Horseride with care

Queensland’s national parks and forests provide a range of challenges for riders and their mounts, from gentle, well-graded tracks to rough and difficult terrain.

Remember:

  • Plan and prepare well.
  • Ride to the conditions.
  • Wear approved safety gear.
  • Look after the trails.
  • Read and heed safety information and obey signs.
  • Always let someone know where you’re going, when you’ll return and what to do in case something goes wrong.

    Know your limits

    Be realistic about you and your horse’s physical condition, knowledge, experience and skills.

    Each trail is classified according to its most difficult section—other sections may be of an easier level.

    Horseriding grades

    Class 1 (easy) Horse riding class 11

    Wide trail with a gentle slope and a relatively obstacle-free, hardened, natural surface. Suitable for riders seeking a short trail requiring a basic level of skill and horse and rider fitness.

    Class 2 (intermediate)

    Trail with obstacles, variable surface and a moderate slope. Suitable for riders seeking a short to medium distance trail requiring a moderate level of skill and horse and rider fitness.

    Class 3 (advanced)

    Challenging trail, many obstacles, variable surface and steep sections. Trail route may be indistinct. Suitable for horses and riders seeking a very challenging trail requiring a high level of skill, fitness and basic navigation skills.

    Rules you need to know

    Code of conduct

    • Follow the code of conduct for horseriding through parks and forests.
    • Ride in groups of less than 12.
    • Follow trail markers and directional signs carefully.
    • Stay on marked trails—shortcuts damage the environment and cause erosion.
    • Limit damage:
      • Do not ride on soft, wet or muddy tracks.
      • Only cross watercourses at designated crossing points.
      • Tether horses only for short periods and only at hitching posts or resting areas.
    • Limit weeds and soil pathogens:
      • Come in clean—remove seeds and wash soil and mud from your clothes and shoes, your horses’ coats, hooves, equipment and floats before you set off from home.
      • Feed them clean—feed your horses weed-free, good quality, processed feed for at least 48 hours before entering a park or forest.
      • Ride through clean—avoid riding through patches of weeds, especially if they are seeding.

    The give-way code

    Be careful and courteous—walkers, cyclists and horseriders often share the same tracks and trails.

    • Cyclists must give way to walkers and horseriders, and alert others when approaching them.
    • Walkers must give way to horses.

    Want to know more?