10MR?

[Juggernaut]

I have never seen evidence of horse-caused damage in ANY park, but when I ride other parks, specifically at 6M this past weekend I was appalled at the damage from bikes.
A one time horse event is different from all year use from bikes.

First off, I'm ok with having hiking only trails... So long as they have always been hiking only trails and not reduction of access of other user groups.

Now, to the point of trail damage. Any "bad behavior" of any group will cause damage. I think we can all agree on that. Right?

Of the local multi use parks, I think it's also not telling tales out of school to say that the e-questerz (yes, I invented a word) are less likely to stomp around out on the trail in bad conditions than "some" MTBRs.

I do not think for one second that it's because the give a sh*t about trail damage, cuz I don't. But... because they don't want to injure (or kill) their horse. Ultimately, I don't care why they're not out in numbers locally in bad conditions, as long as they aren't.

But!!!!! To say that they don't cause significant and disproportionate trail damage is simply un-true. Every year at SSaP I pass sections of trail littered with deep hoof marks, displaced baby heads and compromised edge armaments with the telltale "signs" if you get my meaning. I'm not saying it's malicious destructive activity. I'm just saying it is there.

Hey, when it snows and the "Snowshoers" go out, everyone is happy. But if the hikers go out first, "post-hole" hell... Everyone is sad.

Big weight + small contact patch + damp soft moldable surface (not sand) = Meh.

 

[mustclime]

I have never seen evidence of horse-caused damage in ANY park, but when I ride other parks, specifically at 6M this past weekend I was appalled at the damage from bikes.
A one time horse event is different from all year use from bikes.

Yea, a fat guy on a fat bike must do why more damage than some person on a 2000 pound animal. I mean those soft under inflated rubber tires must do way more damage than those steel shod giant animals, Right?
I like to ride a couple trails that the horse people like to ride. Every time they ride after a rain it looks someone has walked down the trail shooting a large caliber handgun into the ground ever couple of feet. I guess we should not talk about all the head sized rocks that are "kicked" out of the ground ether when the "dog food on the hoof" comes through ..... Next time I go for a ride I will snap a couple shots and post them up but the math is simple. Take a 2000 lb horse, and divide by 4 hooves...thats 500lbs a hoof while standing.....A house hoof is about 3 inches by 3 inches or 9 square inches to spread out 500lbs....until the horse walks. When horse walks it keeps 2 feet on the ground ant any one time, that means you are spreading out 2000 lbs over 18 square inches..... How could that ever hurt a trail? Now do the math on a mountain bike and tell me bikes do more damage.

 

[The Kalmyk]

Let's trade our bikes in for horses. We can access everything a bike can and then some. AND we won't have to participate in trail maintenance

 

[Juggernaut]

Let's trade our bikes in for horses. We can access everything a bike can and then some. AND we won't have to participate in trail maintenance

Anyone got a link for carbon fiber horseshoes? And I'm gonna need one of those saddles with the cut-out... Cuz numbness.

 

[rick81721]

Anyone got a link for carbon fiber horseshoes? And I'm gonna need one of those saddles with the cut-out... Cuz numbness.

Can't horses wear giant clown shoes? Might cut down on the irritating clop-clop noise too

 

[w_b]

or maybe snowshoes? Yeah snowshoes for horsesses, that's the ticket

 

[soundz]

I'm in somewhat but not total agreement with @Arwen's Mom.

My observation is that:

- In most of the parks (trails) I bike at, most of human damage I see is from bikes.

- In most of the parks (trails) that I hike, most of the human damage I see if from hikers.

- I don't ride horses, but in most of the parks (trails) that are used by horse riders, I'm sure most of the human damage is from humans riding horses.

That's not to say I have never seen horse hoof damage at 6MR or Stewart. I just don't see them as much as I see tire tracks at least on the trails I ride. In fact, I have never ever seen a horse rider at 6MR or Stewart on the trails that I ride. I have run into some horse riders on the trails at Allaire once, but I have never seen any hoof prints at Allaire at least on the trails I ride. If you go to any of these parks some time after a wet day, you are guaranteed to see tire marks in mud.

All trail users do damage if you ride/walk over mud. If there are more bikes than horses, bikes will do more damage. If there are more horses than bikes, horses will do more damage. At 6MR there are more bikes than horses. I suspect 1 horse will do more damage than 1 bike over the length of 1 muddy trail.

In all of the parks I have been to, the biggest type of damage is caused by fall-line water run-offs. Like grand canyon type of stuff. I haven't seen bikes or horses make grand canyons.

 

[Rusty]

Today I learned it's NOT safe for work to google image search for "horse in clown shoes".

 

[w_b]

Let's trade our bikes in for horses. We can access everything a bike can and then some. AND we won't have to participate in trail maintenance

This wood work; except I can't get behind (pun intended) it being alright to shit on the trails. Hey Equestrians! Howz about I drop a deuce on your doorstep? At least pick up after yourself!

 

[Patrick]

horses are big vegetarians. like a big rabbit (actually not tru, rabbit digestive system is built backwards so they need to eat their poop) - to the point, it looks bad, but NBD.

 

[w_b]

horses are big vegetarians. like a big rabbit (actually not tru, rabbit digestive system is built backwards so they need to eat their poop) - to the point, it looks bad, but NBD.

Don't care what they eat or the composition of their shit. Just don't want to shred thru it at speed. It is a BD to me, it's shit!

 

[Patrick]

Don't care what they eat or the composition of their shit. Just don't want to shred thru it at speed. It is a BD to me, it's shit!

i shouldda put a smiley - you are right, it sucks....

 

[Johnny Utah]

I have never seen evidence of horse-caused damage in ANY park, but when I ride other parks, specifically at 6M this past weekend I was appalled at the damage from bikes.
A one time horse event is different from all year use from bikes.

........... Where you been ridin?

 

[w_b]

i shouldda put a smiley - you are right, it sucks....

---interwebs stripped of the sarcasm--- end rant