I still remember those few times when I got to ride a horse. In particular, I remember when my family visited relatives in Wisconsin. One of the local neighbors had loaned my father’s cousin a pony. Unfortunately, this was not exactly the horse-riding thrill I had expected. Because I was only about six, the adults insisted on leading the horse about. I had seen cowboy movies, and that was not the way it was suppose to be done! So I complained and complained, and the adults finally relented.
When I finally got control of the reins, I did get a thrill. The pony knew exactly what to do. It took off for home. After a few moment, I decided this too was not the way it was suppose to be done. So I bailed out. The pony continue galloping home.
From that early experience, I learned that there was more to managing animals than I knew. While I still enjoy the occasional opportunities I have had to ride a horse, I appreciate the difficulties of owning such large beasts. So when my children demanded that we buy a horse, like most parents, I joined with my lady, and I too said no.
A horse demands a lot of attention, acreage and expense; it is most certainly a privilege to own one. So I am not surprised that horse owners are ardent enthusiasts, but every enthusiasm needs to be tempered. So it is that I am saddened by the recent articles I have seen in news media of late (see here, here, and here). The Nokesville Horse Society has demonstrated too little restraint.
When the Bull Run Mountain Conservancy (BRMC) offered to operate the Silver Lake Recreation Area, they offered the citizens of Prince William County a superb deal. In addition to relieving county of the vast majority of the expense of operating the park, the BRMC offered to more than double the size of the park. Nonetheless, the Nokesville Horse Society fought the BRMC effort. Why?
Scott Helberg, vice president of the Nokesville Horse Society, has questioned how horse-friendly the BRMC would be at Silver Lake.
While standing next to Jon Shurberg, a member of the BRMC board of directors, he said that a 500-acre park should have 14 to 16 miles of trails available, while the conservancy’s proposal has only four to five miles of trails sketched out. (from here)
Until recently, the Silver Lake Recreation Area served as a summer camp. When developers threatened the land, their plans upset lots of people.
In contrast to Dominion Valley’s master-planned community and organized sports leagues, Mountain View has grown into a sort of un-planned community, where seasonal renters set up their RVs and spend nearly every weekend swimming, fishing and playing together.
“Some of them have been camping here since the 1970s,” Scott said. “Their kids grew up here, and now they’re bringing back their kids’ kids.”
That kind of history produced a strong tie to the leased land. It has been hard for campers to accept the idea that this piece of their heritage will be gated off in two weeks.
A devoted cadre of campers has organized the “Friends of Mountain View Campground.” The Friends have lobbied John Stirrup, the Gainesville District supervisor. They have held a prayer vigil, built their own Web site and produced a DVD.
The DVD features a series of emotional appeals, like this from camper Nicole Heath: “They’re paving over our memories.”
As hard as it is to let go, the campground has always leased the land, and from the very beginning, the owners of the land have been looking to sell.”Some of them have been camping here since the 1970s,” Scott said. “Their kids grew up here, and now they’re bringing back their kids’ kids.”
That kind of history produced a strong tie to the leased land. It has been hard for campers to accept the idea that this piece of their heritage will be gated off in two weeks.
A devoted cadre of campers has organized the “Friends of Mountain View Campground.” The Friends have lobbied John Stirrup, the Gainesville District supervisor. They have held a prayer vigil, built their own Web site and produced a DVD.
The DVD features a series of emotional appeals, like this from camper Nicole Heath: “They’re paving over our memories.”
As hard as it is to let go, the campground has always leased the land, and from the very beginning, the owners of the land have been looking to sell. (from here)
Since BRMC’s proposal emphasized a low human impact, undoubtedly the campers too would not have been entirely happy. Nonetheless, horse trails bring horse dung and horseflies. So I doubt campers will be happy filling a park now half the size that it might have been with horse trails. In addition, I doubt tax payers will want to pay for the maintenance of a park filled with horse dung and horseflies or a lake ruined for swimming and made unpleasant for fishing by hose dung — and horseflies. Sometimes a compromise provides better solution.
What the Nokesville Horse Society has helped to guarantee is that Prince William County Park Authority (PWCPA) will not have to accept a compromise with the BRMC. We can only hope that the PWCPA had good reason not to compromise. Unfortunately, there is little evidence to support such a contention. In fact, given the PWCPA’s apparent disinterest in a compromise (Did PWCPA personnel have anything to gain with a compromise?), one wonders why the members of Prince William Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) did not take matters into their own hands. The BOCS, not its employees, has the greatest interest in saving money and encouraging private groups to take an active role in running our county’s parks.
Of course, even in the worst of arrangements, there are winners.
And just to alleviate hard feelings. One must admit horse owners do occasionally provide an unexpected public service.
