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First Trail Ride Advice

I saw a FB post about a missing horse. The person’s phone and gun were on the horse. I carry my phone in a holster on my calf. No gun here.

Oh god, how scary. Just carrying a firearm on a horse sounds scary period, what if you come off and it discharges? Is the horse really really gunbroke? (imagine that, someone tries to grab you, you fire at them, horse spins you off, and now you’ve got to face the attacker… oops)

We used to be able to ride through a couple subdivisions to get to a nice trail area, until one of the former boarders decided it would be a good idea to open carry while doing so. They asked us never to ride through again. I was so pissed…

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There is a trail riding FB group near me. I have gone out with them twice. Won’t do it again. One guy open carries. Oh course he was bragging one time about that he has needed to wave two separate times to prevent being attacked. Funny how I have managed to trail ride in this area for 30+ years and have never felt the need for a gun. Yet he manages to need to wave it at somebody twice.
One one trail ride we rode past a place with a confederate flag. He was complimentary of the property owner.

I don’t ride with that group anymore.

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Whoa. Do you mind sharing the location where this happened?

From what was he preventing an attack?

Is it even legal to wave a gun at someone?

Reading PA.

He said he pulled the gun out of his holster and showed it to the person and they backed off.

Not sure on PA gun laws.

Only repeated experiences will teach you and your horse how to be a trail team.

I do have a tip for confidence with cows. You may need to set this up with a farmer. Easy to do in the West where cows are moved on horseback, don’t know about where you are. Essentially, just chase them. They will run. Horses seriously love to boss cattle around, they just have to learn that they can. It really worked for my filly when I was working her up into a trail horse and cows made her shake and poop water. Once she blocked them on the fence and turned them a few times she was ready to be a cutting horse!

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I don’t know any farmer or rancher that would be okay with you chasing their cows. You must have done this on the sly and didn’t ask. They are their business and are expensive. What if your horse runs them into a fence or they fall and get injured and have to be put down? You going to reimburse that farmer for his dead cow?

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