Santa Ynez Valley Riders
Equestrian Trail Alliance

​​ 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, but the SYVR retains the mission: “Dedicated to Equine Legislation, Good Horsemanship, and the Acquisition and Preservation of Trails, Open Space and Public Lands”.

 

A long-time member Mr. Bob Crowe, who has since passed away, was instrumental in securing the Live Oak Trail for equestrian riders in the 1980’s. 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 the County Riding and Hiking Advisory Committee (or CRAHTAC).  He 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 gates and a kiosk at the trailhead. 

 

Through Bob’s work, the Cachuma Equestrian Trail was established in 1988 by the Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors.

 

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. It was brough to light that the  the kiosk was removed because it was old but the Park staff were amenable to replacing the kiosk. 

 

At this same time, County staff also informed us of the proposed changes in users on Live Oak Trail was going to happen via the County's “Pilot Program” to open the trail to hikers, then later bikes.  This would mean Santa Barbara County would loose its last equestrian trail and indeed the last equestrian recreational facility in the County.

 

SYVR and indeed, no one, knew of the “Pilot Program” (Pilot).  However, to develop or change users on trails (or any recreational use for that matter), the County must develop plans, and provide public review and comment before any decision is made.  The decision was made to move ahead without public (community) input.

 

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 brought by area equestrians, the court ordered the Trail be returned to its original equestrian use and currently, the trail is again safe for equestrian riders.

 

The County is currently developing a Countywide Recreation Master Plan which has again proposed opening Live Oak Trail to bikes and hikers. It is hoped, with the community's continued support by speaking out, the Live Oak Equestrian Trail will continue to be retained as the County's one safe recreational equestrian trail as is the case in all other surrounding Counties.  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.​​