American Horse Council Press Release

Trails Manual

Washington DC-November 1, 2005-A new manual on the construction and maintenance of rural recreational horse trails is near completion. The American Horse Council has been working with Dr. Gene Wood of Clemson University on this project for the past year. Dr. Wood is a professor in the Department of Aquaculture, Fisheries and Wildlife at Clemson, and is a nationally-known and respected expert in the recreational trails community. Both parties have reviewed drafts of the manual and expect to have it completed by early 2006. The AHC Recreation Committee has also been involved in the manual’s preparation. The Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Forest Service continued to consider ways in which the manual can be distributed, including the possibility of posting it on the FHWA website.

This manual is the first of its kind in the equine industry. It is a critical project for the equine community because the manual demonstrates ways in which horse trails can be incorporated onto public land. As trail closures become more and more common, recreational riders need to demonstrate that they can participate in such activities while leaving minimal environmental impact, and this manual offers them yet another way to do so.