Santa Ynez Valley Riders

Trail Advocacy

Actions That Affect Where You Can Ride  
 

Live Oak Equestrian Trail Is Open!
Live Oak Equestrian Trail resumed it's historical equestrian and grazing use as of July 2024.

SYVR is working to keep Live Oak Trail SAFE for equestrian trial riders.

What Can You do NOW?

                        

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To the Live Oak Equestrian Trails Fund

(Through our Partner the Santa Barbara Trails Council)

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A Brief History of the Live Oak Equestrian Trail
(aka Cachuma Equestrian Trail) (Updated September 2024)

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The Santa Ynez Valley Riders (SYVR) is the oldest equestrian riding group in the Santa Ynez Valley. SYVR was, at one time, part of Equestrian Trails International (established in 1944), but split from that group in the 1960’s, although SYVR still shares the mission: “Dedicated to Equine Legislation, Good Horsemanship, and the Acquisition and Preservation of Trails, Open Space and Public Lands”

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Our member Mr. Bob Crowe, who has since passed away, was instrumental in securing the Live Oak trails for equestrian riders in the 1980’s. Recently, his widow, Donna Crowe, gave all the documentation of that process and the original maps of the trail system to SYVR. Our history with the Live Oak Trail (or Cachuma Equestrian Trail, as it was named back then), goes back over 30 years. 

 

Bob became President of the Santa Barbara Trails Council and worked tirelessly with the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) - the Federal agency that manages the land around Cachuma Lake and in particular, the Lake’s water management) and County of Santa Barbara (the local agency that leases the land from the USBR for recreational purposes) to accomplish all relevant environmental studies, develop a Management Plan and fund and install the gates and a kiosk at the trailhead.  Through Bob’s work the Live Oak Trail was established by the Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors as Cachuma Equestrian Trail in 1988.

 

In 2020, the kiosk at the Live Oak Trailhead, which served to alert riders of potential trail hazards, provided a map of the trail system, and even had a brass plate identifying that the SYVR had donated the kiosk, had gone missing. The SYVR followed up with the staff at Cachuma Lake with the intent of replacing the kiosk this winter. The staff said they had removed the kiosk because it was old but are amenable to replacing the kiosk, BUT at that time County staff also informed us of the proposed changes in users on Live Oak Trail via a “Pilot Program” to open the trail to hikers, then later bikes.

 

SYVR and indeed, no one, knew of the “Pilot Program” (Pilot), but to develop or change users on trails (or any recreational use for that matter), the County must develop plans, and public review and comment provided for.

 

In February 2021, the SYVR and SYVEA joined up to work with the County Team to consider equestrians concerns and suggestions to improve and maintain equestrian safety and provide an enjoyable recreational experience for trail riders at Live Oak Equestrian Trail.  After a lengthy court battle the court ordered the Trail to return to its original equestrian uses.

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The suggestion of a horse camp at Live Oak Camp is also now on the table and is part of the on-going discussions with County Parks.  It’s hoped the campground proposal will be included in the Recreation Master Plan as well as designation of the Live Oak Equestrian Trail as the County’s one and only equestrian facility.

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