The Newtown Bridle Lands Assocation (NBLA) is seeking to create more community awareness about their organization, the problems with diminishing open space and perhaps new members who can help deal with these issues.

The (NBLA) is a nonprofit, volunteer organization formed in 1978 to foster an interest in horseback riding and hiking trails in Newtown. Since our land trust was formed in 1988, the NBLA has focused more and more on working with landowners and developers to maintain crucial links in Newtown’s trail system.

Before Newtown’s housing growth began in the 1980s, most riding trails in town were the result of “handshake” gentlemen’s agreements between riders and landowners. The Fairfield County foxhunting club laid out many of the trails still in use today beginning in the 1940s. Some trails were on abandoned dirt roads. As Newtown began to see more residential development, these trails, which did not show up on property maps, began to be disrupted by new homes and roads.

Today the NBLA works with landowners, developers, and town land use commissions to raise awareness of existing trails and to preserve or create trails. Early on they decided to work with developers rather than fight new growth. When faced with a new subdivision that obliterates an existing trail, the NBLA has worked with the developer to carve out a new trail route on the land, thus allowing horses, hikers and houses to peacefully coexist. These “new” trails are deeded easements, meaning that riders and hikers can never lose access to them. These trails are noted on property maps and deeds. The NBLA’s goal is to protect Newtown’s trails by formalizing the historic “handshake agreement” trails into deeded trail easements.

What Is An Easement?

An easement is a grant of an interest in land to a person or entity for the purpose stated in the easement. Unless the easement precludes another use, either in the words of the granting document or as a practical matter because of the nature of the easement, it does not interfere with the use of property by the Grantor (owner) in any way that the owner wishes to use the property. Easements are written in the form of a deed and they are usually recorded on the land records. Easement areas are often shown on maps that may also be recorded and are referred to in the deed.

Easements given to the NBLA by property owners are for passage of people and horses over specific areas of the owner’s land described in the deed and maps. The only restriction on the owner is that the owner and the successors to the title of the current owner will not block the easement and in that way prevent passage through the easement area.  Otherwise, the owner continues to use the property without restriction and the owner is free to transfer the property in the future.

What About

Legal Liability?

Sections 52-557f-52-5571 of the Connecticut General Statutes limits the liability of owners who make their land available for recreational uses without payment by excusing the owner from ordinary concepts of care by the landowner. Basically, the owner has no duty of care for his property to the recreational user and the owner is free from liability in the event that a recreational user is injured using the property. If the owner were ever sued, the owner can invoke the protection of the statute.

Does The NBLA Have

A Map Of Its Trails?

No, there is no official trail map due to the fact that many of the trails in use pass over private property and are the result of the aforementioned “handshake” agreements with landowners. The NBLA feels that it does not have the right to publicize trails passing over private property. However, we are working towards a map that shows deeded trails easements and open space trails. This would not be published for general use, but would be used for long-term planning purposes. We do recommend the Newtown Trails Book that is available through the Cyrenius Booth Library in Newtown for those interested in locating hiking and riding trails in Newtown. The NBLA also regularly holds unmounted trail walks and trail clearings as well as informal trail rides to acquaint members and the public with the trails we use. We find that this personal introduction to the trails we are privileged to ride on, over private land, is the responsible way to teach trail etiquette and make sure landowner’s wishes and restrictions are followed. These trail walks and rides are publicized in The Newtown Bee on the Horse News page in the Sports Section.