Taken for a ride: Forestry England urged to scrap paid-for horse permits

George Orwell’s “four legs good, 2 legs better” has agelong been nan lawsuit erstwhile it comes to entree to England’s forests, nan British Horse Society contends. But “equality” whitethorn now beryllium successful sight. For decades, those wishing to thrust horses connected immoderate of nan country’s astir beautiful off-road routes person had to activity a permit, a spot of paperwork that neither pedestrians nor cyclists need.

Forestry England, which oversees that system, maintains that specified paid-for permits are important successful delicate sites to debar harm to nan situation aliases clashes betwixt equine riders and those enjoying a ramble aliases motorcycle thrust done nan countryside.

The connection successful equestrian circles successful caller days, however, is that contempt immoderate suspected reverse snobbery complete nan perceived high-born position of riders, nan “discrimination” of nan past whitethorn now beryllium coming to an end.

A caller consultation connected nan strategy of permits launched by nan forestry agency successful caller days and ending connected 9 April has fixed immoderate dream of a much equitable early to Mark Weston, head for entree astatine nan British Horse Society (BHS), and nan 3 cardinal riders he represents astatine nan charity.

“Horse riders should person free entree arsenic walkers and cyclists person free access,” he said. “It is discrimination.”

“In a batch of forests location aren’t permits astatine all, which conscionable demonstrates to america that they are not really needed,” he added. “Forestry England’s justification is that nan costs of nan permits is reinvested into nan routes but our position is that it doesn’t really hap and if it does happen, well, walkers and cyclists are benefiting from that finance astatine nan costs of equestrians.”

The BHS argues that location is simply a beardown information statement for amended access: successful 2022 alone, 68 horses were killed connected Britain’s roads and 139 group were injured.

Nevertheless, nan measurement guardant could beryllium dense going.

There person been well-publicised clashes betwixt cyclists and equine riders, astir precocious successful nan New Forest nationalist parkland successful Hampshire wherever a equine riding group called retired a increasing number of “rude and abusive cyclists”. It was noted that nan maturation of electrical cycles meant users could screen ample distances astatine a dangerously precocious speed.

A starring cycling kindness plays down concerns astir about overcrowding. Photograph: Keith Morris/Alamy

But Weston said reports of specified tensions were overblown.

“Sometimes it is said location will beryllium conflict betwixt equine riders, walkers and cyclists but everyone is allowed by rule to usage bridleways and nan grounds is that specified conflict does not exist,” he said. “There is simply a very, very mini proportionality – those stories make nan news but it is usually connected nan roadworthy than elsewhere.”

To nan statement that horses inflict greater harm to nan bridleways, Weston responded: “I don’t deliberation that is needfully nan lawsuit arsenic nan number we are talking astir is truthful overmuch little successful measurement [compared pinch walkers and cyclists].

“Also, what we are saying is that connected a batch of routes successful nan wood you person 20-tonne logging machinery utilizing those, truthful equine riders aren’t going to do immoderate harm astatine each to surfaces. We person been lobbying for a number of years astatine nan inequality and nan inequitable beingness of nan permits.”

A starring cyclist kindness has boosted morale astatine nan BHS by besides playing down concerns astir overcrowding.

“Cycling UK believes these tracks should beryllium unfastened to cyclists and equine riders arsenic a nationalist right, alternatively than requiring permits,” said Sophie Gordon, Cycling UK’s off-road campaigns manager. “This has been nan lawsuit for nationalist forests successful Wales and Scotland for almost 20 years without problems, and it would person awesome benefits successful England for getting much group to beryllium progressive outdoors.”

Weston said he expected location to beryllium minimal guidance to nan BHS’s lawsuit for jettisoning nan licence strategy contempt nan consciousness among immoderate successful nan equestrian organization that they are seen arsenic able capable to salary their way.

“These days that is not nan lawsuit and that is an aged stereotype,” Weston said. “You only person to admit group retired hacking locally connected ponies aren’t from nan able assemblage of society. Old images are very difficult to dissipate.”

Stuart Burgess, a spokesperson for Forestry England, said nan consultation connected really nan licence strategy was moving had received hundreds of submissions successful conscionable nan fewer first days and that it would return six to 8 weeks to measure nan data.

He insisted that permits remained an important portion of nan guidance of England’s forests though location was nary 1 clear expected result from nan process. “We decidedly request them successful immoderate peculiar places,” he said. “This is astir whether they are moving arsenic good arsenic tin be.”