Bell Block and Taranaki’s equestrian community is saddling up for a campaign to allow horses on walkways and cycle tracks. With only Lake Mangamahoe to horse around in currently, the Taranaki Equestrian Network said riders were very restricted in where they could ride, and at what time. They strongly support the idea of shared recreational trails. We’re sitting in a community that’s trying to proactively increase the amount of time where they’re out doing physical activity, so it’s a real shame to have a limit where we’re basically told to ride on your own farm, or don’t ride at all.” “We aren’t proposing that we necessarily ride on the coastal walkway paths, but where they’re developing large, open trails, then why not?”About two-thirds of New Zealand’s cycle and walking trails could accommodate horses, but only a few allow them. It is thought where the Coastal Walkway came out near the Bell Block Hickford Park Reserve, an unconcreted secondary path could have been established, but riders were banned from the area.
