Lost Access Trails … Could Lead to Loss of Lives
Once upon a time…
horses were the main means of transport for post war Aotearoa New Zealand and served in wars alongside military personal.
Fast forward to 2025 and we find horses are banned from reserves and beaches, ousted from Crown Forests that have been onsold to overseas investors.
And most worrying is that we are excluded from pathways and trails that enable Vulnerable Road User groups to have a safer off road journey.
We are often forced onto 100km/hr roads with no safe berms.
Let’s unite and share all trails - riders are being excluded and forced to ride on roads that are not safe for Vulnerable Road Users like horse riders.
An alarming snapshot of examples of where horse riders have lost existing access
Historic Bridleway’s and Pack Tracks (originally built for horses) closed for horse use. These can be found throughout the country, and mostly found on public land.
One Forty One in Marlborough, a forestry company, has closed off all their forests and stopped public access to those where public access is allowed. They used the Health and Safety at Work Act too. It was never designed for people to use it against recreational users.
Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail, 2013 – trail is on old bridle paths and farm tracks – no horse access.
Palmerston North Manawatu River Bridlepath rebranded as the Manawatu Riverside Walkway 2024. Horses are still "allowed" but most new signage doesn't include horses. Local population now gets upset when horses are using it believing they shouldn't be there.
Hauraki Rail Trail - horse riders wanted to be included in the extension between Te Aroha and Matamata. It officially opened 1st November 2020. A petition to be included was given to Matamata Piako District Council. It was rejected. Horse riders were told it should have been discussed at the planning stage. I knew nothing about planning meetings taking place earlier. Not sure if it was very well advertised. I later asked the CEO why horses are not included. She told me horses would damage the surface! That stretch of the cycle trail is either concrete or tar sealed after the previous government threw money at "work ready" projects following covid. Horses can't damage it. I used to ride some of that road verge but now I'm not included.
Clutha River - lost access to tracks alongside the Clutha River. Now a cycle trail where no horses are allowed. 23 October 2013.
Horowhenua – loss of horse access to all parks and reserves in 2016, in particular
LOST access to Horowhenua Foxton Beach: Cousins Avenue Reserve 2016
LOST Horowhenua Foxton Beach: McKenzie trail 2016
All road users deserve to be safe on our roads, road users like Josephine from Te Whanganui-A-Tara
LOST Horowhenua Foxton Beach: Ferry reserve 2016
LOST Horowhenua Foxton: river loop walkway 2016
LOST Horowhenua Waitarere Beach: Access to South Forest through dunes 2016
LOST Horowhenua Levin: Kimberley Reserve 2016
LOST Horowhenua Target reserve forestry 2024 – after years of horse rider access - mountain bikers suddenly given exclusive access to all 3 forestry reserves, received 100k from HDC fund, decision to lock out horses was not notified and 5 year exclusive use MOU signed in 2024 with mountain bikers
Not included in shared pathway strategy, in particular: 2016
Riders are often forced onto unsafe berms not fit for purpose.
LOST Horowhenua Foxton Beach: Berm along Palmer Road 2018
LOST Horowhenua Levin: Berm along Queen Street East
LOST Horowhenua Levin: Trig walkway
LOST Horowhenua Waikawa Beach: beach access 2024
Wanted Horowhenua Change "shared paths" into multi-use paths.
Wanted Horowhenua Inclusion in new pathways.
Wanted Horowhenua Foxton: inclusion in Piriharakeke Walkway
Wanted Horowhenua Levin-Foxton: inclusion in O2NL path
Wanted Horowhenua Manawatu river bridge for slow traffic
Wanted Horowhenua Foxton - Foxton Beach connection
Wanted Horowhenua Foxton Beach: loop around town
Wanted Horowhenua Kuku Beach access
Wanted Horowhenua Stop fencing off wide berms for grazing.
Wanted Horowhenua Inclusion in City to Sea rail trail
Fairlie Opihi River Trail – existing rights taken away by a community group following maintenance on the trail.
Wellington City - all tracks, trails and beaches which dogs are allowed access to were previously also allowed to be used by other domestic animals under control (ridden or led, but not driven as stock) until April 2024 when a new heading added 'for style' which changed the interpretation of the paragraph and now excludes anything other than cats and dogs in spite of no reported incidents. There was no intention to change the 'intention', but it did.
Hokitika Racecourse - lost to proposed housing development (In progress)
Otekaieke Bridle Trail – is a trail mainly on public land but adjoining land owners control access, Otago DOC CMS excludes horses, and a review held allowed for a review to allow e-bikes and ignored horses.
Waitangi Forest – horse riders lost access. It’s run by DOC with access still granted to mountain bikes and walkers. We were fully ‘consulted’ for months - meetings, emails – but the axe came down very underhanded. Signage banning horses came up at every gate before the end of discussions, and DOC simply stopped responding to emails and phone calls.
Safe Inclusive Trails Save Lives on our Roads!
We all ride for many different reasons and we all want to return safely to our whānau after each ride.
Ruapehu District, Old Coach Road and Fisher track - both used to be a horse track. Now a cycling track and no horses allowed.
Hauraki Cycle Trail - Paeroa-Te Aroha-Matamata. Trail taken over wide road verge - horses aren't allowed on it and it pushes riders onto a narrow 100km/hr road
Selwyn District - Cycle paths have been constructed on rural verges and horses banned from using them preventing riders safely reaching quiet rural roadsides. This happened on Birches Road in Prebbleton.
Pareora - blocked public roads by Silver Fern Farms.
Hanmer Springs Forest Trails - most access removed when forest sold into private ownership
Otamatakou Scenic Reserve access track, a DOC reserve and a 5km track to it had signage stating horse access, but removed.
Waitaki – around 2014 Alps 2 Ocean, horse riders not included and pushed out of some existing tracks and DOC land. Had asked for inclusion at the planning stage in 2009.
Horse Riders and Carriage Drivers are often forced onto our roads - we all need to be safe - so please ensure you speak up and get involved to ensure we are not left out of planning by Councils across Aotearoa.
Horse Riders are being excluded in decisions around access. Here are some examples across Aotearoa.
Mt Grey Maukatere – November 2023 horse riders were allowed to cross a small section of commercial forestry via a locked gate, to access 1,400 hectares of public land. Subsequent negotiations for regular access have failed, with the forestry company agreeing to 4 weekends of the year and managed rides only. This is despite 24/7 mountain bike access for walkers and cyclists with a permit. Horse riders have organised themselves to be able to meet the permit conditions, and yet regular access is still refused.
Central South Trail Trust – established to build a trail in stages from Timaru through to Tekapo and traversing through communities along the way. Horse riders local to the areas have attended meetings, shared a desire to be included with respective local councils, the Trust and have been ignored. The trail was celebrated recently with a headline that read ‘Inclusive trail for …” Money to fund the trail has come from public rates and tax to date.
Dunedin to Waihola – requested horse riders be included in the proposal, attended a meeting circa 2023 but the cyclists did not want horse riders.
Otaki to North Levin - next part of the expressway from Transmission Gully North. It will have a cycleway and walkway but not a bridleway. There is a bridleway on the first two sections of the expressway. Decision by the Environment Court 2024. Both sections of the expressway to the south had previously included horses on the pathways.
Waikouaiti to Port Chalmers - a group is starting to put in a cycle way - discussion with the organisers in recent years has concluded there is little to no scope to include horse riding as part of this. Waikouaiti is an area with a long history with horses, including a race track, RDA, Rodeo and Pony Club. The steep terrain around Dunedin and the lack of riding trails means that there are very limited riding opportunities.
Tasman Great Taste Trail – no provision for horse riders
Kaikoura Whale Trail – no provision for horse riders. KDC has committed significant funds to advance the trail.
Rabbit Island, Nelson – no horse rider access to council-owned forestry Tracks
Great Taste Trail – managers of the trail have indicated cycle trails could be used by horses but official rules need to be amended to allow this.
Hokitika Heritage Trail – excluded
Twin Coast Cycle Trails - not included
Greymouth - not included as a user group on the Wilderness Trail, 2013
Ashhurst to Woodville - replacement for the Gorge initially was going to include horse access with the shared path but then horses were excluded after consultation and expectations raised. Reasoning - "too expensive" due to a short section that was a bit closer to the main road than the planners thought appropriate. Road due to open 2025.
New Plymouth – horse riders NOT included on a public trail in 2016 and then requested inclusion as part of a planned extension to the Coastal Walkway from Bell Block to Waitara. Horse riders submitted to the mayor and on several occasions to the council planners, but were disregarded. It is for walkers and cyclists only.
This is why your Voice Matters - if we do not speak up we will continue to be excluded. Be sure your local council hears your voice and knows what your communities needs are.
