Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

In a message dated 2/9/2004 4:41:35 PM Eastern Standard Time, lanconn@xxxxxxx 
writes:

> If the
> current ban of horses on anything except numbered FS roads and
> "designated" horse trails in the SE National Forests is allow to stand,
> the rest of the country is next.
>
> IMHO, this is a test. The long term plan of the FS is to 
> implement this
> rule nationwide.
Jim,
I don't know where you've heard that the FS plans to implement some rule 
nationwide to limit horses to numbered roads and/or designated trails, but 
please be sure of the facts before you post something like this.  This is 
exactly the kind of misinformation that starts getting spread around, passed 
on, etc. and before one knows it, people are up in arms about something that is 
not even happening or about to happen.  How do I know that the FS does not plan 
to limit horses to roads and designated trails nationwide?  Well, for starters, 
I happen to work for the Forest Service...and in the agency's SE region where 
you state that this is occurring.  Yes, I know that on some forests and/or 
districts there are resource concerns that are prompting the agency to limit 
various trail users, including equestrians (although it is the motorized trai 
users who are experiencing the greatest limitations).  But there is no evil 
master plan that I am aware of to limit horses to roads nationwide.  Believe 
me, as a FS employee *and* an endurance rider, I do keep tabs on those sorts of 
things, even though I work as a wildlife biologist.

So continue to alert people to important issues...but be sure of the facts 
before you do.

Dawn in East Texas (yes, part of the Southeastern Region of the FS)
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