Do you ride in "no tresspassing" areas?

[McGurk]

YOU’RE not going to sue, but how about your insurance company? Or the providers who treat you after your injured? Or the person who wrecked their car avoiding your loose horse? Do you understand how the liability equation works?

If you don’t have insurance, or you have high deductible insurance, the providers or other litigants go looking for assets if you can’t pay; and the next stop is the landowner, because the landowner has an obvious asset to attach.

As a landowner, I’m delighted to hear you don’t plan to sue, but I’d rather see you have really good insurance, a helmet and a signed liability waiver.

[wcporter]

Hell no.

Absolutely not.

Would never consider it.

No way no how.

And I even grew up in the “suburbs”

[SilkSkotch]

Posted or not I ALWAYS make sure I have permission from the land owner. Some land owners do not want the added liability if someone gets hurt on their property and honestly I can’t blame them with how sue happy people are.

If they are just fields check with you local goverment to see who owns the property and send them a letter or stop by the address to where the tax bill goes. Of course bring some yummy treats to help sweeten them up!

One man’s land I used to ride on appreciated seeing the horses often and loved that we left him know if anyone was on his land hunting or doing anything else that he didn’t know about.

So rule of thumb - ask permission before riding (don’t spoil it for others)

[AlterN8tive]

[QUOTE=paulaedwina;7071044]
I think alot of it is fear of liability. Fix that and I think alot of people will unclench. But as long as you can get sued for someone injuring themselves on your property you’re going to want to control who comes on and what they’re doing.

Paula[/QUOTE]

Not necessarily. A LOT of it could be that they worked hard to earn enough money to buy their piece of dream land and they just don’t want to share it. Ever. With anyone.

Even if I could never be found liable for someone’s injury, I’d STILL NOT want anyone randomly riding on my land.

A LOT of bit*hing and moaning is done on this board about about neighbors feeding horses across the fence, coming into the pasture, etc. etc. etc. And we get all up in arms about it. I don’t see how the OP thinks the riding on posted land is any different. If it ain’t yours, LEAVE IT ALONE.

[Canaqua]

Gee…I can’t imagine going on anyone’s private land, to do anything, posted or not, without getting permission first. I’d be pretty angry if a stranger felt entitled to use anything of mine without asking first.

I live in a formerly rural, mostly suburban now, town that still has a fair amount of open space, but not ALL of it is publicly accessible. Horse is boarded elsewhere, so my desire to use open space and trails is strictly for hiking and dog walking. The Assessor’s office has a very nice GIS map, where you can look up who owns every parcel of land. There is a fair amount of town owned conservation land, that’s fine to use. There is some private land with conservation restrictions…SOME of which have public trail easements on them. If I’m looking for a new route and trying to figure out a way to avoid roads, I trace it on the GIS map and find out what the deal is on any given parcel I want to cross. If it is privately owned without a trail easement (these will be found on the deeds, which are available online here), I either write it off, or, if it’s really interesting, ASK the person or organization who owns it if I can walk across a specific part. Often the answer is “yes, just make sure to pick up dog poop” ;), but sometimes it is “no”. No big deal.

OP, if you still want to ride on those posted lands, ask the tax folks who owns it and contact them. If you don’t get permission, you can tell the disrespectful “others” that the owner does not, in fact, want people riding on their land. if the answer is “yes”, you can enjoy your ride with a clear conscience.

[cowgirljenn]

I started to ride across some open land near me when we first moved. I got 10 steps in and turned around - because I don’t want to be one of “those” people who trespasses. Unfortunately I have NO CLUE who owns the land as our county is stuck in the 1800s with their record keeping systems.

We have family land in Missouri, and I would be pretty angry if we showed up and found people riding across it. I would probably give permission if someone ASKED up front, but not if they just decided my land was their land.

We’ve had to run hunters off the land, too, who just showed up and decided to hunt. Very rude.

[Appsolute]

I don’t pass no tress-passing signs - ESPECIALLY on private property.

(and I look up the ownership of surrounding properties in the County records before I head out!)

But I DO tresspass - as in, ride on land without specific permission… but it is land owned by local conservation groups - which are funded with tax money (ie publically held).

Basically the trails have been there for as long as any one can remember. The land sold to the conservation group, and they put up signs “conservation land do not enter”. They have never enforced any sort of “no riding” policy as far as I know.

The other tresspassing I used to do - was again, onto conservation land, and I count it as tresspassing, as I passed through a gate (an old falling down one which I fixed I might add) to access the adjoining open space - although there were no keep out signs posted. Rode there for years, never saw a soul (besides lots of wild life). Just me, the horse, and 5,000 acres with ocean views to roam. It was pretty blissful, even if I did keep an eye out in case an open space patrol happened to come by on their yearly check!

[Angelico]

No. Never. Trespassers are rude and inconsiderate people. I’ve had people “invite” themselves to come hunting (I do NOT want the wildlife on my property killed for their sick entertainment) and they steal things. If I find someone trespassing, I call the game ranger. It’s a serious offense in my book. My book is the one that pays the taxes on the land and keeps it clean. If you’d like to help the landowner pay property taxes, as well as sign a waiver, I’m sure you could ride wherever you like. Otherwise, stop being a leech.

[Canaqua]

@Appsolute;7074652

Basically the trails have been there for as long as any one can remember. The land sold to the conservation group, and they put up signs “conservation land do not enter”. They have never enforced any sort of “no riding” policy as far as I know.

Seriously, they have signs saying “Do Not Enter” on land bought with public tax dollars? Ugh. That’s not the way it works here… conservation land, bought with public funds and controlled by the Conservation Commission or other entity is public land and anyone can enter it. They may have specific restrictions on what you can do on it (to protect that plant and wildlife habitats)…things like no motorized vehicles, wash your your boat hull before putting it in XYZ pond or don’t enter a certain field during plover nesting season (with specific dates)…

There is some privately owned land, with conservation restrictions on it, and THAT may be off limits, but not the public land.

[Foxtrot_s]

No - would not, without permission…like our Hunt has.

There are those who put up No Trespassing signs just to keep people out, even if it not their legal right - like along the edges of fishing streams, along the high water marks.

The fisherman, like horseriders, can be inconsiderate, leaving gates open, twisting wire into itself so they can crawl through and leaving dangerous fishing tackle and garbage around.

[Trakehner]

No, Hell No, Not going there, they’re placed there for a reason…just think of all the posts of people tresspassing to look at the pretty horses on COTH and how pissed people get–no difference.

Always ask, and I wouldn’t go to their house. Send a letter with a stamped return envelope and tell the people you’ll respect their property if they allow you to enter. It can help finding someone who knows the neighbor to inquire for you.

Now, if it’s an area where I know it’s common land and some people just don’t like people on “their” land…I’ll make sure it’s public and ignore the signs.

[wateryglen]

another thought…

Another angle is that just because someone else has permission to trespass doesn’t mean YOU do!! Just because someone you’re riding with does ; doesn’t mean you do. YOU have to get YOUR OWN permission to ride there. Just because a landowner is horse riding friendly by reputation doesn’t mean you still don’t ask. Just because the landowner lets the local foxhunt trespass; doesn’t mean all the local riders get to. THEY got permission…THEY provide liability releases…THEY provide inclusion on hunt liablility policies…YOU don’t. Easements are not public land also. Someone is still paying taxes on it and all users of an access easement have a contract governing how it’s used, it’s maintainance & who can use it between all the neighboring landowners. In Virginia anyway, one must get permission from all the easement owners to ride on one. I know all this from both the landowner, trespasser, easement holder and legal angles. I’ve had to seek legal counsel for disputes in these matters as well as experience with my own hunts. Word to the wise? Always get permission and all kinds of doors may open for you!!

[Appsolute]

[QUOTE=Canaqua;7074665]
Seriously, they have signs saying “Do Not Enter” on land bought with public tax dollars? Ugh. That’s not the way it works here… conservation land, bought with public funds and controlled by the Conservation Commission or other entity is public land and anyone can enter it. They may have specific restrictions on what you can do on it (to protect that plant and wildlife habitats)…things like no motorized vehicles, wash your your boat hull before putting it in XYZ pond or don’t enter a certain field during plover nesting season (with specific dates)…

There is some privately owned land, with conservation restrictions on it, and THAT may be off limits, but not the public land.[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately that is not the case around here. There are many large tracks of land which people have hiked on / ridden on / bike ridden on for MANY decades (at least 50 that I am aware of) - then POST (Peninsula Open Space Trust) or Mid Peninsula Open Space (tax dollar funded, and owner of the land surrounding my barn) acquires the land - and puts up keep out signs.

They DO build “official” trails at enormous expense on some of the lands - which are open to the public - and more suitable to high traffic.

But the more rural and remote tracks near where I live get do not enter signs, and are simply set aside as “open space for conservation”.

Now - don’t get me wrong, I REALLY appreciate what these groups do, often saving the land from subdivisions and McMansions - just don’t tell me I can’t keep riding where literally generations of my family have ridden.

And so far (been about 5 years since the property changed hands) I have not been told to stop riding there.

[sid]

I’ve never posted on this forum before…but THIS is one of my pet peeves for 25+ years since I built my farm.

When I opened my private breeding and training facility up to some boarding (as it turns out for a short time which is pursuant to this thread), and having been an avid trail rider, I set up a great set of trails at my farm for my boarders around my farm…wooded areas, open fields, creekds, you name it.

I was also able to get permission to develop trails on adjoining farm land that paralled a wonderful creek. I also had ride-out to the Manassas National Battlefield Park that has 5,000 acres of fabulous, dedicated horse trails.

My boarding agreement stipulated that the boarder/rider agreed to stay on the designated trails, and obey the rules of the MNBP as well.

Within a year of boarding, several boarders breached and just started wandering through others’ land (I got a complaint and they denied it…then the 2nd several months later, they were actually caught by the land owner, and I was contacted). This caused my farm to lose those privileges and all the hard work I’d done on developing and maintaining those trails for all to enjoy. These were adult, professional woman, btw. Ironically, one was an attorney.:mad:

I stopped boarding after only a few years for many reasons, but primarily, I didn’t want others’ wanderlust and rule-breaking rules ruin it for my farm, impose on my neighbors and wreck the goodwill with adjoining land owners.

Lord knows, with access to 5,000 acres of heavenly trails in the Park – or great trails around the farm for maybe a 40 minute “quickie hack”, I’ve never figured out why the heck people feel the need to wander into a no tresspass zone, especially when they’ve signed a boarding contract saying they would not do so.

I’m older now and would not ride to the park alone anymore like I used to in my younger years…but surely a nice hack on my trails and those that I developed only through the goodwill of my neighbors would be nice. Dang, my farm lost those privileges for life due to those who cheated. Still frosts me.

This is what gives horsemen a bad name and ruins it for others.:no:

Okay…rant over.

[Renae]

NEVER. NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER EVER. Trespassing on posted land for recreation or sport is the most un-neighborly and un-sportsman like thing a person can do! Find the land owner, ask permission, sign a hold harmless release for them if they say yes, and then agree to ride as they say, where they say if you ride on their land, or if they say no don’t ride there. Ever.

Also conservation land is not open territory for anyone. Much of it is purchased, bought and paid for, by private groups like Pheasants Forever, or left to the county, state, or a conservation group in people’s wills (often with stipulations about how it is to be used). CRP land is PRIVATE PROPERTY, its is still the farmer’s land, and it has very specific rules about it’s use, one of them being NO horseback riding.

[Canaqua]

The conservation stuff can be pretty complicated, and it’s different in each area. I just recently bought a biggish piece of land (for THIS area, you folks further south and west would laugh at our definition of “big” ;). On two sides, there are privately owned lots, with permanent conservation restrictions on them. ONE has a public trail easement on it…just the trail (no motorized vehicles) and can’t step off it…the town Conservation Commission maintains the trail. The second abutting lot, is privately owned, with a permanent conservation restriction, NO easements, not accessible to anyone. The third side is a lot that I also now own, but it has a “no build/keep it wild” restriction on it until 2050. That is private land, with no public access at all. It looks wild and unowned and accessible, but it’s not, I can’t even do anything on that land but walk over it, due to the deed restriction. And, yes, I’m paying taxes on the extra lot (bought by previous owner and then me, to keep a buffer between the main lot and a nearby subdivision), even though it is not usable by anyone. All the undeveloped land on our side of the street is owned by someone, who is paying taxes on it, even it restrictions forbid any development at all.

Our town as quite a bit of publicly owned conservation land (there’s a bunch across the street from my new lots)…no one is paying taxes on that, our tax dollars are supporting it, that is fair game for public use, within the bounds of restrictions (mostly no motorized vehicles).

[reubenT]

entirely depends on the area, who owns what, and what we intend to do.

here in central TN a lot of land is owned for timber, and most of the owners do not care if a 4 wheeler or horse crosses their land. The 'sang diggers roam over everything and anyone with some local sense realizes you might as well not care because they’re going to anyway, and most of us has dug it at sometime and knows how it works. Several thousand acres next to us is owned by a timber company, leased by a hunting club, and posted, but that’s just a front for liability or some such thing. I keep their fields mowed for my hay and their hunting desires. I’ll not usually ride it on weekends during hunting season, but if I do I’ll throw something orange on. Some properties are land licked, so going through one to get to another is an assumed right. When we bought our 80 acres, a neighbor in behind had built a driveway through our place and one spot it loops over onto the company land, but it wasn’t a problem, I help maintain it and we gave them a legal right of way in our deed. There are a few people around who seem to think they want no one stepping foot on what they own, but it makes no sense to the rest of us. Those are usually the people who moved in from somewhere else and who do not seem to have any “local common sense” as I might call it.

[candyappy]

[QUOTE=wireweiners;7071964]
Count me as one of the scofflaws. There is around 1000 acres of land in the CRP program at the end of our road. It has lots of nice roads through it and you can ride for miles. Its mostly used for duck hunting and occasionally deer hunting. There is a section of fence that has been knocked down by the feral hogs that I can ride through. The land is part of an estate and I’m not sure who owns it now. So I occasionally go through the gap in the fence and ride back there but not during hunting season. I’m not hurting anything and I’m not going to sue if I get hurt so I figure I’m not hurting anything.[/QUOTE]

The whole point is that the land is not yours to ride on just because it is there. Depending on what state you live in CRP land has restrictions on what is allowed to be done on it or with it. With today’s modern technology finding the owner and asking isn’t too difficult.

[2horseygirls]

Good advice all around.

Class and respect cannot be bought; well-to-do does not always equal well-mannered.

Sid #74 has an excellent point: someone can really screw it up for quite a lot of people when they decide the rules don’t apply to them. My BO has had to deal with trails being closed because people have breached off the trail. My barn is grandfathered into a VERY exclusive community, and most of the trails involve releases and easements from private property owners. If one of the owners in the middle of the trail segment gets fed up and pulls their permission, it voids that whole trail.

I would be concerned about being ‘guilty by association’ with this particular crowd.

[sid]

Riding your horse is a “right”…you own it.

Riding on land that you do not own is a “privilege”…even if you board your horse and riding areas/rules are designated.

It’s unforunate that too many horse owners get those two things confused way too often.

A major reason I stopped boarding and others who have lovely barns have as well.

Bummer for all. Horse owners complain about “development”, especially in the NoVA area…all the more reason to cherish what land is left and not lose privileges for acting in a renegade and selfish manner.

If you want to ride on others’ land, make a phone call, go meet the person…just don’t take advantage. Bad manners.