Re: Need help to get shooters and off roaders out

[Knaptyme@aol.com]

Just my $.02 here....not all off roaders are bad.  I have two perfect
examples.  When riding out in Vegas I was on a narrow lane with fences on both
sides when a dirt bike approached.  The kids riding the bike realized my horse
was freaking out and turned off the motorcycle.  My horse still wouldn't walk
by it, so they carefully rolled it past me and waited until I got him going
down the road to start up again.  These were teenage boys who showed common
sense and courtesy.

Secondly, I was riding an old logging trail in northern Minnesota when a bunch
of 4 wheelers topped a hill behind us.  They stopped at the top of the hill
and waited until we had our horses off the trail and then proceeded by us at a
very slow speed.

When I was living and riding in Vegas, the desert trails were shared with off
roaders on a daily basis.  In 2 1/2 years, I only ran into one truly
inconsiderate person, who I personally refer to as the "hell child."
Apparently, he had gotten a new go-cart for Christmas and was out having a
fine time with it one day.  We happened to be on the same trail and when I
moved over to give him room to pass, he realized my horse was afraid of it.
He proceeded to chase me and the horse.  I was close to home, so I got my
horse home and jumped in my truck to go find this kid -- murder was in my
mind!  I did find him just as he was pulling into his driveway, I had a nice
long talk with his father...explaining things like lawsuits and cops should me
or my horse get hurt because of his child's behavior.  Needless to say, it was
several weeks before I saw the "hell child" and his go-cart in the desert
again.  And he didn't chase my horse and he moved off the trail!

My point is, just like inconsiderate drivers we have to deal with this.  The
best way is through education.  A lot of states now require underage drivers
to take some sort of safety class.  Maybe we should contact them and put
horses into their education.  The other way is to spread the word among your
friends who off road and shoot.  Let them spread the word to their friends.

If we don't find a way to share, we are all losers.