Hell’s Angels on Horseback

 

The front page of the Omaha World Herald was not kind to horse trail riders today.  The Wabash Trace near Council Bluffs was severely damaged by horse riders.  The paper states; “A group of horseback riders caused what has been described as the worst damage in the popular trail’s 18-year history”.  It was reported that thousands of divots, four to six inches deep was left in the limestone after horse riders rode on the limestone for up to four miles of the trail.  The limestone is not a horse trail, but a biking & hiking trail.  These horse riders severely damaged that trail for those users.  In this one article, all of our hard work in promoting trails is lost.  This is a PR nightmare!  If you were a park superintendent reading this article, would you be willing to gamble on putting horse trails in your park? 

 

In my heart of hearts, I know it was not real trail riders who did the damage.  We know better!  We know what it takes to get public land open to horse riders.  We know what damage hooves can do if a trail is muddy.  We know that trail sharing is very important to keep our horse trails open.  We do, don’t we?

 

Then how could this have happened?  Who feels they are “entitled” to destroy a trail for their own enjoyment?  So what if the horse trail is overgrown?  Clean it out!  Don’t destroy what other users have for an afternoon romp.  How selfish!  The management of Wabash Trace considers the damage done on this trail as vandalism!  Whoever did this is not one of us! 

 

Remember the Hell’s Angels motorcycle club?  Growing up, I recall just the mention of the Hell’s Angels brought fear.  And I thought every group of riders on the highway were the Angels; ready to raise havoc, mean… evil.  But they weren’t.  Most motorcycle riders are law abiding citizens out enjoying the warm weather like we are!  But what a cross they had to bear from those who gave biking a bad name.  I feel the same way now.  That article ruined our reputation and we will need to work hard to get it back.

 

If you think I am scolding you, don’t take it personal unless you were riding with what a friend referred to as the “cadre” on the Wabash Trace.  Just think of this as a wake-up call.  Please remember when on public land you are an ambassador for all horse trail riders.  You are representing me and I am representing you! 

 

And guess what.  I’m guilty.  I’ve rode my horse on limestone trails.    Luckily I didn’t damage them.  But why did I feel entitled to do that?  I won’t anymore.  If we want to keep riding our horses on public land, let’s follow the rules!

 

Contact the Iowa Horse Council and see if they have a trails committee like we have in Nebraska.  Public relations are important now.  Get with your saddle clubs and start brainstorming on ways you can help support trails in our states.  From trail clearings to clean-ups.  Keep in touch with management of not just Wabash Trace, but other trails that you enjoy.  Be their friend.  And with regards to this incident, offer a letter of support or assistance to the management of Wabash Trace.  Even with this damage, they are still hoping there can be a resolution.  No, it wasn’t us on that trail, but every horse trail rider is now suspect. 

 

The theme of the Nebraska Horse Trails Committee is “Ride with a smile, a light hand and gently on the land.”   Let’s set the example.  We are not the Hell’s Angels on horseback.

 

Sincerely,

Tammy Vasa

www.horsetrailriders.com

 

 

Link to the story in the Omaha World Herald

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=2358692

 

 

Here is a news article posted on the Wabash Trace.

March 30, 2007
CONTACT: Bill Danforth, President, Southwest Iowa Nature Trails

Phone: 712/246-1399

ALL HORSES NOW COMPLETELY BANNED FROM
WABASH TRACE NATURE TRAIL

After several incidents of trail abuse by horse riders, a
particularly devastating event recently occurred at the Council
Bluffs end of the trail. Immediately after the spring thaw, when the
Trace's crushed limestone surface was soft and most susceptible to
damage, and against posted restrictions, a group of horses
devastated the trail's crushed limestone surface.

Southwest Iowa Nature Trails, Inc. (SWINT) is the non-profit
organization that manages the Wabash Trace, a 63 mile trail along a
discontinued railbed that extends from Council Bluffs to the
Missouri border. SWINT's volunteers have maintained a parallel
bridle path within the right-of-way between Council Bluffs and
Mineola. The offending horse riders ignored the existing equestrian
path along with signs prohibiting horses on the limestone surface.

The parallel bridle path was originally created in the early 1990's
by caring and responsible equestrians. Those volunteers have since
moved from the area and no others stepped forward to take their
place. The bridle path suffered years of neglect. Maintenance of
the horse path has been re-adopted in the last few years by off-road
bicyclists and no horse riders have volunteered or taken any
responsibility for bridle path maintenance or control.

Because of the recent incident of severe trail damage, numerous
Trace volunteers have had to take vacation time from work to try to
repair the damage. Multiple passes by graders and smoothers have
only reduced the destruction. It has been called the worst case of
vandalism ever to be inflicted upon the 18 year old trail and
created a deeply cratered disaster area in the most used section of
trail surface. It has also caused a threat to the safety of
cyclists using that section.

As a result, SWINT Board of Directors voted unanimously to prohibit
horses from the entire length of the Wabash Trace Nature Trail.
Horses have always been prohibited south of Mineola. SWINT has also
decided to spend over a thousand dollars of its limited budget to
purchase a new piece of equipment to help smooth the surface. Signs
reflecting the prohibition of horses on the Trace are currently
being posted.

This prohibition may be reconsidered if an equestrian group would
volunteer to help maintain the bridle path and enforce restriction
of horse use within the corridor. However, those volunteer horse
riders must show commitment with manpower to maintain the trail, and
hold themselves and all horse riders accountable to good stewardship
of the Trace, before the prohibition is fully lifted.

If anyone has any information on who caused the vandalism, please
contact the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office at 712/328-4780.

If trail users observe horses on the right-of-way, inform the riders
that horses are prohibited from the Wabash Trace and that it is
especially important that they not ride on the crushed limestone
surface. If they do not leave immediately, or continue on the trail
surface, contact the county sheriff's office.