weapons

[Samm C Bartee <bartesc@mail.auburn.edu>]

hey guys!!  We had this discussion about three years ago?  I can't
remember.   Here is my opinion!  

I carry a gun in my vehicle.  Almost all the time.  I travel a lot, not
just with the horses.  Twice, I have had someone try to take my car.  I am
not a small person, but I am a female. I'm also NOT a victim type. My dad
was a policeman, and I grew up around lots of law enforcement.  My husband
is ex green beret.  I KNOW how to handle a firearm, know that if I pull it
I will face having to use it.  I don't relish that, but I would rather
kill than be killed, or worse--yes, there is far worse than being killed.  
In Alabama, a weapons permit is a permit to carry concealed.  I checked
with neighboring states about carrying over state lines. it's not good if
you get caught to have it loaded and under your seat. However, unless they
have probable cause to search, and then they ask if you have anything to
declare, they will not know it's there.  
In both instances, when the idiots were attempting to steal my car, or me,
or both, a dog of mine came to my rescue.  I travel with my dog as much as
I possibly can, for many reasons, but safety is certainly one of them.  
I have a friend that travels with me, and she is one that will not be able
to handle a firearm more than likely. She knows where it is, but I have
told her that in the case I am incapacitated, she should either hide, run,
scream, or all of the above.  I don't want her to have said gun taken from
her and have her shot. 
I carry a gun lots of times when I am out conditioning. I have an ankle
holster and have tried out a thigh holster, but don't like that as much.
When I'm conditioning, it's just for human predators, but in the event
that I am separated from my horse, I want to know that I have protection
til I can get back with the horse or my vehicle.  I don't ride in
particularly bad areas, but there have been several murders in as many
years in our area.  Not much, but *I* do not want to be part of that.  I
have had two friends chased by coyotes or dog/coyote types.  Both made
trees before they were nabbed, but it was close with one--she lost her
shoe!  I also keep a gun in the trailer just in case I have to do the
unthinkable with either my dog or my horse.  

I broke down on the side of the road twice in the last 7 years.  Once
hauling, once not. I called my husband for help and then called my father
to let him know that he may need to help my husband. In both instances,
both my husband and my father asked the same question in the same order:
"Do you have the dog?...do you have the gun?...keep them both next to you
til we are there!!"  

Recently I had a stalker.  yes, a real one. he got jail time.  I kept my
gun in a shoulder holster and my dog with me at all times. I also never
went anywhere alone for two weeks. I do not ever want to have to live like
that again!!  ever.  It was no fun.  Very stressful and it was not easy to
live with a firearm in my hand basically. I had one in my truck, one on
me, one next to the bed. I wasn't allowed to even go shopping by myself
for two whole weeks.  Living in terror is a bad thing. All I did to
encourage this stalker?  I said excuse me when I nearly stepped on him in
the local college bookstore.  he followed me from there, several days
later he was arrested and charged. I was the 4th woman he has done this
to in just about a year or so.  I was the only one to press charges. he
will get the help he needs now, I hope.  I just know that I don't want to
be put in such a position again. 
Anyone that knows me knows that I can handle myself fairly well. I know
self defense, I know how to get myself out of most situations, and I know
how to not get INTO most situations. But in the case of someone else
putting me into a situation that I need help, I refuse to rely on waiting
on help to arrive. I will do what I have to in order to protect myself.

**Also, I have never felt even an inkling of a need to have a weapon in
ride camp. Just a side note.  All of my reason for carrying a weapon is
for before getting to ride camp, or after leaving ride camp.  


APPY TRAILS



SAMM C. BARTEE
Auburn, Al.  SE Region
with
COUJUR--I have to carry what?  
B JETS WAR EAGLE--endurance newbie
110 miles and.....
SIR REVEL--what about me?  I want to go!