Forestry England repeals most woodland horse riding permits

Riders will be able to access 49 more woodlands across England without permits from May, in a “great step for equestrians”.

Forestry England has announced it will “significantly reduce” the number of woodlands needing permits for horse riding, after a public review.

H&H reported in 2023 that Forestry England wanted riders’ views; in 2022, we reported that the agency and the British Horse Society (BHS) were in discussions about the permits, which the BHS opposed for publicly owned land to which others users had free access.

Forestry England has now completed its review of 51 woodlands for which permits were in place, 48 of which were paid for.

Chief executive Mike Seddon said: “We are delighted to announce this huge reduction in woodlands that need permits for equestrian access. This will make horse riding accessible to more riders across the nation’s forests.

“Our decision reflects our commitment for the nation’s forests in our care to be as welcoming and available to visitors as possible, including our equestrian community.”

Permits will still be required for two of the woodlands; Bramshill, Hampshire/Berkshire, and Hodgemoor Wood, Buckinghamshire. Mr Seddon said this is because these are ecologically sensitive wildlife sites that need extra management.

“Thank you to everyone that took part in our review and for your patience while we worked through each and every permit,” he said.

BHS director of access Mark Weston said the BHS was “delighted to hear of the decision to significantly reduce the requirement for equestrians to buy permits to access Forestry England forests”.

“The British Horse Society believes that all riders and carriage drivers should be able to enjoy safe off-road networks in the vicinity of where they keep their horses,” he said. “This is a great step towards allowing equestrians the freedom to explore and enjoy our nation’s countryside in a safe and accessible manner.”

Will this news enable you to enjoy more off-road riding? Let us know by emailing hhletters@futurenet.com including your name, nearest town and county, then your thoughts might be published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine.

You may also be interested in:

H&H news editor

Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.