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I saw your post over on the thread about the man being attacked by a grizzly. I have competed in an area where a black bear was frequently seen. They warned us all the time.

I have been told by numerous people, family and a local cop who is a friend that I should carry a gun when I ride by myself out here. I have run into several car theives stripping cars out here.

The flight instinct in the horse is the reason I don't so far, and because I don't know how to shoot. My learning would be the first step, then getting the horse use to it second. Have you ever gun trained a horse? How would you go about doing that?

Becky

GRRRRRR!!!! Stupid me...I fed the troll!!!

Brazos de Dios Cantina

But hopefully it will mean people will actually comment and have a real discussion. I didnt handle it half as well as I had wanted to, but writing on the fly has never been my strong suit...and he was demanding information that would take me days to compile....

Think any of y'all can go in there and put his aright?

The flight instinct in the horse is the reason I don't so far, and because I don't know how to shoot. My learning would be the first step, then getting the horse use to it second. Have you ever gun trained a horse? How would you go about doing that?

I don't foresee a circumstance where you would be shooting a bear or anything for that matter while mounted. Your best defense is the horse's legs. If you can stay with them, the horse will escape. I have had a small fear of seeing a bear, the horse spooks and dumps me and leaves me with the bear. Heh.... Bummer.

I do carry up there when I go, and I carry the gun usually in a shoulder holster on my person rather than on the saddle. If nothing else, it would be a signal device if I were separated from the horse and alone.

I carry on the pretext of being prepared for anything, but I can't imagine a self-defense situation that could develop where your better idea wouldn't be to just leave quickly. Mounted, you have the element of speed that you would not have on foot. There are shady characters in the woods, we have meth labs and my isolationist mitilia dudes up there, but they can't outrun me.

I don't think any horse would be ready for a gunshot from his back... No person would be able to not flinch or jump from un unexpected loud shot that close, and I wouldn't expect a horse to not jump unless desensitizing, and *warning* him was a major training excercise. Bay is good about reasonably close gunfire because I have ridden alot out of the gun club where we ride right by them, and camped there overnight. He would probably stand tied and not bolt if I had to shoot near him, but he would jump when he suddenly heard it I am sure.

I have seen one bear close (50 yards off to the side of trail) and she froze and did not move until we were out of sight. I didn't fear that she would attack us, but I was really nervous that she would bolt suddenly and scare the horses, which would have been bad because she was standing in a bog and would have made a really scary splashing scene running. But she didn't, the horses stayed cool with Bay leading, but I had a fist full of mane to ensure that I stayed with him if he decided to fly.

I've never done it myself, but the good ol' History Channel said the US cavalry would take their horses to the firing range, and feed them far behind the firing line while shooting was going on. Each day they'd be fed a bit closer to the firing, and with a bit more grain thrown in as a treat. Finally they'd be chowing down right behind the firing line, and not pay any attention to the noise.

Actually shooting from horseback must have been done something like that, but I don't know if any horse enjoyed having a '03 or .45 fired right over his head. Perhaps the only expertise right now is found in mounted police divisions, and companies that rent "stunt horses" to the movies.