Reaction to Mt. Lion

[SUE GRAHL <sgrahl@flash.net>]

My personal experience with horses reaction to mt. lions is no reaction.
The mt. lion that appeared next to my horse in the brush and ran leaping
over large cactus got no reaction from my horse. I know two other
endurance riders that have filed mt. lion sighting reports and I spoke
with both of them. They too report "no reaction" from their horses.They
said the lion saw them, turned away and trotted off. This is typical of
most sighting. All of us ride Arabs.I also said "you have a greater
chance of being hit by lighting than being attacked by a mt. lion". This
is based on a report by the California Department of Fish and Game.
Maybe it doesn't apply to all states. To everyone out there who thinks a
mt. lion is going to charge out of the bushes and grab you and your
horse and drag you off I would have to say "you've been watching to much
television". This kind of thinking almost closed our park. This park is
not only home to mt. lions but is also home to an endurance ride! Many
endurance riders condition their horses on these trails. We fought hard
to keep the park open and educate the public. We were successful. Please
consider the value of our trails and open space. Sharing it with the
wild things that were there before us is part of why most of us love
being in the great out doors.
Sue Grahl.