Horses, Mountain Lions, and Learning to Shake it Off

Myhorse.com - Full Article

by Amy Herdy

My horse and I share one deep-rooted fear: mountain lions.

And since we live in a part of Colorado that is prime mountain lion territory, it’s a realistic angst. A mountain lion once snatched a young boy from his father’s hand in an area I’ve often hiked (miraculously, the father and his older son chased down the mountain lion, throwing rocks and sticks, and were able to save the boy, and he’s fine today), and mountain lions have been seen at the edge of our horses’ pasture and near trails where I run.

Once as I walked out to her pasture to catch my mare, I spotted a tall, wheat-colored tail moving like a furry periscope in some distant weeds at just about the same time she did.
I’ve never seen my horse bolt so fast. I don’t know who was more startled. Luckily, it turned out to be the neighbor’s really hefty domestic cat.

And then there was the memorable time we were trail riding in an area marked by signs that said, “You are in mountain lion territory” –not that I needed reminding. It’s hard to enjoy the scenery when you’re also keeping a watchful eye for something that considers you lunch...

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