Re: [RC] removing manure from paddocks serious business! - Barbara McCrary
As a lifetime country person, I agree
with your post, Karen. As for running in mt. lion territory, remember some
years ago a female runner was attacked and partially eaten by a lion somewhere
in the vicinity of the Tevis trail. Lud has it figured that a person
running is breathing hard and is perceived by a lion to be a stressed and
frightened animal, therefore a good subject for attack. I concur that
running alone is not safe, and taking a dog or two along is a good practice for
detection. Our dogs, an Aussie and a Border Collie, would detect a lion in
a flash. They detect ANYTHING............wild pigs, deer, squirrels, you
name it. I feel really good about riding or walking with them. My
horse, who originally was scared about them being out on the trail and in the
brush, now uses them as indicators. If the dogs are relaxed and content,
so is the horse.
As for people moving out to the
country, then importing the very city they wanted to escape,
GRRRRRRRRRRRRR. That really frosts me!! I know of a livestock
auction yard that was put out of business when homes began populating the
oak-studded hills around it.
Subject: Re: [RC] removing manure from
paddocks serious business!
Hi Sandy,
I also feel this way about people who move
into rural areas then complain about the deer, wildlife or Mtn. Lions.
My opinion is that if someone is so worried about Mt.Lions or
aren't willing to take precautions, protect their small kids and pets,
adequately fence and pen their livestock, then they should not move there in
the first place. I am not speaking here about RANCHERS, who have
different issues, but the folks that are ever spreading into the more rugged
and remote foothill areas and build a little mini estate, then complain about
the animals that were there in the first place.
We have coyotes run through our property;
they have never bothered the chickens as we have a good pen. I lose some
of my veg garden every year to deer, rabbits and birds. I have more than our
family needs so no big deal. If we had small livestock (sheep or goats) and I
was that worried about coyotes, bobcats or lions, I would shut them in a barn
at night....
As for all this panic over Mtn. Lions....I
am not blindly stupid and would probably not ever go running alone again; and
if riding alone would take my dog. A dog is a great deterent, both for
detection and distraction of a lion It's actually one great use for a
dog in rural areas...as opposed to all those people who seems to have dogs
chained or penned and never get out.....I feel totally safe out in lion
territory as I generally ride in groups or run with friends (well, used
to.)
A small farm outside of Willits Calif has
a substantial sheep herd. If you look closely when you drive by, you can
see the two white guard dogs that live out there with the sheep and look
extremely happy...they blend right in.
As far as I am concerned, people who move into
horsey communities either fit in or get out. We don't go move into a tennis
commmunity and start building barns and bringing in pet goats.
sigh!Education doesn't work - treating people who BEHAVE like 4 year olds AS
4 year olds - now that might
work:)! S
