Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I totally agree with Jeannie.  Everyone needs to work together.  Too many of us horse people poo poo the bike riders and vice versa.  We should all be working together on the trails instead of ?these are my trails and those are yours.?

 

I have a husband, who does not ride horses but rides a mountain bike.  We ride on trails together?horse & bike.  Of course, we are always at issue with where can we go where we won?t get a bike or a horse confiscated.  He will never (as far as he?s concerned) ride a horse so we must do it this way in order to be hang together.

 

My advice is to definitely work together on building multi-purpose trails?it will save everyone time and money in trail building.  Strongly suggest safety training for bike riders, hikers, joggers and horse riders.  What I mean by this is have a get together meeting to teach the safety of riding together.  When my husband and I first introduced my Arab to the bike, I was NOT on the horse.  We led the horse to the bike who snorted?backed up?wanted to turn and run.  We coaxed him to it?smelled it?seemed a little better.  My husband then got on the bike and rode around it in front of him.  After the horse was comfortable, he rode the bike completely around the horse.   Then he called his name and rode away from him, and to our surprise he trotted right after him!  I then told my husband that he needed to fall.  He looked at me and said, ?WHAT!??  I told him he had to fall, because we knew it would happen eventually on trail with the horse.  Well, he proceeded to ?fall? and the horse trotted right past him and gave him a ?what an idiot? look!  Now, this horse can run into any bike riders, jog strollers (which are allowed on many of our horse trails, but the bikes aren?t?I have a beef with this one), and even mini bikes.  The more exposure and training for all, the better it will be for everyone?s safety.  We have done this same training exposure to many friends? horses.  We have also talked with other hikers & bikers on trail to teach them quick safety tips on being around horses.  Believe me, we haven?t had anyone upset with our talks, but rather thankful someone told them.

 

Let?s all work together.

Stacy

Jeannie Gillen <jeanniegillen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

EDUCATION!... Have a horse and bike clinic, where you can ride in each other's saddles...preferably facilitated by an experienced horse/bike person.

 

Multi-Use trails are priorities for funding and continued....so I hope you can work WITH each other, rather than opposite each other.

 

Jeannie Gillen, Member California State Trails Committee also Trail User Conflict Resolution Sub-Committee.

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Nancy Reed

To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Cc: So_Cal_Endurance@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 3:36 PM

Subject: [RC] trail user issues

I am to represent the equestrian community at a trail meeting this Thursday.  Seems the mountain bikers are causing trouble on our trails and the meeting is to find some sort of solution.  Any ideas out there?  What have you tried, what worked/did not work.  Thank you in advance for your responses!

Nancy Reed, Lazy J Ranch, Elfin Forest, CA

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