[at-l] Horse Plaque---

[Jan Lite]

Perhaps the best thing, when there is uncertainty upon meeting a horse,
is to engage the rider in conversation and ask what they think would ease
their horse' mind. A terrified horse in not safe for rider or foot traffic.
Or itself, in some steep/sketchy situations.

Usually, a cooperative spirit goes a long way. However, if you get a tense
scared rider who doesn't feel in control of the situation and fears getting
hurt, you may a sharper response from them than they might intend otherwise.
Fear can make folks snappy.
I'm not excusing rudeness, just pointing out common situations from decades
of observation. Sometimes the kindest thing for the scared rider (and, thus
the horse) is to allow them to direct your movements.

And, as Joan wisely said, don't wave stuff around or get big. Sometimes I've
taken my pack off, so the terrified animal could relax and see I was just
another person.
I know that that sort of accommodation might irritate some hikers, but so be
it. On legal mixed-use trails, we might as well figure out how to co-exist.
YMMV...


>Message: 3
Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:41:09 -0500
From: "giniajim" <jplynch at crosslink.net>
>Subject: Re: [at-l] Horse Plaque---
To: <at-l at backcountry.net>,     <bluetrail at aol.com>

>Joan, thanks for the detail about a group hikers move off the trail *on the
same side*; that's a nuance that I hadn't heard before.  Now a question: if
the trail is on a hill, and the hikers can as easily move off the trail to
one side or the other, which is preferred, to go to the uphill side, or the
downhill side?  I've got my own opinion, but I've never heard anything
definitive.

 ----- Original Message -----
  >From: bluetrail at aol.com
 To: at-l at backcountry.net
 Sent: Thursday, January 14, 2010 2:31 PM
 Subject: Re: [at-l] Horse Plaque---


-- 
"The Ordinary Adventurer"
A new backpacking adventure book
http://www.FunFreedom.com
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