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Two
Rivers of Thought - Self Defense For Trail Riders
by Garry
Stauber
 Near
Fairbanks, Alaska, the Tanana and Nenana Rivers merge on their way into
the Yukon River. The waters of the Nenana River are a pure, clear blue and
the Tanana waters are a light reddish-brown, from the silt of the
glaciers.
Where the two rivers meet, the pure
blue river waters and the muddy brown river waters swirl together and you
can clearly see the two colors within the turmoil of the streams for quite
a distance, before they settle into one color.
I am a huge advocate for “trail
ambassadorship.” This is the concept of all equestrians putting our best
“foot” (or hoof, so to speak) forward in public places and making our
presence known in a positive manner, with park partnership and education.
This concept includes the idea of developing relationships on trails by
being cordial, talking and even educating other trail users about horses
and horse behaviors. Casual meetings on trails provide opportunities to
allow other trail users to pet our horses and educate them about horse
behavior and issues. This is the role of an Ambassador.
Currently there are individuals and
groups working to eliminate equestrian trail access across America, and
here in California. Our image may be our worst enemy. Some past actions by
equestrians have not been favorable in the public’s eye, thus fueling
arguments that we should not be allowed on multi-use trails.
Last week I was casually reading an
article on HorseCity.com on the subject of self defense for trail riders,
a subject I previously hadn’t given much thought. The author interviewed
Scot Hansen, a retired police officer of twenty years, who is currently a
horse trainer and teaching the subject of self defense for trail riders.
The paragraph that really caught my
attention was where Scot Hansen was quoted as saying, " 'Don't be
polite, keep strangers away.' Hansen advises the best way to do that is by
LOUDLY shouting, 'Stop! Stay away.' At the same time give the universal
sign to stop by sticking out your arm and raising your hand, palm up.”
As I read that paragraph, suddenly
the colors of the waters were different and I could see the turmoil as the
currents of these two rivers of thought churned in my mind. What kind of
impact would it have if every trail rider shouted “Stop, don’t come
closer!” at every hiker on the trail? Equestrians would be hated. But
keeping ourselves safe is a much greater goal than “ambassadorship.”
But if we lose our trails, we won’t be in any danger because we will
have no place to ride.
You see how my mind works. After a
real conversation with Scot Hansen I realized the colors of our waters are
not so different, even though the streams begin in different places. As
trail riders, we obviously need to use common sense and be aware of our
surroundings.
I realize I don’t give much
attention to this area of trail safety. In fact, when I prepared to take
my trip the length of California on horseback, one of the most common
questions asked was, did I plan to take a gun? My response was no, I didn’t
want to injure myself or my horses with an accident. Many people
(including my son, who is a police officer) tried to convince me to take a
gun, even offering me one of his. Obviously, this was a completely
different stream of thought than mine. I felt pretty confident of not
having any need for a gun and figured I would work something out at the
time, if something happened.
Illustration by
Jessica Young
It is this confidence that can often
get us in trouble. Many equestrians think that if confronted while on a
horse, we would just ride over the assailant, hit them with our reins or
even kick them ourselves if necessary. Scot says, “We have for a long
time been training our horse not to run over us.” The more trusted of a
friend our horse is, the less likely he will assist in pushing the
possible assailant away. Scot has made a video and he demonstrates the
idea that kicking your assailant doesn’t work from the saddle. In the
video, Scot simply grabbed the rider's leg and pushed upward, almost
flipping the rider out of the saddle. As for hitting an assailant with a
crop, reins or rope, in only a split second Scot demonstrates how easy it
is to grab the rider's arm as it is tipped forward to swing down, making
it easier for the assailant to unseat the rider as momentum carried the
rider downward off the horse.
Another idea that many riders think
they will utilize in this situation is putting the horse into a
"racehorse" gallop. This response is likely to put you in more
danger than the previous situation. Unless you are used to riding your
horse at breakneck speeds and the area is safe for this ride, this could
be even more dangerous.
So what should we do, if we are
working to be ambassadors on the trail and make friends, not enemies, but
to be prepared and keep ourselves safe from assault? One of the best
things to do is to not ride alone. As you ride, be alert and aware of your
surroundings. Should you see someone who concerns you, use common sense.
Ensure your own safety before deciding to become an ambassador. As Scot
pointed out in our conversation, after you have determined that someone is
not a threat, you can invite them closer to your horse. But prepare for
and think of the worst case scenario first.
If you do encounter a person on the
trail who concerns you, the first step is to remain calm and balanced in
your saddle. Be very aware of your surroundings. Use your voice and engage
the stranger in dialogue. If you assess it to be appropriate, tell the
stranger to keep their distance and look for alternate paths to keep you
and your horse away from the stranger.
If you are riding with others, it is
probably not necessary to shout for strangers to stay back, unless you are
concerned about their appearance and demeanor. What is important is
assessing the situation and being alert. When telling someone to stay away
from your horse, Scot says you might say your horse is easily excited or
kicks, even if you know that is not true.
The one place a rider is exposed to
the most risk is when dismounted at the trailer. Try to park in well-lit
and safe places. When returning to your trailer after a ride, be aware of
the surroundings before dismounting. Should you be approached, be aware
that your horse is the best barrier between you and the suspect. Not all
horses will move as you request, so practicing this will be required. Find
out what your horse will actually do, not what you assume he will do.
This situation is just another reason
to have your horse trained for quick loading, and a better reason to never
ride alone, so that you avoid being alone at the trail head.
In the future, trail safety while
riding in urban areas will become a bigger issue. When riding in
wilderness areas, resources will always be further away. Learning to be
safe on the trail is very important. If we are not good ambassadors, we
may not have wilderness or urban trails to ride. Both streams of thought
are important to all equestrians. When you have a true sense of safety,
take the time to be an ambassador. This investment of time will allow all
of us to ride in the future.
Scot has upcoming trail self defense
clinics in Sacramento on June 19 and 20. For more information, contact
Scot at www.horsethink.com or
e-mail ScotHansen@horsethink.com.
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Copyright Garry
Stauber © 2004 All rights reserved. The above article is
the property of the Author and may not be duplicated or redistributed in
any way without permission. Visit Garry on-line at Dream Adventures.
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