[pct-l] Re: Horses on the trail

[horseam@flahorse.com (Horseback America)]

BLISTERFREE,

I am really getting a lot out of this E-mail thing! I am glad this old
beat-up lap top still works!

<Dane, I wonder if you might be ignoring the fact that your mountain <"home"
is not adapted to your, your horses', or your sheep's, <presence.  It has
evolved without you or they, and can only remain in <a natural balance
without you, or at best, with you making minimal <impact on the land.

No matter how you look at it, every living thing effects others. Both good
and bad. My cabin is tiny and the area I built in was very compact. I seen a
large increases in animals from my management on the property. I foraged for
food and never had a garden. I would collect the wild edible plant seeds and
help distribute them. I never had sheep. Come on, I'm a cowboy! We don't
even talk to sheep people. I built my cabin in a ravine and gave up
tremendous mountain views. Several reasons; nobody wants to see a house, it
is windy up top and the area was sheltered. You would not believe the
different animals that visited my property and home. 

<you must answer to the ethical question of "what if everyone did what I'm
doing?"  Would there be <irreparable harm done to the environment?  Clearly,
yes.

I don't think so. I think if every person lived like an animal in the
wilderness, things would be more natural. See, I do not separate myself from
the wilderness. I am an animal too. I can give you a couple reasons why I
feel you are slightly incorrect. There would be no hospitals just medicine
men. People would be dying young and there would be a drastic drop in
population. There would be no wall marts, logging companies, no pollution,
oh my God, no computers. You can live the life you want. I prefer my
semi-natural life. I do not want to separate myself from nature to the point
that it is unethical to live naturally. I do not think you have to worry.
Not many people would give up satellite TV for a life like ours. I seen many
people come and go in Montana. They came with big mountain man ideas. They
left with wonderful memories and lessons. It is very hard to live in the
wilderness.  You all would be praying to God that you had a horse or even an
eroded horse trail to get to your hunting and gathering grounds.

<Within 100 feet of the Trail was a grave. makeshift cross with a photo and
letter atop it.  It
<showed a young guy hugging his dog, with a eulogy for the deceased pooch.
But he didn't think of the <consequences of "what if everyone did what I'm
doing?"

Yuk! I do not like graves and I wouldn't put a grave on a trail or a camp.
Last year we found a beautiful camp. It was a perfect place except for a
grave site right next to the camp where we had to walk past several times.
It was a cement memorial where ashes were tossed. I felt like my privacy was
invaded!

<We MUST think of everyone's needs and desires, and put them just beyond
NATURE's needs when <travelling through the backcountry.

I swear, I try my best. I just love my horses and feel so lucky to be doing
what I am. I want to keep traveling until I am too old to get up on the
horse. One time, I met a dentist and DJ. The DJ was trying out his new
4-wheel drive. They were city folks from Portland. We went for a ride with
the and the DJ jams on his brakes, gets out and picks up a soda cup someone
through out. Boy were they upset. That evening we went to their camp and the
dentist started to pee in the creek. I flipped out because we filtered our
water down stream! Lack of education!

Dane

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