Woman riding her horses in Alberta town causing bylaw confusion

A horse of a debate, trotting out of High River A debate is currently brewing in small-town Alberta, over whether you should or shouldn't be able to ride a horse through town.

HIGH RIVER, ALTA. — A woman who runs a horse rehabilitation facility near High River, Alta., says the town is not in favour of her riding her horses in the community as a means of transportation.

“(I've been) riding in town for about four (years) and didn't have issues until last year when people started complaining,” said Shelby Opheim.

“Now whether that was the poop or us being on the road, we're not really sure because nobody has told us.”

Opheim says she purchases and rehabilitates horses that have been injured or are set to be slaughtered. Once rehabilitated, she then sells or re-homes the rescued horses.

“Coming into town desensitizes them so much more that when they do go to a new home, no people have to be injured. They don't have to worry about the horse running off,” said Opheim.

“In a town with a feedlot five minutes away, Cargill is five minutes away, these places are what bring us money. So why not have the community support people using horses as transportation to come and fulfill our needs?”

Opheim says she is being “harassed” by town bylaw officers, who she says pulled her over while on the horse five times in the last six months.

The most recent interaction was last Tuesday after she left a Tim Hortons Drive-Thru and did some grocery shopping in town.

The Town of High River, when reached for comment, said it was investigating the matter, but would not provide comment.

High River’s traffic bylaw does not explicitly say horses are not allowed to be used as a mode of transportation on public roadways.

“No person shall drive a motor vehicle, off-highway vehicle, horse-drawn vehicle or ride a horse or other animal upon any baseball diamond, football field, other sports areas and in any area designated as a park, square, or other public place without prior approval except along routes provided for that purpose,” reads the bylaw on the town’s website.

Anyone in violation could face a $200 fine.

High River’s Active Transportation Plan lists several options for transportation.

“Active transportation includes any form of human-powered transportation, such as walking, bicycling, or rolling using a skateboard, in-line skates, scooter, wheelchair, and other modes,” read the plan.

“It may also include winter-based active modes (e.g., cross-country skiing and snowshoeing), water-based active modes (e.g., canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddle boarding), and even horseback riding.”

“It says we can ride horses, horse-drawn carriages, just don't ride in areas you shouldn't,” said Opheim.

“Baseball diamonds, football fields, the schoolyard, common sense places and you act as a vehicle. We use hand signals for turning, act as a vehicle or a cyclist.”

Mayor Craig Snodgrass says Opheim can ride her horse in town.

“There's absolutely nothing in our bylaws that prohibits people from riding horses in this town and that's the way it'll stay,” said Snodgrass.

“Our (bylaw) guys get an opinion from our legal lawyers. Whenever you do that the lawyers are always going to give you the safe opinion and they're probably going to say no, because it protects everybody's butt. I'm not okay with that, with their interpretation of our existing bylaw.”

Snodgrass admits the entire situation has become “goofy.”

“If horses are prohibited in town, it needs to say that directly in the bylaw, no horses and it does not say that,” he said.

“So in High River, you are absolutely more than welcome to ride your horse in town, on the streets.”