sustainable trails, sustainable trail riding, sustainable trails for equestrian use, trail sustainability, horse trails, trail riding sustainability
Issues
BY SUSAN STORMER AND DEB BALLIET
Sustainable Tra
Here’s how to
build a sustainable
trail for equestrian
use, including de-
sign, construction,
and maintenance.
To help keep horse
trails open, ride on
trails designated
for horses, stay off
wet/muddy trails,
and participate in
sustainable trail
planning, building,
and maintenance
activities.
HEIDI NYLAND PHOTO
A trail designed and built with an
eye toward environmental and social
sustainability can allow you to explore
beautiful landscapes with minimal
impact and without evidence of your
passing.
A good trail can also provide an oasis
of natural serenity within the confines
of a largely urban environment, such as
the bridle path that winds through New
York City’s Central Park.
Conversely, a poorly built trail, or
one that was not designed but simply
created through unplanned user activity,
can lead to a lackluster experience.
It may simply be unpleasant due to bad
12
choice of path within the landscape, or
it can be downright dangerous.
Doing the hard, time-consuming
work right from the beginning of the
trail project pays off with less maintenance
in the future. Proper construction
greatly reduces the need to continually
repair and maintain trails, which allows
you to spend more time riding. The adage,
“Do it right the first time,” applies
to trail building, as well.
Fight Erosion
The purpose of a sustainable trail is
to provide users a way to access natural
areas on a defined path that is resistant
to erosion and causes minimal damage
to the environment.
Water is the primary cause of trail
erosion. This concept was summarized
neatly by trail building professional,
Mike Riter: “Water always wins; the trick
is in not letting it play the game.”
Many trail-building techniques have
been developed to minimize the impact
of water erosion. A sustainable trail
does not follow the fall line (the steepest
route of descent down a hill), but
rather goes with the contour of the
land. This keeps water off the trail and
minimizes erosion.
It is relatively easy to route a trail in
the lowest elevation area of a particular
landform. However, this is where water
will naturally pool and the trail will remain
wet and unusable for long periods
after a rain event. Whenever possible,
design and build a trail on a side slope.
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