American Horse Council Testifies to the National Parks Subcommittee

on Behalf of Recreational Riders

The House of Representatives Subcommittee on National Parks held an oversight hearing on December 14, 2005 to discuss the Organic Act and its implementation in the day-to-day management of the National Parks.

The Organic Act, enacted in 1916, granted the National Park Service (NPS) its land management authority. The Act provides for a dual mission: to preserve the parks and wildlife, while also providing for their enjoyment.

Jerry Fruth testified on behalf of the American Horse Council and represented recreational riders at the hearing. Mr. Fruth is the Chairman of the Federal Land Management Relations Committee of the American Endurance Ride Conference and a member of the AHC’s Recreation Committee. He has been an active endurance rider for over 30 years and a horse breeder. Mr. Fruth told the Subcommittee that the NPS has “severely limited riders’ access to horse trails and therefore failed in part of its mission to provide for the enjoyment of all users.” He offered ways in which the riding community and NPS could work together to expand trail access to riders.

“This hearing is a positive step towards beginning the dialogue between recreational riders and the National Park Service to allow riders to use and enjoy our National Parks,” said Jay Hickey, the President of the American Horse Council.

Mr. Fruth cited the historical use of saddle and pack animals in the development of our nation and our National Parks and how the NPS was turning away from its history of horse use on its land. The Committee was reminded by Mr. Fruth that President Teddy Roosevelt was inspired to start our network of National Parks after viewing them on horseback. “It is safe to say that the founders of our national park system developed these parks with horseback activity in mind,” Mr. Fruth testified. He urged the Committee to support the passage of Right to Ride legislation (H.R. 586) to preserve the legacy and historic use of pack and saddle animals in our National Parks.

Mr. Fruth suggested that the NPS “has failed to reach out to community-based groups and instead used an inward approach to park management.” This approach has effectively shut out and restricted large groups of users from our National Parks, including recreational riders. Mr. Fruth offered a number of examples where horseback riders are no longer allowed to ride on trails because of park management decisions, including the Mount Rainier and Mammoth Cave National Parks.

Mr. Fruth stated that all parties should set aside their philosophical differences and approach the issue of trail access in a practical way so as to determine what exactly constitutes impairment and preservation on our national lands and how the NPS can accommodate all user groups.

Chairman Pearce suggested that this was just the first of other hearings he intended to hold on the issues of preservation versus enjoyment.