Two of the most influential men in my childhood were ranchers.  My love for horses led me to people who had a love for ranching, for the land, for the western lifestyle.  I was very lucky that the older woman who became my mentor in my twenties was also tied to the land and animal husbandry. ... http://www.squidoo.com/wagonhoundranch Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:39:32 -0600 FeedCreator 1.7.2 Fri, 01 Jun 2007 03:44:43 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/wagonhoundranch Two of the most influential men in my childhood were ranchers.  My love for horses led me to people who had a love for ranching, for the land, for the western lifestyle.  I was very lucky that the older woman who became my mentor in my twenties was also tied to the land and animal husbandry.   So where does this fit in with later decades when I became vegetarian, and an advocate for animal rights and wildlife?  In my heart, there has been no change.  There is some personal conflict, of course.  But I have always believed that smart, wise, caring people can find ways to reconcile these differences into a whole (holistic) life. Today I read about such a person in the April Western Horseman, and the ranch they have created.   Fri, 01 Jun 2007 03:44:43 -0600