VIEWPOINT


Riders in a storm


Horse riders’ legal right to roam is being denied – but now’s the time to make a stand WORDS RICHARD BATH


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mid all the chat about land reform, I wondered what would happen if we actu- ally enforced all the laws that currently


exist. There are endless examples of how we could do this, but by far the most egregious breach of current legislation concerns the right of access to the countryside – often known as the right to roam – which is usually cited as one of Holyrood’s greatest achievements. Under this legislation, which has been


uniquely successful in promoting exercise in one of the least healthy nations on Earth, walkers can roam wherever they like as long as they do so responsibly. Many have been aggres- sive in enforcing that right, even when it has led to spats with landowners such as Anne Gloag, who successfully went to court to stop the public walking too near her Perthshire home. However, the situation is very different for


Scotland’s estimated 150,000 horse riders. In large parts of the country, and particularly in


30 WWW.SCOTTISHFIELD.CO.UK


Perthshire, Fife and Angus, access to land for riding has declined significantly since the right to roam came into force in 2005. It doesn’t seem to matter that horse riding was specif- ically included in the legislation and that the nation’s horse riders have right on their side. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code is explicit


Above: These riders in Argyll are exercising their right to explore Scotland’s countryside, but many landowners are intent upon stopping horses coming onto their land – and it seems that little can be done about it.


on the rights and responsibilities of horse riders and landowners: ‘Under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, horse-riders and carriage drivers enjoy a right of access to most land in Scotland, provided that they behave respon- sibly. Land managers in turn are obliged to respect equestrian access rights and take proper account of the right of responsible access in managing their land.’ The code is also explicit about a whole load


of other facts. Horse riders, for instance, are under no obligation to seek prior permission or even to consult with land owners and manag- ers unless they wish to access land for activities


IMAGE: SCOTTISH VIEWPOINT/ALAMY


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