Michigan Votes Forum

Horse riding has inherent dangers and should be covered by insurance which the riding fees should pay for.  Good legislation!

I don't see any reference in the text of this proposed legislation that allocates the fees for insurance. The fees are to be used to maintain and improve the trails on state land for horseback riding.

Horseback riding imposes the most severe impact on natural resources of any non-motorized trail use, by a huge margin.  Furthermore, horse traffic on trails displaces all other forms of non-motorized use.  It is only proper, then, that equestrians pay a modest fee, as set out in this legislation, for the development and maintenance of a trail network for their use on public lands.

If, indeed, horseback trail riding in Michigan is an $8 billion “industry” as claimed above, then the proposed fees make good sense on two additional fronts. 

First, it is evident that trail riding is an activity for the relatively well-off, who certainly can afford to pay a modest fee for the use of public lands to support their activity.  Second, industrial use of public land should not be permitted without fees payable to the public coffers.

When will people of the "free" America realize that we are no longer "free".  If you want to allow the government to start dictating what can be done on public land, you might as well allow them to run the rest of you life as well.

Being "free" doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Public land is just that, public. It belongs to the people, all of the people. The government is the representative, in this nation at least, of the people. All of the people do not have the same interest. The government is tasked with protecting and using our public property for the good of all the people.

 First, I'd like to state that I am a trail rider and have ridden for as long as I can remember.  Having said that it saddens me to see horse people being so naive and disingenous. 

Horse absolutely impact and often damage trails, stream and river banks, as well as pollute water they defecate in and swim in if they have fly spray on.  Horse camp fire rings contain all kinds of things they shouldn't.  Manure is left or piled high just out of sight of the picket line areas.  I am not letting anyone else off the hook-after deer season, the woods are a sad sight as well.  Two cycle snowmobiles are a disgrace and mountain bikes are terribly destructive, but horse people need to clean up their act. 

The most vocal group against horses on state hunting lands is the MUCC.  Until horse people realize the clout MUCC has with the Michigan legislature we're not going to get a whole lot accomplished.  Until compromise is made with the MUCC, we ain't gettin' nowhere!  I don't know how valid the issues are with Pigeon River Forest, but we have to at least acknowledge that the possiblity exists that there is some validity to the MUCC and DNR claims.  Poo pooing them and crying foul is a senseless waste of time.

Regarding the complaints over bridle tags or extra money for trail useage, I am so sick of people complainging about something so short sighted.  I would gladly pay an extra $15 or $25 to get to use trails.  Is it fair?  I don't know , but life isn't fair.  Get over it!  Again, if you want to move forward, compromise for heaven's sake!  Hunters and anglers have had the "we pay so we get extra" on their side forever.  Ok, fine, I'll pay extra.  If I pay, I get to play.  I read something on this thread about why pay for nothing?  Nothing???  I want to ride on those trails.  That's a whole lot of something if you ask me!

All this petty arguing is just holding things up and giving the anti horse people exactly what they want.  We need to start listening, looking for common ground and working towards solutions so we can start riding! 

SO WELL PUT  TRAILUSER ! COME ON  PEOPLE, OPEN YOUR EYES! READ BETWEEN THE LINES> THIS BILL SHOULD NOT BE!NEXT STEP WILL BE TAX TO BREATH THE AIR!

rossmanl:

All this petty arguing is just holding things up and giving the anti horse people exactly what they want.  We need to start listening, looking for common ground and working towards solutions so we can start riding! 

Well said.

rossmanl:

 ...

All this petty arguing is just holding things up and giving the anti horse people exactly what they want.  We need to start listening, looking for common ground and working towards solutions so we can start riding! 

I don't know any "anti-horse people," but I do know quite a number of people who are very realistic about the impacts horses and horse traffic have on forest campsites, trails, and on other users.  It is refreshing to see a trail rider acknowledge those realities.  This -- recognition and acknowledgment of a problem -- is a big and usually difficult first step toward resovling the problem.

The common reality, I believe, is that all kinds of "users" enjoy and want access to state land.  The common ground to be sought is how to keep disparate uses, which have disparate impacts on the land and others' enjoyment of resources and facilities, from interfering with one another.  That will require some real give-and-take.

I agree that horseriding definitely has an impact on the environment - but so do many other sports/leisure activities that are not burdened with taxes yet. I have the feeling that if this bill is passed this is just the beginning :-/

 "First, it is evident that trail riding is an activity for the relatively well-off"? What? Take a look around. Horse owners like everyone else in this state have been hit hard by the fall of this economy. I am certainly not "well-off" as a single women making just over the state poverty level. But I do work my butt off to maintain my horse. And love him dearly. As I consider him one of my best friends. I work above and beyond my normal every day job to keep him. Most of the horse owners I know personally I would certainly NOT label as "well-off" but rather normal, everyday, hard working citizens of this state. In our local park, we are required to share our trails with all non-motorized use. Why should I have to pay to use if they don't?!!! Where will you all draw the line? If you want to see who is causing a "severe impact on the natural resources of any non-motorized trail" then get out there and see for yourself. It is the people who are leaving their shell casings and empty water bottles and pop/beer cans along the trails. Everything our horses leave is biodegradable. Don't go after the horse for the damage, look to the trail users who are human. Horses do nothing themselves that is not natural.

 What good is insurance for horse riders?  We have our own insurance that covers our 'inherent dangers'.