Click photo to enlarge
Dunedin Riding Centre owner Victoria Watt makes one last
trip along the banks of the Silver Stream after the Dunedin
City Council sent a letter threatening to fine horse riders
who rode in the area. Photo by Jane Dawber.
"We've all been inspired by the Speight's billboards, but
I'm afraid the reality is very different for the majority of
leisure horse riders on the Taieri," Dunedin Riding Centre
owner Victoria Watt says.
"The roads are increasingly busy and unless you are lucky
enough to own a farm, there is nowhere safe to ride on the
Taieri."
And now the Dunedin City Council has sent Ms Watt a letter
saying if she and other Taieri horse lovers continue to ride
along the favoured and safe banks of the Silver Stream, they
will be fined.
Ms Watt said traditionally, riders had been able to ride
along the banks between Wingatui Rd and the sports fields in
Mosgiel.
But during the past decade, the usable length had been
shortened by housing developments and the Dunedin City
Council had introduced bylaws prohibiting people from riding
horses there.
She said Taieri residents continued to ride along the banks
because the risk of riding on open roadsides was too high and
there was nowhere else safe to ride.
The lack of safe riding areas on the Taieri Plain was
worrying many riders, particularly after a horse had to be
euthanased due to its injuries last weekend when it was
spooked by a passing truck on Saddle Hill Rd.
Ms Watt said there were DCC areas at Ocean Grove Beach,
Waikouaiti Beach, Island Park Reserve and Ocean View
Recreation Reserve where riding was permitted, but nothing on
the Taieri.
Unless Taieri horse owners had horse floats, the DCC areas
were inaccessible, and the riding community has called for
the council to provide a bridle path on the Taieri.
Dunedin City Council Coastal Parks officer Renee Gordon said
horses were banned from the Silver Stream because the banks
were highly sensitive and horse hooves could cause damage.
"I understand their concerns about riding on the roadside,
but they need to find somewhere else to ride."
Ms Gordon suggested riders make a submission to the Mosgiel
Taieri Community Board about designating an area on the
Taieri specifically for leisure horse riding.
