The subject of personal safety while riding alone has come up for me
everytime I ride deep into the woods that are by my home.
I have the best of worlds right outside my door. I train on a three mile
piece of hwy (to get my horse use to cars and tractors etc.) then I enter a
mountian region with 2 miles flat and then a 30 minute or more climb to the
top and then a flat road that takes me anywhere I wish before I descend and
retrace my origions. Most of the time this world is uninterupted by any form
of human life and it is a wonder to find such an isolated place.
But after reading todays digest I have decided to seek comfort in your
thoughts on the real issue facing us all. "personal safety". When I ride,
it often occurs to me that at any moment I could be dealing with some idiot
and I would be all alone. I am a small female and have already survived a
violent attack on my life as a teenager so I know first hand of what is out
there. Still I have learned to live with an eye open for safe situations and
choose that route instead of the "iffy" route. However, I can't help but
feel that every time I mount and ride out, I am placing myself in one of
those "iffy" situations.
It is difficult to turn against my parinoid feelings and yet I do every day
because living and riding my horse is a freedom I can't live without.
Last week a man stabbed and raped a woman and left her for dead up in the
hills where I ride. She lived. But now my sense of well being is even more
shattered. I also travel with a cell phone as well as inform my husband
where I will be riding but I am becoming more and more awaire as to the
reality of what could happen.
Perhaps there is no other solution other then to ride with others. As we all
know who are training for endurance, this is not always a posibility. Suzanne
From: Odette_Parker@csgi.com (Odette Parker)
Subject: [endurance] Sale, Stubben Survival Saddle
For sale, Stubben Survival Endurance Saddle, 17" seat, 32cm tree. Asking
$1000. The saddle has not been used a lot and is like new. This is being
posted for a friend Pat Brescia in Lovettsville, VA who can be contacted at
(h) 540 882-3684 or (w) 202 226-6233, or e-mail through me at the above
Sent via digitalNATION Online Services http://www.dn.net
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From: Wendy Milner <wendy@nsmdserv.cnd.hp.com>
Subject: [endurance] Riding Safely
I am a very strong believer in knowing how to protect yourself.
First - be aware of your surroundings.
Second - be able to defend yourself in most situations
Third - know what to do when you figure no way can you defend yourself.
I hold a black belt in TaeKwon Do, I hunt and shoot, I've practiced
self defense situations. And I know there will be situations that
will be way out of my control.
A couple of self defense techniques that are easy to learn.
- - Don't look like a victim. Look like you know exactly
what is going on, and that you have a plan.
- - Pick a point between you and the possible opponent. Do not
let the opponent go further than that point.
- - If your opponent does come closer, decide if you are going to
run or fight. And then don't hesitate to do so.
On horse back, do not get off your horse. You have a good advantage
up there. Most attackers don't really know what to do with a horse.
They may try to grab a rein, but you shouldn't let them get that
close. You can also kick the horse into an instant canter and run
right over them.
If you are in your car, stay there. Drive with your doors locked.
(This is the opposite of what safety people tell you, cause in
an accident they can't open doors.) Don't turn off the engine.
Drive in the center of the road, or as close as you can get, not
in the lane nearest the side of the road. You can always run over a
guy with a gun. A car or truck is a very deadly weapon.
Don't stop for an accident - call it in from a safe distance.
(That's an accident on the side of a road, not one you are involvedin.)
The only defense against a gun is a brick wall! Unless you are
real close and know what to do. But, running on horse back, if
you have some trees is a good alternative.
If your attacker has a knife, get something, anything between
you and the knife.
For the long term - get some good self defense instruction.
The Model Mugging classes are good (females only). Or chose
a martial arts class (any style that you are comfortable with)
and attend for the next four years. You learn things the first
night that could save your life, but it takes years of training
to be good.
Learn about guns. If you are not comfortable carrying one, that's
alright. Just learn what they can and cannot do. And learn not
to be frightened of them.
You can carry mace or something that make a screaming noise.
Always carry a whistle and know that 3 of anything indicates
an SOS.
Do not initiate a confrontation. Don't go up to the guys that
are scaring your horse and get them mad. You won't change their
minds and you will be putting yourself in a difficult to dangerous
situation.Wendy
Wendy Milner HPDesk: wendy_milner@hp4000
Training Development Engineer HP-UX: wendy@fc.hp.com
Mail Stop 46 Telnet: 229-2182
3404 E. Harmony Rd. AT&T: (970) 229-2182
Fort Collins, CO, 80525 FAX: (970) 229-4292
From: MarkyMart@aol.com
Subject: Re: [endurance] Daily Wormer
Hi everyone, I bought my strongid c from the local feed store, they also sell
it it some of the catalogs jeffers weise i know for sure so I don't think
you need anything from your vet. I know when it was first available that was
state and they regulateeverything.Bobbi & Shai
From: step@fsr.com (Stephanie Teeter)
Subject: Re: Re[2]: [endurance] change in subscription
> I read your post on getting the digest form instead of the
> mailing list. Please let me know how you do that if the reply
> you get comes to you e-mail. I 'll keep watching and hopefully
> the answer will get posted to the group. Thanks, Pam
Here's whatcha do:
(The digest form of the listserve comes once each day and contains all
of the day's postings.)
To subscribe to the digest:
send email to:
endurance-digest-request@moscow.com
with a message body of:
subscribe
To UNsubscribe to the regular listserve:
send email to:
endurance-request@moscow.com
with a message body of:
unsubscribe
http://www.fsr.com/National/endurance
From: MarkyMart@aol.com
Subject: Re: [endurance] combined post: idiots & cell phones
Hi, NY has a good portion of those idiot hunters and drivers, where we ride
the hunters aren't bad, and anyway we just stay out of the woods then.
But the drivers, they are out of their #@*%ing minds, I keep saying I'm going
to write a letter to the editor, Ifigure that I pay taxes to pay for all the
roads and whether I'm on my horse or in my car I have the same right to be on
the road. And do the even stop to think maybe there is a dog with you or
maybe the dog that lives in the house across the street can't stop and think
to look before he runs out in the road to attack this monster that has
invaded his property.
I just traded in my big cell phone for one of those motorola flip phones, I
love it!
Well keep us all safe from lunatics that think they are the only ones that
have a right to be on the roads or the woods on motorized vehicles and add in
the guns and their beer balls(male anatomy not the kind that dispenses beer).
Bobbi & Shai
From: BZDGULCH@aol.com
Subject: [endurance] Self-defense, guns, etc.
We've been practicing shooting from horseback just to prepare for
emergencies. We plan to do a lot of packing (not hunting). This is only for
self-defense. My horses don't explode, but sure don't like it. Does anyone
have any suggestions for how they've trained their horses to accept gunfire
at very close range.Sue @ BZDGULCH
From: Nikki Ward <u913558@student.canberra.edu.au>
Subject: Re: [endurance] combined post: idiots & cell phones
On Wed, 17 Jan 1996, Samm C Bartee wrote:
> I want to just be able to show some of the idiots pictures of what
> happens when dumb people try and show off to their friends by spooking
> the horse. I have seen some very graphic photos of dead horses and dead
oh this struck a chord with me all right. i have a certain amount of
patience with the drunks and the hunters and the other ignorant idiots
out there who don't know what they are doing could hurt some-one (not
alot of patience mind you, but some :-). but i have no patience
whatsoever with the deliberate idiots who TRY to spook your horse and who
think it's funny to see you tossed off onto your head. they'd better
watch out if they bother me because i'll have their number and my first
stop on the way home is the police station.
one of our favourite places to ride was in the plantation forests. good
tracks, generally only used by horses and walkers and joggers and the odd
mountain bike. we all get on fine. the occasional car comes through too -
on a sunday drive. this is no big deal - the tracks are wide, there's
room for two cars to pass and my horse ain't THAT fat :-)
on one particular occasion we were riding along the track beside the
river. the river is in quite a steep valley at this point and the road
was quite high above it, with a rough drop down into the river. we were
on the river side of the road (i always keep to the outside of bends if i
can - cars etc have more chance of seeing you) and a car came along. we
were riding side by side, but close to the edge and there was plenty of
room for the car to pass. they even slowed down so we relaxed thinking it
was a nice driver. more fool us. he slowed down so he could wind down his
window, reach out and throw something at the horse as he gunned the
engine right next to us, then took off, showering us in gravel! my
friend's horse was on the inside and naturally freaked out. it leapt
sideways and ran into my horse who was on the drop side. and to this day
i thank my lucky stars he is a solid horse, only two feet went over the
edge and he managed to hold himself up with the other two, by this time
with me and my friend on his back as she had come off her horse and
landed over his withers! i shudder to think what would have happened if
he had have been lighter and easier to knock aside, or if he'd have
freaked as well.....nik & the gang (taaj, saki & dippa) in australia
From: BECHACK@aol.com
Subject: [endurance] Being alone
Well my husband isn't the horsey type either, so after just one ride, I
found another crazy gal to do this crazy endurance stuff with me. Now ever
since the Pendelton ride in '94, I havn't gone to a ride alone. One way to
get the sport to grow is to advertise, and the best advertising is word of
mouth. Now I have a full time riding partner(makes training rides safer too)
Her daughter now is riding endurance, one of my daughters is beginning to
ride when I can afford to bring her, and two more want to start coming and
riding too. On this next ride ( Fire Mountain) we are bringing two new
people and a second time rider. I can gladly say I have helped spread the
word to 8 other people. So, for me going to rides alone is not a problem.
Put an ad in the local paper. My guess is that there is someone in your
area wanting to get started, but doesn't know when or how.
If you must be alone, do follow all of the above suggestions,
especially the ones about being aware of your surroundings.
Happy trails Becky Hackworth Alpine ,Ca
From: BECHACK@aol.com
Subject: [endurance] Hauling fees
Mention was made in a previous post as to "going comercial rates"
What are the "going comercial rates"? I may be in a position to do some
hauling etc, and have no idea what the going rates are!Becky Hackworth
Alpine, Ca
From: HorseWorks@aol.com
Subject: Re: [endurance] traveling alone
If my 15-year-old, 6'1", 200-pound son can't come with me, I take my big
German Shepard-mix dog (the resemblance is amazing...whoops, just kidding!)
with me along with the essentials you mentioned. I stop only in well-lit
places, I lock my doors before I walk away from the truck, and I make sure
the camper door is locked while traveling. I don't want to pick up any
"unwanted human strays." I never let the fuel tank reach 3/4 empty. I also
plan my trips so that I have appropriate rest so that I don't have to make
unscheduled stops or layovers due to fatigue. During fuel or eating stops, I
don't flash cash (mostly because I don't have much!) that might attract a
potential robber's attention. And, in most cases, I won't stop if someone
tries to flag me over (especially at night). I will, however, pull over at
the next fuel station and check the rig if I'm in doubt about the person's
intentions. I make sure my rig is secure and always maintained to help
prevent problems. (I was once pursued, late one night, by flashing lights
and running up to the rear of my rig. This person was irrate that I wasn't
going fast enough for them, but they weren't brave enough to pass on the
curvey road.)
From: "Katherine J. Brunjes" <brunjes@saturn.caps.maine.edu>
Subject: [endurance] Re: endurance-digest V1 #269
My Arab mare injured a cheek muscle in August, 1995 - my vet said to rest
her for 3-4 weeks, but all my endurance friends said 6-8 weeks - and my
farrier told me to rest her for three full months - I turned her out to
pasture for the whole months of Sept,Oct,Nov, and started to ride her 3-5
miles flat terrain in Dec. She appears to be fine, we have upped our
schedule to 10-15 miles on varied terrain (and we have 5 feet of snow on
the ground to work around, and icy roads) - three days a week. I do not
regret the three months of rest - she is stronger and working truer than
I have felt her in two years - yesterday it actually hit 43 degrees out
(and the day before it was -25....go figure), and we hit the roads for a
warmup ride, and ended up going 15 miles, with 3/4 of it at a
canter/gallop -
I guess the moral of this is that conservative therapy can work, and
endurance riders know the results of such injuries from experience, and
farriers (esp. good ones that you've had for 20 years, and know your
horses inside and out) who give advice/opinions better be listened to!
Thankful for having my mare back on the trails (in Maine)Kathy Brunjes
From: Samm C Bartee <bartesc@mail.auburn.edu>
Subject: Re: [endurance] Self-defense, guns, etc.
Training a horse to accept gunfire is a lot like training a dog for it,
except that I think that horses accept it easier in many cases. You
start at a distance and shoot until the horse is comfortable with the
noise. You keep doing this until you can stand very close to the animal
and fire without too much difficulty. With a horse, being on his back is
a different matter, and you have to just be careful. Some horses never
accept it, and some horses don't flinch at all. Just watch his
reactions. Good luck, and don't get runover. Be careful
From: "Fuchsia Saarinen" <fuchsia@mail.mcn.org>
Subject: [endurance] traveling alone
I am a small 15 year old equestrian, and I ride a half welsh half arab pony
named Sabrina. In my area it is hard to find riding companions that Sabrina can
keep up with, or people that ride as often as I do. Unfortunately, in order to
access any of the good trails, I have to ride along a 10 mile dirt road that
allows vehicular access. There is a rock quary up this road where even the local
poliece practice target shooting, and further up, it connects to another road
that is paved. Mostly hicks drive out there to illegally hunt deer. All of this
property is legally state protected forest, but the local athorities intend to
leave this issue alone. I carry a knife when I ride alone, and I have a harmless
dog that also often follows along. I am weary of carrying a gun, because 99
percent of the men that drive out where I ride also have guns. How does everyone
else deal with confrontations? What sort of protection would be best? Any
suggestions would be more than helpful. I have not yet been really harassed
(some people ask me questions) but I don't want to be the next on the back of a
mild carton...
From: Wendy Milner <wendy@nsmdserv.cnd.hp.com>
Subject: [endurance] Hauling fees
> Mention was made in a previous post as to "going comercial rates"
> What are the "going comercial rates"? I may be in a position to do some
> hauling etc, and have no idea what the going rates are!
Once you start going commercial, remember that your regular car
insurance doesn't cover you. You are now a commercial hauler and
must carry special insurance.
On the other hand, if you take a friend with you to a ride,
he/she might just pay half the gas. Wendy Milner
From: karen@chaton.gardnerville.nv.us (Karen Chaton)
Subject: [endurance] Accepting Gunfire
>>have any suggestions for how they've trained their horses to accept gunfire
>>at very close range.
>>Sue @ BZDGULCH
>Sue -
>We live near a shooting range, which is very busy. Luckily the first time
I took my horse by it we were with a bomb-proof horse, and so mine learned
from his second or third trail-ride ever to get used to gun-shots. A year
later when I started the second horse, he got ponied by the shooting range.
I make it a habit to bring them by there two or three times a week (when
time/season allows). The shooting range happens to also be right next to a
dump, so that means that the horses have to deal with (all at the same time)
1) gunshots 2) plastic bags & trash blowing all around 3) motorcycles and
4WD vehicles on all the dirt roads & trails 4) dump trucks, oh, and there is
also a model-airplane airport landing strip - sometimes we have to put up
with getting dive-bombed too. Needless to say, my horses are virtually
bomb-proof and I've even had them get plastic bags blown up on their sides
(it's usually windy here) and they are fine about it. I think getting them
used to this stuff with a bomb-proof horse went a long way in helping, and
there were times where we would approach this area and the horse might not
be comfortable, so we'd keep our distance and go around at a distance that
the horse felt comfortable, and each time we'd work our way closer and
closer. Now we can walk the horses right up and stand next to the vehicles
that the people shooting next to. Oh, we also have flocks of birds flying
up out of the sagebrush. sorry this got so long
>Yes, they are both Arabs too! :-) Karen
>(just so you know when I started the first horse he was scared to death of
things like trash cans, lawn chairs, etc., - so believe me when I say you
can work thru anything if you are willing to take the time, go slowly, and
let the horse decide how fast/slow he/she is willing to accept things)
From: "MARISA---,'-@" <purpl2@teleport.com>
Subject: Re: [endurance] Re: endurance-digest V1 #269
On Wed, 17 Jan 1996 Scooby1069@aol.com wrote:
> However, I can't help but
> feel that every time I mount and ride out, I am placing myself in one of
> those "iffy" situations.
> It is difficult to turn against my parinoid feelings and yet I do every day
> because living and riding my horse is a freedom I can't live without.
> Last week a man stabbed and raped a woman and left her for dead up in the
> hills where I ride. She lived. But now my sense of well being is even more
> shattered. I also travel with a cell phone as well as inform my husband
> where I will be riding but I am becoming more and more awaire as to the
> reality of what could happen.
> Perhaps there is no other solution other then to ride with others. As we all
> know who are training for endurance, this is not always a posibility.
> Any comments?
This is a situation that hits very close to home with me and my Mom. The
hills where I ride, and she hikes, are the same hills where 8 years ago
they found the bodies of 7 women. The bodies were about 1/2 a mile from
my mom's house, and she had hiked within a couple hundred feet of them.
The women had been tortured, raped, and killed. It really scared us
badly!! And over the years she and I both have run into other strange
and bizzare, people and things. But I would just like to share a little
of our attitude...
If you were to tell my Mom she could no longer hike in "her woods", you
might as well kill her. She is 47 years old, suffers from fibromyalgia,
and when she hikes she takes her 2 dogs. She hides in the bushes if she
hears someone coming, and is very careful. But as long as she can, she
will hike -by herself- in those woods. They are her heart and soul. I
feel the same way. I have made new friends to ride with, and enjoy
riding with other peole. But I will always want to ride by myself. I've
been doing it since I was 6, and I'm not going to stop now. I too take
my dog when I ride (black lab & german shepard). I follow safety rules,
and am "quick and quiet", and I too will hide in the trees if I hear
someone coming.
We both choose to trust in our higher power. If you spend your life
living in fear of what -might- happen, you will have a really hard time
living your life to it's fullest potential. There is a difference
between "cautious" and "paranoid". Cautious is GOOD, paranoid takes
something away from you.
From: Samm C Bartee <bartesc@mail.auburn.edu>
Subject: Re: [endurance] Re: endurance-digest V1 #269
As you stated, we can't give up our freedoms. I for one, will not let
something like that slow me down, but I definately let it make me aware
that I am not invincible. I try and not think about what could happen,
but that is nearly impossible with all of the things that you hear about
on the news. We are pretty lucky in that we live in a place with a
fairly low crime rate. However, I have never let that lull me into a
sense of false security. Some of my friends think that I overreact to
situations, especially when "nothing happened anyway", but I guess since
some people that I know-including me- have had close calls, I feel that I
need to worry about some situations. I have had people follow me trying to see
where I
live, have been threatened by motorists, and harassed by people passing
by. I feel as if I should be worried.
But, I too refuse to stay in my house worried that everytime I leave
something bad can happen. I will continue to ride, but I try and watch
everything that is going on around me. That is all any of us can do.
Watch, look, and listen, and try not to be a victim.
I just want to go out, ride my horse, and have fun. And that is exactly
what I do. I try and not let things get to me too much, though sometimes
it is hard.