Development and Economic Hard Times Result in Loss of land For Horse Activities

In these modern times of land development and economic hard times horse folk are having difficulty finding places to enjoy their pass time. Loss of open land for trail riding and other outdoor equestrian sports is a growing concern among various horsemen. Even horse complexes and indoor riding facilities are dwindling as the economy gets tighter.

Horse forums are full of posts asking where one can go to trail ride. Horse Councils have worked hard to build and maintain trails in state and national forests and parks. NC Bridle Trails is a blog keeps a list of locations in North Carolina that are open to horseback riding. Some require fees and permits. [http://ncbridletrails.wordpress.com/] More and more horses are kept in urban settings and have to trailer out to find a place to ride.

Having experienced this first hand, the land and stable I rented for my riding school was sold and now the land is part of a fast growing housing development. The barn was bulldozed to a heap of rumble, and now expensive houses have been built in its place. What used to be woodlands in that area is now a golf course. The trend is being repeated all over the country.

In response to this situation the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource  (ELCR), an organization dedicated to saving equestrian land, has conducted a survey about the loss of land used for horse-related competitions. They report that in the last twenty years the United States has lost an average of 6000 acres of open land per day.

  
In a press release, Deb Balliet, CEO of  ELCR says, "We have received an overwhelming and diverse response to our request. The loss of competition spaces for horses affects all breeds, disciplines and regions. This information is helpful in raising awareness of the land loss issue and moving horsemen into action. All land is conserved locally. We need local equestrians to become active to preserve our passion, our sport and our heritage. Once equestrians are motivated, the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource can provide the "how-to" information,"

A visit to ELCR’s website may give you some ideas on how you can help preserve land for horse events as well as helping improve the state of the planet. Perhaps the horse and the people who love them will be one of the vehicles to making our environment a better place for everyone.