Horse Riding is a Great Therapeutic Activity and Unfortunately Becoming More Difficult.
Road riding on horses can be quite an emotive subject, not only by motorists but also by other riders.
I took over mowing our local Tukituki Horse Trails shortly after recommencing riding approximately 12 months ago.
The speed and closeness at which vehicles pass my old tractor, as I trundle down the road to access the trail to be serviced, leaves no difficulty in imagining what would happen if a driver cut in too close to the horse. Most humans would freak out too!
Fortunately my horse doesn’t spook easily and his legs are taller than most vehicles bonnets so I am fairly comfortable with the situation but many riders would never consider putting their horse(s) on even one of our secondary roads. Although my settled old gentleman of a Standardbred, Harry, is quite steady I wouldn’t expect him to ignore a truck rushing past with curtain sider or other unsecured cover flapping.
Clement Powell supporting the 2024 PWASNZ Worldwide Awareness Ride - Hawkes Bay.
However, as part of our PWASNZ campaign last year we rode some rural roads in our area. These had a decent sized grass margin and considerate drivers of all types making their way, as we were also, towards Birdswood Café near Havelock North. This really demonstrated to me how great road riding could be with correctly designed side areas on all sorts of roads. Often this only requires semi flat margins which can be mowed, the trail dos not need to be kept level or smoothed for the most, only mowed occasionally for visibility and tidiness.
I would also like to insert here a big THANKS to the companies who have made Horse and Rider Awareness part of their SOPs (Standard Operating Procendures).
Cyclists have already had Multi Millions spent on making cycling safer and consequently more attractive as a pastime, and laws put in place to protect them. These tracks are often concrete surfaces. We don’t need that sort of cost on our trails.
For many urban dwelling and even rural town riders it is quite an effort to go riding, often requiring loading horse on to float for what may only be a short drive to the river trail or whatever. Then there is the issue of parking (filling up the carpark) and security for their vehicles and gear. To be able to access our off-road horse trails by safely riding direct would be awesome and I believe a lift to the sport.
Horse riding is a great therapeutic activity and unfortunately becoming more difficult and expensive as time and urban spread increases.
“I support the PWASNZ work because it is a necessary foundation to encourage recognition by various authorities and therefore protection by way of Laws and also consideration in future roading developments.”
Please get involved!
Clement Powell
Waipukurau
Register your ride via our website and click on this Google Map link to join a ride. The Google Map has all contact details for all PWASNZ official registered rides.
PWASNZ Driver Education
These are the 4 tips all riders need to share with drivers and forms the base on our communication for 2025 PWASNZ Worldwide Awareness Ride