bridle path

Image:Bridleway in Ettington, Warwickshire.jpg

In England and Wales a bridleway is "a way over which the public has a right of way on foot and a right of way on horseback or leading a horse, with or without a right to drive animals along the way."s 329, Highways Act 1980 and s 192, Road Traffic Act 1988A Dictionary of Law Enforcement. Oxford University Press, 2007 Although Section 30 of the Countryside Act 1968 permits the riding of bicycles on public bridleways, the act says that it "shall not create any obligation to facilitate the use of the bridleway by cyclists". Thus the right to cycle exists even though it may be difficult to exercise on occasion, especially in winter. Cyclists using a bridleway are obliged to give way to other users on foot or horseback pursuant to the Countryside Act 1968.{{Cite legislation UK|type=act|year=1968|act=Countryside Act 1968|section=30}}

In London's Hyde Park the sand-covered avenue of Rotten Row is maintained as a bridleway and forms part of Hyde Park's South Ride.{{citation |title=UK Bridleway Finder - Hyde Park |date=2024-04-17 |url=https://bridleways.uk/bbox/%5B%5B-0.1748251,51.5018452%5D,%5B-0.1512785,51.5129791%5D%5D |access-date=2024-04-17}} It is convenient for the Household Cavalry, stabled nearby at Hyde Park Barracks in Knightsbridge, to exercise their horses.

Although bridleways are shown on Ordnance Survey maps, only the definitive map of the area (controlled by the county council) lists every legal bridle path.{{citation |author=Eventing Guide|title=Finding Bridleways – England, UK |place=England |publisher=Eventing Guide |url=https://eventingguide.com/finding-bridleways-england-uk/ |access-date=16 May 2020}}{{citation |date=2008 |author=Natural England|title=A guide to definitive maps and changes to public rights of way - 2008 Revision |place=England |publisher=Natural England |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/414670/definitive-map-guide.pdf |access-date=16 May 2020}}

In total there are over 76,000 separate bridleway routes with a total length of over 25,000 miles in England and Wales.{{Cite web |last=Roughton |first=Rafe |date=2024-02-08 |title=Rights of Way Statistics |url=https://rightsofway.uk/rights-of-way-statistics/ |access-date=2024-02-08}}{{Cite web |title=Statistics UK Bridleway Finder |url=https://bridleways.uk/statistics |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=bridleways.uk |language=en}}

{{See also|:Category:Bridleroutes in the United Kingdom}}

A number of long-distance multi-use trails have been created in England, including three National Trails: the Pennine Bridleway, {{convert|192|km|mi|0|abbr=in}}, The Ridgeway, {{convert|139|km|mi|0|abbr=in}},

and South Downs Way, {{convert|160|km|mi|0|abbr=in}}. The British Horse Society has promoted long-distance routes for horse riders known as bridleroutes, incorporating bridleways, byways and minor roads.Ride-UK: National Bridle Route Network provides details of other long-distance bridle routes at http://www.ride-uk.org.uk {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205075817/http://www.ride-uk.org.uk/ |date=2013-12-05 }}.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 specifically establishes a right to be on land for recreational, educational and certain other purposes and a right to cross land. Access rights apply to any non-motorised activities, including horse-riding but only if they are exercised responsibly, as specified in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

However, there is a lack of legally asserted public rights of way in Scotland, particularly for horse riding and cycling. Rights of way in Scotland mostly provide access for walkers, and only rarely for horse riders.Shared use paths and tracks - Scottish Natural Heritage {{cite web |url=http://www.snh.org.uk/publications/on-line/advisorynotes/71/71.html |title=Archived Document |access-date=2017-11-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160714122914/http://www.snh.org.uk/publications/on-line/advisorynotes/71/71.html |archive-date=2016-07-14 }}

In the Netherlands a bridleway (ruiterpad) is a special sand path for equestrians, largely free from other traffic, so that a rider does not inconvenience other users and vice versa. They are indicated with a sign and are both narrow and wide. Traffic is sometimes permitted on wide paths.

It is possible to ride some sections of the Trans Canada Trail, especially in Quebec[]https://tctrail.ca/activities/ride/ TCT

File:Old Bridle Path NH US sign.JPG

The United States has few if any formal designations for bridle paths, though horses are generally allowed on most state and federal trails, roads and public routes except where specifically restricted. Often, horses under saddle are subject to the same regulations as pedestrians or hikers where those requirements differ from those for cyclists. In most states, horses are classified as livestock and thus restricted from areas such as the right of way of the interstate highway system, though generally permitted to travel along the side of other roadways, especially in rural areas.

Urban bridle paths exist in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park (most notably Forbidden Drive along the Wissahickon Creek){{cite web|url=http://www.phila.gov/ParksandRecreation/placestogo/facilities/Pages/HorseStables.aspx|website=City of Philadelphia: Horse Stables|publisher=City of Philadelphia|access-date=2015-09-13|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913104959/http://www.phila.gov/ParksandRecreation/placestogo/facilities/Pages/HorseStables.aspx|archive-date=2015-09-13|title=Philadelphia Parks & Recreation | Homepage}} and New York City's Central Park

Some trails managed by the U. S. Forest Service and other governmental entities may restrict access of horses, or restrict access during certain times of the year. For example, horses are allowed on the American Discovery Trail, which crosses the country,http://www.discoverytrail.org {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150801112831/http://discoverytrail.org/ |date=2015-08-01 }}> but only on specific sections of the Appalachian Trail.{{cite web|url=http://www.discoverytrail.org|title=American Discovery Trail Society - the only coast-to-coast, non-motorized recreational trail for hiking, biking, riding|website=www.discoverytrail.org|access-date=26 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150801112831/http://discoverytrail.org/|archive-date=1 August 2015}} Access to trails and pathways on private land is generally left to the discretion of the landowner, subject to the general trespass laws of each of the 50 states.

The longest bridle trail in Australia is the Bicentennial National Trail, of 5,330 kilometres length, running from Cooktown, Queensland, to Healesville, Victoria. There are also some historic bridle trails, now not commonly used by horse traffic, such as The Bridle Track, the Six Foot Track, and The Corn Trail.

Image:East-Gippsland-Rail-Trail-Sign-2,-near-Bruthen,-30.08.2008.jpg signage in Victoria, Australia indicating the shared trail usage]]

Rail trails/paths are shared-use paths that make use of abandoned railway corridors. They can be used for walking, cycling, and often horse riding as well. The following description comes from Australia, but is applicable equally to other rail trails that exist throughout the world.

::Following the route of the railways, they cut through hills, under roads, over embankments and across gullies and creeks. Apart from being great places to walk, cycle or horse ride, rail trails are linear conservation corridors protecting native plants and animals. They often link remnant vegetation in farming areas and contain valuable flora and fauna habitat. Wineries and other attractions are near many trails as well as B&B's and other great places to stay.{{Cite web|url=https://www.railtrails.org.au/introduction/|title=Introduction – Rail Trails Australia|website=/www.railtrails.org.au|accessdate=Jul 26, 2022}}

Most trails have a gravel or dirt surface suitable for walking, mountain bikes and horses.

• Equestrian use of roadways
• Green lane
• List of rail trails
• Long-distance trail
• Right of way (transit)
• Right of way (disambiguation)
• Trail#Equestrian
• Trail riding

{{Reflist}}

• {{commons category-inline|Equestrian trails}}
• [http://www.bbtrust.org.uk/ Byways & Bridleways Trust]
• [http://www.thelongridersguild.com\ The Long Riders Guild]{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• [http://www.emagin.org/Routes_by_Region.aspx/ Riding trails in England and Wales]
• [http://parks.state.wa.us/481/ Bridle Trails State Park]
• [https://nps.gov/gett/planyourvisit/horseback-riding-trails.htm/index.htm Bridle Trails at Gettysburg]
• [https://bridleways.uk UK Bridleway Finder]

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Category:Types of thoroughfares

Category:Trails

Category:Equestrian sports