East Coast beaches
No riding between 10am and 7pm from December to 15 February, or on Easter weekend or Labour weekend. Also, you can only ride on these beaches between low tide and mid tide so check your tides app first. Outside mid-high tides and summer hours is fine.
Always pick up horse poo! Take some bags, and please be considerate. Riding on summer weekends isn’t recommended as the beaches get so crowded. Omaha, Orewa, Algies Bay, Hatfields, Pakiri, and Snells are all ok to ride your horse at.
Escott Estate
80 x 80 jumping arena $15/hr. Escott road, Dairy flat – 0210 220 6962
Willow Equestrian
Has hacking and a big cross country course, with a bit of forestry, a round pen and 40×40 arena, which can be used for jumps or dressage and flat work. There’s plenty of float parking, wash down area, covered tack up etc.
526 Sandspit Road, near Warkworth.
The casual riding rate is $15 for one hour, $20 for two hours, $25 for the day.
To book contact hagen.issell@gmail.com or 021 222 0100.
Woodhill forest
Rates begin around $160 per 6 months for key. Casual Rider Form $22 per ride,EH 6MTH Registration Form, RIDERS NOTICEBOARD, email ekehoiho@kaiparamoana.com to register.
Okura Marine Reserve
Okura is a tidal estuary of mudflats, sandbars and slippery rock outcrops covered in oyster shells. Horse riding is on the north side of Okura River, up the Weiti River (not south). You should plan on only riding for around an hour during the lowest part of the tide as to get to the estuary you must cross the boating channel! DO NOT ride on the shell banks near the Silverstream shoreline as dotterels nest on them.
Access is from Okura River Road between Torbay and Stillwater. Park at the Community Hall up the rise a way. DO NOT park at the bottom of the hill near the boat ramp – locals get very annoyed and turning will be an issue. Coming from the north, it is a very sharp hairpin turn onto Okura River Rd.
Riverhead Forest
Wide firebreaks around the outside edge of the forest from Old North Rd to Ararimu Valley Rd make for up to 10km of good free access riding.
Horse riding annual Permits: $60.00 for an individual, $80.00 for a couple, $100.00 for a family.
Fees paid to Matariki 12-3113-0130163-00. Reference Riverhead Horse Riding and your name, then e-mail sam.middlemass@rayonier.com (09 437 4082). Permits are sent with a map and key. Regular e-mails are sent to ensure riders are aware of events in the forest. No motorbikes.
Riverhead is a clay based with steepish terrain so can be slippery – and many of the trails are rough gravel. Mostly walk and trot footing along the forest roads, a few canter spots. Horses can enter Riverhead forest via one of the seven horse access gates around the main area of Riverhead forest. Locks on these gates are different to those on the vehicle access gates.
Horse gates (access with keys) are located at 5 locations but please drive there first to check conditions!
- Escott Rd
- Deacon Rd East (Eastern side, off Mill Flat Rd) – parking on Berenice Ave
- Forestry Rd – parking (at the top near the horse gate)
- Barlow Rd & Strip Rd (Off Ararimu Valley Rd)
- Robinson Rd – steep hill to tow up, flattens at top
Floats can park beside the road on Strip Road, Barlow Rd and Campbell Road. You can ride along the firebreak around the forest, or into the forest at a horse-gate. If you park at Campbell Rd you will have to ride along the road, either back to Barlow Rd (Zanders Rd) or to Chatham Rd where there is no horse-gate, but there is a rock that is easy to pop over.
Ti Tree Hills
A largeish L shaped arena with some jumps $20/hr and/or trail riding $20 per horse. Bookings essential via www.titreehills.co.nz.
Dairy Flat Track
Landfill Access Rd Trotting Track at Landfill Access Rd is available to recreational riders for hire. To book contact Premier Equestrian services on 09-427 5379.
Pony Club Adult Rides
Call your local Pony Club and ask! Lots of pony clubs offer fun and friendly adult rides.
Sanders reserve
3km of track near Albany.
Coatesville Reserve
Coatesville Reserve between Glenmore and Mahoenui Valley Rds, on Coatesville-Riverhead Highway (opposite the Coatesville store). Anyone can ride on the reserve, but the arena, cross-country course and show jumps are by permission of the Coatesville Pony Club only (hire) and the Pony Club has exclusive use of the reserve for 40 days of the year. The Coatesville School also uses these paddocks for AG day / Cross-Country days. The grounds are basically flat, with trees, a stream etc to make it slightly more interesting. The paddocks behind the Playcentre are not leased by the Pony Club but the XC jumps and show jumps that are in these paddocks are Pony Club owned and cannot be used by non-members.
Public access is through the gates leading onto the short bridleway that goes past the toilets at the back of the Settlers Hall, on Mahoenui Rd, and on Glenmore Rd. The area is also closed for riding on market days or Pony Club show\club days:
- October – April: Pony Club Rally nights (Wed and Thur) and Adult Ride (Sat mornings)
- Show-days, the District and Area for Show Days, and for the Schools Equestian Show Days
- Coatesville Market every first Sunday of the month for public parking.
There is public parking along Mahoenui Valley Road passed the hall – but it is very busy around school times. The Pony Club control parking on the reserve, there is a locked gate.
Te Rau Puriri Regional Park
Amazing rides across South Head, you do need a council pass.
Atiu Creek Regional Park
Marsh Road Tapora via SH 1, Turn left onto Port Albert road at Wellsford/Wharehine
Call first 09 366 2000, float parking past main entrance.
Need a council pass.
$10 key required.
Note all prices are subject to change - let me know if this is out of date!