23rd August, 2008 National Park Authority

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The National Park Authority have recently and quietly released a consultation paper on their plans for the future of the New Forest National Park. Hidden away towards the end are a set of proposals which will have a massive impact on anyone who keeps recreational horses or has bought or rents out land for recreational horses. Fortunately horse owners on the Forest have been alerted to the threat. Last night I went to a meeting arranged in four days flat by stalwarts of the New Forest Equine Directory and the meeting was attended by 200 people including representatives of the New Forest Equestrian Association. Anyone who keeps horses on land within the National Park needs to go and have a look at NFED...now.... www.nfed.co.uk

In brief:

1.One Equine (regardless of size) will require one hectare of land (2.5 acres) for EACH equine.
2.Supplementry feeding (including hay) of equines will consitute a "change of use" if kept on traditional agricultural grazing land and will require planning consent-which is unlikely to be granted!!
3.Regularly Rugging of your horse in the winter will consitiute a "change of use" to recreational horses keeping.