Preserving a Cultural Heritage in a Natural Heritage Setting

Equestrian trail riding as an American cultural heritage is rarely articulated by either equestrians or managers of lands in which horse trails are embedded. Protection of our natural and cultural heritages are legislatively mandated. One value of securing these heritages is remembrance of where we came from and how we got here. We came from the wilderness. Most of our journey into our cyberspace world was supported by horses. The mounted trail rider in a rural or wildlands setting is iconic Americana. But does the trail rider know it and behave in an appropriate manner? I have come to fear that our cultural heritage is at high risk. Riders commonly take their access to the public lands for granted. Managers of the public lands often view recreational horse use as an obstacle to natural resource protection mandates. As a professional ecologist and my last 40 years with trail horses and horse trails at the center of my being, I offer glimpses of my experiences and suggestions for preserving a cultural heritage in a natural heritage setting.