Trail condition preferences of horseback riders on the Clemson University Experiemental Forest

Horseback riding in natural areas is a legitimate and valued outdoor recreation activity that has the potential to cause changes in trail conditions. Riders are often quite experienced, are attached to both the activity and the resource places where they participate, and have preferences toward trail conditions where they ride. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of a verbal measure of trail condition preference to a visual preference measure of riders for various trail impact conditions. During June-October 2003, 197 riders completed a photo-questionnaire of trail conditions at a "staging area" (i.e., where horses are loaded and unloaded) on the 17,500-acre Clemson University Experimental Forest (CUEF). Riders rated 24 trail scenes and 15 written trail condition descriptions. The scenes and descriptions were factor analyzed to form four trail condition dimensions; narrow, dry, flat trails; wide, muddy trails; deep, well-rutted trails; and creek crossings. In addition, four factored dimensions of place bonding items revealed that riders were not dependent on the trails of the CUEF for riding, but were rooted to them, identified with them and were familiar with them. It is concluded that photographs can be used to measure trail condition perceptions, inventory baseline conditions, and allow for future photo/field monitoring of changing trail conditions over time.