Have You Ever Been Denied Access to Trail Riding on Federal Lands? We Need Your Input!

Re: American Horse Council

Date: July 23, 2009 Action Alert: AHC Seeks to Document Equestrian Access Issues on Public Land The American Horse Council has launched a new effort to collect information on access issues equestrians are experiencing on federal lands. The center piece of this effort is an AHC online form riders can use to report their personal experiences regarding trails and federal lands that have been closed to them or other access issues. This online form is located here Horse Council Survey. Efforts to gain support for legislation to protect equestrian access to public land have been hampered by a lack of information regarding the reduction of trails, trail heads and the closure of public lands to horses and pack animals. This new initiative will allow the recreational riding community to report when they are forced off a trail or are fighting to stay on a trail. This information will be used to clearly demonstrate the extent of the problem and the need for action on the part of Congress or the federal land agencies. The online form can also be used to document any successes riders have had keeping a trail or area open to horses. Such information is needed as well. The AHC is requesting that its member organizations help spread the word about this new program by placing information about it on their websites and or in their organization newsletters. More information about this initiative and the form to report access issues can be found here Horse Council. If you have had any access problems accessing public lands, please complete this form If you have friends who ride on public lands (at your barn, your neighborhood or farm), please share this survey with them. If you belong to any horse owner/rider organizations, please share this survey with them. We need to have our voices heard. Thank you. M. Sue Middendorf 11812 Ivanhoe Street Wheaton MD 20902-2052 301-942-7776 Sue Middie@yahoo.com