We have a safety issue on Waikawa Beach, and it’s to do with horses. We want your views about what action to take.
Imagine this: you’re down on the beach enjoying your favourite recreational activity, perhaps flying a kite or model aircraft or riding your dirt bike. The kite’s fluttering in the breeze, swooping and diving. It’s good fun.
Now a horse and rider come along after a good jaunt along the beach. The rider sees the kite, between them and the only exit from the beach horses are allowed to use: the vehicle entrance. This rider knows their horse, like many horses, will startle at the erratic movements of the kite.
They can see there’s no room to get around the folks having fun with their kite as there are vehicles driving around nearby.
Folks train their horses as best they can, but just like dogs and people, horses vary in their response to events in the world around them. Some well-trained horses will ignore something like a kite swooping, while another, equally well-trained, may take fright.
As a responsible rider, and in the interests of everyone’s safety, they’d like to exit the beach another way when a tricky situation arises.
That’s the kind of scenario that underlies a petition from about 50 horse riders to the Horowhenua District Council asking to be allowed to use the South Track off Reay Mackay Grove.
Horses aren’t allowed on either beach track off Reay Mackay Grove, and the Council don’t, as a rule, allow horses and pedestrians to share a track, but there could be a way to give horse riders that safe exit from the beach that they’re after.
Ann Clark, Parks and Property Lead South ⢠KaiÄrahi ki te Tonga, Papa RÄhia, Rawa, Horowhenua District Council says:
…we have identified a number of options that could allow horses access at that point and the next steps would be to get the communities feedback through the association on what would be agreeable.
I see the following options could be feasible and achievable (someone else may have better ideas):
- Allow the path to be shared with horses required to move off the track to give people right of way
- Split the path (potentially simple post and rope) to create a physical separation — horses one side only
- Option 1 with the requirement that riders dismount and walk their horses along the track
As far as the post and rope path, Iâm not talking anything huge or elaborate and it could be something we could get the many riders (50+ on the petition) to help us put in
All of these options will need to have appropriate signage which we can create.
There is a fourth option to consider too: doing nothing and leaving horse access to the beach as it currently is. Riders who find their way blocked by recreational activity or perhaps an incoming tide will just have to wait, tough it out or get creative with how to ensure the safety of themselves, their horse and the public.
Down in Ĺtaki (Greater Wellington Region) the track along the Ĺtaki River is shared by walkers, cyclists and horses. The sign below helps clarify how that should work.
You might ask: why do riders want to use the South Track rather than the North Track? The answer is that the North track is still too close to the vehicle entrance and the sand near the North track is a popular area for motorbikes and others. The safety issue would not be well resolved with that track.
Other factors, besides safety, underlie the petition for horses to be allowed to use the South track: ease of access and convenience.
There are several horse owners on the Strathnaver side. It would be easier, safer and more convenient for them to be able to legally access the beach without riding round Strathnaver Drive to the village.
At times the vehicle entrance is very busy and that end of Manga Pirau Street is full of vehicles and people. Riders would like an alternative, quieter, access to the beach.
We would really like to hear from you about which access option you prefer. We can convey the feeling from our community to the Council so they can consider what action to take. Ideally, if any changes are to be made they would happen in November, before the summer holiday.
Please leave your comments below before 7 am on 21 October 2018. The Association’s next committee meeting is later that morning.
Option two – split paths!
Im moving up here later this year and I would like to be down on the beach enjoying my favourite recreational activity of riding my horse.
I would like to enjoy common courtesy with fellow beach-goers and hope we can share the track similar to Otaki river.
Being option 1
Unfortunately I’m not an able bodied rider so frequently having to mount/dismount or walk would mean I could not get to the beach, likewise not being able to ride would also mean I am less likely to be able to go to the beach
Thank you
No brainer to give horses another entry/exit at the South exit. And I’m sure it could simply be a shared access with horses giving way to humans, provided theres enough space for the horses to pull over.
As a horse rider and a user of the current entrance for horses.
It is a wonderful experience having everyone there doing what they love.
It is however very hard to park respectfully and enter the beach with so many vehicles in and out and people walking in groups.
You can plan to give way but then there may be a vehicle driving up the other side.
Perhaps visibility could be improved.
Option 1 ie horse move off the path but do riders do not have to dismount.
I visit from Kapiti to ride in Waikawa. In Kapiti, horses, walkers, runners, cyclists share paths and tracks. Courtesy applies and whoever is in the most appropriate place to pull over will do so
I have not ridden down at Waikawa beach for a long time as we used to come down from the Kuku end which has been closed off. But we do have a similar problem at Waitarere beach where horses are expected to use the vehicle access which is where most of the people congregate which is hazardous both the riders and pedestrians. I would strongly encourage the Council to consider separate horse access tracks or shared tracks with a divider to allow horses to access the beach away from the main pedestrian areas.
I ride my horse at Waikawa Beach from time to time and to have access from the south track would be a great improvement for safety reasons. A shared track where people show respect for each other is all that I would need but I can see that a physically divided track makes for no misunderstanding for users. Thank you Waikawa residents for giving us the opportunity to let you know how we feel about being able to ride at your lovely beach, it is a privilege to have such an awesome place to enjoy.
It would be advantageous to all concerned to have a shared access way that way we ALL benefit.
Yes please give horses access to the entrance. Dismounting however will be a huge obstacle for a lot of riders. If this is considered, please provide mounting blocks on either side. Kapiti has experience with this.
It’s always better if we can learn to share and appreciate and respect each others’ differences. That goes for our modes of transport and recreational activities as well. Providing a safe entrance/exit for horses is a no brainer and in everyone’s interest.
My preference is for using the southern exit, as it is much quieter and also doesnt change like the northern exit.
Option 1 is my preferred option. We often ride at the beach as we are residents. Vehicles, dogs, motorbikes and people can make the Manga Pirau Street entrance unsafe at times, especially over summer. I would be against Option 2 with the rope and post barrier as it could be a potential hazard if a horse startled and got caught in the rope.
Awesome resolution Josien… providing mounting blocks would be great. I am still a but hung up on the fact that horse riders are users of the area and many are rate payers so we should have a safe and open access to the beach, which is legally a road !
Shared path is all we ever use at other beaches as long as there is enough room to give way to each other itâs not a problem. The signage is vital and the Otaki ones are perfect and very clear. We love riding at Waikawa Beach!!!
As a horse rider there are sometimes moments we can foresee a situation where either our horse or a beach goer could become excited or distressed, an alternative exit would be a great advantage. Iâm sure many would use it without hesitation to remove themselves safely from the area. The #1 option, at little or no cost would be an ideal start, and may later lead to further discussion and plans as the Waikawa population grows. It is also greatly appreciated that the Waikawa residents are considering horse riders as part of their community and continuing to promote the beach as the wonderful family fun place for all, as it has been since I was a very young child. Love it!
Option 1 sounds perfectly safe and workable. I have ridden in many different areas over the years where both walkers and horses being ridden share a track without drama. A mounting block on either side of the track would be a bonus. Manga Pirau Street does get very busy during summer and this isn’t ideal for accessing the beach on a horse.
Option 1 ie horse move off the path but riders do not have to dismount.
I visit from Shannon to ride in Waikawa. In Kapiti, horses, walkers, runners, cyclists share paths and tracks. Courtesy applies and whoever is in the most appropriate place to pull over will do so.
Lets share and be courteous as many others have suggested. Only plse no complaints from riders about dog owners then continuing to use it. Tolerance and courtesy extends in both directions.
There maybe a little input over parked horse floats in the area though…… so perhaps that needs some thought on a solution/suggestion as to where in order to keep everyone “happy”..??
And no I don’t live on said road.
Perhaps one of the Ratepayers Association Committee members could enlighten us as to how this fits in with the current investigation into a permanent vehicle access to the beach. As discussed at the public meeting of 19 May 2018, the southern beach access off Reay Mackay Grove is one of the options being considered and at the moment is the only viable one.
The Horowhenua District Council have made it clear that as this track is only 5 metres wide they won’t consider it for vehicle access. The north track is wider and I believe the Council think it’s more suitable and the only one of the two they would consider for vehicles.
Horse riders have been using this pedestrian walkway illegally for years,they scare small chidren and act as if they have the right to re write the road rules unloading horses on the road were there is no safe parking area or unloading site for one horse float let alone 50 users,telling people to slow down when its a 50khn area and we have horse shit left all over the road and walkway.
The no horses signs have been painted over in the past and HDC is aware of this.
As a resident of this area i dont see why we need this hassle in our neighbour hood by parties from outside the area when waitarere beach is close and set up for this purpose and as horses are technically vehicles they already have access at Waikawa Beach.
The access is also advertised on bridleways sites and will be advertised to user well outside our area.
We have issues with unrestrained dogs that are not well attended by HDC so i cant see them policing the horse riders activities.
We as residents of this area oppose the application should it go ahead i think a appropriate carpark and seperate access would need to be provided to be fair to the people that live here and not just visit and leave
Don’t you mean “YOU” Graham Bensemann oppose this not WE………….I am a resident and I support it. Also it is a no brainer to slow down around horses for all concerned
Thats great Chris no surname, the we refers to my wife and i , one problem with the applicants identities being hidden and the residents having to put there names forward is the ability for us to be berated personally for our opinions–i respect your right to have one.
When you are driving at 50khm an hour in a 50khm area and come around a bend and find 3 horses abreast across the road its and interesting situation, is the motorist at fault.
Actually , Yes It Is, And If The Driver Can’t Slow Down In Time Whilst Doing 50KPH Then One Must Consider That Drivers Ability To Be In Charge Of A Vehicle.
As residents living in this area we have had horses unloaded on the road and horse riders acting like the have the right to tell us to slow down or hold us up whilst unloading blocking the road, we have had them scare our small granchildren riding large horses on the walkway and painting out the no horses sign.
Also piles of horse shit left on the track and road.
Were would 50 horse floats park horse riders all over the country would use this advertised on bridleways and frankly they already have access at Waikawa beach.
As residents the only way id support this is if council built a seperate access with a huge off road parking area
As a bach owner and regular user of Waikawa Beach I disagree with this proposal. The article above is emotive and appears to be written to support the horse owners. I suspect this is much more about convenience than safety. How often do kites, model planes or dirt bikes prevent horses from leaving the beach safely?? Do we have some evidence, some statistics, that demonstrate the extent of this “safety issue”, the problem that is supposedly being solved?
I am concerned that it will replace one risk with a much greater risk.
The current access is shared by vehicles, walkers, and horses. Because it is a vehicle access way families and children know to approach with caution. It is also relatively short so it is usually easy to see if cars or horses are approaching and it is easy to step aside to avoid them. That is not the case with the walkways which are narrow and long. And while it might be proposed that walkers have right of way, who will police that?
To quote the article: “Folks train their horses as best they can, but just like dogs and people, horses vary in their response to events in the world around them. Some well-trained horses will ignore something like a kite swooping, while another, equally well-trained, may take fright.”
So we acknowledge that horses, even well trained ones, sometimes take fright. And yet we are proposing that these horses share a very narrow pathway with children – who are prone (even the well trained ones) to acting in “erratic” ways that I suspect are far more problematic than the mentioned kites (given that, unlike a kite, they are in the horse’s way and, literally, under its nose!) The suggested simple cheap rope “barrier” will make no difference if a horse takes fright and rears over a child.
Kites and horses are relatively rare users of the beach. Children on the other hand are not only one of the largest groups of users, they are also one of the most vulnerable. I am an adult and I find horses a little intimidating and scary. I am sure many children feel the same. Is the convenience for the few horse owners worth the risk and inconvenience to the many children?
Thanks for the opportunity to comment on this issue
Safety is really important to me both accessing the beach and on the beach
I have a small Dog who loves to run on the beach
She is not good with horses and so I worry about the safety of horses sharing the south track. This will also impact on small children that use this track
The track is up and down and so in some places along the track you canât see what or who is coming until they there.
I do understand the case horse owners are making but I am not in favour of opening up the south track to them. Safety for the current users is my priority
Chris Wood
Henham Lane off Strathnaver Drive
Opening up the south track on Reay Mackay to horses is an option that we do not support.
Presently we have several Reay Mackayers taking their horses along this track, this infrequent and low-level use of the south track does not concern us.
If you open it up to every horse person and signpost it then becomes a public access for horses which will end up on websites and facebook pages and we will have groups of horses and vehicles and horse floats and associated poop to deal with.
Safety on the track is an issue when you mix horses and pedestrians and children and dogs as the track is only 5 metres wide and winds through the dune formation – not like the Otaki River track which is over 20 metres wide and 100 metres in places.
We have a fragile sand-dune ecosystem which could be damaged by many horses accessing it.
The traffic safety concerns in relation to horse floats unloading horses, parking and turning, this is a country road with limited berm space.
Having the pedestrian walkway is a major reason why we bought our section and have lived here permanently for over 10 years, we use this beach access most days with our 3 small dogs.
It is a safe pedestrian access to the beach and we do not feel comfortable meeting a group of horses on this track.
As residents living at this beach we need to make our opinions heard to protect this place that we have made our home.
As a ratepayer and resident I support these views as a balanced view and how I also feel living near the southern walkway. The current low usage is not a problem but once usage is notified as different could cause problems. Visibility on the walkway is restricted and the path is narrow, hence the element of a surprise encounter for people and animals is always a risk.
Much damage was caused recently to the dunes as a result of improper use of the path, I wouldn’t want to see this continue or worsen.
This is clearly a vexed issue and it is easy to understand the wishes of the many horse-owners who have written comments here regarding their desire for better access to the beach. However, I believe there are strong reasons to be cautious about supporting what some see as the rights of horse-owners when these will likely bring negative consequences for others and for the area overall. These include:
1. Risks to children, dogs, elderly and disabled users arising from a shared or adjacent track.
2. Damage to the sand dunes and bird nesting habitats from increased horse traffic.
3. Road and traffic dangers from increased numbers of horse-floats and riders using narrow, rural roads with no beach parking – and before anyone gets excited and says, “Then let’s provide parking”, this could be a short-sighted response given that it would increase even further the traffic and people on the roads and dunes.
4. If we step away from a commitment to first and foremost respecting the natural environment that makes Waikawa Beach such a unique coastal settlement, we risk having to bow to pressure from other groups asserting “their” rights to be given beach access – risks I do not believe we can afford to take in an environment where already we need more spinifex-planting days to further secure the dunes.
For these reasons I do not support the expansion of access options for horse-riders.
Just another thought… our comments on the ratepayers website are all public with our names published, we have no issues with this but note that the petitions signers are anonymous.
We feel that the petition should be made available and published as part of this article so we can see their names. Questions arise, where do these people live who want to now use this walkway for their horses, are they even residents of the Horowhenua District??
We are being asked to giving up a safe pedestrian walkway in favour of the rights of people who maybe don’t live here and maybe come from outside of our district.
We would think that petitions should be made public and only people living in our District should be able to sign this petition
When this was first mentioned it was referred to as a petition, and that’s the word I used in the blog post about it. In following up and asking permission to publish it on this website I’ve learned it has been deemed by Council a Letter of Request. I guess that makes it a different thing and privacy issues may be raised. The Council’s legal folks are currently deciding whether my request to publish it here should be approved or not. I’ll update when there’s an outcome.
From my personal knowledge of Waikawa Beach, I’m aware of about 6 properties west of and including Walker’s Lane that have horses, 3 of them along Reay Mackay Grove.
Hi,i take it that members of the ratepayers association can read a full and unredacted copy without it needing to be published?.
Anyone who wants to view the Letter of Request should contact the Council directly. Ann Clark, Parks and Property Lead South ⢠KaiÄrahi ki te Tonga, Papa RÄhia, Rawa is the person to talk to.
Thursday 18 October 2018, I have received this email which does not allow me to publish the petition / letter of request:
I signed the petition! I am Chris Kimister and have lived here for 40 years. I have been slowly watching the place I love become over populated. You talk about a country road with limited berm space. How about all the trucks and work vehicles and trailers etc rumbling down our village roads every day? Not to mention the huge increase of quads , motorbikes , 4WD’s on our beach and out of control dogs. And these big houses appearing in our environment. There should be a law regarding the spoiling of a beach community with these behemoths! We never used to have these issues. I have never had any problems with children and my horse, in fact they all want to pat her. I can’t ride my horse or walk her around to my batch these days with out her being intimidated by all the traffic and noise around here. As for the beach, well we have to pick our times to ride now. I think long time residents here have given plenty of patience regarding the influx of newbies here and the added traffic ,noise and presence in general. We have a right to enjoy our pastimes too without being intimated by jeeps , quads, 4WDS , motorbikes , Dogs etc. The access at the end of Manga Pirau St is becoming increasingly more hazardous for Horse Riders. As far as the only people living here comment is concerned , well if it is good enough for those of us that have been here for years to accommodate new people , perhaps those that are new could show a little more respect to those who have had their lives changed by this influx.
# Horses on the South track
I live 5 minutes by bike from the South Track. I walk my two small dogs along there several times per week. I donât own or ride horses.
Itâs my experience that the track is well-used, by locals and visitors, who bring dogs, children, kayaks, kites for surfing, armloads of kids toys, kontiki fishing rafts, day shelters, swimming gear and other stuff.
Where the track exits onto the beach seems to be an extremely popular spot for families to sit and play and for swimming in the sea right there.
The track is narrow in places, a bit winding, very soft in parts and definitely doesnât conform to the straight-line shown on maps.
I hate that some dog owners fail to pick up their dogâs poop, even though there are plenty of bags right there at the entrance and a bin to put them in. The track is currently lined with big-dog poop.
I also hate that sometimes I have to step around horse poop right in the middle of the track, especially as horses arenât allowed on the track.
The emergency exit from the beach issue:
it seems to me that a prudent person in circumstances where there is a danger to themselves, their animals or to others will find a way to avoid that danger. At such times people will usually generously allow leeway to those who have âbroken the rulesâ.
I have several times taken my dogs into the dunes and risked the damage to vegetation when Iâve seen a potential danger on the beach â for example, a couple of times thereâs been a slow-driving car and a pack of dogs I have doubts about coming along the beach.
I think if a rider found themselves in a precarious situation then folks wouldnât mind if they exited the beach along a walkway normally reserved for pedestrians.
One rider has told me of instances of being harassed by dogs, vehicles or even drones.
The matter of convenience:
I have a lot of sympathy for riders on this one. I feel very happy with the notion that horses should be able to access the beach from Reay Mackay Grove.
I think the best resolution would be to divide the track, as suggested in Option 2. That would allow horses to be separated from pedestrians and would keep horse poop off the walking track. If riders were allowed to ride their horse rather than lead it they will enjoy the advantage of being considerably higher and able to see further. As there is no physical barrier on the other side, they could if necessary move their horse further away from the pedestrian track if they saw a potential âproblemâ coming.
Separating the horses would also stop additional degradation on the pedestrian track. Horses already use the track, and their hooves make deeper holes in the sand, spoiling the firm surface. While there is not much of the wooden walkway left visible, I’m concerned about the damage horse hooves will do to what remains.
The horse float issue:
I agree with others that itâs not desirable to have horse floats parking along Reay Mackay Grove. While I’m happy for anyone who rides their horse to the track to then use the track, I’m not keen on folks bringing horse floats. Iâve seen people turn up with horse floats and others have told me those folks then unload their horses and ride along the track.
I donât know how horse floats could be prevented though. Perhaps the Council could ban horse float parking, but then how would that be monitored and dealt with?
The âofficialâ horse track issue:
I’m sympathetic to the half dozen horse owners at Waikawa Beach being able to use the track, but agree with the concern that making the track an âofficialâ track with signage could lead to it being listed or in some way broadcast and then drawing additional riders.
I feel that sporadic and occasional use of (part of) the track by horses is fine but wouldnât want to see large groups or large numbers of horses using it.
In summary: I’m sympathetic to *local* horse owners being able to use a roped-off portion of the track, but am wary about horse floats and the possibility of an increased number of horses using that track and also exiting onto that part of the beach, especially during holiday times when we have quite a few visitors in that part.
Firstly, thanks to everyone for posting on this issue. I appreciate how thoughtful and considered the responses are.
I live off Strathnaver Drive and my nearest access to the beach are the two tracks on Reay McKay Grove.
Most of my walks on the beach are with my two small dogs, and I endeavour to keep them under control and make sure they are not a nuisance to others.
While I enjoy having horses in our neighbourhood and love to watch them on the beach, I am concerned about sharing the track with horses. The path is narrow and you cannot always see what is ahead. While I keep dogs on the lead on the track, it can be frightening for them (and for the horse and rider) when we come upon each other unawares. In these case, animals can be unpredictable and this poses a safety issue for walkers, dogs, horses and riders.
I believe, the vehicle entrance is a more suitable and safer access to the beach as horses can be seen and horses can see what is coming.
I love our beach and neighbourhood and while it may seem selfish, I don’t want a lot of riders and horses coming from outside the district to use the south track. Reay Mckay Grove was not designed to accommodate high vehicle usage nor a high volume parking.
Many people and children, like to bicycle around the neighbourhood and the increased traffic could be a deterrent and a safety risk.
Finally, I would like to say that I believe it is important that we protect our dunes, beach, wildlife, fisheries and coast. We have a range of birds and shellfish here and I want to see more. If we are to introduce more activity and categories of users onto our tracks then we have to take into account the impact this will have on the environment and kai moana as well as the surrounding community.
We do not support the request to open this track up to horses. Primarily because parking will become a problem on the street when there are several horse floats out there but also because as it is weâre already regularly having to side-step horse poo on the track which is unplesant, we also find the horses intimidating when youâre forced to share the narrow track (and we have a young dog who freaks out at horses) and when we bought our section we knew that the track was dog and people friendly. Not horse, car, motorbike friendly. This was a selling point to us. One of our favourite activities is taking our 4×4 on the beach but we knew that we would need to find an approved entrance onto the beach to use this, even though that entrance is much further from our place. Thatâs just the way it is and shouldnât be any different for horse owners/riders. We would prefer it remains that way.
Funny That You Don’t support it yet we in the village , particularly in Sarah St have to put up with all the Strathnaver Traffic going down it…………Selfish really.
Kia ora everyone.
Some of the comments below are getting a bit heated. I understand this issue is raising strong feelings, but please keep to the topic at hand and avoid saying things that could be regarded as personal attacks. As Administrator for the site I do have the right to edit comments or to reject them. If I think a comment has strayed into personal attack territory then I will exercise that right. We need to acknowledge that there are many points of view.
I am a local resident, and my daughter and I both ride horses. We sometimes use the South track when going to the beach particularly if there’s vehicles, quads, motorbikes etc at the entrance on Manga Pirau Street as it becomes a major safety issue for us. Often vehicles come up over the rise or from around the second access way at speed to get across the sand, dogs are off leads and run at the horses. When we occasionally use the south track we are always courteous of other track users, leading our horses down the track and very rarely come across any pedestrians. We ALWAYS pick up any poo the horses leave on the track, and for that matter, the roads around Waikawa. Today we chose to drive to this entrance as we had limited time and there were vehicles on the beach at the end of Manga Pirau street. While we were parked on the street this crazy woman in a black car drove past us doing at least 70km per hour! If there had been people or children crossing the road from the beach entrance she would have hit them! She turned around up the road, came back and parked behind us which I thought was odd. When we started towards the beach entrance she drove up and started taking photos of us, hurling abuse and was very intimidating. She then drove off up the private road so I assume she is a resident. This was totally uncalled for. She was a nasty piece of work just looking to cause trouble in our once happy, peaceful Waikawa Beach. A new resident looking to spoil long standing residents recreational activities. Surely we can reach a happy medium where horse riders and pedestrians can share the track. Horses don’t attack people, how many horse attacks have you heard of?? The council could widen the track in parts so that horses can pull over if they see pedestrians ahead. It’s not difficult. Ask that people lead their horses down to the beach. There’s usually sufficient logs on the beach to be able to mount from. We don’t need to advertise it as a public bridleway to the whole country. We wouldn’t ever see 50+ horse floats parked on the side of the road wanting to all access the beach. It doesn’t happen anywhere else on the coast, so why would it all the way down at Waikawa Beach? Our road access one of the more difficult/long roads in the Kapiti/Horowhenua area.
I have been advised today, 31 October 2018, that the Council will not be making any changes to the status quo of the South Track. I’m awaiting a final copy of the official statement before I put up a blog post with all the details. That final copy should reach me within 24 hours. See https://waikawabeach.org.nz/2018/no-permission-for-horses-to-use-the-reay-mackay-grove-tracks-to-the-beach/