Re: Weapons

[Stephanie Wind <wind@moltech.com>]

Okay, I finally had to jump in! I, too, have had a 'close encounter' while
on horseback. I was riding with some friends (my friends were running-not
riding) and they were all ahead of me so as not to have to worry about fresh
'obstacles' on trail. We were in a well frequented section of state-owned
forest in a small college town in SC where many people would go to
ride/run/walk. We were coming up to a trail intersection and I saw a person
standing off to one side. As I came up to where the person was, I heard my
name called, so I stopped and looked around. This rather unsavory looking
fellow stepped up to my mare and grabbed her bridle! He started making
comments that I WON'T repeat, and scared the beejeebies out of me! I kicked
my mare HARD and she ran right over him and took off down the path. I was
shaken, but okay. If I had been carrying a weapon, it would have been in my
pack. To reach it, I would have had to turn around, unzip my pack, find it
(uh, right - in there?!), and then point it at this unsavory fellow...
Somehow, I doubt that he would have stood by patiently waiting for me to
find my weapon! As Cathy said, the somebody getting hurt would more likely
be me. I think that awareness and a well-trained horse are your best defense
on trail! Leave the weapons in the truck...

Just my 2$ worth (inflation, you know)!

Stephanie Wind



At 10:12 AM 3/2/98 -0000, you wrote:
>I ride alone a lot and have been contemplating carrying a pistol in a fanny
>pack.  Right now I avoid strangers, NEVER make eye contact unless I am with
>a group (decided I would rather be considered stuck up then prey.) and I
>always try to leave some gas in my horse's tank on any ride - endurance or
>conditioning.
>I don't ever want her too tired to be able to outrun/outdodge someone after
>us. I was
>chased by men in a 4X4 once and that's all it took for that resolution to
>soak in. My horse was fresh enough (we were on our way home, too) to zip in
>and out of a good sized arroyo and around a nice steep hill out of reach,
>and soon out of sight, thank heavens. 
>I don't know that I am brave enough to take potshots at a pursuer while on
>a feisty horse without someone getting hurt. With my luck, that would be me
>getting dumped off my horse in front of the pursuers... that would defeat
>the whole purpose of "packing", wouldn't it?
>Are there any other women who ride primarily alone & carry a weapon
>and if so what kind and have you ever needed it? And just where do you
>carry it anyway? 
>Cathy
>