[pct-l] Effects of horses

[horseam@flahorse.com (Horseback America)]

<I have to say that I don't buy the feeding of bears story and was quite
thrown off by the "Sheep make
<meadows"narrative, which, by the way, has not yet seen a response.

That's nice Brick. I guess you could never believe that a bear would come up
to a pile of deer bones for a snack. A bear snagged a deer I had hanging
once. I also know of hunters who bait bear. I have a video of me feeding a
bear top ramen. I know it is wrong but I used to love feeding animals. Now
it is fun feeding hungry backpackers:) As for the Sheep making meadows, I
really meant to say people made the meadows for the sheep. If you read in
the OR-WA guide, you will read about old sheep meadows mentioned in the
Waldo Lake area of OR. Been there and it was beautiful. I suspect hikers do
not stray that far of the PCT where I am bouncing all over the mountains. No
schedule hear. I will be late on my responses. I am camping and have to ride
about an hour to plug into a friends phone. I get my mail, go to camp and
respond. Next day I send the response. I'm not hiding dude. Another problem
is that my modem is almost shot. I get about 200 e-mails a day. I am a field
editor for a horse magazine and I also am working with several horse clubs.
I am planning a ride through Downtown Detroit. A real wilderness! I have
city officials playing phone tag now and so far can get a 72 hour permit in
the City. We will ride through the alleys in the slums, along the Detroit
River and through the industrial area. So I am a busy feller at the moment.
Our plans are to ride south on the PCT then ride to NM to do the CDT. Then
ride the North Country Trail from ND to NY. Detroit will be along this
route. No time schedule. When I get there, I get there.  I stop when weather
gets bad and work. People love our horses and are very friendly and helpful.
We have about $40,000 rapped up in horses and gear! Not a cheap trip and we
are not bums asking for donations.

All the through hikers I have met are totally cool! I would rather visit
with them than a stuffy rider. I have never seen hikers abuse the land, just
city car campers. Day hikers can be very rude to us, but backpackers are
great! I used to backpack and mountain climb and enjoy this company. I
dropped my $350 mountainsmith backpack off in the middle of a trail with a
note saying, "It's Yours". It also had a Clip flashlite tent and a bunch of
other goodies inside. I was over loaded! I also believe that we should keep
the trail as naturally as possible and this shows in my camping technique.
We never high line horses and have very high tech methods of containing our
horses. I will have all of this on my websit soon.  I am now trying to get
this message out to other riders!

<Unfortunately the horses do not have a say in this matter but I would love
to hear their input.  Do they line <up eagerly to  be saddled and fit with a
bit?

  I hope you are not one of those people who think it is cruel to ride
horses. If so, don't bother posting to me, you will be wasting your time.
Delete!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Horses are nomads like us. They love to go! We ride at
a very easy pace and when we saddle up, the horses are very anxious to get
going. Of course they would love to roam the prairie wild But with us, they
get oats, the get wormed and they never go hungry. You know, horses are very
affectionate and loving, Brick!

<Dane could receive a more posotive welcome, that he should have, in a list
more in tune to horse back <riders?

I have gotten a few positive response privately. I think it is important
that I hear just what people like yourself have to say. I am a no trace
backpacker and I am trying to come up with low impact riding. I take notes
on all that is said, and as I lay back in my beautiful sheep meadow looking
up at the stars, I contemplate on these subjects searching for an answer. I
am trying to do all I can to help other horsemen to follow a low impact
rule. I am not going out and thrashing the woods making meadows. I merely
said lets keep what we have. I don't even like to collect fire wood. I carry
a stove. I have a fire sheet when I do build a cook fire, that you build a
fire on. It rolls up when done and you can never tell there was a fire.  I
didn't come to this list to be praised, I came for information on the PCT.
It is a very useful list. I now see that I can get other helpful
information. I treat others like they treat me. If I seem bitchy, just look
at your own message.  I won't be on this list very much longer so hope you
all can be patient with my brash comments. I will be riding to the Coast
soon. I just don't want to fight the high mountains again this year. Last
year was a bugger.

Chow

Dane
Horseback America
http://flahorse.com/horseamerica/

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