From www.bridleandbit.com

Arizona
Strengthening the Herd
By Taryn Brady
Jul 7, 2008, 09:52

I wasn't very sassy when I was little, but there was one avenue the boys could take if they wanted to irk me. They could take my turn at the swing set, cheat at tag, copy my spelling list and I would simply turn the other cheek. However, at the mere mentioning of a comparison between their quad and my horse, and I would begin to prepare to gather up into the punching bag stance. My temper was completely self-contained within the bounds of an equestrian disparaging.

Now that I am in college, I almost feel the same way. Horses are a soft spot for all those who own them. They are obvious and vulnerable in today's society, constantly facing a potential superseding. Yet now, the boy bullies have transformed into other facets of society. Now, a simple threatening of a punch from the tough little girl whose daddy taught her to pummel the punching bag will not quiet the danger. Equestrians today encounter a society that is tossing out the remnants of the past, with eager eyes to the future. Horses today are undervalued and this precept is manifested in countless ways. This is the problem Equestrians encounter. Their entire lifestyle is on the brink of effacement at the mercy of society: Developers are usurping the riding land for houses and commercial developments. Property rights are being limited. Restrictions and regulations are constantly pending. Trails are getting banned.

However, the greatest danger to this genre of Arizonans is completely self-contained. The most influential adversary replicates from the horse people themselves: attendance. When it comes to attendance at meetings that affect them, horse owners are simply lacking, sealing their own destiny in this ever-changing world of cement and technology.

"Where are you horse people?" questioned the chairman of the Pinal County Planning Commission Kate Kenyon. She summed up the number one cause of the number one problem facing Arizona equestrians today. Ed O'Brian, vice president of the Arizona State Horsemen's Association, showed up at the meeting with Kate Kenyon. The Arizona State Horsemen's Association April Newsletter included the attendance rate of a series of these Pinal County Planning Meetings: "Developers and non-equestrians 100, equestrians 10." No wonder things aren't going the way horse owners would like them to.

On a broader scale, the entire state of Arizona is encountering pending legislation regarding the dust of this state. Horse owners can greatly be affected if any decisions are made. Particulate Matter (PM) is a big issue right now. The Environmental Protection Agency defines the term as "solid or liquid particles found in the air." PM10 is particulate matter that is smaller than 10 micrometers. This classification of PM has been proven to contribute mal effects to the human health, because this size can settle in the human lungs and cause problems. Arizona is trying to reduce its PM10 concentrations. The Rex Wager's article "As Seen From Here" in the April 2008 Bridle & Bit Issue dealt with this topic. According to Wager, Scottsdale is targeting equestrians when trying to address the dust problem. Perhaps they are pinning the blame on us because we are such an easy target. Has there been any grassroots mobilization from horse owners demanding fair treatment?

In numbers, we can make a difference. Coconino County's equestrians exhibited this last year. A rumor circulated that the county was attempting to reduce the equestrian use at the Ft. Tuthill Equestrian Facilities at the County Fairgrounds. Coconino County Recreation and Events Manager Cynthia Nemeth explained that the county was actually raising the fees in general across the park to acquire the much-needed funds to make repairs for the facility. However, "the equestrian community came together in postponing the increase in fees," said Nemeth. Once the County was absolved from the 'equestrian prohibiting intentions', the grassroots movements of the equestrians actually brought to light the lack of funding for the fairgrounds that was resulting in dire need of repairs. This attention has since brought concern over the facilities' conditions to the county's Board of Supervisors.

Another example of equestrians stepping up to the plate occurred in Lehi. At one point the city government was considering paving the canal pathways that were often used for horses. However, the public responded with a resounding 'no' to this proposal and it was defeated.

There are many more examples all across the state, yet many of them do not have happy endings for horse owners. Lawmakers are certainly taking advantage of the minimized numbers of equestrians in meetings. We are not representing ourselves where it really counts. This leads to the lack of legislation providing equestrian protection. This problem has a simple solution. Kate Kenyan hit it right on the nose. After asking "Where are you horse people?" Kenyan succinctly delineated the solution in five short words: "You have to show up." City, county, and state governments do not have a proportional view of who we are. Ed O'Brian said "The only way to stop this perception and for us to succeed is to flood city, county and state meetings with bodies." So, until something changes, until equestrians are aware of the force of grassroots organization, and get into the habit of utilizing this valuable tool, we can expect to see even more limitations on our lifestyle. When I was seven, the boys always took advantage of my horse-sensitivity. It was an easy target for them. Horses owners are also an easy target for lawmakers. However, this is not an inherent consequence of owning horses. We have the power to turn the statistics around. We simply need to be involved in the salient issues plaguing horse owners. Business Manager of the City of Sierra Vista explained, we need to "organize" and "speak with one voice." I am confident in our capabilities to become enlightened and dedicated enough to fulfill the necessary collaboration; I have faith that we can work together and solve the problems that we as horse lovers all have in common.