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I had always heard that second to deer, horse was a favorite prey.

Barbara

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "k s swigart" <katswig@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 7:00 PM
Subject: [RC] Riding in Mountain Lion Country


> Stephanie Boyd said:
>
> > If you ride in Big Cat Country, you should educate
> > yourself about them. If you are ever confronted with
> > a potentially threatening/attacking cougar, don't retreat
> > and don't "play dead". Most cougar attack survivors
> > had to fight tooth and nail to *be* a survivor.
>
> My own experience with mountain lions (which, despite the fact that they
> are rampant in the Cleveland National Forest, Chino Hills State Park,
> Carbon Canyon and virtually everywhere I ride and have ridden, is
> extremely limited) is that if they see or hear me coming, they will run
> away before I ever see them.  And if  they didn't see or hear me coming
> so I came upon them unexpectedly, that I only see them for a fraction of
> a second before they dart off into the bushes.
>
> My horses lived for years up against the Cleveland National forest and
> right next to the Coal Canyon Wildlife Corridor (which was designated as
> such so as to preserve the path that the big cats took from the National
> Forest to the State Park).  I saw cat tracks regularly in the mud at the
> springs, and up and down the barranca that had year round water in it;
> however, in 15 years, I have only actually ever SEEN a mountain lion 3
> times.  And, as I said, it was only for a fleeting moment as when they
> saw me they turned tail and dashed off before I had a chance to more
> than catch a glimpse.  All three of these times were at/around
> sunset/dusk.
>
> I was told by a hiker in Chino Hills State Park that we met on the trail
> (as we cantered around the corner) that he was pleased to see us as
> moments before there was a mountain lion in the trail and he didn't know
> quite what to do, but as soon as it heard our hoof beats it took off
> into the brush.
>
> In my experience, mountain lions are a small threat indeed to a person
> mounted on horse back.  Neither people nor horses are regular "fare" for
> mountain lions, they do not chase any of their game (they are stealth
> hunters), and will turn and flee if even mildly threatened....which is
> easy to do on horse back.
>
> Additionally, in my experience, horses have no instinctual fear of
> mountain lions.  A mountain lion is no more threatening than anything
> else that is big, tawny, and moves (e.g. like a deer).  So, if you have
> already taught your horse to chase dogs (see previous thread on such),
> you can point your horse at the lion and get it to run away from you
> too.
>
> And remember, the average mountain lion weighs 100-150 pounds.  You and
> your horse probably top out at over 1,000.  On your horse, you are
> bigger, stronger, and faster than any mountain lion you will ever meet.
> Pretty easy to use this to your advantage.  The only way a mountain lion
> can get you is if you didn't see it before it did.
>
> What you need to know more than "what to do if you see a mountain lion"
> is how to ensure that one won't drop on you out of a tree or from off a
> high rock without you ever seeing it.  By the time you see it, the cat
> knows it is too late.
>
> kat
> Orange County, Calif.
> :)
>
>
>
>
>
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