# data[].attributes.headline
What age should kids be allowed to work?

# data[].attributes.subject
What age should kids be allowed to work?

# data[].attributes.headline
If you teach your kids at a younger age will they succeed more?

# data[].attributes.subject
If you teach your kids at a younger age will they succeed more?

# data[].attributes.headline
What is social media doing to our lives?

# data[].attributes.subject
What is social media doing to our lives?

# data[].attributes.body
Is there a certain message that all books deliver?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.), a federally-registered 501(c3) nonprofit, was formed in 1969 as the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association to promote equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) for individuals with special needs. With more than 4,800 certified instructors and equine specialists and 881 member centers, more than 8.000 PATH Intl.

# data[].attributes.headline
What are the perks of being a vegetarian?

# data[].attributes.subject
What are the perks of being a vegetarian?

# data[].attributes.headline
How can we stop Emerald ash bores from eating all our ash trees?

# data[].attributes.subject
How can we stop Emerald ash bores from eating all our ash trees?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to stop the tree-killing Emerald Ash Borer

# data[].attributes.headline
How has horseback riding changed over time?

# data[].attributes.subject
How has horseback riding changed over time?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There are countless facets to the complex relationship between men and horses which has been so crucial to both species. We summarize some of the most important below with links to more detailed discussions of the particular subject elsewhere on our websites. How can we know who we are or find a wise direction for the future without knowledge of what formed us? Horses originated in America and many millennia ago some made the journey across the Bering Straits to Asia and Europe where they thrived. Men began to hunt them and found them an excellent food source which they still are today in many countries. The cave drawings dating back over 20,000 years in places like Alta Mira attest to this though probably they were not used for riding until much later when the horsemen of the Steppes discovered their revolutionary advantages for this purpose.

An outstanding example of how the use of horses could revolutionize a society is the sudden acquisition of the horse by the Plains Indians after the Santa Fe Rebellion of 1680. It is ironic to consider that Native Americans are now thought to have hunted horses in North America to extinction about 10,000 years ago. It is fascinating to speculate what course world history might have taken if Native Americans had discovered the real potential of horses and they had not crossed the Bering Straits. Without the horse to help free us from the struggle to feed ourselves by doing the heavy farm work like plowing and harvesting, we would have had much less time to devote to art and science. European and Asian societies could never have developed as fast as they did and the ultimate clash of continents might have had an entirely different result.

Travel on horseback made possible the cohesion of great empires like Persia which stretched from Turkey and Egypt to the borders of India until its destruction by Alexander the Great. The Persian mounted couriers routinely made the 2,000 mile journey from Sardis to Susa in 7 days and their messenger system had many offshoots to the farthest corners of their empire.

Cavalry were very often a determining factor in winning the strategic battles which changed the course of history. The incredibly swift spread of Islam and Arab domination across large parts of Europe, Africa and Asia was made possible by mounted horsemen riding superb Arabians. Their advance was only barely turned back by the heavy cavalry of the Franks at the battle of Poitiers in central France where the then recent innovation of the stirrup may have played a deciding role. That battle and those that followed drove the Moslems out of France and may be the reason why most of us go to church now instead of the mosque. It was the intervention of the Polish Cavalry under Sobieski which saved Vienna during the siege of 1683 at the last moment and deprived the Turks of a strategic foothold deep in central Europe.

Horses have helped mankind in other ways besides warfare, travel and transport. They have enormously facilitated hunting in many parts of the world as in the case of the Plains Indians and the buffalo. Another very useful task for which horses are exceptionally well adapted and which they often enjoy is working livestock. They are almost indispensable for cattle drives even today. While it cannot be termed riding, horses revolutionized agriculture by plowing the fields, harvesting the crops etc. making it possible for one man to do the work of ten.

Did you ever stop to think how many expressions we still use related to horses in our everyday speech? We hear things like "champing at the bit", "dark horse", "Trojan horse", "eats like a horse" or "horse sense" and dozens of others very frequently.

Many equine sports practiced today derive from necessary tasks performed by riders. A prime example is dressage which originated by performing battle maneuvers like the capriole which must have been devastating to surrounding foot soldiers. Rodeos, fox hunting, reining, team penning, tent pegging, bullfighting, buzkashi, jumping and polo are a few. The outstanding example is horse racing, "the sport of kings", watched by millions where the big money is today.

The often tragic history of the wild mustangs which are descendants of the horses escaped from the Spaniards is another interesting chapter. In the late 17th and 18th centuries some of these fine horses coming from the best Spanish blood lines escaped to the wild and multiplied on the Great Plains until they numbered several million. Predators could rarely kill them because they were fast, had keen hearing, an excellent sense of smell and a very powerful kick as well as strong jaws. According to J. Frank Dobie in his wonderful book, "Mustangs" and others who should know, some of these horses even sought out predators like mountain lions and wolves to kill them. There are also feral horses in Australia known as brumbies and made famous in that wonderful Banjo Patterson poem " The man from Snowy River," also made into a movie.

Individual states like Wyoming, Arizona, Utah and Texas have their own unique histories. Each of these states and many others as well owed their settlement and early development to horseback riding. The cattle ranches, which were long vitally important to their economy, would not have been possible without the use of horses and the wild mustangs provided an abundant supply of mounts. At the same time the superb cavalry of tribes like the Comanche and the Sioux considerably delayed white settlement.

While horses are no longer indispensable to the daily lives of most of us as they were 100 years ago, they remain very popular in our society as a sport and a diversion. There is no denying the tremendous aesthetic appeal of these magnificent equine athletes in motion which have captivated mankind for millennia. Many of us find them responsive pets who form a close bond with their riders and share our pleasure in a fast canter or an interesting trail ride. Cow horses seem to enjoy working cattle as much as we do if not more. We are also rediscovering the great pleasure of traveling on horseback simply for pleasure and education. There are abundant and varied possibilities.

Other related articles:
Adventure Travel on Horseback Advantages of Solo Travel on Horseback
comments

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A History of Horseback Riding and Man's Relationship with Equines

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are countless facets to the complex relationship between men and horses which has been so crucial to both species. We summarize some of the most important below with links to more detailed discussions of the particular subject elsewhere on our websites.

# data[].attributes.headline
Stop people cutting down trees in the rain forest.

# data[].attributes.subject
Stop people cutting down trees in the rain forest.

# data[].attributes.headline
Why are kids so obsessed with video games?

# data[].attributes.subject
Why are kids so obsessed with video games?

# data[].attributes.headline
How to stop anxiety in horseback riding?

# data[].attributes.subject
How to stop anxiety in horseback riding?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As a participant on this forum, it is your responsibility to know and follow our rules. Please read this message in its entirety.

Board Rules

1. You're responsible for what you say.
As outlined in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, The Chronicle of the Horse and its affiliates, as well Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd., the developers of vBulletin, are not legally responsible for statements made in the Forums.

This is a public forum viewed by a wide spectrum of people, so please be mindful of what you say and who might be reading it-details of personal disputes may be better handled privately. While posters are legally responsible for their statements, the moderators may in their discretion remove or edit posts, though are not legally obligated to do so, regardless of content.

Users have the ability to modify or delete their own messages after posting. Moderators generally will not delete posts, threads or accounts unless they have been alerted and have determined that a post, thread or user has violated the Forums' policies. Moderators do not regularly independently monitor the Forums for such violations.

Profanity, outright vulgarity, blatant personal insults or otherwise inappropriate statements will not be tolerated and will be dealt with at the discretion of the moderators.

Users may provide their positive or negative experiences with or opinions of companies, products, individuals, etc.; however, accounts involving allegations of criminal behavior against named individuals or companies MUST be first-hand accounts and may NOT be made anonymously.

If a situation has been reported upon by a reputable news source or addressed by law enforcement or the legal system it is open for discussion, but if an individual wants to make their own claims of criminal behavior against a named party in the course of that discussion, they too must identify themselves by first and last name and the account must be first-person.

Criminal allegations that do not satisfy these requirements, when brought to our attention, may be removed pending satisfaction of these criteria, and we reserve the right to err on the side of caution when making these determinations.

Credible threats of suicide will be reported to the police along with identifying user information at our disposal, in addition to referring the user to suicide helpline resources such as 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK.

2. Conversations in horse-related forums should be horse-related.
The forums are a wonderful source of information and support for members of the horse community. While it's understandably tempting to share information or search for input on other topics upon which members might have a similar level of knowledge, members must maintain the focus on horses.

3. Keep conversations productive, on topic and civil.
Discussion and disagreement are inevitable and encouraged; personal insults, diatribes and sniping comments are unproductive and unacceptable. Whether a subject is light-hearted or serious, keep posts focused on the current topic and of general interest to other participants of that thread. Utilize the private message feature or personal email where appropriate to address side topics or personal issues not related to the topic at large.

4. No advertising in the discussion forums.
Posts in the discussion forums directly or indirectly advertising horses, jobs, items or services for sale or wanted will be removed at the discretion of the moderators. Use of the private messaging feature or email addresses obtained through users' profiles for unsolicited advertising is not permitted.

Company representatives may participate in discussions and answer questions about their products or services, or suggest their products on recent threads if they fulfill the criteria of a query. False "testimonials" provided by company affiliates posing as general consumers are not appropriate, and self-promotion of sales, ad campaigns, etc. through the discussion forums is not allowed.

Paid advertising is available on our classifieds site and through the purchase of banner ads. The tightly monitored Giveaways forum permits free listings of genuinely free horses and items available or wanted (on a limited basis). Items offered for trade are not allowed.

Advertising Policy Specifics
When in doubt of whether something you want to post constitutes advertising, please contact a moderator privately in advance for further clarification. Refer to the following points for general guidelines:

Horses - Only general discussion about the buying, leasing, selling and pricing of horses is permitted. If the post contains, or links to, the type of specific information typically found in a sales or wanted ad, and it's related to a horse for sale, regardless of who's selling it, it doesn't belong in the discussion forums.

Stallions - Board members may ask for suggestions on breeding stallion recommendations. Stallion owners may reply to such queries by suggesting their own stallions, only if their horse fits the specific criteria of the original poster. Excessive promotion of a stallion by its owner or related parties is not permitted and will be addressed at the discretion of the moderators.

Services - Members may use the forums to ask for general recommendations of trainers, barns, shippers, farriers, etc., and other members may answer those requests by suggesting themselves or their company, if their services fulfill the specific criteria of the original post. Members may not solicit other members for business if it is not in response to a direct, genuine query.

Products - While members may ask for general opinions and suggestions on equipment, trailers, trucks, etc., they may not list the specific attributes for which they are in the market, as such posts serve as wanted ads.

Event Announcements - Members may post one notification of an upcoming event that may be of interest to fellow members, if the original poster does not benefit financially from the event. Such threads may not be "bumped" excessively. Premium members may post their own notices in the Event Announcements forum.

Charities/Rescues - Announcements for charitable or fundraising events can only be made for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. Special exceptions may be made, at the moderators' discretion and direction, for board-related events or fundraising activities in extraordinary circumstances.

Occasional posts regarding horses available for adoption through IRS-registered horse rescue or placement programs are permitted in the appropriate forums, but these threads may be limited at the discretion of the moderators. Individuals may not advertise or make announcements for horses in need of rescue, placement or adoption unless the horse is available through a recognized rescue or placement agency or government-run entity or the thread fits the criteria for and is located in the Giveaways forum.

5. Do not post copyrighted photographs unless you have purchased that photo and have permission to do so.

6. Respect other members.
As members are often passionate about their beliefs and intentions can easily be misinterpreted in this type of environment, try to explore or resolve the inevitable disagreements that arise in the course of threads calmly and rationally.

If you see a post that you feel violates the rules of the board, please click the "alert" button (exclamation point inside of a triangle) in the bottom left corner of the post, which will alert ONLY the moderators to the post in question. They will then take whatever action, or no action, as deemed appropriate for the situation at their discretion. Do not air grievances regarding other posters or the moderators in the discussion forums.

Please be advised that adding another user to your "Ignore" list via your User Control Panel can be a useful tactic, which blocks posts and private messages by members whose commentary you'd rather avoid reading.

7. We have the right to reproduce statements made in the forums.
The Chronicle of the Horse may copy, quote, link to or otherwise reproduce posts, or portions of posts, in print or online for advertising or editorial purposes, if attributed to their original authors, and by posting in this forum, you hereby grant to The Chronicle of the Horse a perpetual, non-exclusive license under copyright and other rights, to do so.

8. We reserve the right to enforce and amend the rules.
The moderators may delete, edit, move or close any post or thread at any time, or refrain from doing any of the foregoing, in their discretion, and may suspend or revoke a user's membership privileges at any time to maintain adherence to the rules and the general spirit of the forum. These rules may be amended at any time to address the current needs of the board.

Please see our full Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for more information.

Thanks for being a part of the COTH forums!

(Revised 5/9/18)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As a participant on this forum, it is your responsibility to know and follow our rules. Please read this message in its entirety. Board Rules 1. You're responsible for what you say.

# data[].attributes.headline
How can we close the hole in the ozone layer?

# data[].attributes.subject
How can we close the hole in the ozone layer?

# data[].attributes.headline
What impact does having school year round have on students?

# data[].attributes.subject
What impact does having school year round have on students?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Endangered Species Act is one of America's most effective and important environmental laws ( Success Stories). It represents a commitment by the American people to work together to protect and restore those species most at risk of disappearing forever. Recent polling shows 84 percent of Americans support the Endangered Species Act, and 87 percent agree that it is a successful safety net for protecting wildlife, plants, insects, and fish from extinction.

In 1973, Congress showed global leadership by creating the Endangered Species Act. The Act has been successful - no law has been more important in preventing the extinction of wildlife, including bald eagles, gray whales and the peregrine falcon. And many species protected under the law are on the pathway to recovery.

But worldwide, plants and animals are disappearing at an alarming rate, and the natural systems that all species, including humans, depend on are at serious risk. In the United States alone, scientists estimate that more than 500 species have disappeared in the past 200 years. Unfortunately, some in Congress appear willing, even eager, to break our nation's promise to future generations to protect our natural heritage.

The Endangered Species Coalition works hard with our congressional allies to defend against bills and riders that could undermine the Endangered Species Act. Some of these legislative attacks could prevent citizens from taking action to hold the government accountable for failing to adequately protect our most imperiled species. Others would carve out exemptions for particular species or geographic areas as giveaways to special interests, including some of the wealthiest oil companies, big agribusiness, and land developers.

From protecting black-footed ferrets to sea turtles, the Endangered Species Act has been critical in the battle to save our most imperiled species.

The Endangered Species Act provides common-sense, balanced solutions for government agencies, landowners, and concerned citizens to conserve endangered wildlife and their habitats. The Act includes three key elements:

* Preventing listed species from being killed or harmed

* Protecting habitat essential to these species' survival

* Creating plans to restore healthy populations

In addition, the Act provides numerous conservation resources to help states, tribes, and private landowners. Since it was signed into law in 1973, the Endangered Species Act has afforded protections to more than 1,400 species in the United States, and many are on the pathway to recovery. Just as important, millions of acres of forests, beaches, and wetlands-those species' essential habitats-have been protected from degradation.

The Endangered Species Act is designed to protect not only large, charismatic wildlife such as grizzly bears and bald eagles, but also species that are more obscure, yet equally unique and critical to the web of life. The Act protects the ecosystems upon which imperiled wildlife and many other species, including humans, depend. By creating the Endangered Species Act, Americans stated that it's not enough that wildlife survive in the sterile confines of zoos-they declared that these species should also thrive in natural environments.

The Endangered Species Act was signed into law by President Nixon in 1973; it has been in force for more than 40 years. The Act aspires to prevent extinction, recover imperiled plants and animals, and protect the ecosystems on which they depend. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are the two federal agencies responsible for implementation of the Act.
Listing
For a species to gain protection under the Endangered Species Act, it first must be listed by regulation as either "threatened" or "endangered," the most vulnerable category. A proposal to list a species can arise from a petition submitted by the public or state agencies. Sometimes FWS/NMFS determines that listing a species is "warranted but precluded" by the need to list other higher priority species. The species then becomes a "candidate" for listing, a designation that offers limited protection under the Endangered Species Act.
Critical Habitat
When FWS/NMFS lists a species, it generally must also designate "critical habitat," which are specific areas with the physical and biological features that need special management considerations or protections essential for the species' conservation.
Recovery Plan
In addition to critical habitat designation, a listing typically requires development of a plan that spells out the research and management actions necessary for a species' recovery.
Consultation
Each federal agency is required to conserve listed species and to ensure that the agency's actions are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of these species or adversely modify or destroy their critical habitat. If a federal agency (the "action agency") proposes to authorize, fund, or carry out an action that may affect a listed species or its critical habitat, it must consult with FWS/NMFS. (Activities on private land with no federal involvement do not require consultation.) After consultation, the Fish and Wildlife Service issues a "biological opinion" stating whether or not, in its view, the proposed action is likely to result in jeopardy or adverse modification. If the Service finds that either impact is likely to occur, it may propose modifications to the action to avoid violating the Act. While the action agency can disagree and reject the Service's conclusion or recommendations, it does so at its own peril, as courts tend to defer to the wildlife expertise of the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Prohibited Actions
Congress imposed strict statutory prohibitions on the "take" of endangered species but granted the secretaries of Interior and Commerce discretionary authority to apply these prohibitions to threatened species. "Take" includes activities such as harassing, harming, and killing. "Harm" for a listed species is further defined by regulations to include significant habitat modification. While the Endangered Species Act can shield listed species from significant harm, it does not directly mandate or compel private citizens to take positive conservation actions on behalf of these species. Private landowners can obtain a permit to "take" a listed species if that take is incidental to some other lawful activity, such as plowing a field or building a shopping mall. These incidental take permits are issued in conjunction with three different types of agreements:

Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs)

These plans are designed to reconcile land use or development with listed species conservation. An HCP negotiated with a developer, land owner, or state or local government describes the anticipated effects of proposed activities on certain listed species, includes a list of conservation measures to minimize and mitigate the impact of incidental takings as much as is practical, and lists the funding available to implement the plan. When the HCP is approved, FWS issues an incidental take permit which absolves the applicant from liability under the Endangered Species Act for harm to the species.

Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances

These agreements are intended to shield landowners who voluntarily manage their lands for the benefit of candidate species from additional land-use restrictions if the species is subsequently listed. Landowners receive assurances from FWS that if the species is listed, they will not be required to take any conservation measures beyond those to which they have already agreed.

Safe Harbor Agreements

Under these proactive agreements, landowners voluntarily agree to enhance the habitat of listed species on their properties and, in return, receive assurance they will not be required to take any additional conservation measures other than those to which they have already agreed. Participating landowners also receive assurances that they will not be burdened with additional restrictions on the use of their properties because of prohibitions on incidental take, should the population of the listed species increase on their land.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Endangered Species Act is one of America's most effective and important environmental laws (Success Stories). It represents a commitment by the American people to work together to protect and restore those species most at risk of disappearing forever. Recent polling shows 84 percent of Americans

# data[].attributes.body
Taking care of the environment

# data[].attributes.headline
Flu Shots are not always accurate, what can we do?

# data[].attributes.subject
Flu Shots are not always accurate, what can we do?

# data[].attributes.headline
School vacation time, longer, shorter, stay the same?

# data[].attributes.subject
School vacation time, longer, shorter, stay the same?