Horse and Hikers - Was Perspective, was Trail closures -- Was [at-l] FLA Trail reopens

[AThiker at smithville.net (Felix)]

Bradley M. Bishop wrote:

>I'd like to pass along an observation from my week on trail crew with Rocky Top in the Smokies. One of the local horse clubs has teamed with ATC and the park service and provided an invaluable service packing a lot (almost all) of our food and equipment up the mountain for us. They also routinely help with trail maintenance. Is this happening in other areas as well?
>

I know that here in Indiana there was a joint effort this spring/summer 
building what has to be the absolute finest dayhiking trail in all of 
Indiana, if not the midwest. (Pate Hollow Trail...located immediately 
behind the DNR office on IN SR446, just north of Lake Monroe) I think 
that the 'horse people' can obviously help the 'non-horse people' far 
more than vice-versa (trail construction, clean up, maintenance etc.). I 
think (or, for me) the problem is basically two things: damage to the 
trail (ruts, etc) and manure.  For the most part the people involved are 
of similar ilk and desire. If we could just get the horses to walk on 
two legs and weigh less...