Heuvelrug wants to pay for horse path maintenance with the importation of a rider vignette: ‘Nothing has happened for almost 3 years’

The first repairs must be completed before the breeding season. Later this year, a major overhaul will follow on the 227 kilometers of horse trails. Cost: over 100,000 euros. The money for the annual basic maintenance must be raised through the sale of the vignette.

Heuvelrug wants to pay for overdue maintenance horse paths with the input of a rider vignette

It’s not really going fast yet. So far 1100 vignettes have been sold. When the high season for equestrian sports starts, there should be 3000, says Judith Boekel of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park. The foundation coordinates the new vignette on behalf of all participating parties. “We’ve just put up signs at the entrances to the forest pointing riders to the obligation of the vignette. And we’ll be checking that shortly by means of random checks.”

These are even more extra costs for the rider, even though the horse hobby is not cheap. Yet Marjolein van Unen (39), herself a fanatic rider and co-founder of the Stichting Ruiteren en Mennen Utrechtse Heuvelrug, is happy with the mandatory vignette. “In fact, you saw in recent years that the horse trails were getting worse and worse. And with the money that this vignette generates, we hope that the basic maintenance of the horse trails will really improve. I’m willing to pay 60 euros a year for that.”

Marjolein has been involved in the creation of the vignette for several years. “As a foundation, we have been able to keep the price reasonably low. You then sell more vignettes and the chance that people will drive illegally is smaller. With the proceeds, the basic maintenance of the paths can now be kept up to date. In addition, our volunteers also help. with the pruning work along the paths.”

In total there are more than 227 kilometers of horse trails in the area. Several landowners and municipalities are participating in the new equestrian vignette on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, but not all of them. For example, the Den Treek estate has had its own system for years and they will keep it that way for the time being. So as a rider you still have to pay attention to whether you are not riding illegally.

So it’s actually like watching TV: if you really want to be able to see everything, you have to take out a subscription for several services. If you also want to be able to ride horses everywhere on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, you now have to purchase four different vignettes. Marjolein: “Of course, one equestrian vignette for the Heuvelrug would be the best, but that is difficult to arrange. We are now going to see how it works at a regional level and perhaps other local landowners will join later.”

The paths will soon be leveled again with a tractor, the saplings will be pruned and the water holes will be dug again. When the season starts again for many riders, the first necessary maintenance must be ready.