Last March, Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA) introduced the “Right-To-Ride Livestock on Federal Lands Act of 2005” into the U.S. House of Representatives, and month later Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced an identical bill into the U.S. Senate.

But little has happened since to push the bill along, partly because the congressmen and their staffs have been disappointed by the low level of support their efforts have received from the horse world. So several organizations, led by the American Quarter Horse Association and including the American Horse Council, have launched a campaign to get anyone who rides, especially if they already ride in national parks or wilderness area—or think they might want to do that someday–to get on the bandwagon.

The easiest way to contact your senator or representative is to click on this link AQHA Action alert, which takes you to an AQHA Action Alert. Once there, you enter your zip code, fill in your name and address for verification as a constituent, and a prepared letter of support goes to the congressional representatives you designate. Of course, if you’d prefer to write your own letter, this link also provides the bill’s complete text.

The bill says in part, “The Secretary of the Interior shall provide for the management of National Park System lands to preserve and facilitate the continued use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, where there is a historical tradition of such use. As a general rule, all trails, routes, and areas used by pack and saddle stock shall remain open and accessible for such use. The Secretary may implement a proposed reduction in the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands only after complying with the full review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.”