Nine Chapters and a State Organization
By Latifia “Tif” Rodriguez, BCHCO Chair
Do you love horses? Do you love our public lands? If you’re like me, the answer to both of these questions is a resounding YES! When I moved to Colorado I had never heard of the Back Country Horsemen. I met some folks from a local chapter where I had moved and joined intending to meet folks to ride with and learn the trails.
Never did I imagine I would be so overwhelmed with pride to belong to such a great organization, one of the few working to keep horses on our public lands.
I quickly learned to get my hands dirty and have been advocating for this organization ever since, without looking back. We do a lot of work, but we have fun doing it!
In Colorado we have nine Back Country Horsemen chapters and a state organization. Our members come from all backgrounds, all age groups, all riding disciplines, but we have a common mindset; we’re a bit horse and mule crazy and we love to give back to our public lands that give us so much peace. We’re all working to promote and protect these lands that give us this peace and a sense of belonging to the equine industry. We work on all aspects of public lands; Forest Service (federal and state), BLM, State Parks & Wildlife, National Parks, and the list goes on.
In 2017 alone our Colorado members contributed over $400,000 worth of volunteer service.
While riding up in the Lizard Head Wilderness last week in the San Juan Mountains, I was reminded how quickly times are changing. The trails, the scenery in this space were unparalleled. The solitude was amazing. Our horses were an extension of the tranquility our escape for the day provided.
We would love to introduce you to what we do and where we do it, so join one of our chapters today! If there isn’t one near you, start one! We can help! Like us on Facebook, Back Country Horsemen of Colorado/BCHCO, and visit our state website, www.bchcolorado.org. We’d love to welcome you into our Back Country Horsemen family.
