What You Can Do to Keep Horse Trails Open

Paradise. For some that’s an image of a tropical beach, for me it’s a dirt trail that twists and meanders to a backcountry camp deep in the wilderness. It’s a quiet solitude punctuated by the peaceful clip clop of hooves and the far scream of an eagle aloft. It’s the sweet perfume of pine on a warm summer day. It’s the companionship of a trusted horse who will faithfully take you home.

Unfortunately, in a growing number of cases paradise is padlocked.

In only a few short generations we’ve “improved” a lot of backcountry and rural areas into suburbia and shopping malls. Trail Closed signs are both dreaded and unfortunately frequently encountered. Lest we lose them, we’d better take care of the equine friendly country that remains.  Paradise needs protecting.

You don’t have to be a trail rider, or even have your own horse, to recognize the importance of conserving horse trails. There are many things that each of us can do to preserve equine trails. The following are three easy ways that I have found to help.

Volunteer

It’s not forest elves that are magically keeping your trails open. Budget cuts have slashed maintenance efforts on public lands. Most trail maintenance is done by volunteer organizations such as your state’s Horse Council, or your local Back Country Horsemen chapter.

Organizations such as these are a loud voice for horse riders across the nation. They protect riding trails and wild lands, take volunteers out to maintain trails, and promote equestrian activities as a healthful and enjoyable way to explore the outdoors.

You can help by joining these organizations. There are many great reasons to connect. To give back to your trails; the fun, the folks you meet, and the skills you’ll learn along the way. Amazing, hard-working volunteers are why trail maintenance programs can accomplish so much for horse trails every year.

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Be sure to check out www.trailmeister.com

What is TrailMeister?

TrailMeister is your free online resource for horse trails, horse camps, and all of the information you need for a successful and uneventful ride.

From trail maps, satellite imagery of the parking areas, links to land managers, and even interactive trail maps that you can share with other riders. TrailMeister is your one stop for trail riding information.

TrailMeister was started to solve the biggest problems with finding new places to ride. Where to find accurate information and what to expect once you get there.