[pct-l] Fw: Horse etiquette

[Charles Williams]

All good info.  But I'll add a couple things:  I saw on a pct video once a hiker wearing a lightweight poncho.  It was in extreme wind.  A lot of horses would come unglued watching a hiker approach them wearing a poncho in the wind.  Even though we use tarps to desensitize them it is something that is difficult to reproduce.  
 
Also about standing on the down-hill side...that is excellent advice because of the reasons given.  But also if a hiker stands on the uphill side (where a predator would stand to stalk them) it could drive the horse to the outside and more fragile part of the trail.  More damage would be done by a horse on the outside edge of the trail than if they spooked to the uphill side of the trail.  
 
QuincyRider

--- On Mon, 3/12/12, Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com> wrote:


From: Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>
Subject: [pct-l] Fw: Horse etiquette
To: "Christopher Swope" <sswwooppee at gmail.com>, "pct-l at backcountry.net" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Date: Monday, March 12, 2012, 8:06 AM


 


Hello Christopher,
 
I appreciate, since I am a rider, that you inquired regarding horse etiquette. The advice that Schroomer gave you is excellent. 
I can add some thoughts. All horses, like humans, are different. Some will react to seeing things that might not spook other 
horses - who might be spooked by something else. My horse, Primo, was not spooked by anything on the PCT except seeing llamas
from the side view in Washington. He was terrified - went ballistic and ran off to escape at a full gallop. Sometime in his past he must 
have had a scary experience. Perhaps a male llama had attacked him. Or, when he was five, his original owner had rejected him from 
endurance racing (he was too hard to ride in a race) and turned him loose on the desert north of Bend, Oregon. He might have experienced 
angry stallions, ready to fight. They hold their heads high and their necks are almost vertical. Llamas, from the side, look like that.
 
 Something else that has spooked some horses (not Primo) is the sight of backpackers with HIGH packs. I have an equestrian friend who 
 had this specific problem with her horse - who was OK with most everything else. She had to spend the time to desensitize him to 
 that.  I have had horses which also had that same problem.  The solution, if the horse suddenly stops and is obviously nervous on 
 seeing your approach,is to TALK to the rider - so the horse will realize that you are a person and not some strange horse-eating predator.
 
 Thanks, again, for asking,
 MendoRider-Hiker
 
 

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Scott Williams <baidarker at gmail.com>
To: Christopher Swope <sswwooppee at gmail.com> 
Cc: Pacific Crest Trail List <pct-l at backcountry.net> 
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2012 8:56 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Horse etiquette
  
My horse loving friends taught me to pass a rider by waiting (or walking,
if the trail is wide enough) on the downhill side of the trail when the
path traverses a hill.  We can usually scramble out of the way if a horse
gets spooked whereas a rider and horse loosing its footing on the downhill
side may cause serious injury to both as they tumble down a slope or
cliff.  A horse getting spooked and bolting up hill is not quit so
dangerous.

I also quiet my poles and voice and try not to look the horse in the eye
right off as we are predator in the natural scheme of things -- two eyes
that look straight ahead in a narrow field of vision -- and they are prey,
-- eyes on both sides of their heads for a broader view of the world and
predators.

I'm one of those hikers who actually love seeing horses on trail.  I don't
mind the horse crap in the trail so much if it means seeing these
magnificent
animals ride past.  I'm just a damn romantic where it comes to
these great beasts.  They are beautiful and I always get a thrill seeing
horse and rider in the wilderness.  Takes me back a few thousand years on
the planet and is always a treat.

Shroomer

On Sun, Mar 11, 2012 at 7:32 PM, Christopher Swope <sswwooppee at gmail.com>wrote:

> Before my hike in 2010, I wish I had the sense to ask this list about
> proper horse etiquette before I hit the trail.
>
> Maybe one of the knowledgeable horse people on this list could go over
> what's expected of hikers and riders when they meet one another on the
> trail? I'm a little embarrassed to say, I still am not entirely sure what
> best practices are, other than:
>
>
>   - don't scare the horse.
>   - don't get
kicked by a horse.
>
>
> Anyhow, someone is sure to be helped out with this info.
>
>
>
> Swope
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
> All content is copyrighted by the respective authors.
> Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.
>
_______________________________________________
Pct-L mailing list
Pct-L at backcountry.net
To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l

List Archives:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
All content is copyrighted by the respective authors. 
Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.
_______________________________________________
Pct-L mailing list
Pct-L at backcountry.net
To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l

List Archives:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
All content is copyrighted by the respective authors. 
Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.