Getting and Maintaining Permission to Ride on Other's Land

Most horse owners with open farm land around them would love to ride on it.  But when the landowner doesn't want riders on their property, they often wonder why?    

For the most part it's an issue of possible liability and also the chance of crop or property damage according to Laurie Cerny, editor of www.goodhorse-keeping.com

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Trail Rider

Horse drinking water on trail

Photo Credit to Karen Tappenden 

And if you are fortunate enough to be given permission to ride on your neighbor's land Cerny says you need to consider it a privilege.

"If you get the OK to ride on someone's property you better be respectful and practice the 'leave no trace behind' mindset," she says.  "Furthermore, if you want to continue to have access to the land you better not take advantage of the owner's good will."

 Cerny recently gave a life-long neighbor permission to be on her late father's farm.  However, when he brought a couple of friends along she wasn't too happy about it.  She said, "I gave him and him only permission because he's a neighbor.  I do not want other people who I don't know on the land."  

Cerny said this incident will now make her very leery of giving others permission.  After talking with him and clarifying that he is the only one allowed, if he, again, brings others she plans to no longer allow him on the farm.

  Here are some tips for getting and maintaining permission to ride on someone else's land:

• Get permission first.  Don't ride on the land and then ask afterward.
• Find out specifically where you can ride and what is off limits.
• Stay on dedicated paths/roads and out of the fields.
• Don't help yourself to produce being grown on the property.
• Leave no trace behind:  this means no tissue from a bathroom break and no empty water bottles.
• If you horse does some damage to a field - return and fix it, and/or offer to pay for the damages.
• Do not bring others on the property unless the owner has said it is OK.
• Make sure to close any gates that you open and ride through.
• Give a token of your appreciation at the end of the year like a gift card, etc.

Tips on Having A Safe First Trail Ride This Spring can also be found at www.goodhorse-keeping.com.            

www.goodhorse-keeping.com is devoted to the practical and affordable care of horses.   Find more articles and resources on horse care, as well as product reviews, at the website.

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