With the Forest Service at least in the Southern region the Special use
Permit grants the ability to hold an organized event on pulic land. It
does not buy you any authority over the management and use of that land
for the period covered. At a ride two years ago we had a SUP but still
had to share the horse camp with a club of about 80 riders when they
showed up - actually most of them were there first and we ended up with
a few endurance riders going home. At a ride last year (different
Forest) we were told that we could not reserve an area of the camp
ground - first come first serve for every one - and had to share all
the trails with the day riders and other campers. The RM was given no
management authority over anyone but the endurance riders. I suspect
that is the management plan for all forest and probably even forest
service regulations.
Yes we could set up a check area but it had to be out of the way of the
normal flow and cause no impact on the other users. We had to follow
the same incamp rules everyone else did - no gait faster than a walk,
etc, so the riders had to walk in the last 500 meters from the trail
head to the vet check area. The RM would have liked to been able to
close off of one trail (out of many) for the finish - but that was not
possible.
Managing a ride under these ground rules can be a challenge but it is
not impossible - you just have to be creative. Most people don't want
to turned into a grease spot on the ground by getting into a collision
with a horse and will move back when that options is presented - but if
they won't you have no authority to do anything but ask. Gone or
rapidly going are the days when an endurance ride can show up and take
over and have control on public land. We are one of many equal trail
users out there.
Truman
Ed & Wendy Hauser wrote:
"...In some instances the RM has no authority..."
If an RM has not been granted basic
crowd control authority from the owner (=government), or is not willing
to take it, the RM should not be running the ride. The gov. personnel
that I have dealt with when getting special use permits, have been very
concerned about safety. As an RM I have posted signs about the special
use permits, and suggestions of alternate places to park and recreate
during the ride. The special use permit was the key. One time I had
to face down a four wheeler that was going to blast through my vet
check area. The idiot complained to the County Mountie. Bad move, the
sheriff explained that we had a special use permit and he (the driver)
should go somewhere else that weekend.
Almost always, spectators (related
or unrelated to the ride) will move back when told firmly, but politely
"If you don't you may be trampled by a horse..." Sometimes a
potentially explosive situation can be defused by the RM or volunteer,
spending a few minutes explaining what is going on.
Ed
Ed & Wendy Hauser
2994 Mittower Road
Victor, MT 59875