# Horses on the road



## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

Is this really all the law pertaining to horses riding on public roads in Oregon? How do I actually find out if I can legally ride on the road?
Oregon Riding on Public Roads Statutes

I'd like to ride my horse through the small town next to where I board in order to get to a very nice multi-use trail that starts there (once it's summer again... I have no interest in doing that right now!) but was told that the town has banned horses on its streets. Someone else told me that they aren't actually allowed to ban horses on the main street (the only street I would need to ride on) because it's a state highway. The link above is the only one I could find that cites actual laws, and the only one that seems to apply is this one: 


> Each incorporated community within this state has power, by law or ordinance duly enacted, to regulate the use of its streets by horses and other animals to the extent that bridle paths may be designated upon certain streets and the animals may be prohibited on other streets.


I'm not really sure what this means- I read it as "a town cannot completely ban horse traffic; they may, however, designate a specific path for horse traffic to use and ban horse traffic off this designated path" I feel like I need to consult a lawyer to see if I can ride my horse :lol:


----------



## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

I interpret it the same as you - ridden horses are allowed, but towns can restrict which roads they are allowed on. I don't think you need a lawyer, you just need to call the town council/office/whatever-the-town-governing-body-is-and ask them. 

You'll need to be armed with the facts before you do ride, so that if anyone queries your right to be there you can confidently reply that you have checked :wink:


----------

