THACKLEY TRUMPIT MARCH 2014 BRIDLEWAYS

Birk Hill  
Grazing

The Trumpit has long been a supporter of the rights of everyone to enjoy the facilities of Birk Hill and we did not alter that view in the face of the Council’s high handed attitude to the rights of horse riders to also enjoy these facilities. Now this saga has been going on a long time and was , we hope, finally  settled in 2012 with the horse    riders winning the rights to ride over this land. However, the one thing this publication has been   opposed to over the last 14 years has been attempts by the Council to fence it off and use it for grazing. This we have opposed with petitions, meetings and any other forms of protest we could think up, with success at every turn. Now a new trend has emerged, horse owners taking their horses onto the Birk Hill Recreation Ground, unsaddled, wearing rugs with no intention of riding and allowing them to graze to their hearts      content. Now which “horse farm” they are coming from I am unable to tell, but this is an illegal act and could easily cause even more trouble with the Council.
The grazing of the odd horse may not appear to be of any consequence, but if the Council raise the issue again where do we stand? We are opposed to this practice and yet irresponsible people are condoning it. Horse riders have won the right to RIDE over this land not treat it as a private farm, there is plenty of pasture available, even though you may have to pay, there is no  excuse for allowing it on the Recreation Ground.
It must be remembered that should the Council take exception to these acts they could well ban horses from the Recreation Ground and we as residents would be unable to support them. So horse owners, pass the word to all your friends and ensure that the grazing of horses on the Recreation Ground stops, then there will be no more trouble with Council officials.