Disc Golf and Equestrian

[thanxmikey]

Interesting responses. Thanks for the input. I really appreciate getting a better grasp of the situation.

Our club (LoCo DGC) has met with the park, the local equine group and other park users. We came to the table with the attitude of how can we work together to make this work. The first thing equestrian suggested was rip out the whole course and install a 9 holes somewhere else in the park. They have not offered one compromise whatsoever. I met with the equine president and worked out some hole suggestions that I had hoped to discuss more. I found out days later that the individual took my work without asking and went to a public meeting and displayed my work as her own, thus making it public domain. She then misrepresented the disc golf community by saying "the disc golfers hate these holes, they want them ripped out."

The Equine group has made such a bad name for itself locally that the county had to assign a liaison to moderate between the parks dept and the equine group.

By the way, did i mention we changed the course once when they wanted their trail moved. After two years they dont like that anymore and want to go back to the old layout. so they want us to move again.

Things are much more positive than this may sound. This is a chance to work out a good thing for both groups to be proud of.

We are getting a new course in Loudoun County next year and Im sure this will come up again.

 

[bradharris]

We are getting a new course in Loudoun County next year and Im sure this will come up again.

Where??

 

[tom12003]

I had a great experience between the equestrian and disc golf crowds. About 12 years ago when Fairfax County was planning their brand new 2.000+ acre park in Lorton VA, there was a large and vocal crowd to level everything and build hundreds of rectangular fields. The horsey and DG crowds wanted wild and natural terrains; we formed a strong coalition and were the first activities installed--Giles Run DG course and the equestrian area across the street. Without this coalition, neither of us might have gotten what we wanted.

 

[thanxmikey]

Where??

Hal and Bernie Hanson Regional Park located on Evergreen MIlls Rd. Myself and a few others from LoCo attended planning meetings and got disc golf on the master plan.

The park has not broken ground with site access yet but soon....

18 holes course pretty much all in the woods.

 

[thanxmikey]

Where??

if you live in Loudoun you should try and come out to franklin park for Thursday dubs at 530pm or monday singles at 530pm.:thmbup:

 

[thanxmikey]

I had a great experience between the equestrian and disc golf crowds. About 12 years ago when Fairfax County was planning their brand new 2.000+ acre park in Lorton VA, there was a large and vocal crowd to level everything and build hundreds of rectangular fields. The horsey and DG crowds wanted wild and natural terrains; we formed a strong coalition and were the first activities installed--Giles Run DG course and the equestrian area across the street. Without this coalition, neither of us might have gotten what we wanted.

Ideally this is what I hope will result from our current work together.

 

[kerplunk]

For almost 30 years, the disc golf courses and the horse trails have peacefully coexisted at Cedarock Park. :clap: And there is quite a lot of overlap/intersection on both courses, but in both cases, there is long, open sight lines. With all the blind criss-crossing of dg holes and horse trails at Northeast Park, there would probably be a problem if that dg course got any play to speak of.

This. Maybe you should contact the parks people there and get some suggestions and a "reference" to show your parks department that DG'ers and horse riders can exist in peace.

 

[biscoe]

Is the "local equine group" structured in any way?

 

[joecoin]

"...we changed the course once when they wanted their trail moved. After two years they dont like that anymore and want to go back to the old layout. so they want us to move again."

This is your strongest weapon. I would make a public records request of every meeting that took place back then . I would spend hours sifting through those meetings looking for any comments made at that time by the horsey people that I could use against them.

I would make a point of saying " Where does it end? How long before they want to change it back again?"

I would get some statistics (government bureaucrats LOVE statistics) showing number of people killed by horses vs discs. Number of people bitten by horses vs disc golfers. Number of diseases carried by horses vs disc golfers. (Oh, maybe not that last one).

 

[thanxmikey]

Is the "local equine group" structured in any way?

Yes they are structured.

 

[Smigles]

Horses are some of the most stupid animals ever. They get scared of anything. It's like totally random.

They should not be in a public park to begin with. They **** everywhere. Huge piles of horse ****. They are also a danger to all other park users cause they are so easily frightened. If anything, the horses should be removed from the park.

 

[biscoe]

Horses are some of the most stupid animals ever. They get scared of anything. It's like totally random.

They should not be in a public park to begin with. They are also a danger to all other park users cause they are so easily frightened. If anything, the horses should be removed from the park.

I agree 110%. This is very unlikely to happen in this scenario however. These are "horse people" in one of the wealthiest areas of the country- they aren't going anywhere. The best that can be hoped for is to reach an agreement of some sort with them.

 

[Timeetyo]

Horses are some of the most stupid animals ever. They get scared of anything. It's like totally random.

They should not be in a public park to begin with. They **** everywhere. Huge piles of horse ****. They are also a danger to all other park users cause they are so easily frightened. If anything, the horses should be removed from the park.

I don't know why I'm feeding the trolls here, but...this is just a dumb over generalization. I'm sure the horse folks feel the same way about ALL DG'ers because of that one group of completely drunken idiots, right?

SOME horses are easily spooked and could become a danger to their rider / others. Very dependent upon temperment and training. I used to have one who would flake out over anything out of place. No way I'd ever bring her to a public park. I also have a few horses who I've trusted with my kid walking down main street during a parade with firetrucks, a mob of people/pets/etc, and folks throwing candy. If I were to ride this horse on trails near a DG course the only danger would be if we got directly hit with a disc.....which is an issue whether on horseback, a bike, or just a pedestrian.

As for the manure...I will grant you that I don't want a parade of horses running down my fairways and fertilizing, but really? As long as they are on their horse trails and not being creative with their pathfinding down your fairway, what is the issue? Actually, come to think of it, I'd rather have random piles of %^&* on the course than the stuff DGers leave behind.

 

[thanxmikey]

I agree 110%. This is very unlikely to happen in this scenario however. These are "horse people" in one of the wealthiest areas of the country- they aren't going anywhere. The best that can be hoped for is to reach an agreement of some sort with them.

Spot on assessment.

 

[John Rock]

We have had issues with equestrian users here. Their bridal trail was in place before the DG course was installed but seldom used. Signs in the park require all horses to stay on the bridal trail. After the DG course was installed and started getting regular use, an older gentleman started an equestrian club for young riders here in the area of the park where the course is located. It has become a very popular activity and well liked program. His group goes through the park at least twice a day (out and back trips), and for the most part everyone gets along.


The bad problems are:
1) Early in the relationship the older gent would blame all broken bottles on the DG crowd, claiming we were endangering his horses with "our" trash. After one especially tense stand-off, he and I were able to talk it out and I explained that a lot of the trash in the area of our parking lot was from the less-desirable night-time crowd there to party and hide their other activities. He and I have since become friends (his horses are kept at an area just around the corner from my property).


2) Most of the regular DG users know to pause and wait for the equestrian crowd when they come through since the riders generally pass through quickly and for the most part are friendly people. However, each group occasionally have new members that seem to think their own pursuit has the right-of-way and conflicts arise. Usually just verbal taunts and arguments, but there have been some very dicey confrontations, mostly generated from drunken (or otherwise impaired) DG'ers.

 

[brentjacobs]

We get the occasional horse at Diamond X. All the riders I've run into have been really friendly though. They seem to understand that the park has walkers, runners, dogs, Mtn Bikers, Rock Climbers, Disc Golfers, Paragliders, ect. and just because they are on a horse doesn't mean they have any more rights than another group. One gal who held up on the main road while we tee'd one time got her horse a little spooked by the discs. We appoligized becuase we understand that it can be dangerous but she just said, "Oh, he needs to get used to it out here" and was really friendly and went about her day. To me its like bringing your dog, if they can't deal with people, bikes, horses, other dogs, discs, its not the park for them.

I guess my end point is shared public spaces are just that, shared. If certain members of the public can't get along sharing with other designated users, they need to find another location where they won't have that issue. Most horse folk I now go to private riding clubs, ranches, or BLM land, but I suppose there is a lot more of those types of areas around here.