Tag Archives: equestrian

Written by
John Cox, M.A. C/M

“So, on the pages of “Ya just can’t make this stuff up. . . We just pulled three horses out of a Valley over near Chetco Basin, late this morning. We were told three domestics were running around in the area, and appeared confused — as if just dropped there (i.e. ditched) When I arrived with my trailer, I seen horse-poop, cougar tracks, that headed into the woods, alongside horse hoof tracks.

I noticed the frogs, on a least two horses, showed trim-marks in the layer of partially dried mud, along a creek. All three sets showed trim-marks. Yes, domestics.

We heard a bellow, then a couple of snorts, from horses, nearby. About that time they busted around the corner of an Evergreen Stand of trees. Following them was a Cougar — I noticed right away it was not in attack mode, at all. All three of us that come to locate/find the horses, were just watching the event. Ben and Monty noticed the same thing I did.

The Cougar stopped, and sat, watching us. We come to life when the horses neared, lassoed each horse, and loaded them. Ben was the first to notice, and pointed over to the Cougar, as I finished loading the last horse.

The Cougar sat there, looked at us, as if we should say “Thank You” . . . Monty just started laughing, then said, “Do you think he rounded them up and brought them here?”

I had to admit, I did not know. At that point, the Cougar got up, shook off, then turned and left. He disappeared into the Tree Stand of Evergreens. All three of us started to look at the tracks in the area, on the other-side of the tracks just made minutes ago. The tracks tell the tale in total . . .

First, when a Cougar Travels, no claws-out and similar to what we found at the site, both directions —- when a Cougar is on attack-mode — claws out, second photo similarity.

I am not quite sure what happened. None of us are . . . and I have spent years tracking Cougar, and thought I learned a lot Once again, I am shown by the Universe I have not seen everything, and looking forward to what else the Universe has in mind for me, Babe, Roxx, and Umpqua. But, evidence speaks for itself, via witnessed.

I would like to point-out, also, these people that refer to themselves as Experts — make no doubt that is ignorance and truthfully, just straight-up arrogance speaking, as they are not — a few years with horses, and all the sudden they know all that the Universe has for them, about horses? Bullshit! We are all still learning — and I have 40+ years with horses, and even more with Wildlife and observing them.

I strongly believe the Cougar may have saved these horses, after being dumped — But that is up to, and something for the Universe to know. I had never seen anything like that, what we just witnessed this morning. What we do know, and think is disgusting in today’s times, that those who hunt Cougar and other Apex Predators, are garbage people, and have no idea what our wilderness facing today, because of them and other ignorant folks.” — John Cox, M.A. C/M

Preservation of America’s Wildlife

Written by
John Cox, M.A. C/M

Let me take you back, way back when, in 1977, and a memorable learning experience with a horse. Unforgettable. . . I rode off and on at that time, but never owned a horse directly. As well, I had spent many years around the Mount St. Helens landscape, knew it well, on the valley flats and on the mountains, being in the area, often, whenever I had time off to do so. I rode a friend’s horse that I had ridden a couple of times over the years, a good quarter-horse and paint gelding, and very forgiving. Certainly, patient with an inexperienced rider.

We were at a place called Indian Racetrack, near Red Mountain, with Mount St. Helens, before it erupted, in the landscape, among other volcanic mountain peaks, all in view from the valley floor. There were logging roads into the area, with much of it already logged-out, and large meadows we camped at often.

I also, unknowingly LOL, become more of an environmentalist, when I saw first-hand the direct effects of human-kind. I understood our blatant ignorance toward the things we suppose we could sacrifice, while making a few bucks. It was easy to understand, we could do far better . . . Without the sacrifices being made, even today.

Anyway, we approached a dry creek bed, with rounded river-rock, we had to pass over. It was part of the trail, and a situation I run across many times – just part of what trail riding in the Pacific Northwest always has been and is today. Challenging but beautiful. But this is the type of circumstance we learn, many different things, all at once. I learned one can trust a horse at that time, by doing one simple thing.

This is one lesson that stuck with me from then on, when I dealt with a horse; well, actually, all of my horses I owned over the years – Trust. What I put intro it, I got out of it “ten-fold”, with a horse, once I bonded with them. The person I was with had a few years riding and owning horses, so I trusted what she had to say, as well.

“Drop the Reins is the que”, she said.

I looked at the rocks the horse was about to cross, shrugged a little, and dropped the reins. It was obvious the horse had to navigate the rocks by feel, at the same time, keeping his balance with me on his back – I understood quite well, to relax, comfortably (LOL), while the horse took control.

This was also a big lesson for me, to allow something else to control the situation, not of human-kind, but of animal-kind. A real trust builder, for sure. Suddenly those rocks looked like huge lion’s teeth, ready to chew-up and spit-out anything that fell onto them. I looked at my reins. I looked at the rocks.

I forget what it was I mumbled, as my partner looked around, “I’ve done this on that horse a thousand times,” she said, and laughed. Suddenly her laugh was not pleasant to hear, but rather satanic, or something like it. I chalked that up, to perhaps, we should not have smoked that last joint.

The horse navigated through the rocks quite well. No incident. Nothing happened. We were on the other side, alive, unbroken, and life worth living. The reins once again in my hands. What I noticed, and recall quite well, was the fact, lesson learned, and I did not have to balance on my reins, nor, hold my reins tight. I pushed forward, and softened the reins, and realized how responsive my horse became, the instant I done so. It was an entire different ride from then onward.

The ride was far more enjoyable, the forest once we got into it, even greater. After that few days riding those trails daily, and camping near streams, near hot-springs where the boulders actually made it relaxing to sit within, or, near beautiful meadows, life was good. I also developed hip-leg-knee action, rather than using the reins. This is also why I speak about experience, a lot, in my writing about horses. Because it was that experience, that foundation of finally taking riding a horse more serious, being on one every day for nearly two weeks.

I rode, from then on, whenever I could, and learned a lot of what I know first-hand and on horseback, in the mountains, on and off the trails. I often wondered, my PTSD at that time, little was known about it, but I knew the horses I was around helped me.

Like driving a car, riding a motorcycle, or big truck, you have to do it to understand completely, how it’s done. Reading books is one thing, experience quite another thing and needed. That was, truthfully, the beginning of my relationships with horses, and with that foundation, wanting to learn more about them. Wanting to become better at it. Making it a natural-progression of living life, with horses and dogs, and in the countryside . . .” – John Cox, M.A. C/M