Ngā wāhi eke hōiho

Where you can ride a horse

Recreational horse riding is allowed in some regional parks and on several Auckland beaches. You will need to get your free pass to ride in a regional park.

Ride a horse in a regional park

Ātiu Creek Regional Park

Closed between 1 July and 30 September due to ground conditions and farming operations.
Group limit is 20 riders.
Dogs prohibited at all times.
Horse riding pass required.
You need a combination code to open some of the gates. We will send you the code with your horse riding pass.

Read more about Ātiu Creek Regional Park.

Āwhitu Regional Park

Open year round.
Group limit is 10 riders.
Riding may be restricted in winter due to ground conditions.
Access to the beach is not permitted through the campground, wetlands or main arrival zone.
Dogs prohibited at all times.

Duder Regional Park

Closed due to ground conditions and farming operations between 1 July and 30 September.
Group limit is 10 riders.
Horses not permitted on beaches or the shell bank.
Riders must follow all kauri dieback procedures, including ensuring floats, animals and equipment are free of organic matter.
Access from the car park is through the old stockyard on the right-hand side of the kauri dieback hygiene station.
Dogs prohibited at all times.

Hūnua Ranges Regional Park

There are designated trails through the Lower Mangatāwhiri Valley along a gravel road, through grass paddocks and bush, and along the Mangatāwhiri River.
A main loop down to the Lower Mangatāwhiri campground has extra linking tracks across it.
Group limit is 10 riders.
Riders may lead one other horse.
Riders must follow all kauri dieback procedures, including ensuring floats, animals and equipment are free of organic matter.
Due to safety issues, dogs cannot accompany horse riders in this park.
A horse riding pass cannot be used alongside a recreational hunting (feral pigs) permit.
All vehicles and floats must park in the unloading area.
The kauri dieback hygiene station in the unloading area is locked in a cage and can be accessed with a network code.
Use the hitching posts when setting up and cleaning horses. This allows all organic matter to be collected and disposed of in compliance with the Controlled Area Notice.
Mangatangi Hill Road is a Watercare operational road and care needs to be taken at all times.
Any vehicles found past Graeme White Road may have their permit revoked without review.
You need a network code to access the locked Watercare gate at the intersection of Moumoukai Road and Waterline Road. Call 09 301 0101 to obtain a permit and access code.

Read more about Hūnua Ranges Regional Park.

Muriwai Regional Park

Riders must stay on the designated trails through the pine forest or sand dunes within the five-mile strip.
You can also ride north up Muriwai Beach from the horse park. Vehicles also use the beach and it can get busy on weekends and public holidays.
Group limit is 10 riders.
Riders may lead one other horse.
Dogs cannot accompany horse riders on the sand dunes or forest tracks.

Pae O Te Rangi Farm (located in the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park)

Closed between 1 July and 30 September due to ground conditions and farming operations.
Group limit is 10 riders.
Horses may require shoes due to the metal roads at Pae O Te Rangi Farm.
Due to safety issues, dogs cannot accompany horse riders in this park.

Te Rau Pūriri Regional Park

Horses are not permitted on the beach.
Closed between 1 July and 30 September due to ground conditions and farming operations.
During calving season, riders must watch out for and stay away from cows with young calves.
Group limit is 10 riders.
Due to safety issues, dogs cannot accompany horse riders in this park.

Read more about Te Rau Pūriri Regional Park.

Whakanewha Regional Park

Open all year-round.
Group limit is 10 riders.
Keep below the shell bank when riding on the beach.
From 1 October to 28 February, riders must stay off the beach area during high tide to avoid shorebird nesting sites.
Cantering is permitted on the beach only from 1 March to 31 July when clear of other users - at all other times, cantering and galloping are prohibited.
Use the hitching rail by the pōhutukawa and on the central track.
Riders may lead one other horse.
Horses are not allowed in Poukaraka Flats and associated beach area.

For more information see Whakanewha Regional Park.

Waitawa Regional Park

Open all year-round.
Group limit is 10 riders.
Vehicle and float parking is in front of the green sheds. Do not block access to the shed doors.
Hitching pens, compost bins for manure, a toilet and a map are available at the back of the green sheds.
Horses are allowed on Waitawa Bay beach near the Kayak Campground but prohibited from Maitaitai Bay.
Horse riding permitted in most areas, except the mountain bike trails and disc golf tee areas. Check the map displayed in the Hoiho parking area and follow the markers.
When accessing Waitawa Bay through the campground, dismount and lead horses away from the archeological area.
Dogs are not permitted when horse riding.

For more information see Waitawa Regional Park.

Ride a horse on a beach

Karioitahi Beach

You can only unload horses in the signed area near the beach entrance. Remove all manure from the unloading area.
There is a walking-only zone for 500m either side of the entrance between 10am and 6pm from Labour Weekend to the end of March.
Within this 1km walking-only zone, horses must remain within 10m of the water’s edge when possible. Horse manure must be removed from this area.

Noticeboards at the beach entrance include all the rules relating to horse riding.

Other beaches

You can also ride horses at:

Algies Beach
Hatfields Beach
Martins Bay Beach
Omaha Beach
Ōrewa Beach
Snells Beach.

From 1 December to 15 February, horses are only allowed on these beaches before 10am and after 7pm. Horses are prohibited on Easter weekend and Labour weekend.

If you are riding a horse on these beaches, you must:

remove or safely dispose of horse manure
show consideration for other users at all times
ride or lead your horse in a manner that does not intimidate, cause a danger or nuisance to other people
not ride or lead your horse through bird breeding areas
not ride or lead your horse on coastal dunes except when accessing the beach via a direct route
ensure horses are ridden below the high tide mark if on a beach, so manure can be washed away
not ride at high tide to avoid potential conflict with other beach users.