The evenings were marked by tranquility and natural beauty, said equestrians who gathered with their horses on Cedar Beach in Southold for a popular event, Pony Swim.
Southold resident Samantha Perry formed the group with some friends in 2013 to let the horses swim free in the bay along with their owners.
But the swims are now a thing of the past: Neighbors in the Cedar Beach area complained to the town about environmental issues and other concerns and, last night, a ranger came to put the brakes on the activity, stating that if the events continued, a fine of $200 per horse would be imposed, Perry said.
“We’re really upset about it,” she said.
The new ban has got some seeing red: Southold resident Jill Franke has geared up to collect signatures of protest on a petition.
Franke said she reached out to Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell some time ago when it first came to her attention that equestrians were not allowed to ride horses at Cedar Beach.
“When I was young and growing up in Orient, you could ride everywhere and it was a fantastic place to grow up,” Franke said. “I had a wonderful childhood. It’s changing out here — and not for the better. There are so many restrictions in place now. People move because they like it here, and then they change everything about it.” Franke said she is going to do all she can to fight back against the code. “There is really no place for horse owners to ride anymore.”
Franke said she used to ride on town preserved property by her home but now, she can’t due to the deer management program. “There needs to be a place where horse owners can get together and enjoy the company of other horse owners or people who enjoy watching them or being around them. My dad and some of my friends have gone with their grandchildren just to watch these beautiful animals. It has never been left with waste when everyone leaves. We need a place to enjoy, too.”
Russell explained that there was little recourse: “The Suffolk County Department of Parks and Recreation had recently been made aware of the uses of Cedar Beach by horse owners. That agency had informed a resident who filed a complaint that horses are not allowed on county parks and beaches unless they are specifically designated as an allowed use in the Suffolk County code,” Russell said.”Based on that complaint, an official from the Suffolk County Parks Department said that agency would take action to enforce the code and deny the use at that beach.”
Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski said the county’s long had a policy against horseback riding on the beach, stemming from concerns over animal waste in the Peconic Estuary. “Bacteria,” he reminded, “is the reason for shellfish closures.”
He added that if an activity is prohibited, the county has the right to impose fines, noting animal waste in local waters is a critical issue, and animal owners need to remain vigilant. “Horses can’t read the signs,” he said.
Russell said he’s unaware of the steps the parks department will take to enforce the regulation.
Perry said the group has been going to the beach with their ponies for years.
“It was just so much fun,” she said. “The horses love to go to the beach in the hot summer, just like everyone.”
Word has spread about the popular event, she said, with many horses and equestrians traveling to Southold from across Long Island to enjoy frolicking in the water together.
“We’ve always been so diligent about cleaning up and being respectful. We go by the whole ‘leave no trace’ motto,” Perry said, adding that the gatherings are held during the week and in the evenings, so that no one would be bothered.
“A lot of people came to watch, taking photos, and they loved it. It was just such an awesome sight to see. And now we’re all so disappointed.”
Perry said even the ranger who came yesterday was “super impressed over how well we cleaned, but he was following the letter of the law.”
The $200 fine, Perry said, “is outrageous. We live on an island, which has a huge population, and yet the county doesn’t allow horses on any county beach other than Smith’s Point, and then, with a special permit and in the off season, from November to April. Who wants to go to the beach in the dead of winter? Some people are so unfriendly toward horses.”
The water, she added, was therapeutic for horses, a remedy for many ailments and wonderful for their legs and hooves. “The saltwater cleans their feet. It’s amazing; it has so many benefits.”
Cindy Hilary, who lives five minutes from the Southold beach, agreed: “I have show horses, so bringing them down to the swim is very relaxing and therapeutic for their bodies. The saltwater is great for them. I would be very sad if this ended. The Pony Swim is a great thing.”
The events were also wonderful social gatherings, Perry said. “We’d stay late and barbecue and get to know one another,” she said. “The horses would interact, and so would the people. We formed such great friendships,” she said. “And now it’s all come to a halt.”
Added Dawn Bennett of Cutchogue, “I think it’s a crying shame to stop such a wonderful outing.”
