Oregon Equestrian Trails (OET) is made up of many individuals from all over the state who share a common love of horses and trail riding and who want to see Oregon’s public lands remain a place where trail riders are welcome for years to come and where our children will still have the same opportunity as we did to enjoy a day or overnight experience on horseback at the beach, on in the mountain meadow.
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose members are dedicated to building, promoting, preserving, and maintaining horse camps and trails in Oregon. For over 50 years, we’ve worked to ensure that horse trails and camps throughout our state remain accessible to riders now and in the future. OET members promote LNT ethics, outdoor ethics, campground etiquette, and trail etiquette. In addition to our outdoor contributions, OET members also maintain ongoing communication with various governmental agencies to ensure continued equestrian access on public lands now and for future generations of equestrians.
As land-use pressures increase, equestrians may find they are no longer welcome to share trails, campgrounds, or other areas with non-equestrian users. OET’s officers, staff and members work to engage interested parties in meaningful dialogue, making sure that the concerns of equestrians are voiced to lawmakers, land-use planners, and the media. To further create a receptive community atmosphere, OET’s members work to ensure that equestrians are viewed as helpful and considerate trail users.
Our Mission
- OET advocates for recreational access, partners with lands managers to care for trails and horse camps, and unites equestrians through opportunities and information related to trail riding.
Our Volunteering Efforts
Trail and horse camp work is one of the mainstays of our mission. Volunteers from our 12 chapters participate in some way to help keep trails and horse camps open. For last year here in Oregon we had another great year with tens of thousands of dollars worth of volunteer hours donated with just over 12,200 volunteer hours. Throughout the year this included 292 stock that was used while volunteering plus 76,546 travel miles. Since 2001 our volunteer efforts to the Oregon public lands are over $5 million. Thanks again to all the OET members over the years who have tirelessly volunteer to keep our public trails and horse camps open.
Why Members Join
My OET Story: Valerie Lantz
My OET Story: Jodi Knutson
My OET Story: Kim McCarrel
My Story: Micheale Gordon
My OET Story: Diana Pyle
My OET Story: Jenny Hill
Get To Know Us
Make A Difference
Help Build and Maintain Places to Ride
Find the Best Trails
Member Benefits
Meet Fun People to Ride With
Our Mission
Building a Better Future
The dedicated volunteers of Oregon Equestrian Trails work hard to build and maintain horse camps and trails throughout the state. Our members spend long hours each year to help ensure that the riding public will have nice facilities when they pull into the camp: corrals are in good shape, fences are mended, trails are cleared and marked, signs are up, and there’s water for the horses.
In the backcountry, a top priority is reducing and repairing the damage done by other, less-informed riders. OET members pick up trash, perform rehab work on fragile, alpine areas and overused campsites, and share low-impact camping techniques of Leave No Trace (LNT) with other riders.
We’re Keeping Watch
Outside physical activity isn’t the only kind of work that OET volunteers perform. They work tirelessly with land managers and agencies to make sure that horse people have continuing access to public lands. In these days of ever-tightening government regulations, the rights of all equestrians are being threatened. Many areas are being closed to riders for one reason or another, often with little or no notice. It takes diligence and perseverance to ensure that we keep access to public lands that we have traditionally enjoyed.
Work Hard, Play Hard
It’s not all work with Oregon Equestrian Trails. You can be assured that people who work this hard, play hard too! Whether it’s enjoying a local chapter fun ride, kick-in’ up some heels at the Annual State Ride, Annual Roundup meeting dinner and dance, or digging into those scrumptious potlucks that accompany most every function, OET members have a great time.
They enjoy poker rides, charity rides, parades, summer campouts, clinics, and many more family-oriented activities. Strong friendships are forged while staring into the coals of the evening campfire, enjoying that last cup of coffee and spinning’ yarns about the day’s ride.
Making a Difference is Important
Our efforts provide individual volunteers fun, enjoyment and the sense of accomplishment you can gain, all while being in the great outdoors! Not only will you receive the satisfaction of knowing that you’re making a real difference in the world, but you’ll enjoy doing it, too. We need your help to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the natural beauty of our state from horseback. It costs so little to join. Think of what it may cost you if you don’t. Your own heritage is at stake! Why tell you all this, we want you to join our membership.
If you own a horse, ride on public lands and enjoy hands-on participation, you should join Oregon Equestrian Trails. It will be the hardest work you’ll ever love!
Look To The Future & Join Us Today!
The people and organizations that makeup OET work to establish and maintain equestrian trails and camps throughout the state of Oregon. OET cooperates to make sure all state and federal fish, game and forest laws are enforced fairly, and to help improve the regulations that govern activities in the backcountry and wilderness areas, especially pertaining to horse use.
OET links horse people together by relaying news about the activities, objectives, and problems of its members, and helps solve those problems whenever they can.
Above all, OET encourages and works for the preservation of the forests, the wildlife and natural resources of the Pacific Northwest.