With Access Week running until the 31^st May, now’s the perfect time to put on your horse’s Fairfax saddle and head out for a spot of off-road riding. The British Horse Society (BHS) wants lots of riders to get involved – and there are some key ways that you can help make a difference this Access Week.

The first is all about celebrating off-road routes and sharing these with other riders. The BHS wants riders to get involved using the hashtag #greatride where they can share a photo and geo-tag details of their ride for other social media users to see.

They also need your help in raising awareness for the need of more safe off-road routes that riders can use. You could even help to raise money for the new British Horse Society Paths for Communities Fund – perhaps holding a sponsored ride with friends to help the society officially register new routes for riders. If you know of a potential off-road route that could be opened with the help of the Paths for Communities Fund, you can contact the BHSon 02476 840467.

After all, we’re likely to face a ‘use it or lose it’ situation with our off-road equestrian routes in this lifetime, as any not recorded on the definitive map by the cut off of 2026 outlined in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act from 2000 could be eradicated. So if you use any byways or bridleways, ensure they’re recorded as an official route, or else it could disappear in years to come.