Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Cows can and do cause damage and one can see it in places like the bay area
where you have "corduroy hills" from where the cows go back and forth
across the steep hills.   At Cronin and Olmsted/Knickerbocker thet cows do
not appear to have done that to any great extent although one can see some
remnant cow trails.   It also seems to me that at least at these two areas
the "social trails" are become quite obvious and distinct and the horses
(and others) are going on the same trail over and over but the cows appear
to have spread out more thereby not concentrating the impact .  They
probably spread out more because the hills are not as steep as they are in
portions of the bay area.

But I think the most important difference is that we are now on public
lands and that we need to be cognizant that land managers have asked over
and over- please do not do this.  Such as by the firestation in Cool where
people consistently cut the barbed wire fence to cut across the field when
it has been and still is posted as a no entry area.   I also think that as
you wrote there are "lots of changes" and those changes include lots more
people using these areas so equestrians will be scrutinized just like the
cyclists are by hikers and others using the area so the damage is both on
the lands and in public opinion of how users use the area.

I do want to get back to the cow issue though because I want to be clear
that I believe that cows as grazers are a very useful tool in the
management of open space, it just all depends on responsible grazing.




A lovely horse is always an experience.... It is an emotional experience of
the kind that is spoiled by words.  ~Beryl Markham


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