Hi y'all, I'm new to Texas. Home is Georgia, lived in Canada, Asia and the Caribbean (looking story /not military). Im looking for other peppers in the West Houston area WITH HORSES.
I'm trying to find other preppers with horses to learn from. I'm a new pepper and I need survival skills for when a horse is part of the equation.
Would love to meet up some local neighbors (with horses of course) to share ideas
First Greeting! Let me extend you a welcome.
I agree with both Jim and Gazrok. No one in my urban home area (I take it you must be close to Katy, Cinco Ranch or in that area) would have an interest in what your doing. The mention of you "prepping" will get odd looks from neighbors. Also compromise you, if a real event occurs.
I know because I had five neighbors wanting to know what I was doing with a monolith of a huge solar array that hangs over my home, then they were shocked when I dug a hole, thinking it was a second pool (we already had one of those) and then see a huge trailer pulled up bring more of what my wife claims are toys. Its hard to keep things away from nosy neighbors, but I can assure you, if you can prevent compromising, do so. Of course, in my case, my neighbors are all law enforcement and two are in my "MAG" and their families will be hanging out in our living room when the event really will happen. Granted Jim and Gazrok will think I am paranoid, but time is safety to me and I have several video cameras that give me 360 degree view, except one dead space created by shed and even their I have a surprise.
If your looking for like minded people, possibly put a thread out on this site (in the southwest section that Clyde has created), and maybe in APN and meet them in a community environment. In your first interview, (just like a date, bring a friend or if your married, bring your husband) ask what I call open ended questions, let them talk about themselves. Find out their life, jobs, educations? I always ask their hobbies, if they have ever gotten in trouble with the law, if they are married and have children (not names, just general question, sometimes that does spook some of the preppers), how they see themselves in a situation, etc. If your a writer or news person, you know how to conduct an interview, do so, its' going to give you an idea of who your dealing with.
As for horses, I am urban, but I come from good family stock who owned, raised and use horses in the mountains of New York State. Not an authority in horse back riding, but still remember what my aunt and uncles taught me. My aunt breaded race stock for Saratoga Springs Race Track and my cousin did the Rodeo circuit for several years. I would have recommended Gazrok because of his past threads on his home-business. So I defer all discussions on horses to him, but like him, I would be concerned about hay and feed. Also, I'd concern myself on finding some good routes to your bug out location and cache some tack, tools, brushes, etc. along your way. You could even consider caching some feed provided it is placed in approved BPA free containers.
I know that if your thinking of bugging out on horseback, I'd try and do some research online for old diaries or history books that talk about how the old 8th and 9th Calvary (Buffalo Soldiers) use to feed their horses when chasing the Arapaho, Comanche and other Texas tribes. If I remember right, maybe Jim can help on this one, but I thought I read where their is weed native to Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma that the horses should not eat because it has compounds similar to a narcotic and can cause problems for you. Not sure, but might want to discuss that with your local big animal vet, if you know what I am talking about and know what it looks like, then just disregard this info.
I voted for you to head North-Central, actually, really try to exfil away from Hoston metro and avoid other metro areas, Consider using the 71 through Lagrange, then into Bastrop, You have two good state parks for grazing and water in that area. If you have to ride this would be a good staging area. If you can still make it with the trailer, I'd keep heading north using the State 95 up to Bartlett. then use the FM487 to cross the 35 just above Georgetown. Once you cross the 35, dog leg westward for a while, crossing the 281, that might be a good North route for you for a while and has some good rivers for you to allow the horse to water and allow you to assess your situation. That is if your really trying to get away from the Urban triangle of Houston-Dallas-Austin.
Jim may counter this, but I estimate whatever event does occur, people from all three large cities will move inward like a pack of locust toward known rural areas they are familiar with. Houston people are familiar with this because they make for the triangle when a hurricane hits and it typically overwhelms the rural communities capacity. Any thoughts Jim? My only experience was when we saw the hurricanes in 2005 and they made it all the way to the Red River (had people from Jasper and Beaumont up here).
I am sure Gazrok gets hit hard when hurricanes come visiting Florida? Thoughts Gazrok?
Lastly, like all good military people will tell you, I would practice like you would in combat. I came up with four practical things that you should consider with your horse, especially if you plan to bug out with the horse:
1) Do a combat load (AKA Prepper load) with your horse, can it take the weight of rider and the stuff without dying on you.
2) Do what we call (Field Exercise), take your horse and do a true road march, with you dismounted a few times to get you into shape of walking, while your horse get some rest
2) Teach your horse to handle weapons fire, if its going to spook when you draw your weapon and run off, their goes your ride and your equipment. Doesn't matter what type of rider you are, if it can't handle gun fire, your screwed. My aunt had a gentle Appaloosa, she loved the smell of gun powder and often she and my aunt would bag a deer mounted before my uncle who drove a truck would fill his tags out.
4) Lastly, when your confident, then fire your weapon, provided you feel your horse is not going to be spooked, fire mounted and practice this often. Do you think those horses they use in movies actually have not been trained to handle weapons fire? So these are suggestion, I've got a few others, but possibly, will leave it to others to comment.
I am only speaking for me, but I am sure the above feel the same, don't hesitate to ask.
Regards,
Silent Bob
