# TVA closes Normandy trails in TN



## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Ugh... 4-wheelers. The noise. The smell. Horsemen around here have pretty much abandoned the mountains to them, although it is officially a multi-use area.

Unless you have cows and need to protect them from the city people running them with their 4-wheelers, no one rides up there just for fun or to give their sport horses a break.

I fight them, legislatively, every chance I get.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

So it's not okay if the erosion caused by horses kills a tree, but it's okay if a logging crew cuts it down?

If erosion is natural it's okay, but if it's man made it's not okay?

What about the effect of building a dam and filling the lake?

We've got the wrong people setting policy.

Rumor is TVA will be sold. If people can't use the land that TVA stole then there won't be an uproar when it's privatized and the land sold for a profit.

Shameful, simply shameful.


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## Oreos Girl (May 24, 2011)

There is a place in Granville, TN to ride. It isn't a series of trails but there is a trail that runs along the lake there. I have been there twice with my dad.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Around here new public horse trails have pretty much come to a stop. The 4 wheeler and bicycle groups are just more organized and vocal. Luckily, we have more than enough area to ride right around home.
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## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

PaintHorseMares said:


> Around here new public horse trails have pretty much come to a stop. The 4 wheeler and bicycle groups are just more organized and vocal.


I would guess this is, unfortunately, the norm in most places.



> Luckily, we have more than enough area to ride right around home.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


And there lies the rub.

The other groups think about the big picture. Most horse owners think small. "Enough area to ride right around home" sounds good for now. When they come for your trails (development, turning them into hiking "only" trails, etc.) it will be you against a large well organized group. You will lose the fight. The others who should be helping you will think "nothing can be done" and "Luckily *we* still have our trails."

United we stand, divided we fall. The biker, hikers and ATVs have figured that one out.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Tazmanian Devil said:


> I would guess this is, unfortunately, the norm in most places.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I agree, and every year at budget time, I still write (and ask all our horse friends) all the county and state parks/recreation people/commisioners urging them to fund trails. Around here there are plenty of trails that have been in the master plans for years, but never get funded. We have plenty of folks willing to volunteer to clear and maintain trails, but the political clout rests in the towns and suburban areas. We have a wonderful county commissioner representing our rural area, but I can tell you that many votes wind up being 6-1.
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## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

PaintHorseMares said:


> I agree, and every year at budget time, I still write (and ask all our horse friends) all the county and state parks/recreation people/commisioners urging them to fund trails. Around here there are plenty of trails that have been in the master plans for years, but never get funded. We have plenty of folks willing to volunteer to clear and maintain trails, but the political clout rests in the towns and suburban areas. We have a wonderful county commissioner representing our rural area, but I can tell you that many votes wind up being 6-1.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Funding is a real problem. It is especially hard when horse owners are not organized into a large group (i.e voting block). Often we are seen as "rich" people... horses are an expensive hobby.

It is one thing for a politician to support trails and horse activities. It is another to vote to fund it. These are tough times and many voters do not see why they should be funding a recreational activity for a small group of others.


We have a similar situation with a trail system here. Frankly, it doesn't take very much to clear and maintain a trail system when you have an active group of riders who want to help.

Like you, we cannot get funding. However, there are several local groups who have the manpower, equipment and expertise to do it without any government money. We have been working on this for many YEARS and still cannot get anywhere. There is so much red tape and insane rules in the way. You would think we are asking to build a nuclear power plant. 

Many trails around here were hit hard with a hurricane last year. I can (almost) understand that the government doesn't have the funds or manpower to do all the work to clear the trails. What doesn't make sense is that the forbid the local groups from doing so. Union regulations (only their workers are allowed), EPA red tape (no vehicles allowed, no power tools allowed) and other BS always seem to get in the way.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

.: North Carolina Horse Council :.
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