# Beer Can Littering Rant



## Cloudlover (Oct 14, 2012)

Hi everyone, I have been trail riding for about 5 years now and I love every hour spent on the trails. However the one thing that is bothering me the most is the amount of beer cans that I see on the trails. In one 5 hour ride, I have counted over 30 beer cans out on the trails. It doesn't bother me that people drink on the trails. I just turned 21 a few months ago and I enjoy a good beer too, but if you take a beer out on the trails, please throw it away when you get back to the campground not out on the trails. These parks and campground owners put a lot of work into these trails and it upsets me seeing all the beer cans littering the forest floor. My friends and I have even made the joke that if we ever get lost on a trail the only way we know we are still on a horse trail is if we see beer cans. To me that is sad. I don't mean to offend anyone but this is something that has been bothering me ever since I started trail riding and is something that I think needs to be brought to attention. All I am asking is if you do drink while riding out on the trails, please put the empty container in a saddlebag and carry it back to the campground or throw away the empty container in a trash can that may be provided out on the trails. Again I apologize if I offended anyone, but this is something I just needed to get off my chest.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

I appreciate your rant. We ride in some of gods most beautiful places and why anyone would be so disrespectful of such places is a mystery to me.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I can never understand why people want to trash up nature. I see beer cans, food containers, and all sorts of trash out there. We need to start a national campaign to train people to be clean like we had back in the '70's. "Please, please don't be a litter bug, cause every litter bit hurts."


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

they should pack in and pack out. they should recycle or the camp areas (if not native) should have recycle bins. I always packed in and packed out , we did not leave any trash, and where a we pitched a tent and had moved pine needles, we put the needles back.


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## roseann (Jan 29, 2013)

Its horrible out here in New Mexico. I live right next to 100's of miles of BLM land. Not park land but still very wild and lovely. Its not a little trash I see. Its a landfill!!! I call and report.when I see anyone driviving out itto the wilderness with trucks full of garbage but never see any police. We do have a pretty strict regulations
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

6 or 7 years ago, before the spring grasses started growing I cleaned up 2km of back road from the highway to my driveway. The little cart behind the quad was full to almost overflowing, as were two large baskets and a garbage bag. A lot of it had been barely visible yet I knew it was clean. Last year a young fellow and I did a repeat run and picked up just as much. This time most of it was beer cans from the new neighbors buddies, all the same brand.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Ok, ok, I got the message, I will go out there & clean up my cans!


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## Cloudlover (Oct 14, 2012)

Saddlebag said:


> 6 or 7 years ago, before the spring grasses started growing I cleaned up 2km of back road from the highway to my driveway. The little cart behind the quad was full to almost overflowing, as were two large baskets and a garbage bag. A lot of it had been barely visible yet I knew it was clean. Last year a young fellow and I did a repeat run and picked up just as much. This time most of it was beer cans from the new neighbors buddies, all the same brand.


I appreciate you going out there and picking up the litter. Its acts like that that can make all the difference. I wish there were more people out there willing to take their time to clean up the litter out there.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I lived next to some state land. Had to drive through about a half mile of it to get to my place. I got so sick of seeing all the trash out there, that when I ordered a dumpster for my use I had the company set it at the entrance to the state land. 

It helped. At first, I got a call from somebody with the State saying I couldn't have it on public land. But I asked them to give it two weeks and I'd send photos of what got dumped in there. Mostly pop and beer cans. We don't have fast food for 40 miles. A bunch of plastic grocery type bags with snack food stuff in them. The state let it stay.

I don't get the laziness and lack of consideration of some folks.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I live along a highway, my fence line stays littered with bottles. There are trails in my area that are closed now to all horse riders because of the littering.. SOme big fun party rides also canceled over it.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

I hate to see litter on the trails. Good grief, pack it in - pack it out. We eat and drink on the trail all the time...but I don't throw the packages/bottles down. 

There is a lot of litter in the back of Tyrrell Park that was blown in by hurricane's. Wish it would all just disappear!


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Actually, here in Oregon I see very little trash along the trails. Not because we have fewer people tossing their trash, we just have more people willing to stop and pick it up. Now, when I lived in NM...it was pretty **** trashy.


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

waresbear said:


> Ok, ok, I got the message, I will go out there & clean up my cans!


You made me LOL and almost spit coffee all over my screen! :rofl:


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

A lot of us have to haul our trash to the dump (rural) and pay per bag. One day in May is a freebie for basically yard cleanings but any one who cleans the roadside is never charged.


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## Customcanines (Jun 17, 2012)

My daughter and I ride on a couple of hundred acres of her and her neighbor's land. NO ONE has permission to be on that land except us and a neighbor who no longer goes out. You'd be surprised how much trash - beer cans, KFC boxes, garbage bags, etc, that we find on land where people shouldn't even be - it's maddening. No one cares if somone wants to come on the land to picnic, but at LEAST they could clean up their own messes!!!! And of course, I'm always worried that our dogs will come across a trespasser and either get shot or accused of biting and we'll get sued, or we'll get shot by poachers during hunting season,,,,,,,,, I guess I had to rant, too!


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## Cloudlover (Oct 14, 2012)

Customcanines said:


> My daughter and I ride on a couple of hundred acres of her and her neighbor's land. NO ONE has permission to be on that land except us and a neighbor who no longer goes out. You'd be surprised how much trash - beer cans, KFC boxes, garbage bags, etc, that we find on land where people shouldn't even be - it's maddening. No one cares if somone wants to come on the land to picnic, but at LEAST they could clean up their own messes!!!! And of course, I'm always worried that our dogs will come across a trespasser and either get shot or accused of biting and we'll get sued, or we'll get shot by poachers during hunting season,,,,,,,,, I guess I had to rant, too!


Rant all you want!! I think it's about time something like littering on the trails gets brought into the light. The one thing that is really upsetting me is that all the litter that I see on the trails is from trail riders, not hikers or bicyclists, but trail riders and to me that makes all of us other trail riders look bad.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Trashy people do trashy things.

Saw this on beaches too at Gulf.

Just amazes me how people act.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I get so tired of the F*** You attitude. Custom Canines, Post No Trespassing Signs. That covers hunting. They can't hunt without trespassing. It also looks after no shooting. No point in shooting something if you're not allowed to fetch it.


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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

You would think horse people being they are connected to animals would be more connected to the environment and show more respect and appreciation. But owning animals does not necessarily mean you are "connected" at all, sad.


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## Roadyy (Feb 9, 2013)

I've seen it with Trail Vehicles as well. I ride with a lot of guys who build rigs for rock climbing up really rough terrain and our group always stay behind to ride the trails last to do a clean up run after a weekend of wheeling. The last fund raiser ride we did for the Wounded Warrior program there were 25 of us who got stayed Sunday after the last riders left and we gathered up 12 bags of trash over 300 acres of trails. We gathered 15 bags of trash around the campsite that is on 15 acres. 

The few horse trails that I've been on around here stay pretty clean from what I have seen. I could see keeping one of those reach it gadgets folded up on the saddle to help pick up trash along the trails without having to dismount so often.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

If these trails are local you might want to team up with your friends and organize a clean-up, put-"No Littering"-Signs-up. party. It is excellent for your horse to go out on the trails with a job to do, where he has to wait while you dismount. Also, he can get used to hearing cans rattling, though I'd train to that at home, first.
You can pick up a few cents recycling them bc they're 100% aluminum, to make it worth your trouble.
I would make waterproof signs and tie them to the trees with baling twine. Then, you can put THAT on the thread, too. =b


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Lack of respect! For others, the land, themselves. It seems to be a major issue these days.

Personally, I'm for eliminating pigs, gang-bangers and criminals from the planet. It's a nice dream!


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## tiffrmcoy (Apr 13, 2012)

A very nice dream indeed dustbunny I happen to share it with you. I am also tired of all the litter on trails I ride down to the river about a mile away from my barn and the trails and river are always littered with MacDonald's trash, beer cans, and liquor bottles its a horrible site to see because its a very pretty area to ride.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

While cans, paper and plastic is unsightly and unpleasant it's the glass that chafes my backside. I spend more time riding along roads than on trails and broken glass is my second greatest concern (behind some drunk or someone playing with their cell). Knock on wood I've managed to always avoid it for 40 years so far, but I shouldn't have to worry about it. I've even found bottles in my front pasture, which has hwy frontage, at times.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Darrin mentioned that we don't see a lot of litter on the trails here. True...and I am so thankful. But you sure see it along the roadways. So far trail users seem to be interested in keeping their favorites clean.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Cloudlover said:


> The one thing that is really upsetting me is that all the litter that I see on the trails is from trail riders, not hikers or bicyclists, but trail riders and to me that makes all of us other trail riders look bad.


Why do you think that? I hike & bike on a lot of trails & dirt roads where pretty much no one rides horses, and see lots of litter. Indeed, I see most of the litter on the roads and trails that are open to vehicles, virtually none where only foot & horse (and sometimes bike) traffic is allowed.

I also seldom come back from hiking or biking these places without having picked up a few cans & bottles to put in my recycling.


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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

its lbs not miles said:


> While cans, paper and plastic is unsightly and unpleasant* it's the glass that chafes my backside*. I spend more time riding along roads than on trails and broken glass is my second greatest concern (behind some drunk or someone playing with their cell). Knock on wood I've managed to always avoid it for 40 years so far, but I shouldn't have to worry about it. I've even found bottles in my front pasture, which has hwy frontage, at times.


This. My post was going to be:

Silver Lining ... they aren't bottles.


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## Cloudlover (Oct 14, 2012)

jamesqf said:


> Why do you think that? I hike & bike on a lot of trails & dirt roads where pretty much no one rides horses, and see lots of litter. Indeed, I see most of the litter on the roads and trails that are open to vehicles, virtually none where only foot & horse (and sometimes bike) traffic is allowed.
> 
> I also seldom come back from hiking or biking these places without having picked up a few cans & bottles to put in my recycling.


The places where I ride only allow horses on the trails and that's where I see most of the litter, especially when I ride to these beautiful caves where people can camp in for the night and I see beer cans and garbage all around. There have even been instances where I have seen beer cans placed on tree branches.


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## Customcanines (Jun 17, 2012)

Saddlebag- We DO have "No trespassing, no hunting" signs posted - but no way on earth to patrol and enforce. It's a shame we have to post - no one minds well behaved visitors who just want to do a little hiking or fishing - it's the lack of respect for other people, other people's property, and the land that galls me. Also, people that ignore the signs and dumps their trash are the type to sue if they happen to get hurt.


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## Jolly Badger (Oct 26, 2009)

The litter bothers me, too. It's always surprised me that people go out into nature (whether hiking, horseback riding, cycling, etc) and just TRASH it. Cans and bottles and wrappers all over. 

I mean, seriously, where do they think it GOES? Do they think it's just going to disappear once it's on the ground?

Cigarette butts annoy me, too. Not even going to pretend to apologize to smokers about this one - it's your habit, you can keep doing it if you want - but figure out _some_ way to dispose of the butts besides just dropping them. I don't care if you have to carry an extra empty water bottle with you to drop the butts in. Just pack it out. It's garbage.

A little off topic, but vandalism (of manmade and natural landmarks) makes me bristle. People scrawling their initials or names into rocks or trees, or stealing park signs, or just knocking them down. I don't care who you "love." I don't care what day you visited the park. Sign a freakin' guest book at the lodge or something, don't carve it into a tree trunk or paint it on a boulder.

One of the parks here in southwestern Ohio had new trail markers put up just a few years ago - little colored plastic circles just to help identify the trails. . .and some idiots tore them off and threw them on the ground. 

The circles were at "horse height" so I'm fairly certain they were torn down by riders. A hiker probably wouldn't even have been able to reach them easily. It just makes no sense to me. The state of Ohio is already pretty skimpy when it comes to supporting horses in the parks. Depending on who you talk to, some park managers would be just as happy to ban horses altogether, it seems.

And when you see how much some people "appreciate" the trails, by leaving their garbage all over, it's no wonder.:-|


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Someone threw a lighted cigarette butt out and started a pretty bad fire here.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

CustomCanines, it used to be like that for us too then the landowner began to squack to the Ministry as to why the onus was on us to have to patrol our land. The rules were changed. We now go with 4" red dots to denote private land and no trespassing. Everyone makes their own which can be on fence posts, trees, etc and no more of this every 50' b.s. The onus is on the public to figure out the property lines if not fenced. The dots help denote them. We can call either the conservation officer or the police. The police are better as altho it's a small fine, the violator/s are in the system. If there's a repeat somewhere else then there's a court appearance. You need to obtain a copy of the laws regarding protection of your land and tresspassing and who is supposed to enforce these laws. If they are inadequate, organize landowners thro emailings and get the laws updated.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Jolly Badger said:


> Cigarette butts annoy me, too. Not even going to pretend to apologize to smokers about this one - it's your habit, you can keep doing it if you want - but figure out _some_ way to dispose of the butts besides just dropping them.


I bought my place about 15 years ago. The previous owner was a smoker, and smoked a brand that had little plastic inserts in the filters. I still dig up those insert things when I'm working in the garden...


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Saddlebag said:


> CustomCanines, it used to be like that for us too then the landowner began to squack to the Ministry as to why the onus was on us to have to patrol our land. The rules were changed. We now go with 4" red dots to denote private land and no trespassing. Everyone makes their own which can be on fence posts, trees, etc and no more of this every 50' b.s. The onus is on the public to figure out the property lines if not fenced. The dots help denote them. We can call either the conservation officer or the police. The police are better as altho it's a small fine, the violator/s are in the system. If there's a repeat somewhere else then there's a court appearance. You need to obtain a copy of the laws regarding protection of your land and tresspassing and who is supposed to enforce these laws. If they are inadequate, organize landowners thro emailings and get the laws updated.


I like that solution. Here in Oregon, if you don't actively discourage public use of your property a road or trail can become open to the public after a number years of use. Trying to close it back down again is almost impossible until the property is sold. At that point a new owner can shut it down again. But, if they don't jump all over shutting it down it will stay open to the public.

Trail vandalism is a pet peeve of mine. I know longer ride in the area but I'm sure the fight is still on going. Used to ride where there was an off shoot trail to a small lake where we would water the horses. Another group didn't want horses riding to the lake so they would do their best using logs, rocks, brush and such to wipe out any sign of the trail start from the main trail. So we would spend time opening up the trail again every trip, I'm sure that battle still wages on today. To many people out there that think public lands are for their use alone and you can only use it if you are on their approved list.


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## aztrailrider (Apr 19, 2011)

*There is a beer cannery in Land Between The Lakes!*

We never saw so many beer cans :shock:! There were literally hundreds of cans, nearly all Bud or Bud Light. It is hard to believe folks can stash full cans somewhere on their horse, but won't bring the empties back to camp. We thought at the time the Boy Scouts should do a clean up project; it would double as a fund raiser, too.


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## Jolly Badger (Oct 26, 2009)

aztrailrider said:


> We never saw so many beer cans :shock:! There were literally hundreds of cans, nearly all Bud or Bud Light. It is hard to believe folks can stash full cans somewhere on their horse, but won't bring the empties back to camp. We thought at the time the Boy Scouts should do a clean up project; it would double as a fund raiser, too.


That is a shame about Land Between the Lakes - it's a great trail system, and I just can't understand why people think it's okay to just drop their beer cans on the ground instead of putting them back in the saddle bags and throwing them away back at camp. 

There's just no excuse for that. I've actually heard some people try to justify it by saying "well, there aren't any garbage cans out there.":shock: Ummmm. . .that's part of being "out in nature." It's not a freakin' shopping mall or city park.

_That's why you carry it back to camp_. 

An empty can weighs practically nothing. It's not taking up any more space empty than it was when it was full. As long as you don't crush it, it won't tear up the interior of your packs.

Then again, I don't understand why people drink Bud or Bud light. Life is too short to drink cheap beer. . .:lol:


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## Thunderspark (Oct 17, 2012)

When we first moved out to our acreage there were a few houses around us, that was 12yrs. ago and since then there are at least over 20 just around in our small subdivision. My grandkids and I used to every spring go up the mile on one side picking up all the garbage and then back the other side......we would end up with 2 to 3 bags of garbage!! I don't get it, these people live out here but most of them quad, I see them all the time with beer cans and tossing them in the side of the bush.......I didn't do the road last year because the year before it didn't even last two days before someone threw another beer bottle on the side of the road ........


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

^^^^ Maybe redepositing the cans back into the yards of the offenders might get the point across...if you know who dropped them. Pigs!


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## Thunderspark (Oct 17, 2012)

just laziness as far as I am concerned.....pigs is right.....


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Beer cans have become the new sign of Spring. As the snow recedes on the back road, there's alread a flattened soda bottle laying along the side. It took considerable effort to not let it bother me. Ever notice how people can somehow pack full cans of beer to their destination but can't flatten the empties and take them out? After working in bars for a few years I learned there's a beer mentality and a whiskey mentality. Unfortunately, we are plagued with the beer drinkers, the good old boys.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Jolly Badger said:


> I've actually heard some people try to justify it by saying "well, there aren't any garbage cans out there.":shock:


Well, gee, I don't see any convenience stores out there, either, so how'd the beer get there in the first place?

Personally, I can't see why anyone would drink beer (or anything fizzy) while riding. Sure, after riding (and untacking, grooming, &c) I might sit back and relax with a good beer, or these days a hard cider, but during? No thanks.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I knew a guy that would drink a six-pack on an hour long ride. His wife made him pack the cans out, so that was no problem. He was getting a little bit tipsy when his horse got startled by a wild turkey and jumped a little to the side. He flew right off the horse and landed on his backside because he was too drunk to hang on. He got laughed at............


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## Jolly Badger (Oct 26, 2009)

jamesqf said:


> Well, gee, I don't see any convenience stores out there, either, so how'd the beer get there in the first place?
> 
> Personally, I can't see why anyone would drink beer (or anything fizzy) while riding. Sure, after riding (and untacking, grooming, &c) I might sit back and relax with a good beer, or these days a hard cider, but during? No thanks.


It's really not my preference, either. It's nice to kick back after the ride, sitting around the campfire once the horses are untacked and settled for the night, and enjoy a cold "adult beverage" in some form, but not on the trail. 

I'd rather just pack water, or maybe something like Gatorade, but nothing too fizzy. One time I bought what I _thought_ was flavored water, thinking it would be refreshing. I guess I didn't read the label - turned out to be carbonated, which I discovered when I opened the bottle after several hours on the trail (including gaiting and cantering). It "blew up" and I ended up with lemon-lime fizz all over myself and my horse's neck. He just flicked his ears back at me and continued on as if nothing happened.:lol: 

The main thing about packing all that "beverage" is how much _ice_ they pack, too. Sometimes I wonder if people give any thought at all to the _total_ amount of weight they are asking their horses to carry. 

I was at Brown County, IN a couple of years ago, sitting in the campground one morning, watching a group of guys pack up for their ride. It took TWO GUYS to lift the ice-and-beer-filled saddle bags onto the horses' backs. . .and these were NOT skinny little guys, either.

Yeah, the ice melts out and people usually drink all the beer themselves, or give it to their riding buddies during the ride, so that lightens the load a bit, but whenever I hear people say they don't want to weigh their horse down with their garbage, it makes me wonder what they think they were doing when they packed their saddle bags that morning.:?


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## Cloudlover (Oct 14, 2012)

Jolly Badger said:


> It's really not my preference, either. It's nice to kick back after the ride, sitting around the campfire once the horses are untacked and settled for the night, and enjoy a cold "adult beverage" in some form, but not on the trail.
> 
> I'd rather just pack water, or maybe something like Gatorade, but nothing too fizzy. One time I bought what I _thought_ was flavored water, thinking it would be refreshing. I guess I didn't read the label - turned out to be carbonated, which I discovered when I opened the bottle after several hours on the trail (including gaiting and cantering). It "blew up" and I ended up with lemon-lime fizz all over myself and my horse's neck. He just flicked his ears back at me and continued on as if nothing happened.:lol:
> 
> ...


Wow, I can't believe they put something that heavy on their horse. My friend read an article saying that no matter the size of the horse, the total weight a horse should carry is 250lbs. That includes the rider, the saddle, and everything else the horse is carrying. When I go trail riding my horse comes first. I always make sure he has access to water and give him some hay when necessary. Whenever I get back from a trail ride I immediately take all his tack off before I even consider doing anything for myself. When I was at Brown County, IN we were camping a few sites down from a large group and they went out for a few hours, came back and just sat around and drank beer the rest of the day into the night, all the while leaving their horses still completely tacked up and were not given any water. When I woke up the next morning, I found the horses still tacked up and their was garbage everywhere from their site. It was horrendous. We ended up calling the guard house and had DNR come and talk to them. 
I like to have a good time and relax after a good trail ride, but its not that hard to take the few minutes to take care of your horse first.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Oh, you can tote 'em in full but you can't step on the cans and tote 'em out empty.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Jolly Badger said:


> I'd rather just pack water, or maybe something like Gatorade, but nothing too fizzy. One time I bought what I _thought_ was flavored water, thinking it would be refreshing.


There's another thing about beer & most carbonated drinks (and sweet drinks, too): they just don't do much for my thirst. Drink one, and I want a tall glass of ice water afterwards.

Then there's the whole drunk thing. I frankly do not like drunk people. I didn't even like myself when I used to drink a bit. So why screw up a perfectly good trail ride by going with someone I don't like?


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

jamesqf said:


> There's another thing about beer & most carbonated drinks (and sweet drinks, too): they just don't do much for my thirst. Drink one, and I want a tall glass of ice water afterwards.
> 
> Then there's the whole drunk thing. I frankly do not like drunk people. I didn't even like myself when I used to drink a bit. So why screw up a perfectly good trail ride by going with someone I don't like?


Alcohol and caffeine will dehydrate you further then you already are which makes them terrible trail drinks.

You don't like drunk people? I've learned drunk watching can be highly entertaining so long as I don't have to take care of them.


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## PrairieChic (Sep 12, 2012)

Glass bottles are more popular out here. And I almost went bananas on people when not 1 but 2 were stepped on in a row while crossing a ditch. Just stupid. Horse was fine thankfully. But not only can it hurt them while riding - but people like to bale those ditches too. Really puts a burr in my backside when I come across a bunch in the tall grass bottoms.


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## aforred (May 12, 2010)

I take water and snacks when I trail ride. And I smoke.

*And I pack it all back out again!* You know when you leave what kind of trash you will be generating, so why not plan for it? I reserve a compartment in one of my saddle bags for trash, and cigarette butts go in a plastic bag to be thrown away in camp. The sense of entitlement and lack of respect in a lot of people today irritates me to no end.


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