out and it stopped. I do not think anyone has ever been prosecuted for riding on a cycleway next to a major road and it is silly if cyclists do not have to ride on the carriageway and horses have to.

 

[pip6]

That bit of tarmac by the side of a road is a footWAY, a permissive right of way is a footPATH (sorry to be pedantic, I'm a highway engineer). The former I wouldn't recommend riding on, they are for pedestrians. The latter you can legally ride of with permission of the landowner over which it runs. I've run endurance competitions whose routes use footpaths with necessary permissions.

 

[RunToEarth]

In English law you have criminal and civil offences, evidently it is not a crime to trespass, however under tort it is a civil wrong which can be acted upon.

As you have stated, you must not take a horse onto a footpath - footpaths are not for horses, which is why many footpaths have impassable objects for horses such as kissing gates and stiles - they are designed for people on foot, hence the name.

You may not feel you would be "doing any harm" (no one ever is, right?) but imagine you plus every other horsey person in the area suddenly hacking down a grass track - 10 horses a day - in the depth of winter - you're not going to be doing any good are you?

PROWs are often a contentious issue, but they need to be catering for everyone, and that means opening some accesses into bridleways and keeping some as footpaths, for the walkers who don't wish to wallow in muddy bridleways all winter.

 

[sywell]

According to my NCC head of Highways the NCC does not own most roads they are only responsible for the road surface so as the land owner adjacent owns the land over which the road passes can the council prosecute you for riding on a footway as they do not own the land in most cases. where am I on the wrong line of thought.?

 

[sywell]

When I attended meetings of the RA and we wanted to upgrade footpaths into bridleways the main compalint was horse droppings.

 

[Firefly9410]

Has anyone had any luck approaching land owners? There is a footpath linking bridleways near me that would avoid having to use a road which is used as a rat run.
Not much fun using it with youngsters :/

Would the BHS ever approach a landowner on a members behalf? I know a lot of riders use the path anyway but it doesn't sit right with me. Would even be willing to pay a sub!

The BHS may not do it all for you but they would assist you. If riders have been using the path a long time, you may have a case for upgrading it to a bridleway (as a public right of way, not permissive route) due to historical use. A PROW would be permanent.