Challenges we are facing:

No Land / No Horses
Many equestrians face the loss of land available for equestrian use – whether for riding, training, competing, breeding, or growing hay and grain. Land use loss is one of the greatest threats to horse owners and out country’s equestrian heritage. “The impending loss of open land for horse activities has reached crisis proportions” Deb Balliet, ELCR, CEO

Since 2000 economic, cultural, demographic and political forces have converted 13 million acres of rural land into subdivisions, malls, offices, roads, parking lots, and resorts. In practical terms: equestrians are losing 250 acres of open land per hour. From 1982-1997 34 billion acres of lands used for rural purposes were lost to development and therefore lost to equestrian access. US Dept of Agriculture

A study by the American Farmland Trust, 2002, Strategic Ranch Land in the Rocky Mountain West states: Low-density development threatens over five million acres of prime ranch land in Montana. Gallatin County’s farms and ranches were identified as the most endangered of the 263 counties in the study. These areas represent important natural resources “that could completely disappear by 2020, leaving a dent in the ecological, economic, and cultural fabric of local communities.”

What horses bring to our community
According to The American Horse Council there are almost seven million horses in the U.S. -- 2,970,000 of them are used for recreation. It is estimated that one in every 35 Americans are involved with horses in some way. Tens of millions of Americans participate as spectators at various equestrian events. The annual economic impact nationally exceeds $102 billion. The Montana State University Department of Animal and Range Sciences estimates that in the State of Montana there are between 150,000 and 180,000 horses.

In the Gallatin Valley the equine industry represents a large and growing sector of the economy. (Note, for example, the recent investment in new large-animal veterinary clinics in the valley).

What we decided to do about it
We believe equestrian activities are a critical part of the cultural heritage of our region, are fundamental to its identity -- past, present, and future -- and are critical to the Gallatin Valley’s quality of life.

Since equestrians work, ride, train, teach, learn, and compete in such diverse equine disciplines we have lacked a unified presence. However, the substantial constituency of equestrians in the Gallatin Valley region needs representation in the growth policy-making and planning process. As the valley grows, we feel we can preserve some of our heritage through trail corridors.

As such, we decided to form a non-profit organization to advocate, educate and unite to:

1. promote the acquisition and development of an equestrian park in the Gallatin Valley for recreation, competition, and learning in multiple equestrian disciplines, serving the larger region.
2. promote access to public trails for equestrian use throughout the Gallatin Valley.

- Advocate to establish, maintain and improve both city and Gallatin County public trails which include equestrian uses.

- Advocate for neighborhood equestrian trail easements throughout the Gallatin Valley

- Work with other organizations in maintenance and improvement of trails on public lands, and advocate for continued equestrian access on state and federal lands.

- Educate equestrians and the general public about safe and congenial interface between horses and all other users on public trails.

- Educate equestrians about the protection of natural resources on all trails.

- Unite equestrians, advocate for them with public officials, and educate everyone about including equestrians, and how trail user-groups can interface safely and be ecologically responsible.

We have the endorsement of about 25 local equestrian organizations, representing hundreds of equestrians of all disciplines in the Gallatin Valley region. We also have the endorsement of most large animal veterinarians in the Gallatin Valley, and many of the retailers that serve equestrians.


What we’ve accomplished to date

Trails advocacy:
With 150 petition signatures in hand, we made appeals to the Bozeman City Commissioners, who directed us to work with Bozeman Recreation and Parks Advisory Board (RPAB) and the Director of Parks & Recreation to prepare amendments to the Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails (PROST) plan for the inclusion of equestrians in the PROST trails system, which extends into the greater Bozeman area. Those proposed amendments and equine trail map have been submitted are now in progress with RPAB.

We are working closely with Gallatin Valley Land Trust, and coordinating with

We are eliciting the help of Equestrian Lands Conservation Resource (ELCR). A national organization in Lexington, KY, dedicated to advancing the conservation of land for horse-related activity.

Non-profit status:
We have application in progress, with donated help from experienced non-profit organizers.

Website:
This site designed and hosted by DL Technologies. The cost was donated.

Public Events:
We are organizing events to build awareness among the public and public officials that equestrians comprise a growing sector of our economy and are a vital part of the Valley’s cultural heritage.