The maintenance of the famous landmark the White Horse of Kilburn has passed from the Kilburn White Horse Association, a charity that has overseen its upkeep for 161 years, to the Forestry Commission, owing to health and safety laws regarding working on steep slopes, and national volunteering guidelines.
The horse lies on land at Sutton Bank, near Thirsk, which is owned by the Commission, and is the most northerly turf-cut figure in Britain. It measures 314ft by 228ft, and is set on a steep slope that is dangerous to navigate without specialist equipment.
A spokesman for the Commission acknowledged the work that had been carried out historically by the Association, ensuring the survival of the horse over many years. After the horse fell into disrepair following the First World War, a 1925 public campaign allowed it to be renewed. When the horse was retouched four years ago, it required 220 gallons of masonry paint, with contractors secured by ropes on the hillside.
John Roberts, secretary of the Association said: "Had such health and safety regulations been in place in the 1850s the horse would not exist. It was laid out by local schoolchildren and cut by 30 local labourers. It couldn't happen now."
Margaret Gomersall, the Association's treasurer, said that as the six active members are aged mostly in their 60s and 70s, it was "inevitable that this was going to happen". The group will meet to consider its future, as the Commission has said that it can still be involved in fundraising.
