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Re: [RC] cougars and protection to carry - Charlene LargeI haven't been reading all of the posts on this topic, so this may have already been mentioned-- but a tip from my experience when I lived in California and rode among the lions is this: The simplest defense you can bring with you is your duster, jacket, a blanket or even a sheet. If you come upon one, use this fabric to "increase your size" by holding it at either end and raise your arms above your head. It's the frilled lizard technique. The lions don't know it's just a jacket or a blanket, all they know is you just doubled in size. More often than not, this will scare them off. This works for hikers as well. Obviously, get your horse accustomed to the jacket or blanket being held up above you and flapping on them and touching their hindquarters. Equally dangerous as the threat of the lion is your horse bolting out from under you becuase he was scared of the jacket. Good Luck! Charlene --- Sisu West Ranch <ranch@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: :"....a sheathed non-folding knife. MANY attacks have been survived by fighting back. Even with a stick....." By the time you can play Tarzan with a knife, you are already off of your horse and badly wounded by the claws and teeth of your adversary. Even worse if your adversary is human and not animal. (I may be wrong but I think that the statistics will show that the most dangerous animal in N America is people), they can now turn your weapon on you. The problem with using tools for defense, is spending the time required to learn how to use them effectively. This goes for all tools including pepper spray, knives, spears, and firearms. Before depending on any weapon, take a course and practice, practice, practice. For example, pepper spray must not be sprayed up wind. Have you practiced enough that in an emergency you could spray in the proper direction? (How long could you stay on your horse if the wind brought the spray back into you and your horses eyes?) If you are fighting off a critter with a knife which way do you hold the knife? Where do you stab with the knife? Are you strong enough to push the knife into the critter far enough? How many times will you have to stab to be effective? If the adversary is a person, why did you let them get close enough to stab them? Since they are close to you, how long will it be before they stab you? Firearms have a number of advantages for protection that place them high on the list of effective defence weapons. They do not take extreme strength to operate. They work at a distance. They are instantly recognized by humans as a threat, even when far away. They can be discharged multiple times and reloaded quickly. If you choose a firearm for protection. Take a Conceiled Carry Weapons course (If you are unlucky enough to live in a state that does not have a CCW law, you may have to travel out of state.) Join a pistol range or club and shoot regularly. Practice drawing from the holster you use. If you feel you may want to fire from horseback, train your horse to be steady to shooting. Using potentially deadly force (rocks, knives, clubs or firearms) for protection is an awsome responsibility. Make sure you are comfortable with the fact that its use always has consequences. Make sure that you practice so can use it effectively. Ed Ed & Wendy Hauser 2994 Mittower Road Victor, MT 59875 (406) 642-9640 ranch@xxxxxxxxxxx
Charlene
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