Do you ride horses, ponies or any other four-legged creature?

Are you involved in breeding, racing, pleasure riding, competitive riding, horse shows, eventing, dressage, Western/English pleasure, drag or fox hunting?

According to the 2002-2003 New Hampshire Equine Study 83% of respondents are involved in pleasure riding, 53% showing, 20% driving and 68% trail riding.

Are you aware of the lobbying efforts of ATV’s and snowmobilers and the tremendous efforts and support their organizations have gained to maintain access to trails for their constituency?

Are you aware of a study called "A Plan for Developing New Hampshire’s Statewide Trail System for ATVs and Trail Bikes 2004 - 2008", sponsored by the State of New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development, Division of Parks and Recreation, Bureau of Trails? Woodlot Alternatives, Inc., an environmental consulting group from Maine, hired by the State prepared this study.

Do you wonder why these groups have such a strong voice at the State House?

Did you know that in the late 90’s the state legislature modified the laws regarding the use of state parks to exclude horses except at parks specifically designated to allow horses?

Are you aware that of the 67 NH state parks there are only three, which are open to horseback riding?

Have you been affected by trail closings, housing development, road development, changing traffic patterns, lack of right of ways to existing trail systems? If you have not, you surely will in the near future.

Are you concerned for your safety when hacking down the road having a vehicle zoom by, unaware or unconcerned of your safety?

Are you armed with enough information to defend your interests when you are confronted with the subject of horse and trail riding and their impact on land, environment, liability issues, health and disease?

Are you an informed, aware horseman?

Have you read The New Hampshire’s Changing Landscape report*

published by The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests?      http://www.spnhf.org/

Key findings include:

State population is expected to grow by 358,000 from 2000 to 2025 - more than 28%. An estimated 80% of that growth will happen in the four southeastern counties - in other words, on just one-third of the land.

New Hampshire’s population grew 17.2% from 1990 to 2004 - twice the rate of the rest of New England.

Residential development is expanding north and west along major highway corridors.

Land prices have risen 61% statewide since 1998, with the greatest increases occurring in the fastest developing regions.

In 1970, 139 towns were classified as rural; by 2025, this number will have dropped by nearly half to 72.

New Hampshire is losing about 17,500 acres of forestland every year. The remaining large forests south of the White Mountains are getting smaller, and most of our best forest soils are in the direct path of development.

New Hampshire is losing its high quality farmland. Rockingham County alone lost one-third of its productive cropland from 1997 to 2002. Most of the state’s best remaining agricultural soils are unprotected.

New Hampshire has conserved more than 291,000 acres in the past six years. Some 27.7% of the state is now protected, up from 22.3% in 1998. But 75% of all conservation land is in the northern half of the state.

Many New Hampshire towns have increased their percentage of conservation land since 1998. But 110, or nearly half, still have less than 10% of their land conserved.

For four straight decades, New Hampshire has been the fastest growing state in New England and the nine-state Northeast region.

New Hampshire’s population more than doubled from 1960 to 2000, from 606,400 to more than 1.2 million.

From 1990 to 2004, New Hampshire’s population grew by 17.2%, twice as fast as the average for the rest of New England. The state gained more than 13,000 people per year during the period, for a total of 190,248 new residents.

New Hampshire is projected to add an additional 358,000 residents between 2000 and 2025, an increase of more than 28%.

Four-fifths of this new population will be absorbed by the four southeastern counties - which comprise about one-third of the state’s land base.

The fastest rates of population change will continue to be largely in the Lakes Region and the Interstate 89 corridor.

 

If you are concerned, affected or interested in any or all of the items discussed above; you need to be a member of The New Hampshire Horse Council!

New Hampshire’s horsemen need a voice! Make your voice heard! With New Hampshire's population soaring and open space disappearing, effective land conservation cannot be a spectator sport. Horsemen can no longer be complacent. We cannot depend on the efforts of snowmobile, ATV, hiking, mushers and other clubs to look out for our interests. We are and will continue to lose more and more access to public lands for our recreation. The population of horse owners in the state is larger than snowmobilers, ATVs and mushers combined; yet, our voice is barely heard. The NHHC is founded on the protection and preservation of horse activities in the state, but the Council cannot provide any benefits without a strong membership. Apathy is no longer an option.

The purpose of the New Hampshire Horse Council is to promote the interests of the entire equine industry of New Hampshire, to act as a liaison among various horse groups, to disseminate information and educate both the legislature and the general public, act as official voice of the state equine industry, and as an advisory body to the University of New Hampshire, College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, the NH State Department of Agriculture and the NH Farm Bureau Horse Advisory Committee regarding the horse industry and related horse activities or programs.

As a member of NHHC, you'll stay up to date on current legislation affecting horsemen. Most importantly, you'll learn about how your contact with elected officials can make the difference on key legislation. When you become a member, you'll receive:

up-to-date, concise information regarding the critical local, state and federal issues that you are interested in -- via our newsletter and web site. Become aware of steps that you can take to make your voice heard by the decision-makers, including writing letters to the editor, calling your representative, or attending a hearing. Our newsletters cover current major legislative efforts in New Hampshire and the nation as well as educational content useful to anyone associated with the equine industry.

Make your voice heard; please join the NHHC today.

Click to Join

NHHC Member Benefits:

Quarterly newsletter
Industry Alert Notices
Equine Journal subscription and $15 complimentary classified advertising plus 10% discount on display advertising.

Discounts at the following businesses:

Achille's Agway Keene NH

The Community Feed Store Westminster VT

The Cheshire Horse Keene NH

Dodge Grain Agway Salem NH

DogGone Beautiful Pet Salon Keene NH

Griffinbrook, Ltd. Candia NH

Horse & Buggy Keene NH & Winchendon, MA

Keats Inc. Keene NH

Idyllwood Farm Brentwood NH

Saddle Brook Tack West Chesterfield NH

Steve's Equipment Repair Westmoreland NH

UNH Lecture Series Durham NH

Agway offers a gift certificate of 100 lbs. of Agway or Triple Crown feed for all NEW members.

EquineSite.com discount on Web Site design, hosting and internet advertising.

More Links

http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/04242005/letters/38902.htm

The LAND and WATER CONSERVATION FUND is in jeopardy! Dear Friend of Trails and Parks, Last year marked the 40th anniversary of the LWCF (the Land and Water Conservation Fund) Act -- resulting in 40,000 projects! LWCF has been responsible for the creation and enhancement of more than 12,000 miles of hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, water, motorized, and exercise trails. Please take the time to join the Americans for our Heritage and Recreation's "Speak out for Parks" Campaign (see below), to make this important call, and to distribute this message throughout your networks. We will be promoting the campaign throughout our extensive American Trails' Network. Let's work to save this program that families throughout the country benefit from daily. I would venture to say that everyone in the country has enjoyed its benefits at one time or another. To learn more about this issue, visit these websites: Americans for our Heritage and Recreation: www.ahrinfo.org National Recreation and Park Association: www.nrpa.org American Trails: News & Action Alerts Thank you for your help! Pam Pam Gluck, Executive Director American Trails 530-547-2060 www.AmericanTrails.org