Mounted search and rescue

[Pennbo's <pennbo@verizon.net>]

I worry much more about nails in the ground than broken bottles. A small 
amount of vigilance will help you avoid broken glass (in most cases) but 
nails are impossible to spot. Old homesteads are especially bad as the 
wood has often decomposed and left the rusty nails embedded and hidden 
in the soil. Thankfully most of our searches are wilderness trails and 
we have little man-made hazards to watch for. However dirt roads and 
road-sides in our area are prime nail locations due to the large extent 
of construction in our area.

Over the years I have seen accidents caused by most of the things we are 
talking about but barbed wire has always been the worst. In some places 
old wire has come down, curled up, and been covered by weeds so that a 
rider cannot see it easily. It is NASTY stuff.

Be careful out there!
Chris Pennington