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Re: FW: [RC] [RC] Was Black bears on the trail- California, nowinvasive exotic plants - Melissa Margetts Ms. KittyMike Sherrell wrote:Mike, WooHoo! & Touche' Very well put and I totally agree. We are the most arrogant and destructive species on this planet and yet we are the only species that can wake up every morning and make a conscious decision as to whether we will have a positive or negative impact on the people and animals we share this planet with. When a mother wheels her baby into a posted "Wilderness Area" in a stroller or on a game trail, or when we hike with our dogs into an area where they can chase the deer and elk during calving season, or ride our horses into areas that are ripe with fresh natural berries and forage for the animals that actually LIVE there and are not just visiting for the DAY, then we are ACCEPTING the risks involved. If you chose to get into a raft and ride down the rapids without a life jacket or free climb without any ropes, then you either have the IQ of a soap dish or are willing to take your chances with mother nature. If you want to ride in a park without any bears then stay in the arena or ride in Central Park. (although I just heard that Cantebury stables closed down after almost 200 years there) Consider it a blessing if you see a bear or other wildlife on the trail, ride with a manageable or reasonably predictable horse, bring your cell phone, ride with a buddy and take other precautions that you feel you need to. We ride horses so we preach to everyone else about the safety of wearing a helmet (ridecamp quote I read recently: "I refuse to ride with anyone who doesn't wear a helmet because it already shows they are stupid!") Well Geeze Louise, I don't want to be riding with someone who KNOWS their horse is going to explode, spin, fall, buck and bolt if a rabbit crosses the trail either. That means I'll be the one left trying to do trail-side medical care for the horse or rider, or chasing a loose horse through the trees.There are people I avoid riding with for just that reason. It's always a fiasco when coming to a stream, or a log, or a tumbleweed let alone a bear. Get yourself and your horse ready and steady and "sacked out" to your comfort level or choose an arena instead. Gets me kinda uppity when folks want to get rid of everything that makes the west the WEST or the wild the WILD just so we can to continue to be the invasive critters we are. Damn Skippy, I personally I feel much safer on a trail in the middle of nowhere than I do anywhere in New York City and there are far too many dangerous predators to deal with around every corner there. Nuff said.If you made any birds fly up from feeding, or scared off a fish that was about to strike at a bug on the surface beside your raft, you disturbed the habitat, increased the amount of energy they needed to expend to survive, and reduced their ability to reproduce. Melissa Margetts =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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