Dilemma…some really nice trails along agricultural fields here have “no trespassing” signs posted. And sometimes…I’ll admit, we ride there, mainly on Sundays , when the field workers are not out there…
Anyone else do this? Is it terrible or not? ( I know it is illegal but the trails are so nice…some riders do it all the time, some refuse to so I am in middle)
I don’t think it’s terrible I used to ride in no tresspassing woods and fields all the time. And never had anyone tell me not to ride on their land. I encountered some people at one sketchy property* that we used to ride on and they smiled and waved…but I have heard they shoot guns at (or around?) the four-wheeler kids if they dare ride ATV’s in that area. I figure if the sketchiest property owners don’t mind us riding their land, most other property owners must not mind either! It’s usually just me or one other person riding and I don’t bring a dog. I think most agricultural people know us horse people just want to mind our own business and enjoy a trail ride.
*I suspect their old uninhabited farmhouse out back in the woods full of old junk is actually meth lab and/or a grow house
This makes me nervous which is not my best emotion for a relaxing trail ride. One of the women I ride with is quite the trail blazer and these signs mean nothing to her. She has found herself in situations where the land owners have asked her “what the heck did you think the sign said?”. I’d try to get permission first.
I suspect the sign was put there for a reason. In TN if you ignore the sign you’ve committed the offense of Criminal Tresspass and it could cost you $50, 30 days in jail, plus court costs.
Further, it’s just plain rude to invade the close of another when you’ve been told not to. By the sign. Those who do it might not consider it a big deal, but it is to the land owner or they would not have spent the time and effort to put up the sign!!!
G.
I would not. No trespassing means people don’t want you on their land. I respect the signs.
Paula
I simply drive up to the houses on such properties, knock on the door, politely introduce myself, and ask permission. If it’s extra important or appealing, I’ll bring a bribe (cookies, bottle of wine, whatever). 99% of the time, they say they’d love to see horses out their windows 
Does “no trespassing” have an alternative meaning in other places??? If someone has posted their land, you should respect this. Would you appreciate it if someone brought their ATV’s over when you were not around? It IS illegal. If you would like to ask permission from the landowner, please do so, but do NOT be yet another rider who makes the rest of us look bad and lose access to more land precisely because of this issue.
wow…surprised how many people say they ignore the signs. It’s private property. They put up a sign to tell you they do not want anyone on their land…is that so hard to understand? I think it’s very disrespectful to ignore such signs. In many cases people will give permission to nice responsible horse owners going for an occasional trail ride, but as harnesphoto said…drive up to the house and ask. After a great season of authorized hacking on their land, a small gift and a thank you note would be appropriate.
Not only is it disrespectful… it could also be dangerous. For all you know, they spray crops with noxious substances that are toxic to horses. Or they have bear traps set. Or they have aggressive dogs. Or they hunt the property.
In one instance, I asked permission to ride at a large tree nursery. The owner was happy to allow it, but warned me that one section of the nursery had a TON of gopher holes and places that looked solid, but would cave in under weight. If I had just gone traipsing through, I could have ended up with a horse with a broken leg.
Not only is trespassing on marked land terrible, it’s a good way to turn a somewhat pro-horse landowner into an anti-horse landowner. If anyone tries to set up a contiguous trail system in the future, the rudeness of trespassers mean some people won’t even consider giving permission. Ask first and if you do get permission, offer to keep an eye out for any problems and let the landowner know.
As for just ignoring the signs, how would you like a family setting up their fourth of July picnic at your house just because you have a nicer yard? Gee you didn’t really mean it was off limits to them, did you?
Thanks for answers…:sigh:
I need to find out who owns the land to ask (nobody lives there it is tilled fields)
[QUOTE=fivesocks;7064551]
I don’t think it’s terrible I used to ride in no tresspassing woods and fields all the time. And never had anyone tell me not to ride on their land.[/QUOTE]
???
What does NO TRESPASSING mean to you? To me it says that the land owner does not want people on their land. period. If you wish to ride on someone’s land ( posted or not) then find out who owns it and get permission first. It is just common courtesy.
Also, you are putting yourself and your horse at risk. What if the owner likes to shoot a bow or practice his shooting? What if he does trapping? You have no clue what you are riding into.
I do all the time BUT only after I’ve stopped in and gotten permission from the landowner. I would NEVER ride on posted land without permission- it’s likely to get you shot around here.
As a landowner with posted No Trespassing signs:
I will consider allowing people to use my property if I know them, have “vetted” them, as it were, and informed them of the rules and regulations.
You can sure as hell bet that anyone I FIND using my property is going to be promptly ordered to leave, and NOT given the opportunity to ask to use it.
Nothing like taking your own peaceful trail ride on your own property and finding yourself harassed by someone else’s dog/kid on a bike/etc. My mule will also happily kill any dog that wanders into his field, and I don’t particularly relish the thought of finding a mushed-up dog one morning.
How rude. I can’t even imagine ignoring the signs, whether I was walking, riding, or driving.
This is the kind of entitled behavior that turns people against horse owners and gets our riding areas limited even more.
When I see a trail marked No Trespassing I don’t assume I am some special exception to the law because I am on a horse. I turn my horse around and go back onto trails I am allowed to ride on.
If it was that important to me to ride on private land I would do the responsible adult thing and seek landowner permission.
Not without permission. Horse hoof prints and droppings are a) conspicuous b) offensive to people who care about such things. Why borrow trouble?
I do actually ride on some agricultural land that is posted no trespassing. However, the landowner is ok with us being there. We make a point of notifying him when we’ve found any problems like dumping or a broken irrigation line. One time we even hauled out some hazardous waste someone had dumped. We had a way to dispose of it, so we let him know we were just going to take care of that little problem for him.
No. No NO NO. Not unless you have talked to the property owner and gotten permission. It’s not your property to do with as you please, the owner cares enough to have posted it, you should stay off it. Entitled riders who think that rules (no trespassing… clean up after your horse… etc…) definitely ruin things for other riders.
I also want to add that the same courtesy should apply to unposted property. Roads are public land, any other land should be off limits unless you have permission. Legal implications are likely different and probably vary from state to state, or in my case province, but it’s the right thing to do.
Ask permission. If you don’t know who owns the land, you can usually find out at your county GIS or assessment office. Many places even have this information online. If you are turned down, respect the landowner and keep out. If the owner allows you access, be responsible and take care of the land (don’t ride when it’s super wet, for example, or trample crops) and it would probably be nice to send them at least a note as a thank you. Horse people need to keep good relations with neighbors.
When trespassing, you are facing the possibility of prosecution, danger to yourself and your horses if you encounter an angry landowner with guns or dogs, other unknown dangers on the land (traps, poison), and you will not be able to sue if you or your horse are injured there.
Additionally, it is behavior like trespassing that makes increasing numbers of landowners wary of allowing horses at all and causes people to turn against the idea of public access horse trails that may pass near their property.
well the sign says No. No what? No trespassing, which is what you are doing if you ride on private property without permission.
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