This article may just be my musings, my personal feelings about BCH. It may be preaching to the choir, or it may be put too strongly. I hope not. It is my hope that it causes those that read it to think about BCH and evaluate their role in the organization. Perhaps by that thought process, some members may elect to increase their commitment level, get more involved, and have more pride in BCH.

The Back Country Horsemen is not your typical socially oriented saddle club. The difference between our organization and other equestrian groups is our commitment to be involved in protecting our heritage of backcountry stock use across the country. BCH is a national trail advocacy organization with some very serious purposes that require serious commitment. These purposes are incorporated in every Chapter's Bylaws/Constitution.

Most of our members are aware of the philosophy and purposes established for BCH by its founders, and most members support those purposes. Many however, support them with a casual, "Yeah, those are good ideas, I can go along with that", when the support required is the commitment for active support. That means actual and personal involvement in activities that support the mission of BCH.

BCH exists to protect our right and heritage to use our recreational pack and saddle stock in our wilderness/backcountry. That does not mean that our Chapters can't have fun. Our organization offers great camaraderie, all kinds of social functions and varied riding and educational opportunities for horsemen of all levels of experience. BCH offers all the same experiences as most trail riding saddle clubs, but they have taken a step further, by also accepting the mission of protecting those opportunities for all horsemen. They back that up with their commitment and dedication by spending personal time working to achieve the purposes of BCH. That doesn't mean that we can't have a diversified membership. We have members that don't own a horse, but they work to support the purposes of BCH. We have many members that rarely ride in the backcountry, but they work to keep the trails open for all of us.

BCH is the largest responsible volunteer group of horsemen in the country today who are so actively sought to speak and represent our interest in wilderness and backcountry issues on the national level. We're all aware that many decisions affecting our local use are made at the national level. That is why BCH is special, and different.

There is nothing wrong with trail riding saddle clubs organized for social purposes. They certainly offer experiences that can be a lot of fun. Many equestrians wish for that type of commitment free, social opportunity. Those equestrians need to join such a group. BCH is not for all horsemen or women. If, however, they wish to work to protect the very experience they enjoy, and protect it up to the national level, then they may be ready to accept the responsibility of membership in BCH. A few of our members need to be commended for joining other equestrian groups, as well as BCH. That is commitment.

To reiterate the purposes of BCH, they are as follows:

1. To Perpetuate the common sense use and enjoyment of horses in America's back country and wilderness areas.
2. To Work to insure that public lands remain open to recreational stock use.
3. To Assist the various government, state, and private agencies in their maintenance and management of said resource.
4. To Educate, encourage and solicit active participation in the use of the backcountry resource by stock users and the general public commensurate with our heritage.
5. To Foster and encourage the formation of new state organizations and BCHA.

The Philosophy of BCH is as follows:

BCH is a service organization working in the backcountry and educating the users of the backcountry. These two elements, along with a determination to protect the heritage of backcountry stock use, are the primary factors of our existence. In the last five years we have contributed 557,000 hours of volunteer work for the agencies. BCH has achieved unsurpassed national credibility by committing our own personal sweat to this huge volunteer effort. What better way to prove our dedication to the backcountry, to meet our purposes, and to build our credibility as horsemen that really do care?

Our Chapters, as well as our members, have the obligation and responsibility to support the above purposes by action.

Purpose #1 and #2 means we will be involved to perpetuate the use of equines in the backcountry. That involvement means in Chapter, State, and National BCH affairs, and in public agency issues affecting our use.

Purpose #3 means we will be involved in Legislative/Public Lands issues and the State Legislative/Public Lands Committee (because that's a way to be involved to meet purposes #1 and #2).

Purpose #4 means we will be involved with education work for the public, the State organization, and the Chapters (because that's a way to be involved to meet purposes #1 and #2).

Purpose #5 means we will be involved with expansion to increase our membership so we have the strength of a national organization to meet purposes #1 and #2.

There is an obligation to membership in BCH. If the organization is to function to meet its purposes, each Chapter must make the commitment to step up to the plate to be involved. Individual members are the ones that meet that commitment. We are a grassroots organization with our strength in our membership. BCH builds through a pyramid with the broad base of membership, through the state organizations, and peaking at the national organization of BCHA.

We are a volunteer organization, and as such we understand there is a limited amount of time members can spend on BCH. Some members can spend more time than others because of inclination, or just have more available time. What is important, is that as a member of BCH, you take the responsibility and the commitment to spend what time you can. Your Chapter officers are certainly examples of those with that commitment. They can certainly use your help. Through this kind of determination, you will insure that BCH will continue to exist to protect our heritage of backcountry stock use on virtually all public lands.

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