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Horseback riding on Oak Island beaches a possibilityJan 18, 2013 (Star-News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- While Karen Mealey saddled Sonny, a 6-year-old horse, for a workout Thursday, she pondered the prospect of expanding her business to beach rides. The owner of Wonderland Farms in Leland already offers trail rides and lessons, but oceanside rides are foreign territory, she said. Like many of her horses, Sonny has never seen a wave. "I hear if you back them up into the water there is less of a chance of startling them," she said, as she thought about what getting her horses ready for that type of business would entail. She added that although beaches surround her, the current horse-friendly beaches -- Topsail Beach and Carolina Beach -- are too far away. But Mealey might have a close option in Brunswick County someday. Oak Island Councilwoman Dara Royal has tasked herself with looking into adding horseback riding as an option during the town's offseason. At a recent meeting, Royal said she would look into how other beach towns have made it successful. She added it would be a draw during the tourism lull. "It's been a while since we have taken a serious look at it," she said. Royal said she will check towns such as Topsail Beach and Carolina Beach for guidance. At Topsail Beach, the town sells day passes and season passes for bech horse riding to residents and nonresidents. For residents, a day pass costs $5 and a season pass costs $25. The amount doubles for nonresidents. Before imposing fees in 2011, the town let riders on the beach for free with day passes. Since the town added a fee and season pass, the number of riders has jumped, said Police Chief Samuel Gervase. "Before the season passes, people had to stop by the police station every time prior to going riding," he said. 'Now with a season pass they can go straight to an access, unload and ride." The riding seasons at Carolina Beach and Topsail Beach last from the first week of October to the end of March. Royal said any model she looks at will have to be modified to fit Oak Island's needs. "Every beach has its different seasons," she said. Horseback riding isn't foreign to Oak Island. The town's fire department once held an annual Long Beach Horse-A-Thon fundraiser, and hundreds of riders would converge on the beach town. But the event was discontinued after some town council members in 1997 said it was detrimental to the beaches, citing erosion, people riding on the dunes and horse droppings. Royal said rules would need to be in place. "That was a different time and different circumstances," she said. There seem to be few problems with horseback riders at Topsail Beach, Gervase said. He added that police rarely have to fine violators for breaking rules, like not cleaning up horse droppings. Repeat offenders are banned from bringing horses to the beach. Mealey said following the rules, and a little picking up after her and her horses, doesn't outweigh the benefit of having the extra business option in her backyard. "It's not a big deal," she said. "We can take a big shopping bag and shovel." Jason Gonzales: 343-2075 On Twitter: @StarNews_Jason ___ (c)2013 the Star-News (Wilmington, N.C.) Visit the Star-News (Wilmington, N.C.) at www.starnewsonline.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |