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5.1 Trails Issues

The existing system of equestrian trails in the Canberra area was developed largely in the 1970s and 1980s. This trail system was conceived initially as providing safe riding routes on the urban edge to serve the government horse paddocks and other agistment areas, and to link the horse holding areas with competition venues, thus enabling owners to ride their horses to local competitions. These are still relevant functions for the equestrian trail system, although the original trail concept has been distorted by having the Bicentennial National Trail (BNT) superimposed on it (see Phase 1 report Section 5.1 for further discussion).

The fundamental purpose of equestrian trails is to provide places where horses can be ridden in pleasant surroundings without conflict with other uses. This does not necessarily require formally designated trails and there are places such as pine forests where horses can be ridden generally throughout the area. It is necessary, however, for such areas to be accessible in the sense of not being barred by locked gates.

The erection of fences and gates without regard to the need for equestrian access is one way in which riding opportunities have been reduced in recent years. Similar problems can arise as a result of new development cutting across equestrian trails or routes, or road upgrading, erection of signs and other structures and landscape planting leading to the narrowing of road verges so that they are no longer safe for riding.

The existing trail network is focused mainly on the area close to Canberra, but there are some recreational riders who are interested in having safe routes which take them further afield to areas such as Kowen, Pierces Creek and Uriarra Forests or via alternative routes to Namadgi National Park. Another group with more extensive trail needs are the endurance riders who use longer trails for competition and training.

An area of major concern to some horse riders is the extent of restrictions which have been placed on riding within Canberra Nature Park areas because of perceived environmental impacts. In some cases the reasons for excluding horses from certain trails are apparent and are accepted, but there are other cases where the justification is not clear to horse riders. Coupled with the lack of clear permanent signage on some of these trails, this can lead to some horses being ridden on trails which are intended to be closed, which can increase the conflict between horse riders and land managers.

Virtually all areas used for recreational horse riding are multi-purpose areas. Even where trails have been dedicated and fenced for horse riding, these are used also by walkers and joggers and sometimes by cyclists. This is not a significant problem for horse riders provided that the trail areas are sufficiently wide and other users behave responsibly in the vicinity of horses.

From an equestrian viewpoint, it is not necessary or even desirable for trails to be fenced if they are otherwise well defined and signposted. Such a requirement can add significantly to the cost of trails, and may stem from a lack of trust by land managers that horse riders will keep to approved trails. More effective uses of funding for trail development would be in providing clearer signage as to which trails may or may not be used and in improving localised problem areas (e.g. areas of poor drainage) where concern about riding impacts has led to the total closure of trails which in other respects meet ACT Government guidelines for environmentally acceptable equestrian use.

It is likely that the concerns by all parties with respect to equestrian trails could be resolved through closer dialogue between the ACTEA and the ACT Government. A difficulty in this respect, however, has been the large number of ACT Government authorities which have some interest in the planning and management of the trails, and the apparent lack of any one of these being clearly responsible for the overall co-ordination of horse trail issues. As most initiatives by the ACTEA in relation to trails are likely to require action by the ACT Government, it is important to have clear lines of communication between the ACTEA and the responsible government authority, as well as between the relevant authorities themselves.

It is likely that awareness of equestrian trails among both the ACT Government and potential users would be enhanced by the availability of better information. In particular, there is a need for an up-to-date map of equestrian trails and other riding routes, similar in concept to the one produced for cycling. This could be complemented by the development of a website which shows recent changes to the trail system.

5.2 Trail Objectives

The following objectives are proposed for equestrian trails:

5.3 Trails Strategy

The following strategy is based on the fact that the development and management of equestrian trails in the ACT is essentially a government responsibility which is shared among several areas of the ACT Government. The role of the ACTEA includes making the government aware of the needs of equestrians, as well as making equestrians aware of government concerns. As with horse holding facilities, the strategy is based on successful partnerships with the relevant ACT Government agencies. It is also necessary for the agencies themselves to collaborate closely with respect to the above objectives.

The main elements of the ACTEA strategy for equestrian trails are as follows:

1. The ACTEA will seek to establish with the ACT Government a whole of government approach for equestrian trails which addresses the strategy for provision and upgrading of trails and other riding routes in accordance with ACTEA priorities. This approach should also address the possible impacts of future developments or other forms of trail closure on the existing trail network, and actions required to ameliorate these impacts. The ACTEA should have a clear primary point of contact with the ACT Government with respect to the trails strategy.
2. Within the framework of the strategy, the ACTEA will seek more effective separate dialogue with each government agency that has a significant role in the planning or management of equestrian trails or areas which may be used for general recreational riding. These agencies include Planning and Land Management, ACT Forests, Canberra Nature Park, Namadgi National Park, Canberra Urban Parks and Places and ACT Roads. The ACTEA will offer advice to land managers with respect to equestrian requirements for maintaining trails in a safe and serviceable condition.
3. The ACTEA will encourage the completion and maintenance of a continuous equestrian trail within or around the urban area of Canberra as its highest priority. This includes a continuous Bicentennial National Trail through the ACT.
4. As a second priority, the ACTEA will encourage the provision of general riding on public land in reasonable proximity to government or commercial horse holding facilities, with riding within these areas being restricted to designated trails only in situations where this can be clearly justified on environmental or safety grounds.
5. The ACTEA will endeavour to resolve conflicts over access to trails which are perceived to be environmentally sensitive by:
   1. promoting the concept of remedial works in localised sensitive situations on trails which are otherwise suitable for equestrian use;
   2. supporting clear signage of trails with respect to access to equestrians with a view to avoiding inadvertent use of closed trails; and
   3. taking steps to educate the local equestrian community, including riders who are not members of ACTEA clubs, with respect to responsible riding from an environmental perspective.
6. The ACTEA will promote within the ACT Government the requirements for maintaining safe access for horse riding along roads, and the consideration of equestrian needs in the planning and design of relevant roadworks.
7. The ACTEA will investigate with the ACT Government a means of producing a revised map of equestrian trails and other riding routes and of providing regular updates of information relating to equestrian trails.

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