Re: Wild lands and being informed

["elfs" <elfs@c2i2.com>]

Hi,
 Being informed and on guard is great, but it is not enough. In order to
assure that horses are included, you have to become involved in a hands on ,
face to face level with your local government agencies that are in charge of
trail access issues. And it helps to be friends with the private land owners
too. Believe me, I know, I have been very active in this respect for 20
years here in Southern Arizona. We made several large sections of the
Arizona Trail , during the planning of a local endurance ride. The FS loved
us,(and still do !), we marked and treadded trail for months in preparation
for the ride, ALSO taking in consideration the needs of the riparian areas
(very rare and very delicate here), and the hikers and birders, and what the
govening agencies wanted to accomplish. I cannot say enough about the
importance of shareing and getting along with others in our wild spaces. If
you want to preserve a new area, and still be able to ride there, make a
proposal and offer your skills and become involved physically so that you
are not only informed and "on guard" but are also a participant in
establishing our privilages to ride in what open spaces we have left. As to
changing how the general public views horses, that's the easy part. One
person at a time. You are the ambassador for your chosen activity, horseback
riding. This means that you can , with every  person you meet on the trail
that is not riding, establish a respectful , pleasant  and sometimes
informative , short-term positive relationship. Most people I meet are on
the trails I use, to do the same thing, enjoy nature, so this gives us all
whom are out there a common bond. Be NICE to the tourists folks, they are
just as entitiled to be there as we are.We must all work together  or there
will not be any wild spaces for anyone to enjoy.
 My question is that , in regards to the "hilly grasslands" that you were
going to put a ride on in, what happened ? Was anyone "on guard" or informed
about the change ? Can you still get involved in the agencies that are in
control ? Why not ? Who is in charge ? How can you improve the whole picture
? Perhaps a ride put on to financially benefit the area would work. Are
there any other outdoor enthusiasts like birders (who often do a ton of free
research for the Game and Fish Departments) that you can ally yourself with
? Can you offer a service to the agency in charge that will enhance what
they are trying to do ?
Dru

----- Original Message -----
From: <BMcCrary27@aol.com>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2000 9:24 AM
Subject: RC: WILD HORSES DEBUNKED


> <<You would not believe just how related to
> endurance this is.  I live near a very large
> section of state owned land that used to be
> leased to ranchers for grazing.  This is beautiful
> hilly grasslands which I was considering starting
> a really nice endurance event on.  Well this land
> has just been put aside for "future generations to
> enjoy" as an evironmentally pristine area.  The "new
> rules" governing this land does not even allow "foot
> traffic off the roads" let alone horses or cattle.
> Yes the fences have fallen down that used to keep
> cattle in. New fences have gone up to "keep people OUT"
>  and the grasses have grown back but you can just look
> and not touch!!This is public land and its loss of use
> should be a huge concern to everyone in this country.>>
>
> This is something of great concern to all of us riders, even hikers.  If
this
> continues to happen, it will mean the end of a certain way of life as we
know
> it.  I believe we have already lost some of our favorite trails that have
> been used for endurance rides because of putting aside of lands for
> preservation.  We'd all better keep informed and keep our guard up.
> Unfortunately, the majority of the population in this country is too far
> removed from the importance of the horse to care whether or not we are
able
> to ride any more.  To them, it appears that horses are just smelly, messy,
> dangerous nuisances.
>
> Barbara
>
>
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