We own horses...and we live in an area where pack trips abound. But I would feel uncomfortable riding or taking a string into the back country. There's just too much damage to the environment and to others' outdoor experience, IMO.

And sometimes I wonder if there's truely a difference between riders and hikers. The most garbage strewn trail I've seen was a trail for packers/riders. And the two biggest instances of litter I've come across in the wilderness were from horse people; one in Virginia, one here in Montana. Like hunters, there are some incredible, extreme slobs in the horse set and their impact on the image of the remaining majority (and the environment) is far overweighed.

FB