Whether you’re an avid trail rider or more comfortable in an arena, conservation of open space for equestrian endeavors should remain constantly on your radar. The loss of open space impacts the horse world in a plethora of ways, including limiting the places people can ride, allowing farms and stables to be encroached by residential and commercial developments, and making hay- and grain-growing land more difficult to keep in production.

The Urban Exodus Effect on Equestrian Space

We’ve all seen it: A farm we knew growing up or a park we used to ride in now surrounded by cookie cutter homes or strip malls, completely cut off from the countryside that used to envelope it.

“Urban sprawl” began in earnest in the 1950s, when people sought to leave city centers behind—and the noise, traffic and crime they often harbored—so they could have larger homes and yards in which to raise a family. Events like 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic created additional urban exoduses to more rural properties.

Often these new-acreage owners are not horse people, and they are frequently unaware of the culture of living in an equine community, like slowing down for horses on the roadways or not feeding horses in fields. Additionally, many are uneducated about not only the land requirements for horsekeeping, but also the benefits equines bring to communities.

“Many [horse owners] are concerned about the impact this could have on equine access to land [that has historically allowed riders to ride out and across it],” says Holley Groshek, executive director of the Equine Land Conservation Resource (ELCR). It’s critical for all equine enthusiasts to get involved in their communities to preserve equestrian culture.

Begin in Your Backyard

Though many horse owners and breeders are part of a statewide breed or discipline organization, to help preserve open space in your area for equestrian endeavors, begin by digging in even deeper and identifying what’s right in your backyard.

“We don’t really see [land conservation] issues developing by state, largely because conservation is a very local issue,” Groshek explains. “Land-related issues are greatly impacted by local factors, such as pressures from development, zoning, leadership and community culture,” rather than by nationwide factors.

If you’re a farm owner, one of the easiest ways to help safeguard open space is to place your property in a conservation easement, also called a conservation agreement or a conservation restriction. This is a voluntary agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a land trust that limits the use of the land into perpetuity.

Easements can include verbiage that preserves equestrian rights, including trail riding, hunting, teaching riding lessons, training, grazing, and hosting competitions—but only if there is no infringement on or harm to the characteristics the easement is designed to protect.

Conservation easements protect the property’s conservation value and guarantee that the land will never be developed. These types of agreements are particularly valuable, since property owners can continue to do with the land as they wish; they can even sell it or pass it on to family members.

Land with a conservation easement in place has no development potential, which lowers the property’s market value and in turn the estate tax when the farm changes hands. This option is often leveraged to ensure that property stays intact as it transfers between generations; there are also tax benefits available to those who donate their land to a conservation easement.

An easement “runs with the land,” meaning that no matter who owns the property, the restrictions for use remain in effect. Land trusts are private, nonprofit organizations that acquire conservation easements, accept donated easements, and steward easements to ensure conservation practices are followed.

The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) is overseen by the United Stated Department of Agriculture’s National Resources Conservation Service, a government entity that leverages local partners who are responsible for long-term stewardship of the easement.

PDR Protection

Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) protection is yet another option for farm owners, though it is not as widely available as conservation easements. This is an incentive-based, voluntary program designed to permanently protect land from development while allowing for private ownership and management.

Landowners enrolling in this program are given funds in exchange for their right to develop the land. One of the challenging aspects of PDR protection for local governments is the ability to secure funding with which to pay farm owners wishing to enroll in the program.

In PDR protection, as in conservation easements, exceptions can be made for the construction of homes for the farm owner and for his or her employees. Here too, the selling of development rights can reduce the inheritance tax and allow for multiple generations to inherit the property in its entirety.

PDR protection also makes the farm more affordable for young farmers, should the current owner wish to sell. The PDR protection program is governed by the Rural Land Management Board; like conservation easements, the transaction is permanently recorded on the property title and accompanies the land in perpetuity.

Get Down and Dirty

What can you do if you don’t own property you can protect? Plenty! Consider volunteering time with an organization that assists in clearing and maintaining equine trails and other open riding areas. Many local and state horse councils aid in this endeavor, and one of the most prolific organizations to assist in trail maintenance (and therefore, continuity) is the Back Country Horsemen of America (BCHA).

This nationwide nonprofit works in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service on hundreds of trail projects, working to alleviate the backlog of maintenance needed on trails to ensure they remain available to horseback riders. BCHA has chapters in 32 states, with more than 13,000 members who are dedicated to keeping trails on public lands open.

Craig Ferdig, marketing and media chairman of the BCHA, says that nearly half of U.S. Forest Service trails are maintained by volunteer efforts of the BCHA.

“Each chapter operates independently,” he says. “Our mission is to keep trails open in the wilderness—that may mean different things to different chapters.” For example, the high desert in Arizona is not as concerned with large, fallen trees as areas in the Northeast may be.

To give you an idea of the power behind this charity, since 1995, BCHA volunteers have donated volunteer hours worth $170.8 million to local and federal land-management agencies.

Don’t have a chapter near you, but still want to get involved? Many BCHA projects are days to weeks long and involve packing in all needed materials on the backs of equines.

“Our packing equines are our foundation,” says Ferdig. “They pack in saws, food—everything we need. You can be 30 miles into the wilderness with 15 people. No prior experience is necessary.”

What You Can Do to Help Conserve Equestrian Space

Looking for some additional ways to protect open equestrian space? Holley Groshek, Equine Land Conservation Resource (ELCR) executive director, suggests the following:

◆ Stay alert to what is happening in your community that may have a negative impact on access to land for equine activities or horsekeeping.

“Taking action earlier rather than later ensures better possible outcomes,” she says. “Often by the time ELCR is contacted, the local issue is at crisis level.”

◆ Work to have representation from the equine community in local leadership and on planning and zoning commissions; this ensures that equestrian needs are heard and understood. Often the decisions that negatively impact horses in communities are unintentional—the decision makers simply don’t understand the needs of the equine community.

◆ Advocate continually for horses so that fellow residents and decision-makers understand the positive contributions horses bring to the community. These can include economic impacts, environmental benefits, beautiful views, promoting personal well-being, and helping to brand our communities, among others.

“Simply put, horses cannot provide these benefits without the land needed to support them,” says Groshek.

◆ If you enjoy access to public or private lands for equine activities, treat the land you ride on with respect and develop positive relationships with land managers and owners to encourage land availability for years to come.

Whether you’re conserving your own land, assisting with trail maintenance, or attending local and county-wide meetings to stay up to date on projected developments, ensuring land remains open and equine-friendly is the responsibility of every equine enthusiast.

This article about conservation of open spaces for equestrians and horses appeared in the August 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Conservation of Equestrian Space appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Without equines, we would not have the America we know today.

This is not at all exaggeration. Without the horses, mules, and donkeys that first came to North America, the early colonists would not have been able to survive the harsh climate, the West would not have been settled, farmers in the Midwest would not have been able to survive, and Native Americans would not have developed equestrian-based methods of hunting and warfare without the use of the mighty horse.

The equines of early America were hardy creatures that often had to fend for themselves. The rugged landscape and challenging climates, combined with scarce food and lack of veterinary care, shaped these horses and donkeys into tough, resilient breeds.

Hundreds of years later, the so-called “heritage” equine breeds are under threat. Competition from the tractor and automobile, along with two World Wars, helped wipe out equine populations around the world early in the 20th century. While a number of them survived the industrial age, some fared better than others. The heritage breeds that remain are some of the rarest and hardiest equines in the world.

Today, a handful remain in North America, representing what’s left of the original animals that worked alongside our ancestors, providing them with transportation, help on the farm, and even companionship.

Fight to Preserve

In 1978, an organization called The Conservancy was formed with the purpose of preserving these once common equines, along with other North American livestock. This nonprofit membership association works to protect endangered livestock breeds from extinction and is currently trying to save 150 breeds of cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits, poultry, horses, and donkeys. Of those 150 breeds of livestock, 37 are equines.

In 2006, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization estimated that an average of two domestic animal breeds are lost worldwide each week. In the U.S., The Livestock Conservancy is fighting to stem this tide. One of these efforts spawned the creation of the Endangered Equine Alliance, which held its first summit in 2018.

“The Endangered Equine Summit came about in response to a decades-long decline in horse breed registrations, not only for rare breeds, but also for more popular breeds, like Arabians and Saddlebreds,” says Charlene R. Couch, Ph.D., senior program manager for The Livestock Conservancy. “The economic challenges for all equine breeders are significant, but they are even more so for those who breed endangered horses and donkeys.”

According to Couch, ancient breeds such as the Akhal-Teke and Caspian, which have been human partners for thousands of years, are now gravely endangered.

“Even the iconic Cleveland Bay, Clydesdale, and Lipizzan horses are rare,” she says. “In our lifetime, we may bear witness to equine breed extinction.”

If the history of these breeds isn’t enough to inspire their preservation, their ability to contribute to modern equine gene pools should be.

“Heritage-breed horses are not just useful and beautiful—they are an irreplaceable reservoir of equine genetic diversity,” Couch says. “These animals offer valuable traits that were developed over centuries, such as stamina, unique gaits, hardiness, sound feet, and good skeletal structure. Many were important in the formation of America’s more popular breeds, like the American Quarter Horse. In many cases, the ancestral sources of these heritage breeds no longer exist, and that breed cannot be recreated. They are a true genetic treasure, and every loss could be significant for the future of the horse industry.”

The Endangered Equine Alliance

Shortly after the 2018 Summit, more than 50 equine breed associations, plus scientists, sporting groups, and horse industry representatives united to form the Endangered Equine Alliance. The Livestock Conservancy facilitates the exchange of information among Alliance members and serves as a central outlet for educational resources that support equine breed conservation.

So far, the Alliance has accomplished some significant goals, according to Couch.

“We have created a germplasm bank for endangered horse breeds,” she says. “The collection is a sort of ‘doomsday’ vault of genetic materials for breed conservation emergencies. Through the Alliance’s network, we facilitated the banking of semen from Newfoundland Ponies, the Marsh Tacky, Akhal-Teke, and Caspian horses so far, with other breed collections on the horizon.”

The Alliance has also worked to provide breeders with discounts from companies for semen and tissue collection of endangered equine breeds; published the Manual of Methods for Preservation of Valuable Equine Genetics, designed to help owners learn more about new reproduction technologies and how to use them to save breeds and bloodlines; hosted webinars and question-and-answer sessions with equine experts on DNA testing, advanced reproduction techniques, and marketing; and developed an Endangered Equine Alliance website for sharing articles and links, and a Rare Equine Breeds Facebook group that now has more than 2,000 followers worldwide.

“July has been designated as National Horse Month by The Livestock Conservancy, and throughout the month, we provide social media content and interviews with key individuals in the rare horse breed community,” Couch says. “Since 2018, The Livestock Conservancy has given out seven microgrants for rare horse and donkey-related projects.”

Help from Grants

The first National Endangered Equine Summit was made possible in large part by a grant from the USA Equestrian Trust, which is affiliated with U.S. Equestrian, the national governing body for most equestrian sports in the United States.

“The grant enabled The Livestock Conservancy to bring together representatives of approximately 50 endangered horse breed groups for the first summit,” Couch says. “The delegates to the Summit represented thousands of horse owners, and included participants from the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. The group was tasked with identifying the leading causes of equine breed population declines, and deciding [upon] actions that could be taken to stabilize the loss of breeds.”

Through the support of the USA Equestrian Trust, experts from the greater horse community, including sporting groups, equine-assisted therapy providers, university scientists, and national associations participated in the Summit. Panelists included partners at the American Horse Council, Texas A&M University, Virginia Tech, Uppsala University, the American Endurance Ride Conference, Natural Lifemanship Equine-Assisted Therapy, Rare Breeds Survival Trust/Stallion AI Services (U.K.), the Arabian Horse Association, the National Animal Interest Alliance, and the National Driving Society.

“The vision and support of the USA Equestrian Trust was crucial in bringing together such a wide representation of members of the equine industry,” Couch says. “Together, the participants saw the potential to accomplish great things by uniting in their efforts to conserve endangered equine breeds.”

Ongoing Support

In addition to work by the Endangered Equine Alliance, The Livestock Conservancy conducts an annual census of horse and donkey breeds to monitor their population growth and declines.

“We encourage registration of horses so that their numbers can be counted,” Couch says. “We maintain a large list of breeders and breed associations to help owners and enthusiasts connect with each other, share herd genetics, or collaborate on projects.”

The Conservancy also offers a competitive microgrants program to all heritage livestock and poultry growers, including horse and donkey breeders, to help boost their capacity for breeding, raising, and selling animals. They also assist owners in saving germplasm of valuable, rare bloodlines and individuals from breeds on the Conservation Priority List through discounts, networking, and other resources.

Some current research projects include genetic studies for Suffolk Punch, American Cream Draft horses, and Poitou donkeys, with the goal of uncovering genetic information that will help guide efforts to reduce the risks of inbreeding and support effective conservation.

“The Livestock Conservancy is all about education, research, and networking of owners and breeders so that we can safeguard the future of important breeds,” Couch says. “Together with owners, breeders, and the equine community, we want to move the needle for each breed, and make a meaningful contribution to its long-term survival.”

For more, visit www.livestockconservancy.org/aboutus/endangered-equine-alliance.

Breeds Needing Conservation

The Livestock Conservancy has placed the following horses on its list of critical and threatened endangered breeds:

◆ Akhal-Teke
◆ American Cream Draft
◆ Baca-Chica
◆ Banker
◆ Canadian Horse
◆ Caspian
◆ Choctaw
◆ Cleveland Bay
◆ Clydesdale
◆ Colonial Spanish Mustang
◆ Dales Pony
◆ Dartmoor
◆ Fell Pony
◆ Florida Cracker
◆ Galiceño
◆ Hackney Horse
◆ Highland Pony
◆ Irish Draught
◆ Lipizzan
◆ Marsh Tacky
◆ Newfoundland Pony
◆ Puerto Rican Paso Fino
◆ Rocky Mountain
◆ Santa Cruz
◆ Shire
◆ Suffolk Punch
◆ Sulphur
◆ Wilbur-Cruce

This article about endangered equine breeds appeared in the March 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Efforts to Save Endangered Equine Breeds appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.