Re: LD miles, NOT FLUFF, and Endurance Thrills

[CMKSAGEHIL <CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com>]

In a message dated 98-03-15 01:44:15 EST, dfletche@gte.net writes:

<< Heidi, what do you use on a cloudy moonless night in the woods?
  >>
Hi, Duncan--

I guess we're spoiled.  Ride managers here (myself included) spend countless
hours clearing trail so that those hazards don't exist.  I manage two "timber"
rides, and on an average, I spend 40-50 hours clearing trails at Sunriver and
80-120 hours clearing Paulina Peak every year.  I am not unique--other 100's
in this area are cleared to the same standards that I clear mine.  We are
especially fussy in areas that will possibly be ridden in darkness.   The last
thing that I want to have to deal with as a ride manager is to have to spend
hours and hours when I am exhausted dealing with a midnight horse accident
that could have been prevented with some daylight time with a chainsaw or
pruning saw.  Several of my horses are broke to be "saw horses" so that I can
saw from in the saddle, at least with a hand saw--my husband actually used the
chainsaw horseback on one of our stallions clearing for the Pan Am last year.
I am a firm believer that if you are a ride manager, if you talk the talk, you
had better walk the walk.

Heidi