Riding in the Backcountry

“Rebekah – An Evening in Purple”

2008-11-07T12:41:00.003-07:00

In this down economy, most of us can't see ourselves giving away money. However, for you women readers that live in the Flathead Valley, here's a wonderful night out that will benefit a good cause AND your state of mind! A local gal is hosting a benefit dinner in memory of her sister, who passed away of lung cancer. The proceeds will go to the local Hospice, which is primarily a volunteer organization. There will be great food, door prizes and massage, as well as motivational speakers. Please view the "Evening in Purple" press release for more information.

Lost Horse in the Scapegoat Wilderness

2008-11-04T10:51:00.002-07:00

LOST: 4 Year Old Dark Sorrel Gelding
Markings: small white star on forehead and one white sock on rear foot.

The horse, "Chance", was lost October 18th while on a hunting trip in the Bob Marshall Wilderness; he was last seen 9 mi up the north fork of the Blackfork, near the south end of Lake Otatsi which is out of the Ovando Trailhead. His tracks led to the trailhead, but he hasn't been seen since.

He broke his halter while tied, but was wearing the following equipment:

Dark brown older saddle with tan padded seat
Green horn bag
Leather rifle scabbard
Leather Saddlebags containing a blue/gray wool shirt, orange poncho & orange knit hat
Headstall & reins (tied up on saddle)

Please keep your eyes and ears out for this horse - he may still be lost or may have been picked up by someone at the trailhead. If you have any news, please call Outfitters Supply toll-free at 1-888-467-2256.

How to attach a leather saddle string using the slit braid method

2008-10-25T11:01:00.000-06:00

I've had a lot of requests for instructions on how to attach a leather saddle string. It's difficult to explain via email or over the phone, so I thought I'd work up an official set and post them online. View the slit-braid instructions here. This method of attachment will work for attaching leather strings to an O ring, D ring or slotted concho on a saddle or bridle. Hope this helps!

Le Cadeoau Du Cheval (The Horse Gift)

2008-10-05T13:57:00.000-06:00

Someone sent me a link to this mural a while ago, and I just assumed that most horse people had seen it as well. But, I've been told that I am very wrong, and I should put this link out there. This remarkable mural is made up of 238 individual paintings and panels done by 174 artists from all over the world. It was unveiled September 3, 2008 at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It will be traveling to different venues (such as the National Finals Rodeo in Vegas and the Quarter Horse Congress) for the next two years. After that, it will be donated to a permanent public showcase. Check it out!

The image at left shows the creative team of Phil Alain, Paul Lavoie and Lewis Lavoie (photo credit Lavoie Studios).

Osprey Packs and Leave No Trace Team Up for a Youth Writing Contest

2008-06-12T10:14:00.003-06:00

I've always been a huge advocate of the Leave No Trace Principles, and firmly believe that if we teach our kids to respect the backcountry and its wildlife, we have a shot at preserving the natural beauty around us for future generations to enjoy. In that spirit, I'd like to spread the word about the writing contest that is being sponsored by Osprey Packs. If you have or know any youth that can put pen to paper and has ever hiked or ridden, let them know about this opportunity.

KIDS: You must be between the ages of 6 and 16 to enter. In 250-500 words, tell about a place you have hiked or backpacked that was especially memorable for you. Why is it special (good or bad)? Did you encounter any animals? Was the area taken care of well or poorly? Last but NOT least, choose one of the seven Leave No Trace principles and tell us how you applied it to your adventure. You are also welcome (but not required) to include a photo of yourself - especially if it was taken on the adventure you chose to write about.

When asked how long this contest will last, Osprey answered, "Until we get every kid out there hiking and Leaving No Trace!" Maybe so, but you should probably get your entries in as soon as you can. All winners will receive a Sprint Series pack, be featured on Osprey's website , and possibly have your entry printed in an Osprey catalog. Also, winners will be featured in an upcoming Leave No Trace newsletter.

Send your entry to sprintcontest@ospreypacks.com with the subject "Reading and Writing". You'll be notified within 30 days if you are a winner. For more information, go to the Osprey Packs website.

Gaited horses arrive in Montana

2008-05-30T13:52:00.005-06:00

Gaited horses sure have become popular here in Montana these last few years but it has been some 70 years since they first arrived. How do I know that? Well, my grandmother's brother had a son by the name of Kenny Gleason. I'm not sure what relation that makes me to him - cousin once or twice or thrice removed, maybe? Kenny and his wife Alice started a dude ranch in the late 1920's, and in 1938 decided they needed to introduce some bloodlines to their string that not only would appeal to their eastern clientele, but could negotiate the rough trails of the Rocky Mountains.

Alice Gleason recorded the stories of those years, and they were found in a closet after her death in 1997. The best of them have been published in a book titled Starting from Scratch: The Adventures of a Lady Dude Rancher. Alice wrote an article entitled "Developing the Trail Horse" for American Horseman in November, 1940. It is included in the book, and details the development of their mountain horse string using Montana's first Tennessee Walker. An excerpt from this article is shown below.

From the Northern Rockies, where our ranch is located, to Middle Tennessee is a far cry. Too far even for smoke signals from Blackfeet Country but still not to far for us to haul a Tennessee Walking horse stallion in a horse trailer, 2,400 miles from Lewisburg to the ranch! And all to carry out an experiment, amid the guffaws of our neighbours, of cross-breeding fine, good natured, smooth Westbrook's Colonel Allen 370197 with the lowly "cayuse" of the Indian country. Why do we want to do this? To try to get the ideal trail horse for our dude ranch business. We must have gentle, sure-footed, quick-witted, tough horses and yet they must be spirited, easy gaited and have style and finish or the dudes won't like 'em. The work is on rocky mountain trails from 5,000 to 9,000 feet and each day's workout ranges between ten and thirty miles. The cayuse can take it; but he doesn't have the beauty, height or style favored by easterners.

We were somewhat concerned about bringinga southern-bred horse into this cold northern climate, especially in the fall of the year. Old-timers shook their heads and said, "He'll never make it. The first blizzard'll get him." However, it was now or never for us, and we needn't have had any qualms. "Colonel" was dumbfounded at the first snowfall. He pawed it , snorted and whistled at it, bit it and raced around full of excitement over it and then got down to business and grew a fine winter coat, just like any range horse would do. We did not try to keep him blanketed and prevent him growing a heavy coat because we were still uneasy about the bitter winter ahead. We kept him stabled, of course, but there were few days all winter that he wasn't out at least for his exercise and, to the old timers' amazement, he "made it."
Written by the late Alice Gleason
Reprinted in "Starting from Scratch",
Compiled and edited by Genny Barhaugh &
Carol Guthrie of Choteau Montana.
Published by Star Route Publishing.

I was lucky enough to see The Colonel when I was about 10 years old. He lived to a ripe old age and sired hundreds of colts and fillies that joined one of the best dude strings in Montana. I often stop in to see the Gleason ranch, originally called the Circle 8 Ranch. A magnificent piece of Montana history, it is now called Pine Butte Guest Ranch and is owned and operated by The Nature Conservancy.

Grizzly Bear Central

2007-08-10T13:55:00.001-06:00

It's been awhile since my last post, and I sure wish I could say it was because I was out in the woods! But, we're keeping busy at Outfitters Supply. Not only is it our busiest time of year, but we are finalizing a couple of new products that I'm very excited about. I'll let you know more as we draw closer to final production, but I will say the the trailMax saddlebag line will be a little more well-rounded and our Decker pack saddles just may see another huge improvement!

Of course, I can't work ALL the time, so I did get out into the backcountry for a quick in and out trip with my wife, Maxine, and two close friends, Vic and Puck Workman. We entered the astoundingly beautiful Glacier Park National Park and started our ride at Lake McDonald. Our destination: Trout Lake and Arrow Lake, otherwise known as "Grizzly Bear Central". You may have read or been told about "Night of the Grizzlies". Well, Trout Lake is where the famous grizzly attack took place. However, we only saw scat on the trail as the bears must have been elsewhere avoiding the heat.

In just 4 miles, we went up and over a mountain and back down the other side. On the way up we gained about 2,500 feet in elevation, and then we lost about 2,000 of it going back down into Trout Lake. Arrow Lake was only another three miles, so we kept pushing, hoping to get there before the heat of the day. But, by the time we reached the lake, it was already 95 degrees, so all horses and humans dove right in for a dip.

We did get in some fabulous dry-fly fishing as well. The far end of Arrow lake produced several 13 - 15" cutthroats. We debated going another 3 miles to Camas Lake, but decided it was just too much to ask of the horses in that kind of heat. All in all, we had a great time, and since we walked quite a bit to give the horses a break, we could even say we had a good workout ourselves.

The following pictures are (in order): Puck Workman, Vic Workman, and Russ and Maxine Arnold. All were taken at Arrow Lake in Glacier National Park.

Bernice ready to complete final stage of ride

2007-07-19T11:03:00.000-06:00

Bernice will be leaving the cool comfort of the Astoria, Oregon and Naselle, Washington area on Sunday, July 22nd. Please wish her luck as she braves the head and heads up the Columbia River to Cathlamet, Washinton. From there, she is heading north to Castle Rock, east to Yakima, then just north of Spokane. She will cross over into Libby, Montana through National Forest lands to bring her back home to Trego, Montana on the back road (Fortine Creek Road).

She's excited to head home, and says it now seems like nothing to look at 700 or 800 miles of road before her. However, she is a little worried about the latest heat wave, and plans to take her time until the cooler weather of the mountains and autumn. She will be riding only from about 4 am to 10 am, then 5 or 6 pm until dark. During the heat of the day, you'll find her next to a good watering hole with plenty of shade for all three of them.

What's next? Yes, Bernice is already planning her next trip, which will take her through the desert in the winter. She will probably head back out in January or February, heading through Death Valley, the Grand Canyon and Sedona. She's excited for the new experience - she'll be taking a pack animal.

Placement of hobbles

2007-07-17T14:29:00.000-06:00

I had a customer ask me the other day where I preferred to attach my hobbles; high or low. To some extent, this is a matter of personal preference. I like to put my hobbles just above the fetlock (ankle joint), rather than down on the pastern. I haven't seen a lot of chafing when I put them here, not to mention the fact that I don't have to bend over quite as far to put them on! There are some hobbles, especially figure eight and rope hobbles that don't cinch up tightly enough to stay above the joint; just make sure that if you are using these, that they do not chafe or interfere with the flexing at the joint.

On a side note, I also like to have the hobbles up above the fetlock because I can attach both ends of the hobble to one leg while the horse is highlined or tied in camp. Then, should I want to turn the animal out to graze or stop it from pawing, I know exactly where the hobbles are and can hobble quickly. Of course, you should never leave the hobbles attached like this if you are moving down the trail or if you leave the horse unattended.

You can also read my article on training horses and mules to hobble. Just keep in mind that this article assumes that you have a gentle, willing animal to work with. Hobbling a horse or mule before it is mentally ready could be disastrous for both you and the animal.

Chinese horses???

2007-07-12T15:31:00.000-06:00

Just a quick entertaining blog entry today... Many have asked about the horses used by the British Long Rider Daniel Robinson. When his lawyer was asked about their origin, he said that he believed they were some sort of "Chinese" horses. Once Daniel was freed and available for comment, he confirmed the horse's origin. His trusted friends and companions for the long arduous journey were in fact... Mules!

All for the sake of a horse (snow)shoe...

2007-07-06T14:42:00.000-06:00

The Long Rider's Guild, a wonderful organization that has dedicated itself to the preservation of the history of the horse, has just founded The Long Riders Guild Academic Foundation. This foundation is the first of its kind, and will be attempting to assemble and publish every major work known to man dealing with equestrian wisdom and history. This will hopefully create an open, useful forum for scholars, students and equine enthusiasts all over the world to combine resources and further their knowledge of the horse.

One of the first articles published was originally printed in the British Horse, written by Tom Moates. In his study of Captain Scott and his famous Antarctic tragedy, Moates concluded that Scott and Oates made one fatal error that probably caused their death. Oates did not approve of the use of horse snowshoes, and Scott listened to him, although he disagreed with Oates.

They took one set of horse snow shoes when they set out, and found that they travel twice as quickly with the snowshoes on. By this time, however, the ice had receded and they they were unable to return to camp to outfit the remaining horses. On their return, the 5 explorers perished only 11 miles away from the safety of their camp.

The Long Rider's Guild Press has just published "The South Pole Ponies", a wonderful book detailing the use Manchurian and Siberian ponies by Shackleton, Scott, Oates, etc. in two Antarctic expeditions. It's an eye-opening, interesting read, but not for the faint hearted. Best of all, "The South Pole Ponies" is available for purchase on our website. You can read the complete British Horse article on the Long Rider's Guild Academic Foundation website.

Montana Mule Days

2007-06-14T15:24:00.000-06:00

If it can be done on a mule, it seems like it was happening at the Montana Mule Days in Drummond. My wife, Maxine, and I made it down to watch last weekend, and definitely got our gas money back in entertainment value (even if it rained most of the time). If you have a mule days event within a couple of days drive, I highly recommend you take the time to go. Here is a partial list of some of the country's Mule Days Celebrations; let me know if you know of any more that I should add.

Competitive classes ranged from formal halter and Western/English equitation classes to driving classes to reining, roping and cattle events. There were events for the kids to compete in, such as breakaway roping, barrel crawl through, the balloon bust and "Lead your donkey/mule to water". Of course, it was Mule Days, so there were a lot of fun events you won't find at a traditional horse show or o-mak-see. Traditional classes are the log pull and the 4-up hitches. My favorites (because I wasn't competing in them) were the Flapjack race and the Packer's Scramble.

The Flapjack Race is really what it sounds like. The show supplies wood and matches. The contestants supply everything necessary to make a flapjack - the batter may be made ahead of time. No paper, charcoal lighter, starter fluid or flammable materials are allowed. All contestants line up beside their animals and at a whistle, lead a pack animal to the opposite fence. At the fence, they each unpack the animal, build a fire and cook an edible flapjack at least 4" in diameter, all the while keeping your UNTIED animal within 15 feet of the fire. The unfortunate judges have to determine if the pancake is edible.

The Packer's Scramble is also a timed event, with a pretty hefty cash pot and trophy buckles. Each team consists of 2 packers and 4 head of stock, of which at least two must be mules and must be packed. The contestants must supply the following: axe, bucket, shovel, 4 or 5 manty tarps, ropes, and normal saddle gear. The teams enter the arena, unpack their loads, turn all animals loose, and crawl into their "sleeping bags" (manties). At the signal, the contestants have to get up, catch and saddle their riding horses and pack the mules with all of the gear - plus a live chicken. They run an obstacle course with one packer leading the 2 mules pigtailed together. The other rider must be mounted as an outrider. The fastest time wins - if you arrive with all of your packs intact. I did manage to take a few pictures of this event - enjoy!

Leave No Trace Practices

2007-06-10T13:39:00.000-06:00

I've had quite a few questions over the years about what to do with waste while in the backcountry. There are a lot of different answers out there, but here are the recommendations that have been set by the "Leave No Trace" Center for Outdoor Ethics. Most of these principles are easy to follow and use common sense. Following these simple practices will allow us and many more future generations to enjoy a beautiful, pristine backcountry.

Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter.
Deposit solid human waste in "cat holes" dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the "cat holes"when finished. (see below for more detailed information)
Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.

Here is more detailed information about dealing with human waste. (I know, no one really wants to talk about it... But, we all have to deal with it, and it should be dealt with properly). Proper disposal of human waste is important to avoid pollution of water sources, avoid the negative implications of someone else finding it, minimize the possibility of spreading disease, and maximize the rate of decomposition.

In most locations, burying human feces in the correct manner is the most effective method to meet these criteria. Solid human waste must be packed out from some places, such as narrow river canyons. Land management agencies can advise you of specific rules for the area you plan to visit.

Contrary to popular opinion, research indicates that burial of feces actually slows decomposition (at least in the Rocky Mountains). Pathogens have been discovered to survive for a year or more when buried. However, in light of the other problems associated with feces, it is still generally best to bury it. The slow decomposition rate causes the need to choose the correct location, far from water, campsites, and other frequently used places.

Cat holes: Cat holes are the most widely accepted method of waste disposal. Locate catholes at least 200 feet (about 70 adult steps) from water, trails and camp. Select an inconspicuous site where other people will be unlikely to walk or camp. With a small garden trowel, dig a hole 6-8 inches deep and 4-6 inches in diameter. The cat hole should be covered and disguised with natural materials when finished. If camping in the area for more than one night, or if camping with a large group, cat hole sites should be widely dispersed.

Perhaps the most widely accepted method of backcountry human waste disposal is the cathole. The advantages are:

they are easy to dig in most areas.
they are easy to disguise after use.
they are private.
they disperse the waste rather than concentrate it (which enhances decomposition).
it is usually easy to select an out of the way location where you can be certain no one is going to casually encounter the cathole.

Selecting a Cat hole Site:

Select a cathole site far from water sources, 200 feet (approximately 70 adult paces) is the recommended range.
Select an inconspicuous site untraveled by people. Examples of cathole sites include thick undergrowth, near downed timber, or on gentle hillsides.
If camping with a group or if camping in the same place for more than one night, disperse the catholes over a wide area; don t go to the same place twice.
Try to find a site with deep organic soil. This organic ma al contains organisms which will help de pose the feces. (Organic soil is usually dark and rich in color.) Refer to the jars used to demonstrate decomposition. The desert does not have as much organic soil as a forested area. (See number 2 under Digging a Cathole below.)
If possible, locate your cathole where it will receive maximum sunlight. The heat from the sun will aid decomposition.
Choose an elevated site where water would not normally during runoff or rain storms. The idea here is to keep the feces out of water. Over time, the decomposing feces will percolate into the soil before reaching water sources.

Digging a Cathole:

A small garden trowel is the perfect tool for digging a cathole.
Dig the hole 6-8 inches deep (about the length of the trowel blade) and 4-6 inches in diameter. In a hot desert, human waste does not biodegrade easily because there is little organic soil to help break it down. In the desert, the cathole should be only 4-6 inches deep. This will allow the heat and sun to hasten the decay process.
When finished, the cathole should be filled with the original dirt and disguised with native materials.

Catholes in Arid Lands: A cathole is the most widely accepted means of waste disposal in arid lands. Locate catholes at least 200 feet (about 70 adult steps) from water, trails, and camp. Avoid areas where water visibly flows, such as sandy washes, even if they are dry at the moment. Select a site that will maximize exposure to the sun in order to aid decomposition. Because the sun s heat will penetrate desert soils several inches, it can eventually kill pathogens if the feces are buried properly. South-facing slopes and ridge tops will have more exposure to sun and heat than other areas.

Latrines: Though catholes are recommended for most situations, there are times when latrines may be more applicable, such as when camping with young children or if staying in one camp for longer than a few nights. Use similar criteria for selecting a latrine location as those used to locate a cathole. Since this higher concentration of feces will decompose very slowly, location is especially important. A good way to speed decomposition and diminish odors is to toss in a handful of soil after each use. Ask your land manager about latrine-building techniques.

Toilet Paper: Use toilet paper sparingly and use only plain, white, non-perfumed brands. Toilet paper must be disposed of properly! It should either be thoroughly buried in a cathole or placed in plastic bags and packed out. Natural toilet paper has been used by many campers for years. When done correctly, this method is as sanitary as regular toilet paper, but without the impact problems. Popular types of natural toilet paper include stones, vegetation and snow. Obviously, some experimentation is necessary to make this practice work for you, but it is worth a try! Burning toilet paper in a cathole is not generally recommended.

Toilet Paper in Arid Lands: Placing toilet paper in plastic bags and packing it out as trash is the best way to Leave No Trace in a desert environment. Toilet paper should not be burned. This practice can result in wild fires.

Tampons: Proper disposal of tampons requires that they be placed in plastic bags and packed out. Do not bury them because they don t decompose readily and animals may dig them up. It will take a very hot, intense fire to burn them completely.

Urine: Urine has little direct effect on vegetation or soil. In some instances urine may draw wildlife which are attracted to the salts. They can defoliate plants and dig up soil. Urinating on rocks, pine needles, and gravel is less likely to attract wildlife. Diluting urine with water from a water bottle can help minimize negative effects.

Special Considerations for River Canyons: River canyons often present unique Leave No Trace problems. The most common practice is to urinate directly in the river and pack out feces in sealed boxes for later disposal. Check with your land manager for details about specific areas.

Leave No Trace camping

2007-05-23T22:18:00.000-06:00

Some areas of the country are warm enough for camping, and with Memorial Weekend coming up, a lot of you might head out regardless of the weather. I really want to stress how important it is to preserve our great outdoor areas, and thought I'd pass along a few tips for Leave No Trace practices over the next few days.

First, please respect the wildlife.

Keep your distance. Going close for a "better look" will only serve to scare the animal, which will then be forced to flee, or in some cases, defend itself. Also, try to keep your group size small; if you are traveling in a large group, divide up.
Quick movements and loud noises are stressful to animals. Travel quietly! (One exception is in bear country where it is good to make a little noise so as not to startle the bears)
Do not touch, get close to, feed or pick up wild animals for any reason. It is stressful to the animal, and it is possible that the animal may harbor rabies or other diseases. Sick or wounded animals can bite, peck or scratch and send you to the hospital. Young animals removed or touched by well-meaning people may cause the animals parents to abandon them. If you find sick animals or animal in trouble, notify a game warden.
Store food securely, and keep garbage and food scraps away from animals. Remember that you are a visitor to their home.
Allow animals free access to water sources by giving them the buffer space they need to feel secure. Ideally, camps should be located 200 feet or more from existing water sources. This will minimize disturbance to wildlife and ensure that animals have access to their precious drinking water.
Washing and human waste disposal must be done carefully so the environment is not polluted, and animals and aquatic life are not injured. (More on disposing of waste tomorrow) Swimming in lakes or streams is okay in most instances but in desert areas, leave scarce water holes undisturbed and unpolluted so animals may drink from them.

Dan is heading home!

2007-05-09T10:21:00.000-06:00

The English Long Rider, Daniel Robinson, has finally been released from the Indian jail where he has been held captive for almost eight months. He is sure to receive a warm, tearful welcome from family, friends and hundreds of others when he arrives at the Heathrow airport in London later this evening.

There is still no sign of his two missing horses, but the Long Rider's Guild will continue to search. I'll post any further information as it arrives.

Thank you to all who helped Daniel's cause, whether it was signing his freedom petition, donating funds to the cause, or just helping to spread the word. A huge thank you also to the members of The Long Rider's Guild, who did so much and expected nothing in return; the release of a fellow Long Rider was thanks enough.

Nominated for best animal blog!

2007-05-07T09:27:00.000-06:00

We've been nominated for best animal blog - how about that? I've been to a couple of trade shows, and on the road promoting OutfittersSupply.com, so I've been a little backed up and haven't blogged like I would like. However, I'm back online, and have a couple of book and DVD reviews and a couple of informational articles that will appear soon. If you like what you've seen so far, please vote for us here:

If not, then please send me an email with your questions or comments or trail tips, and I'll do my best to get back to you.

Daniel Robinson will spend two more months in jail

2007-03-26T10:07:00.000-06:00

English Long Rider Daniel Robinson has spent the last 6 months imprisoned near the India-China border. Finally, after many rescheduled attempts, his appeal was finally heard by a judge on March 20th. According to Justina, his daughter, the lawyers argued the case very successfully in front of a packed courthouse while the prosecution asked for a 10-year sentence.

The appeal reconvened on March 24th, with the judge ruling that Daniel will spend another 2 months in jail before being released. Hopefully, he will be able to take back custody of his two horses at that time. I've also pulled an email from the freedan website regarding these horses:

22nd March: email received from India about Dan's Horses

Dear Sir,

This is in reference to the news item published in TOI, New Delhi edition titled Journey to China ends in Indian jail dated:March 21,2007.

Mr Robinson, a British citizen wandered into Indian territory at Lapthal checkpost of ITBP with two equids in October, 2006.Both equids were immediatly taken into the custody a veterinarian Dr TAKE CHAN, posted at Joshimath and jointly examined by Dr N S Negi, Civil Veterinary Officer, Joshimath. As per the provisions of the livestock importation act,1898 were not allowed to mixed up with local equids.

The equids are healthy and still in the custody of ITBP.Mr Robinson was equally worried for wellbeing of his animals and during trail of the case inquired where about of his animals.

Mr Robinson is true animal lover and diserve mercy during trail.

(Dr Prem Shanker Yadav)

Chief Veterinary Officer,

Gopeswar, Chamoli(Uttarakhand)

If you haven't been following Dan's case, you can see more information at the Outfitters Supply website.

Long Rider Updates

2007-03-16T11:25:00.000-06:00

Well, it's Friday - hooray! Of course, now that the weekend is arriving, the sunny days are gone and the snow started falling again. I'm sure it'll be beautiful again by Monday.

I've just finished posting a letter sent by Bernice Ende, along with a couple of pictures that she sent. She's still doing very well, and last we heard Bernice, Honor and Claire were preparing to enter the desert region on their way to Barstow, CA. Make sure you check out Bernice's newest Thoughts from the Trail.

On a more somber note, Daniel Robinson is still imprisoned in India, and his appeal hearing has once again been postponed. The new hearing is scheduled for March 20th - hopefully we'll have more news then. If you haven't been following the English Long Rider's story, please do. If after reading the story of his plight you could kindly sign the petition for his freedom, Daniel and his family would greatly appreciate it. There is a link to the petition at the above link. Please note that you do not need to donate any money when you sign the petition. It is optional, and the money goes to the petition website, not to Daniel.

Happy Birthday Dan!

2007-03-12T10:04:00.000-06:00

For those of you that have been following the plight of the English Long Rider, Daniel Robinson, please keep him in your prayers and keep sending words of support to help him stay strong throughout this ordeal. His birthday is March 10th; with any luck he will be able to celebrate it with friends and loved ones soon. His appeal has been postponed again; check back on March 20th, and we'll hopefully have good news. The support he has received world-wide is impressive and heart-warming - hopefully it will be enough to earn him his freedom.

English Long Rider, Daniel Robinson, imprisoned in India

2007-02-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

I'd like to thank all of you for your words of encouragement to Bernice Ende during her 5,000 long ride. The outpouring of support has been tremendous, and is greatly appreciated by Bernice, Honor and Claire. They are nearing Barstow, California on the final long push back to Trego, Montana. All is well, and I've posted some images taken in Bagdad, Arizona sent by some of her many fans.

Less fortunate is the English Equestrian Long Rider, Daniel Robinson, who has been imprisoned in the remote Pursari Jail in India. Daniel was attempting to retrace the ancient Tea Horse Trail, a bone-breaking track stretching thousands of miles from western China, up and over Tibet and down into the distant plains of India. Daniel left England for this magnificent journey over a year ago. His journey began in the company of a group of Tibetans, along the ancient Tea Caravan Trail from China to Lhasa, Tibet. He left Lhasa alone, on foot, with two horses, and covered over 3,000 kilometers through the Himalayas.

Suffering from exhaustion, malnutrition, and near hypothermia, Daniel stopped at the top of the Himalayas so that he and the horses could rest. Realizing that he could go no further without food and help for his horses, one of which was in foal, Daniel headed down toward the Indio-Tibetan border. He turned himself in to a military encampment just above Josimoth at the end of October.

Almost immediately he was arrested and his horses taken into military custody. He was transported to Pursari Jail, outside Gopeshwar. There he sat for over two months, enduring intensive interrogation from four different security services, treated like a common criminal while he awaited the long and arduous process of his case being brought to trial. His health was, and is, broken. He suffered a bout of pneumonia and a kidney infection and, since he is also asthmatic, prison conditions are inevitably and inexorably effecting his health.

At first, Dan was told he may spend up to a year in prison. Now, he may face up to 10 years. The fate of the horses is not yet known, although Dan has been told that he may petition the Indian government for them once he is released.

Please visit the Free Dan website to read more about Dan's plight and sign the petition requesting his release. His next appeal has been moved to March 10th. CuChullaine and Basha O'Reilly of the Long Rider's Guild have also been releasing updates and petitioning for his release.

My View on Tucker's New Mule Saddle

2007-02-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

Tucker has been promising the release of their mule tree for a couple of years now. Like everything else, however, a good product takes time for design, and redesign, and more redesign. Tucker finalized the tree design last year, and have been testing it on all the mules they could get their hands on. They are now convinced that they have exactly the fit they were looking for and the Tucker High Plains Mule Saddle is now in production.

After seeing it at the Denver Market, I'm convinced that it will fill a need. However, don't think that just because you have a mule you need a mule saddle. I've been fitting saddles for 22 years, and I've found that mules, like horses, vary greatly in size and shape. A"mule" tree is designed to fit the really traditional "mule figure". It has wide, flat bars, with no "rock" from front to back. A traditional mule is somewhat broad-backed with little to no sway in its back and no discernible withers. If you have this style mule, then by all means try a mule saddle. Putting a regular trail saddle on this type of mule would literally be the same as putting a rocking chair on a table and expecting it not to move when you sit on it.

Keep in mind that this body type has been slowly bred out of mules over the last 15 to 20 years. Now, most riding mules are slightly narrower, with more pronounced withers and a little more curve to their backs. With the choices available in regular, wide and extra-wide trees from saddles we carry from Circle Y and Tucker, we've been able to fit the majority of these mules without resorting to a mule saddle. As always, if you have any question about what type of saddle will work, measure your horse so that an expert at Tucker Saddles can determine the correct tree. Of course, if you happen to be in the neighborhood, bring your horse by to see us and we'll get you the right fit.

Prescott, At Last!

2007-02-08T13:50:00.000-07:00

We've heard from Bernice, and she has reached Prescott, Arizona. She, along with her horse Honor and her dog Claire will stay in Prescott for some much-needed rest and recuperation. Also, we're excited, because she'll finally have time to write about her experiences during the last 9 months on the road! What an amazing journey, undertaken by an amazing woman, that shows what trust and love between a woman and her animals can inspire. For any of you that have not been following Bernice's travels, you need to check out her past letters and FAQ pages .

Bernice is also getting ready for the next stage of her trip to Barstow, California. She's entering the rainy season, and has decided that her current rain gear is not going to be adequate. She knows exactly what she wants, and plans to sew it herself. However, the ideal fabric for her needs is GoreTex, which is difficult and expensive for her to obtain. I'm working on getting this for her, but I'm having trouble as well, and am more than happy to hear suggestions of any good suppliers. Please contact me at marketing@outfitterssupply.com with any assistance you can offer.

Long Rider Bernice Ende Outwaits the Weather in Crown King

2007-02-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

Bernice has been an avid weather watcher, and the recent snowstorms have practically shouted, "Stay put!". So, Bernice, Claire and Honor have been enjoying the tranquility and hospitality of Crown King, Arizona. The now-living ghost town is located in the pine-laden forest of the Bradshaw Mountains, in the Prescott National Forest approximately two hours from Phoenix to the south, and Flagstaff to the north.

They'll stay in Crown King just until there's a break in the weather, then they're off to Prescott, where they will take a much deserved two-week rest. Read Bernice's latest letters, postcards and journal entries.

John Wayne Commemorative Saddle

2007-01-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

Over the years, several saddle companies have come out with a “Limited Edition Collector’s Saddle.” Some of them have been nice saddles, but I never considered them to be truly “collectible.”

With all of the excitement over “100 years of John Wayne,” it only stood to reason that there would be a John Wayne Collector’s Edition saddle. I was one of the first to see this saddle at the Denver trade show last week, and I must admit that even I was impressed.

Circle Y Saddles was selected by Wayne Enterprises to craft this special saddle. Just in time celebrate the 100^th Anniversary Birthday of John Wayne; the saddle was inspired by the original on display in the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

I feel very fortunate that Outfitters Supply is one of the few authorized dealers for this beautiful saddle. The design and workmanship of this saddle are remarkable, and the package that Circle Y put together adds even more appeal. You can see more information about this saddle on our website, or better yet, come by our store in Columbia Falls. We should have our own numbered editions before too long!

Albuquerque to Reserve

2007-01-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

Bernice has sent us another letter! It’s always quite the treat to receive a letter from Bernice on her grandiose adventure through the United States as she rides with her horse, Honor, and dog, Claire.

Her current letter details the ride from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Reserve, New Mexico, where she braves snowstorms and temperatures below zero through the hospitality of those she has never met. It is amazing that people can be exceedingly kind to strangers, trusting them and understanding their situations. Bernice finds this compassion again and again. Perhaps people find the humanity in their hearts for Bernice because she is so polite, even likening asking someone to use their computer to rudely talking on a cell phone in a restaurant.

Bernice tells us that Claire, Honor, and she are doing well. She even says she’s received a number of compliments on the condition of Claire and Honor! She maintains her wellness on a mere $20 to $25 a week!

For her next journey, Bernice has been approached about a trail from Missouri to Oregon! She says, however, that we will see. Only time will tell to see if she continues to her exciting adventures. For now she continues her adventure to Stafford, Arizona along Highway 78.

We hope to hear from her as soon as possible, and as always we’ll keep you updated on the latest happenings.

READ BERNICE'S LETTER!

News from the Trail

2007-01-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

We finally received word from Bernice, who is doing well and slowly but surely making her way toward Arizona. She truly is an amazing woman, having made her way from Northwestern Montana to Minneapolis, then rode from Minneapolis to her current location in mid-southern New Mexico. I've written a summary of her most recent letter; for the complete entry, please see our updated "Where's Bernice" web page.

Bernice, Honor (her horse) and Claire (her dog) actually are enjoying the New Mexico winter, as it brings shorter days, cooler riding weather, and a relief from bugs. She does confess that she loves her evening fire, and has to bring the water bottles into the blankets with her to keep them from freezing.

She spent Thanksgiving in Las Vegas, New Mexico with family and friends, and enjoyed a planned three week "vacation". From there, she started her next 800-mile stretch. First main stop, Madrid, NM. Once there, she spent another (planned) rest week with the Adlers. Last we heard, she was well on her way toward Arizona.

On the Road Again with the RMEF

2006-12-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation National Convention is coming up February 22nd through the 25th. Outfitters Supply will be exhibiting at this show for the 8th consecutive year. It will be held in Reno as it was last year, but I've been to conventions in Portland, Denver, and Albuquerque as well.

If you have never attended this convention I highly recommend it. I have a difficult time getting away from the booth to take advantage of some of the fun things going on, such as the elk bugling contest where the best callers in the world compete for the world championship. If you are a hunter this is where you need to be to - not only see the latest in equipment but to learn directly from the manufacturer how to use it . There are experts on everything from masking your scent to becoming invisible using the latest in camo. The people who actually invent this gear are in their booths just waiting to talk to the public. It really is a valuable place to hang out for the serious elk hunter.

There's also plenty for the not-so-serious hunter. You'll find everything from artwork and furniture to log cabins and Alaskan halibut fishing trips. I'll be displaying just about everything you'll need to enjoy the backcountry while on horseback. There are auctions, prize drawings and a drawing to win the guided trip of a lifetime.

After hours, as if I need to remind anyone, the Black Jack tables, slots and the delicious buffet at the Atlantis Hotel and Casino beckon from just across the street. Bill Engvall will be performing at the convention as well. Why not really make a trip out of it, and head to Lake Tahoe for some chartered fishing?

I hope to see you there!

I'm guilty!

2006-12-20T09:23:00.000-07:00

I admit that I often take for granted how fortunate I am to live in Montana. People from other parts of the country can't fathom the opportunities for trail riding we have.

Within 50 miles of home, I can ride in four different wilderness areas, a national park and literally millions of acres of other federal and state lands.

I don't need a permit or permission. I can routinely view wildlife from grizzly bears to big horn sheep. I can ride into a high mountain lake and fly fish for native cutthroat trout, enjoy the view of countless Rocky Mountain peaks or ride through meadows carpeted with wildflowers.

I'm quite sure I could ride a different trail every weekend for the rest of my life. There is always something new around the next turn, over the next mountain. I can't wait for spring. I think I'll oil my saddle!

By the way, if you get the itch, we have a corral behind the store and you're welcome to use it!

How To Start a Pack Horse or Mule

2006-12-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

I'm following up on a question from Steve on an earlier post. In my experience, most good horses and mules take to packing very easily. Let's assume the animal is broke, or at the very least has had a lot of ground work, been sacked out, etc. First, saddle him with a pack saddle and let him get used to the breeching around his rump. Lunge him or run him around in a round pen until he seems comfortable. Then, tie a couple of empty Clorox bottles to the saddle, one on each side, with some string or rope. Put some small rocks in them so they make lots of noise while you trot him around. This will help your pack animal get used to odd sounds emanating from the packs. If your prospective pack animal is on the calm side, this should not take long.

Next, I like to put a set of Ralide-West panniers on with tin cans and rocks in them and go through the same exercise. Then, I like to do a couple of rides up my “training trail.” This trail starts off by crossing a short wooden bridge. I figure I might as well find out immediately where the problems might crop up. Then there is a creek crossing followed by some turns through a boggy area. I prefer the Ralide-West boxes because they are virtually indestructible. The quality of panniers enters into play because there are a couple of places where an inexperienced pack animal will whack a tree with the boxes. Usually, after two times they learn that they have to move out away from a tree to keep from getting that hard pannier jabbed in their ribs.

By the end of that 14-mile round trip, I usually have a pretty good idea if there are any problems that need special attention. It’s hard to make a good pack animal by merely practicing at home. If you have gotten this far without serious trouble, it’s time to just do it.

One last thought: don’t try to make a pack animal out of a horse or mule that didn’t make it as a saddle horse. A calm disposition and willingness to work are very important.

Christmas tree hunting in Montana!

2006-12-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

I trekked through the woods Sunday, and it hit me - I wasn't chasing that elusive 7 point bull anymore. No, this time I was hunting for the perfect Christmas trees. I went a lot further into the woods than I probably needed to, but this time the hunt ended perfectly, with all three Christmas tree permits filled (not all mine!). The mountains are loaded with snow, and it should be a picture perfect winter, with plenty of water in the spring. We've been lucky the last few years in the Flathead Valley of Montana; many other parts of the state, and the nation, have really been struggling with water shortages.

The horses and mules have their winter coats, and I have my fireplace, ready to settle in for winter. Like most humans, I don't grow a thick enough coat to help much if I do get hurt or lost in the woods. If you are out there trekking around, please be cautious, and follow common-sense rules. Most importantly, make sure someone knows exactly where you are going, how you will get there, and what time you should be home. For a few tips on dealing with hypothermia, please visit my article, "Survival Tips: Preventing Hypothermia"

Hopefully we'll hear from Bernice soon as she heads back out on the trail, heading for Tucson, Arizona. Don't know who Bernice is? Be sure to read up on this amazing Long Rider from Trego, Montana.

Charlie Russell Saddle

2006-11-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

While visiting the Charlie Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana about 15 years ago, I ran across a limited edition bronze of Charlie's saddle, done by Bob Scriver of Browning, Montana. I couldn't afford the $150, but I couldn’t pass it up, so I bought it anyway.

Several years later, one of my customers brought in an old loop seat saddle, circa 1887-89, wanting to know what it was worth. Well, the fenders had been cut in half to make a kid’s saddle, the skirts were not original, and the horn cap was torn off, but on the back of the cantle plain as day was the maker’s mark. It read “F.A. Meanea Co. MAKER Cheyenne Wyo Territory”. I told my customer that the saddle wasn't worth much as is, but if he would sell it to me for a $100 that I would rebuild it, and never sell it.

At the time, I didn't realize it, but this was identical to the saddle that Frank Meanea had built for Charlie Russell, the one in my bronze. The saddle sat in our shop for three years before I found a very talented leather tooler who said he could duplicate the original skirts and fenders. I’ve included photos for you to judge for yourself. By the way, the saddle is not for sale.

The Spirit of Giving

2006-11-17T14:41:00.000-07:00

How many times are we all approached by this or that organization wanting a donation? A day rarely goes by that I don't get several emails, phone calls, or letters asking for a donation. Most of them are for good causes; however,if you are generous enough to send something, they always seem to double their efforts in persuading you to donate more.

I can't remember how I got started receiving the calander from Ron Mamot of the Saint Stephens Indian Mission. I think a friend had me put on the list by making a small donation. And with that small donation, I've been receiving quarterly newsletters filled with beautiful photography taken mostly on the Arapaho and Shoshone Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. When I see that envelope come in the mail, it makes my day. No hardshell here. I encourage you to think about the Saint Stephens Indian Mission Foundation the next time you open your checkbook. Below is a greeting Ron wrote in the 2007 calandar:

It doesn't take special talent or mystical powers to see God in the world around us. What it does take - and the one thing many of us don't have - is the time to truly enjoy the world of nature. Life's demands of our energy and talents often keep our noses to the grindstone with little time to relax.

Perhaps that is why our loving and caring Creator set up our beautiful world to cycle each year. Nature's cycle - never quite the same from year-to-year - offers us thrilling and wonderful new sights, sounds and smells to renew and enkindle within us a rejuvenated spirit. In addition, the changing seasons also give us a chance to observe a part of nature we may have missed the previous year.

As we work through another year, we pray that your life might be filled with happiness and rewards for your endeavors. We also pray that you have the chance to relax and enjoy the beautiful world in which we live.

Respectfully,
Ron Mamot & Staff

Contacting Saint Stephens Foundation:
Saint Stephens Indian Mission Foundation, Inc.
The Wind River Reservation
P.O. Box 278
St Stephens, Wyoming 82524-9989
307-856-6797
ssimf@wyoming.com

October 8, 2006

2006-11-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

We've just received a very short update on Bernice... She arrived in Las Vegas, New Mexico. She's been staying at the Livestock Auction. She has a lot of pictures that will be coming soon so check back frequently.

Kansas is Long Gone...

2006-11-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

We’ve received another letter today from Bernice Ende on her 5,000-mile journey around the western United States with her 8-year-old Thoroughbred, Honor, and her dog, Claire.

We are now a five day ride from Las Vegas! Oh let's see, where to begin? We’ve been put up in Mosquero, a tiny town on HWY 39 made up of ranchers and handsome cowboys. We came into town two days ago very tired, cold, and in need of rest and food. The weather has been so cold that it made my water bottles freeze along with the tarp covering. Claire and I had a blanket of white frost over us, yet I managed to stay warm by wearing all of my clothes all of the time, pulling my warm and faithful Claire close to me, and crawling in for the night. It gets very weary after a few nights, but it’s all in the life of a long rider. I do not complain.

When we came into Mosquero, the folks were friendly and many had heard of us coming. I asked if I could be put up for a few days. Actually many had heard of our coming, as the stop in Beuyeros a few days earlier had sent word. Sheriff Flowers, being a cowboy himself, had stopped 12 miles or so out of town to make sure we had a safe journey into his town, where we were greeted minutes after arriving. We found a corral and shed where we now "live" or call home. I have not slept in a house since leaving Minnesota. We are sleeping in a shed owned by Joe Black, where we’ve been having hot coffee and breakfast brought to us each morning. Honor had new shoes put on her this morning by Jimmy Garcia, another handsome cowboy and national roping champion, who was kind enough to take time out during his busy day as rancher and wildlife management officer. Mosquero is one of those everyone-knows-everyone towns with friendly smiles and generous amounts of hospitality. Again, good fortune has landed us in such a place to rest our weary feet.

I have become seasoned to the weather and I feel it has brought my horse, Claire, and me closer together as a traveling trio. My horse, Honor lies next to us and will eat around the campsite area before stretching to the end of her picket line. We stay together better because of it.

We leave Saturday morning for our final five day stretch into Las Vegas. I have been told it will be warmer as we descend off the plateau. We’ll have to climb back up into Las VegasMontana and this is not really that cold, not so cold that it freezes my breath." I will be put up at the fairgrounds or rodeo grounds in Las Vegas then wait for my sister to arrive and head up to her house for thanksgiving dinner. I am already dreaming of the hot turkey and pumpkin pie, I can already taste it. I tell many who offer us food or invite us in for meals that none of us Claire, Honor, nor I can be trusted around food any longer. It just always looks and tastes so good after a day’s ride. where it may be even colder. I tell people, "I am from Montana and this is not really that cold, not so cold that it freezes my breath." I will be put up at the fairgrounds or rodeo grounds in Las Vegas then wait for my sister to arrive and head up to her house for thanksgiving dinner. I am already dreaming of the hot turkey and pumpkin pie, I can already taste it. I tell many who offer us food or invite us in for meals that none of us Claire, Honor, nor I can be trusted around food any longer. It just always looks and tastes so good after a day’s ride.

I apologize for there are no photos this time. I have three rolls to develop when we get into town, then I will send many. Well, that’s the word from the trail. Many thanks for sending the emails. I wish I could send a video or somehow share in more detail this remarkable way of traveling. I don’t know how many times I have said that people would never believe this. Each and everyday is so uncertain. I never know where I will sleep, where I will get food, or what the road ahead is like, yet each night I lie down and all of our needs have been met somehow, and we are safe, warm, and dry. I am always grateful to those who stop by with curiosity. I always appreciate the generosity that comes our way as it would be quite impossible to ride long rides without the help of others.

Best wishes to all of you at Outfitters Supply in Columbia Falls, Montana. Many thanks for the support.

-Bernice

How to Set a Rivet

2006-11-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Choose the setter with a hole diameter slightly larger than the rivet being set.

Push the rivet through the hole, then turn the material over.

Place the burr on the rivet, then use the rivet setting tool's straight hole to drive the burr down tight against the material.

Cut the rivet off close to the burr with nippers (hoof nippers work fine for this). Do not cut off flush with the burr, but leave about 1/16 of an inch above the burr. The hole on the side of the rivet setter can be used to dislodge any waste that is wedged in the tool.

Place the concave recess of the setter on the burr. Hold perpendicular and strike the tool forcefully, turning to the left, then right as you strike. This spreads the end of the rivet over the burr, simultaneously rounding its end.

A few extra blows from the soft faced mallet can be used to flatten the rivet end a bit if desired.

More images...

Supporting Bernice's Travels

2006-10-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

We have received many heart warming concerns and wishes supporting Bernice's travels lately. Below are responses to some of the comments we have been getting in support of Bernice's travels.

I am so envious and blown away with Bernice and her travels. I am curious to how she is supporting herself, horse, and dog during this really long adventurous trip? How is she managing feed, farrier, vet care, etc? Does she have any kind of sponsorship funding? I assume Outfitters Supply helped her out considerably with the cost of her new gear, which is awesome. I am one who would like to make a trip like Bernice’s someday. I will look you guys up for my gear when the time comes. My trip will be across the nationwide trail that goes from west to east or visa versa. I look forward to reading more about Bernice's trip as it progresses. She really needs to write a book on preparing for and executing a trip of this magnitude.

Happy Trails,
Susan B.

-Bernice is able to support herself on a mere $20 a week, due to mostly the support and generosity of those she encounters. While she does have funds set aside for emergencies, most of her farrier and feed needs have been covered by donations of both time and supplies. Bernice has also been giving many talks to local 4-H clubs, civic groups, and senior centers as she travels. Several of these have turned into "pass the hat" talks, which provide Bernice with additional funds.

-As for writing a book, who knows? Bernice has too many long rides planned to stop long enough.

_______________________________________________________

I just wanted to express my appreciation for your support of Bernice Ende and the reports on her ride. She is an inspiration. As a result of the impression she has made on me, I drove my brand new F-350 from my home in New Jersey to western Ohio and then to northern Michigan, where I bought a gooseneck horse trailer and hauled it home. I am a single grandmother of retirement age, and I have never hauled anything before and the truck is the largest vehicle that I have ever driven. Following Bernice’s example, I took my dog with me. Getting a horse is my next step. I already have a Tucker saddle. I’ll be contacting you when its time for saddle bags. You don’t know what you can do ‘til you try.

Thank you and best regards,
Pat B.

-We wish you the best of luck in all that you attempt, Pat.

Should I Pack Horses or Mules?

2006-10-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

I am asked this question regularly. Coincidentally, the only people who ever ask this question are those who have never owned a mule. That says a lot; however, my standard answer is this: If you own a horse that is just standing around burning hay, pack him. But if you are shopping for a pack animal, buy a pack mule. Why… Remembering that stock users, including me, are opinionated, below I listed the benefits for packing mules over horses:

Pack mules are born followers. A pack mule will follow a horse or another mule almost anywhere.
Pack mules know exactly where they will put down each foot. While some pack horses have a tendency to daydream and step off the trail.
Pack mules carry a load without a lot of swaying and lunging.
Pack mules are tougher than pack horses, pound for pound.
I never have to shoe my pack mules. I just keep them trimmed, which saves me money.
Pack mules know their job and want to do it.
Pack mules generally have a 20-30% longer life than pack horses.
Pack mules are easier keepers than pack horses for the most part.
Last, but not least, pack mules are cute.

Discomfort in the Saddle

2006-10-26T11:53:00.000-06:00

In 21 years of selling saddles, the most common complaint I've heard is "My knees hurt!" As a matter of fact, about the only time that I haven't heard this complaint is when I have an English rider come in. Their knees seem to be just fine! I've heard several theories on why this is, but this week I've given it a lot of thought, and tested a few saddles, and had sore knees. (of course, I am getting a little older, and about everything else hurt just as much...)

The most obvious reason for sore knees in an average Western saddle is the sheer amount of leather that is under your leg. It's often several layers of thick leather that you're constantly fighting to turn back toward you, which is exhausting. This can be somewhat alleviated by overturning your stirrups or having them professionally and permanently turned with a Nevada Twist. Taking it several steps further, Circle Y's "Softee" leather has greatly alleviated the problem. The leather is soft, supple, and just not as bulky under your leg. Over half of my customers with bad knees have been made more comfortable by choosing a Circle Y Flex Lite trail saddle.

However, there are still complaints of knee pain, usually from people with prior knee injuries or short legs. After recalling a conversation I had years ago with a stirrup maker and doing some studying myself, I found another inherent problem with the Western Saddle. As described above, the fenders and stirrup leathers are designed to hang straight, then asked to turn so that you can place your foot in the stirrup. This causes another problem; the stirrup is now turned, but is positioned at an angle. Your foot is now at an angle, with your instep lower than the outside of your foot. This can put an unbelievable amount of stress on your ankle and knees during a long ride, especially if you tend to ride with a lot of weight in your stirrups.

That explains why English riders rarely feel as much discomfort. The English stirrup leather is hung so that the stirrup is flat and already facing the rider. For those of you that have terrible knees and are looking for a solution that does not switch you to an English saddle, I can't recommend the Tucker Equitation Endurance saddle enough. It offers a lot of security, a Western seat and all the attachment points you need for traditional trail riding gear. However ,it has English rigging and stirrup leathers to almost eliminate both of the problems outlined above. My wife (with terrible knees and an even worse back) rides this saddle, and she flat out won't ride another saddle anymore. She's content and comfortable enough to go all day in the saddle now.

There have been a few attempts by stirrup makers over the years to address the angle problem, but it doesn't seem like any have had the marketing to back up the idea, so they've all fizzled. Not a bad idea for the future, though! For the time being, the Tucker Trail Glide stirrup is about as good as you can get for helping to distribute the pressure evenly over the sole of your foot.

Bernice Ende is loving the Plains Region

2006-10-25T11:19:00.000-06:00

Letters from Bernice have become few and far between as she spends countless days riding without a "mail stop". She's made it through Kansas on the second leg of her journey (the first was from Montana to Minnesota). We received a lengthy letter from her that I posted on Bernice's page on our website.

She is still doing well, and is constantly amazed by the generosity and kindness of those she encounters on her way. She has received so much food from all that she meets that Honor only carries 50 lbs in addition to Bernice - and that includes her saddle, pad, and bags! She has to turn so many offers of help down; again, I am encouraged that there is so much good out there.

Claire is still keeping up with Honor and Bernice, although she does burn through the dog booties and a lot of fresh red meat that Bernice picks up along the way. Honor gets all the fresh grass she can eat on rest stops, and receives hay, grain and supplements most nights as they pass through all the farming communities and small towns of the Midwest.

I'm hoping to hear some more from Bernice this week as she stops at a library for an email break; I'll keep you posted as we hear more.

Hopefully the next posting will show a picture of that elusive bull elk we haven't stumbled over yet... Happy hunting!

"Ride the Wind" book review

2006-10-24T17:19:00.000-06:00

It’s been a little while since I’ve posted; the pre-hunting season is one of our busiest times of the year. Of course, hunting season means that I need to get out and product test our gear. If only I could find all those elk that I saw during my scouting trips…

I did finally read “Ride the Wind”, the story of the Abernathy Boys. As I read, all I could think was, “This has to be fiction. It’s impossible for a 5 and a 9-year old to have survived all that these two survived!” The book was written by a close relative a year after the two tiny travelers returned from their journey, and is written almost completely from their point of view. I was constantly entertained and amazed. Bud (only 9!) convinced his father that he could manage a 1,000 mile trip from their homestead in Oklahoma to Santa Fe, and back. He then navigated his chosen route, keeping himself, his 5-year-old brother and their two horses safe from all the Old West Obstacles they encountered. They even managed to return home in time to slide into their desk seats in time for school. Unlike most teenagers I know, they even met their deadlines for checking in with their father.

If that wasn’t enough, the boys plotted and planned for a trip the following summer - all the way to New York City - and they somehow managed that trip only slightly worse for wear. I was disappointed that the book ended in New York; one of these days I’ll have to buy the “sequels”.

Instead of riding the horses back home to Oklahoma, the boys took a couple of driving lessons and drove a tiny one cylinder car called “The Wildcat”. Their motorized adventures can be found in the book, “The Remarkable Ride of the Abernathy Boys”, written by Robert B. Jackson.

Their most unbelievable journey, was taken a year after “Ride the Wind”, in the summer of 1911. The boys rode alone from New York to San Francisco in only 62 days in the saddle. I’ve been told that “Bud and Me”, written by Temple’s wife, Alma Abernathy, is a great book journaling this trip.

The story was funny, frightening, and inspirational. All in all, I enjoyed reading the “Ride the Wind”, and feel it’s appropriate reading for just about any age.

Bernice is headed out of Kansas and I have hunting fever

2006-10-11T08:23:00.000-06:00

We just received word from Bernice Ende, who is about to leave Jetmore, Kansas on her way to Hugoton, which is in the SW corner of Kansas. She is still in good spirits and both Honor and Claire are doing well.

They've been staying at the Jetmore Fairgrounds, waiting out a little of the cold, rainy weather, so Bernice was able to write us a long letter. I'll post it and her photos just as soon as they arrive.

Also while in Jetmore, Bernice has given a talk to the local 4-H members. She's doing more and more speaking at clubs as she travels. Some of these end up being "pass the hat" talks, which provide a little of her traveling money. She's managed to meet her goal of riding on $20 a week; makes me wonder where my money goes, and is it really necessary?

On another note, Kevin and I've been scouting my favorite hunting grounds (sorry, I can't disclose exactly where - just that it is in Northwestern Montana). It's great country - if you're an elk, moose or mountain goat. However, I've taken quite a beating trying to get through the brush, rock and steep terrain. By the time hunting season is over, I'll either be in great shape or dead.

We have seen some game during our little nature walks. The first day I bugled in a young spike bull and we saw three larger bulls. We also saw a cow moose bedded down. Mostly, we've seen grouse, grouse and more grouse; many hens had two clutches. Of course, we've sampled just a few... The second day we were out, we saw two large bulls, and sampled a couple more grouse.

It looks like it should be a good hunting season here, even with only a dusting of snow in the mountains. If nothing else, a long day in the mountains is ALWAYS better than a short day at the office. I really need to spend time field testing our products, anyway!

Bernice leaves the birthplace of Russell Stover

2006-10-06T14:14:00.000-06:00

Since leaving judging the chili cook-off and treating Honor to new shoes in Red Cloud, Nebraska, Bernice has spent one night each in Gaylord, Smith Center, and Lebanon, Kansas.

Bernice has now made it through Alton, Kansas, which is just off of Highway 24 in north-central Kansas. Like many small towns that she has passed through, Bernice found unbelievable curiosity, hospitality and support from all that she encountered.

These pictures were taken by Deanna Roach, a part-time rancher and freelance reporter living in Alton. Like many others, Deanna was touched and inspired by the spirit shown by Bernice, Honor and Claire. Read Deanna's article for The Osborne County Farmer on Bernice's web pages.

Bernice stays a few days in Red Cloud, Nebraska

2006-09-29T13:15:00.000-06:00

We recently heard from Bernice as she was trying to pass through Red Cloud, Nebraska. Red Cloud is described as an American classic, a typical small town in the heartland. Red Cloud is a small, vibrant community nestled in the Lower Republican River Valley, neatly self-contained by pastures and cornfields. Here, Bernice describes her longer-than-expected visit.

9/20/06

How did this happen? I rode into town an innocent horse rider, and I am now judging a chili cook off in a couple of days! So much fun!! This is the Red Cloud Chamber of Commerce’ Third Annual September Fest Chili and BBQ Cook-off. It will be held September 23 at the Red Cloud City Park. There are categories for Chili, Beef, Pork, “Other” and (yea!) Desserts.

I just spoke at the Senior Center for a “pass the hat” talk – I walked away with $10 AND lunch. I seem to be doing more and more speaking to pick up a few dollars here and there.

Red Cloud - Home of famous writers like Willa Cather. It is a “Historical Town”, with brick streets. Kind of a bookish/literary kind of town I did not expect to find way out here; so far from anything, really.

More later...

The Long Riders' Guild

2006-09-20T12:05:00.000-06:00

Since we’ve started working with Bernice Ende, I’ve gained even more inspiration from and respect for long distance riders. After suggesting that Bernice call the Long Riders Guild to discuss membership, I began researching The Long Riders’ Guild and their mission. The Guild is a fantastic organization, which strives to bring together and memorialize the greatest riders, horses and equestrian journeys of the past, present and future.

The Long Riders' Guild is an invitation-only international association of equestrian explorers, representing men and women of all nations who have ridden more than 1,000 continuous miles on a single equestrian journey. It was formed in 1994 by CuChullaine O’Reilly, and has since pioneered the study of equestrian travel research and methodology. Using a world wide network of historical and equestrian contacts, The Long Rider's Guild has documented nearly 300 equestrian trips, gathered vital information on more than 275 Long Riders, and confirmed more than 822,000 documented miles traveled in the saddle.

Members currently reside in at least 32 countries, with varied languages, backgrounds, creeds, origins and religions. They do however share true love and compassion for the horse and equestrian travel. These Long Riders have collectively written more than a hundred books on equestrian travel and ridden on every continent except Antarctica.

I’m always on the lookout for new products, and after long conversations and emails with Basha O’Reilly, one of the founding Long Riders, I’m very proud to offer several books from the Long Riders’ Guild Press. Many of these historical books are on my personal reading list for this winter. At some point the world has to slow down long enough for all of us to enjoy a good book by the fire! (doesn’t it?)

I’ve just begun reading the first book on the list, Ride the Wind, the Amazing True Story of the Abernathy Boys by Miles Abernathy. It may be a week or two, but I’ll add a book review to the blog just as soon as I finish.

If you’d like more information on the Long Rider’s Guild, please visit their website. Whether you are Long Rider material or just aspire to be a better horseman, you’ll find a wealth of information.

Happy Trails!

Which Rifle Scabbard is Right for You?

2006-09-18T11:45:00.000-06:00

Bugling season has started and the store is busy with hunters looking for gear. One of the most popular pieces, of course, is a rifle scabbard. With three styles to choose from, I am often asked which one would be best.

Best Protection

My favorite rifle scabbard for protection is the Guardian Rifle Scabbard. We designed this scabbard to completely enclose a scoped hunting rifle. The butt of your rifle is not exposed to the elements and snow or pine needles will not collect on your rifle and scope when you pull it out. The Guardian is designed to be versatile. The flap can be zipped shut, buckled shut or even left open for easy access to your rifle. If you have a longer barrel or a larger scope, this is a great scabbard as it is large enough to accommodate barrels up to 30” and scopes up to 56mm. The scabbard is easy care, with a durable nylon cover and slick nylon liner.

Easy Care

For low maintenance in a traditional smaller style, there are also many open-ended rifle scabbards available in heavy nylon. These are made in the classic style that offers protection to the majority of your rifle, while the butt remains uncovered. Some of these, like the TrailMax Rifle Scabbard, are designed with a flap over the end and others are simply a slide-in style. The flap offers more security for your equipment, but it is a little more work to get to your rifle in a hurry. The slide-in style offers easy access to your weapon, but doesn’t offer much for keeping snow and debris off your equipment or your equipment in the scabbard, for that matter. But the choice is yours depending upon your needs.

Traditional Look

If you like a truly classic look, you can choose a Leather Rifle Scabbard. I recommend that you consider the following when choosing a leather rifle scabbard.

Quality of leather. Is it durable, well-oiled leather?

Shape of the scabbard. Is it designed to fit your rifle? Is it designed for a scope? Is it pre-molded so you don’t have to force your rifle into it?

Features. Does it have a protective lining for your scope? Many scabbards are lined with sheepskin; I prefer that only the scope area is lined, as once fleece is wet, that moisture stays within contact of the rifle barrel and is very difficult to dry. Does it have a flap or any additional protection for your rifle? Are the straps long enough to attach to your saddle the way you like?

Remember that leather requires more care than synthetic materials and you will want to clean and treat your rifle scabbard regularly to keep it in top condition. Leather scabbards can also be heavier. This can be a deciding factor if weight is an issue for you.

Bernice talks about her Thoroughbred, Honor, Part III

2006-09-13T09:23:00.000-06:00

Now you are probably wondering, “Why am I telling you all of this?” Because several remarks were made to me about how terrible Honor looked when we arrived in Minnesota. All I could think was she looked amazingly well for all she went through – 1300 miles we traveled. All I could think was that it was a blankety blank miracle we made it at all. Yes she was thin – we all were. I had to remind myself that it was ignorance because those that criticized have no idea what we’d gone through. From central Montana all through the Dakotas into Minnesota we had 6 weeks of 90 degree heat and up – unbearable heat. There were problems with her withers, problems with just riding on an unseasoned, not very strong, nervous horse, Claire’s terrible barbwire cut, my feet and again the heat.

We had to be up at 4 am to ride until 11 am, then off until 5-6 pm, then riding again until dark. We had a time restriction with weddings in Minnesota. I think I wanted to quit every day. So must have Claire and Honor. I walked many mornings with bundles of cut grass from beautiful wide ditches we walked along and I’d hold it so Honor could eat as we walked. I picked young field corn and did the same just to get more food into her. Each night, I bathed her back and massaged her. But one could not keep enough water in her, not with heat like that.

Our one month off while at my sister’s and brother-in-law’s home was a much needed time to rest and recoup. Another worming, corn, oats, a high protein feed, grass hay, alfalfa hay, grass and oil was fed in ample supplies. She’s filled out more than I’ve ever seen her. She looks strong. Her shoulders and back have muscled in and there’s a set of hind quarters on this horse to show any horse off. We rest today – this afternoon in Lake Park, Iowa off the side of the road, yards and homes (dogs) on one side – a farm implement business on the other. It is cool here under huge old oak trees and the breeze has just a hint of fall. Waconia to Lark Park, a little less than 200 miles, took us 10 easy days along the nicest riding roads – straight soft gravel roads with bountiful, luscious, smooth ditches full of alfalfa, clover and corn fields from which I now pick maturing corn twice a day. When we stop to ask for water, which is often three to four times per day, we rarely leave without our bags full of garden produce from these park like farms of white old farm houses, neatly mowed lawns and red barns. I would recommend Minnesota to anyone for a long ride – safe, nice traveling and very friendly, curious people the entire ride.

Last year’s ride, already so very different from this one (as I’m sure all rides will vary greatly) reminds me once again how little I know about the horse, how great the understanding can be. My brother-in-law has hunting dogs – bird dogs – way fast, never still dogs. I said to him I thought that perhaps these dogs would make good traveling dogs; they’d keep up so well. Of course, they would have to be trained not to hunt. His reply: “It would break their spirits.”

And I thought many would think the same about my taking a horse bred to race, whose spirit is meant to run, loading her with heavy weight and asking her to walk – quietly – thousands of miles. But I beg to differ. Come, follow along as we share between the three of us apples, carrots, bananas, crackers, plums, peaches. We share grass beds as she lies next to Claire and I. She stands quietly waiting for saddle and packs with a morning feed bag of oats and salt. She walks easily, looks around with interest and truly shows affection for both Claire and I with soft knickers and her desire to stand close to us. Perhaps I do know why I chose this horse. Because I knew without a doubt what I saw in this animal’s eyes was willingness. That is why I said, “OK, let’s try.”

Long Rider, Bernice Ende
Lake Park, Iowa

Bernice talks about her Thoroughbred, Honor, Part II

2006-09-12T15:37:00.000-06:00

The second week at the stable, she ran off through the barn and jumped over a little Ford tractor standing parked in the door way -- cuts and scrapes. How she came through with only that, I’ll never understand. Only with a lip chain was I able to clean her up and keep those wounds clean three times a day. What was good, however, from the situation -- if there is one -- is it gave me another opportunity to step even closer to her -- she had to trust me again and gain. Two weeks later I no longer needed the lip chain and the wounds were healing well. I set up a training schedule that went something like this: morning feed and brushing, ground work, leading, longing, saddling on and off, voice commands, plastic bags and scary obstacles. The morning would end with a massage and feeding.

In the afternoon, I took her for walks with my little pony (his name is “Little Pony”). We learned about hobbles, packs and being tied up and left alone.

The third week, I’d begun to ride her. Now something I rarely mentioned to anyone was her back. First the rain rot all along her shoulder, back and hips made her very sensitive to touch -- I could do a deep massage along her back and she’d sink to her knees. “Whoa!” most would think and so did I! But as I massaged more and more her back became less and less sensitive, so I just kept on rubbing oils onto her and she got better about her back. So I lay across her back before saddling her just to see what she’d do -- I took a milk crate and stood on it so I could just lie across her. Much to my surprise, she sunk like a wet noodle. I have never seen a horse bend their back like she did. I thought “Oh now what, my horse is a cripple.” Anyone would have called a vet in and had her x-rayed, etc. But I knew -- I just knew -- that
this horse had probably never had a person on her bareback,
the rain rot was a factor and
she moved too fluidly to have back problems.
So I kept going. When I used a saddle, there were no problems and no sign of weakness. Yet when I mounted bareback, I thought her belly would touch the
ground! So I started laying across her and I’d slap her belly with my right hand to encourage her to stand up straight (she was tied while I did this). How much weight does a racehorse carry in its racehorse world (60-80 pounds, maybe 100 pounds?) They only pick up the left lead; a right lead would be severely discouraged. They are trained to run in to the pressure of the bit, not yield to it. And one can only imagine what it must do to their psyche…the noise, the ringing bells, the loud speakers, the adrenaline rushes and the feed they are wired up on to run.

Today we crossed Interstate 90 heading south nearing Iowa. There are semis, heavy equipment on trailers, pickups and cars racing by us. The over pass is wide, but still a semi is a semi. She walked bravely, quietly even when in the middle of the over pass, semis were now racing under her, out of eyesight, making the earth shake beneath us. I am proud of her! It has been such a long haul with her and even as I reflect back to those early days with her -- the afternoons of dressage training, then an hour of climbing, then maybe road work and then maybe just let loose to run and stretch. It all seems so long ago. Yet many problems remain. She still paws, although it is better. She still gets oh so crazy when in heat and if any one of you out there can give me a “try this,” I am always willing to listen to something new. I consequently keep her from other horses. When I stop to ask for water or a place to camp, I choose homes without horses. If I stay at a fairground, I do it during the middle of the week. I believe she needs to unlearn her instincts and I believe it can be done -- a long process and much time to reverse old habits -- like us all. But I believe also I must approach this differently as I have a very unique situation with this horse. We are together 24/7. Her training continues everyday. She is now, I say with confidence, road safe, town and city safe. Four-wheelers, motorcycles, bicycles, llamas, pack of dogs, plastic bags waving on barbwire fences. We have ridden into pig farms smelling so strongly I wondered what other horse would do this. We pass turkey and chicken barns. Yesterday we rode in to the town of Windom, along a very busy highway, and once had to ride past a noisy, foul smelling meat packing plant. I thought what must this horse smell? Yet she handled it with the ease of a well-seasoned, long-distance, cross-country horse. We made our way through town to the fairground where although no horses were in sight, she could smell them and she
threw a fit in the stall. Had it lasted much longer, I’d have put hobbles on her. But these little tantrums last less and less. I don’t leave her sight, nor does Claire, until she has settled down.

Bernice talks about her Thoroughbred, Honor Part I

2006-09-07T14:40:00.000-06:00

We received a letter from Bernice last week in which she describes her experiences with her horse, Honor, thus far in the journey. For those of you who regularly follow Bernice, some of the information her may not be new, although she does expand on her earlier information.

August 25, 2006

I will be the first to admit my dear Honor is one of the most unsuitable horses to have purchased for a long ride! She is finicky, a “Miss Princess”, a high-strung Thoroughbred of Native Dancer lineage. She is hard to keep weight on, has a heat cycle that taker her to near unmanageability and is a challenge for me everyday. I sit here looking at her with a fly mask on and mosquito netting wrapped around her, picketed by a front leg, calmly eating thick, thick Minnesota grass, having now traveled with her nearly 1500 miles, I smile and am so very proud of her.

When Honor first came into my life, when we first laid eyes on one another, when I first ran my hands down her back, along her legs, as I listened to her breathing, she was a sorry sight to behold. To be perfectly honest, I do not have any idea why the first horse I looked at and the first ad in the paper I respond to, I have to go and say “yes, I’ll take her.” Perhaps it was just her poor condition that would not let me walk away from her…rain rot on her legs and back, worms, lice, terribly thin, standing there nervous, cold in the pouring down rain and ankle deep mud. Honor, I have come to learn, hates the rain on her back. Some horses seem to mind it not at all. She gets fussy, huddles down and is most uncomfortable.

I like to think of myself as a competent horsewoman. I take pride in my skills and seek always to improve my skills and relationship with the horse. But nothing, no horse has ever posed more of a challenge.

The background information I do have on Honor is like this. She raced as a 4-5 year old -- lost, lost, lost -- was sold to a good farm as many are, sold to another good farm, got passed around (the last being “She’s too aggressive around the other horses. We can’t keep her.”). A horse trader in Washington had picked her up for a nickel or dime, put a little -- very little -- time on her and “turned her around.”

So what did I know about Thoroughbreds, let alone Thoroughbreds off the track? How did I know the problems that would come with a horse that has been trained to pump up, pump up and spring like a loaded sling shot? She has no ground manners. She still has a hard time standing still when she’s nervous. She paws until I put hobbles on to make her stand. When she’s in heat, she can throw a tizzy around other horses.

The first night in the stall where I’d brought her to begin training she rocked back and forth, back and forth, then circled round and round, repeating this over and over until hunger got the best of her. She could not stand to be brushed, nor wanted her legs handled. She wouldn’t eat and acted like she was in heat -- always.

So the first step, of course, was to address health issues. This was the 1st of February and I had 3 months to not only resurrect this horse, but get her trained for a long ride. So I moved into the stable! I knew I’d need to work with her all day. She needed to hear my voice at night, she needed handling and lots and lots of contact. I did an extensive worming program that I carried out over a 2 month period. I brought in good orchard grass hay. Her feed was mixture of corn, oats, flax seed, sunflower seeds, wheat germ oil, sea salt, vitamins, carrots and apples. I don’t think Honor has ever been abused. She doesn’t behave like a horse that has been beaten, but rather like a horse that’s never been disciplined.

Attaching a Rifle Scabbard, Bow Scabbard or Camp Tool Scabbard to your Saddle

2006-09-05T13:38:00.000-06:00

There isn't just one right way to attach a gun scabbard to your saddle. I have seen rifle scabbards slung on horses many different ways. Just watch a few old John Wayne movies and you will see leather rifle scabbards on the (near) left side of the horse and on the off (right) side, stock forward and stock facing toward the rear. Whichever way you choose, the most important thing is that it works for you.

Rifle Scabbards and Shotgun Scabbards
I personally hang my rifle scabbard on the off-side of the horse. The butt is toward the front at about horn height and the rifle barrel angled slightly toward the back. Here's why:

The barrel of the rifle extends under my stirrup leather and I never know it's there.
This keeps the weight on the front quarters of the horse where he can carry it best.
I hang my rifle scabbard on the off-side of my horse so that on the off chance I should spot game while in the saddle, I can pull my rifle out before I dismount.

Also, if you hang the gun scabbard on the near side of the horse, it adds that much more weight to tip the saddle when mounting. Hanging the gun scabbard on the off-side can help offset your weight when mounting.

If you use an open-ended leather or nylon rifle scabbard and hang it with the butt toward the rear, be aware that your rifle could end up missing. I have heard many stories where folks have found their rifle way back on the trail (or not at all) because they never knew it had been snagged on a branch and yanked out of the gun scabbard.

In terms of actual attachment, most rifle scabbards have two sets of straps. I loop the strap by the butt of the rifle through the gullet of my saddle. I attach the lower strap to my flank cinch dee ring. If you want to attach your rifle scabbard with the butt toward the rear, attach the upper strap to any available dee ring on the back of your saddle. Or, if you don’t have rings, tie the scabbard on by running your saddle strings through the strap on the scabbard. Then attach the lower strap to the front rigging ring. These are just suggestions. Most scabbards will have straps long enough to offer you many options of attachment to position your rifle scabbard where you want it.

Bow Scabbards
When hanging a bow scabbard on my saddle, I secure it to the rear of the saddle behind the cantle and angle it slightly forward so that my bow is facing toward the rear with the quiver to the outside. I prefer this attachment so that my horse is free to turn tightly to the right without being hindered by the bow. And once again, the weight of the bow and bow scabbard are on the opposite side from me when I mount the horse, helping to offset my weight as I mount and dismount.

I use my saddle strings in the rear to tie the bow scabbard on through the upper straps. My wife’s saddle has rings on the back, so she loops the straps through these rings. I attach the lower straps to my front rigging ring.

Pack Saws and Camp Axes
I prefer to attach my saw scabbard with the saw handle tied to the back strings and the blade coming just under my leg. I usually pack my camp axe on my pack mule to the outside of a mantied load, but you can certainly attach it to your saddle if you prefer an axe. An axe sheath is designed with rings to tie your saddle strings to. This hangs the axe at an angle where it is easy to secure the handle out of your way. And, as always, I prefer to hang my pack saw on the off side of the horse.

Balance the Load
Wherever you decide to hang your rifle scabbard, bow scabbard or pack saw scabbard on your saddle, it is important to balance the weight loaded on your horse. Since you have just added weight to one side of the saddle, be sure to offset it by adding as much weight to the other side. You can do this by packing heavier items in the horn bags or horse saddlebags on the opposite side from your scabbard. Be sure to weigh your scabbard so you know how much extra weight it adds to better offset it. Remember that horses carry weight best over their withers, so the more weight you can get up front, the better.

Be Seen!

2006-08-30T12:57:00.000-06:00

It’s that time of year again. Hunting season has begun (or will soon) and safety is on everyone’s mind. What’s the best way to be safe? BE SEEN! What’s the best way to ensure that you are visible? ORANGE!

There are some easy ways to add orange to your gear so that you can enjoy the backcountry and be seen. The most obvious is to wear orange yourself. An easy way to do this without much additional expense is with an orange safety vest worn over your usual clothes. Orange hat and helmet covers are also available.

The next way is to put orange on your horse. Get some orange on his head with an orange halter, like the TrailMax Packer’s Halter. Wrap his neck with an orange neck wrap. Tie orange safety ribbon in his tail. If you use leg wraps or sports medicine boots on your horse, get a pair in orange or another loud color.

Another way to add orange is to get orange saddle accessories. TrailMax Horse Saddlebags and horn bags are offered in orange in both original and junior sizes. In fact the entire line of TrailMax products are available in orange for your safety.

If you are a packer, orange gear is readily available. Ralide-West HorsePac and ProPac panniers are both available in orange. TrailMax Decker Style and Sawbuck Style Top Packs are also available in orange. We also offer an orange pack pad from Diamond Wool.

Already have your packing equipment in another color? That’s OK. The TrailMax Packer’s Rain Cover is available in orange. It will protect your entire load from inclement weather and make you extremely visible.

Hunters…want to add some additional orange to your set up? The Guardian Rifle Scabbard is offered in orange. Protect your scoped hunting rifle and yourself at the same time.

TrailMax Saddle Panniers and the TrailMax Pack-A-Saddle are both available in orange. Use your western riding saddle as a pack saddle with either type of saddle panniers. Ride in and pack out and BE SEEN doing it.

Here in Montana (and in many other areas of the country as well I am sure), fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year to be in the backcountry. There is no reason not to enjoy it, with a couple extra precautions. And it is easy to be safe if you are willing to BE SEEN.

How much weight can my horse carry? Part II

2006-08-24T11:34:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the delay. With hunting season right around the corner, we are so busy that it is tough to find time to get to the blog. Here are some additional points I wanted to make on the remaining factors regarding how much weight your horse can carry.

Live Weight versus Dead Weight
Additionally, it is important to remember that live weight (i.e. a rider) rides differently than dead weight (i.e. a pack load of any kind) and the 20% rule doesn’t necessarily apply to live weight. A rider can move and shift in the saddle to compensate for rough terrain and can get off and walk. A good rider is also easier for a horse to carry than an inexperienced one. An experienced rider in a good fitting saddle on a fit horse could be fine on a long, tough ride, even if the combined weight of saddle and rider is more than 20% of the animal’s body weight.

Packing the Load
Dead weight, on the other hand, does not have the ability to adjust to terrain changes and, therefore, must be carefully packed to stay put and be comfortable for the animal to carry regardless of conditions. Unfortunately, there are no hard and fast rules on how to pack a load. It depends upon what you are packing, what pack equipment you are using, your animal and all of the other conditions listed above. However, there is one rule to always bear in mind…equal size, equal weight and equal weight distribution. If you follow this rule, you should generally have less trouble packing a load.

Equal size. It is easier to balance a load that is the same size on each side. This is easy with panniers and saddlebags, which have a fixed size. It is more difficult with mantied loads. This is one reason I recommend panniers to beginning packers.
Equal weight. Any kind of load should be balanced from one side to the other. This means that if your panniers, saddlebags or horn bags do not weigh the same, you need to balance the lighter side by hanging something else off of that side such as your rifle scabbard, pack saw, camp axe or another such item.
Equal weight distribution. Try to pack each pannier, saddlebag or horn bag so that the weight is distributed evenly throughout. Do not pack all of the grain in the front of one pannier and your down sleeping bag in the back.
Additionally, while weight rides better and is carried better higher up the animal’s sides, be careful not to make a load top heavy. Remember the top pack is meant for bulky, lightweight items.

Saddles
Both pack saddles and riding saddles need to fit well to be effective and not cause additional problems. A poor fitting saddle will not properly distribute weight across the horse's back. If the fit is particularly bad, it can cause sore muscles or even open wounds. Before loading any weight on your animal, be sure to double check the fit and condition of your saddle.

Saddlebags
When loading saddlebags, the weight and ability of the rider should be factored with the horse's size and condition as well as with the fit of the saddle. An inexperienced rider can unknowingly throw the horse off balance and too much extra weight will make recovery more difficult. Additionally, poorly designed saddlebags can hang too low or constantly shift, which can irritate your horse and put extra strain on him.

No simple answer
There is never a black and white answer to the question “How much weight can my horse carry?” The answer always has to found on an individual basis considering the factors mentioned above. As I said, most of these items are simply common sense, but so many of the "horror" stories that I have been told over the years could have easily been prevented if the people involved had just critically and honestly judged their animals (and themselves) against this list.

How much weight can my horse carry? Part I

2006-08-18T11:23:00.000-06:00

I hear this question often in reference to all manner of weight: the rider, western saddlebags, horn bags, pack loads, etc. There is no simple answer. Just like humans, some horses will be able to comfortably carry more weight than others and each animal needs to be evaluated individually.

Factors to consider
For every ride you plan, you should take the following into account when determining each animal’s load size.

Size and weight of animal
Health and general state of the animal
Conditioning and fitness of the animal
Conformation of the animal
Attitude of the animal
Age of animal
Size, fit and weight of the riding/pack saddle
Ability of the riding/pack saddle to distribute weight across the animal’s back
Weight of the rider or pack load
Ability of the rider
Design of the packs or horse saddlebags
Distance of the ride
Type of terrain
Altitude
Temperature and weather conditions

Many of these are self explanatory, but I do want to touch on some important points.

Individual Assessment
I can not stress enough that you have to know your animal and for every trip you need to evaluate at least the animal’s condition as well as the distance, temperature and terrain and base your load weight on those factors.

A long ride on uneven terrain at the height of summer requires animals in peak condition. An animal should also be given time to acclimate to a change in altitude. Humans are not the only ones who can suffer from altitude sickness. If your animal is not up to the task you are asking of him, you may be endangering not only his life, but yours as well.

To pack a heavy load, an animal needs to be in good health. This doesn't just refer to whether or not he has a cold, but whether his feet are in good condition and properly shod or trimmed, whether he has any bites or sores in spots where they could be irritated by the gear and whether he is well rested and prepared for the trip ahead. Good fitness means your animal should be regularly and well-exercised.

As examples of individual assessments, I once owned a tough, raw-boned mule named Henry. Henry only weighed about 1100 pounds, but he could pack a 250 pound load for 15 miles in hot weather and dance the whole way. However, I currently have a mule, Daisy, who is pushing 35 and would be retired if she didn’t pitch such a fit when she gets left behind. Daisy’s loads typically weigh in at maybe 15% of her body weight. We all walk a little slower to accommodate her and I keep her in mind when deciding how far we’ll go each day.

Percentage of body weight
When packers ask me how much weight they can safely pack on a horse or mule, I give them the basic rule of thumb of 20% of the animal's body weight. Once again, this depends on all of the factors in the list above.

Conformation
The animal's conformation can be a factor in how well your pack load or horse saddlebags ride. For instance, a low withered animal will need to be packed carefully and evenly because even a minor difference from one side to the other can cause the saddle to constantly shift as you go down the trail. At best, this is an inconvenience causing you to constantly adjust. At worst, the saddle could slip completely and cause a wreck. In another example, a short-backed horse may not be able to carry large western saddlebags as they will sit uncomfortably too far back on the horse's rump.

Which panniers should I use? Part II

2006-08-15T15:43:00.000-06:00

When deciding on panniers for your pack saddle set up, there are two basic types to choose from: hard panniers and soft panniers. Last time, we discussed the pros and cons of various styles of hard panniers. Below I have described several styles of soft panniers.

Soft Panniers
Soft panniers are lighter weight and flexible and can, therefore, be useful for the odd shaped loads you might have on your horse pack trip. To protect fragile items from bumps, you can add a pannier insert, like the Ralide-West PolyPac Insert, to many types of soft panniers. Pannier inserts also provide a stable platform for using a top pack.

Probably the most classic soft pannier is one made from canvas and leather. The TrailMax Canvas and Leather Panniers look great going down the trail, but the leather on them requires more care and makes them non-machine washable. If the pack bag has leather ends, it may have more stability and offer more protection than one without, but once again, a pannier insert is the best way to get structure and protection for your contents.

Our New TrailMax Canvas Panniers also offer you a traditional look for an economical price. Canvas panniers also have the added benefit of being machine washable. These soft saddle packs are also sized for use with the PolyPro Pannier Inserts to give them stability and protect your contents.

We had many requests for a pannier that could carry a big cooler, so we designed the TrailMax Oversized Canvas and Vinyl Panniers. These soft pack panniers are canvas on the outside and vinyl on the inside. These panniers are perfect for coolers up to about 70-quarts or your large duffel loads like camp furniture, tents, sleeping bags and sleeping pads. Because of the vinyl lining and soft shape, they also make terrific meat bags and are completely machine washable. These panniers offer a lot of room, so be careful not to overload them. And realize that you will be wider than normal going down the trail.

Soft panniers are also available in Cordura-type nylon, like in our Pack-A-Saddle Saddle Panniers. Cordura is lightweight, durable, economical and easy to care for. The Pack-A-Saddle is a complete pack system that includes panniers, pannier inserts and top pack. It is also convertible so that you can use it on your pack saddle or convert it to use on your riding saddle. When using it on your riding saddle, like all saddle panniers, you can also roll them up and tie them on behind your saddle so you can ride in and walk a load out.

Iron Cloth Pack Bags, or Utah-Style Pack Bags as they are sometimes called, are great for packing meat out. They are made from ballistic material, a type of heavy-duty woven fabric that is breathable and washable. Their unique shape (tall and wide, but not very deep) and design (no lid) makes them well suited for this type of load but not many other pack loads.

What panniers do I use?
When I go on a pack trip, I typically pack 2-3 mules. I will pack 1-2 mules with HorsePac panniers and ProPac panniers with my kitchen gear and food. I then use top packs for my duffel type gear. The third pack mule is packed with a mantied load because manties are flexible for large, odd-shaped items and are very handy to have around camp. When I hunt, I use a set of the Oversized Canvas and Vinyl panniers. They are perfect for packing out elk quarters.

So to choose pack panniers, I suggest that you assess the gear you want to bring in, your animals, the terrain you will be traveling in or through, etc. Then choose the panniers that best fit your needs, your tastes and will make your next horse pack trip the most enjoyable.

Which panniers should I use? Part I

2006-08-15T08:30:00.000-06:00

So you are ready to start packing. You’ve got your pack horse or pack mule. You have chosen a Decker Pack Saddle or a Sawbuck Pack Saddle. You have chosen your pack pad. Now it is time to choose the panniers. But which ones? Below I have outlined some options and have also let you know what I like to use when I go on a horse pack trip.

Types of Pack Panniers
There are several styles of pack saddle panniers (or saddle packs, as I have sometimes heard them called) which can be quickly grouped as either hard panniers or soft panniers. Hard panniers, as the name suggested, are a box type carrier made from a solid material like wood, aluminum or molded plastic. Soft panniers are more of a bag style made from materials such as canvas, leather, vinyl, etc.

Hard Panniers
Each material used in hard panniers has its pros and cons.
Wood is solid and strong, but heavy. Wooden pack boxes are usually mantied. Also wood is porous and can take on water and may shatter more easily in a wreck than other types of hard panniers.
Aluminum panniers are lighter weight, but are also noisy and dent easily when banged against trees and rocks. Once dented, it can be difficult to reshape them back to their original form, which can prohibit your lid from fitting correctly again.
Molded plastics are lightweight, but tough and can be shaped to fit the animal’s body. They seem to survive wrecks as well, if not better, than the other types of materials. These panniers are strong enough to be used as a step stool or seat in camp and some models are designed to convert to a table or flat work surface. I personally prefer hard panniers made from molded plastic.

Molded plastic hard panniers
There are three types of molded plastic hard panniers: horse shaped, box shaped and bear resistant. Horse-shaped pack boxes, like our Ralide-West HorsePacs, are curved in the back to follow the shape of your pack animal’s ribs. These panniers hang straighter on the animal and, therefore, provide you with a slightly narrower load and a flatter shelf for your top pack. We have recently redesigned the Ralide-West HorsePac Pannier with molded handles and to double as a table or flat work surface with the purchase of a pannier leg set. However, the curved shape of these boxes affects the amount and shape of the packing space available inside the pannier. You have to work around the curve and large, square items may not fit as well in these pack boxes.

Box-shaped panniers, on the other hand, like our Ralide-West ProPacs, are rectangular in shape, which can simplify packing your gear on a horse pack trip. These panniers are large enough for a smaller wall tent stove like the Riley Side Kick. However, the rectangular shape does not lay flat against the animal, so your pack load is a little wider going down the trail and the pack boxes ride at more of an angle. This means the tops of the boxes will not be as flat, but your top pack will ride just fine.

Bear Resistant Panniers (sometimes known as Bear “Proof” Panniers, although this is misleading) are designed with lids that are inset and screwed down to keep bears from being able to pry the lid off. These panniers are often required by the Forest Service in areas with high bear populations to prevent bears from getting into human food and becoming habituated and a nuisance or danger to humans. If you travel through or camp in these areas without bear resistant panniers, you will need to hang your food to prevent bears from getting into it (100 feet from the tent, about 15 high between two trees). These panniers are shaped like our HorsePac panniers and therefore, ride well.

Next time, I'll talk about your options for soft panniers.

Wendy stays with some Vermont farmers

2006-08-11T15:11:00.000-06:00

I have to say Serendipity continued to follow me on my journey. One very rainy day I found myself in Sheffield thinking it would be great to find a roof for the night. Some folks told me of a farm up the mountain that breeds Walking Horses. So, up the mountain we went, the fog falling behind us into the valley below. It seemed like we rode forever- it always seems like that when it's pouring however- and finally we came around a corner to find a very well cared for, well built horse operation. We ambled up the driveway, to find the two owners, Tim and Ann Leverette, sitting on their porch, and when I told them what I was up to, they invited me in, put Jolie in a luxurious stall- after a ventilin bath of course- and let me loose in their shower and then led me to their laundry room. The result: Clean pants-sort of.
Later, when we began to talk of origins, Ann mentioned she'd sold a horse to a fellow over in Shelburne- where we began the journey. Not only did I know the fellow but he had actually given me Tim and Ann's address should I get to Sheffield. I had forgotten the paper with their name, and I ended up in Sheffield only because the roads led me there....I spent a few days at the farm and got the opportunity to ride one of their fabulous horses. I'd never ridden a Walker before and it was like getting on a Ferrari after riding a Mack truck (sorry, Jolie). The ground covering ossibilities are astonishing... It was from the Leverettes that I first learned about the aforementioned Wind Project and as I rode I heard more and more about it, because everyone in the region is going to be effected.
The Nelson farm in the Albany/ Lowell region is another extraordinary spot just below the ridgeline of the Lowell Mountains, where more windmills are planned. Their farm is on the Bailey-Hazen trail, an old road built during the revolution- It was planned to run all the way to Canada but the builders stopped at Hazen's notch because of fears of Indian Ambush and also with the realization that if they opened a road to Canada it would make it easier for the enemy to attack from the north... Don and Shirley Nelson milked cows for 30 years and raised their children on the farm. Don mentioned that he didn't love milking but that he did love animals. He told stories about his "boys"- raccoons he raised, and led me out to the barn to watch as he stroked and fed a wild one who comes in for his supper at night. He also told stories of a young deer a friend had asked him to keep during hunting season. I guess it was a fawn whose mother had died, and who had been raised with cows. After hunting season ended they let the deer out of the barn and he began to wander off. So Don and Shirley put bread and other deer-loving snacks in the back of the car and followed him until he noticed they had food. Then they opened the hatch-back and he jumped in! They said he rode between them in the car like a dog. Eventually I guess the game warden came for him because he was bothering fisherman, and tangling their lines...and so he vanished.
That's it for now. If I haven't said it before, I would just like to say that during this trip it was wonderful to be out of touch with the rather grim news of the world, and to experience instead the generosity and goodness of people. I would like to thank everyone who helped me on my way. It made the journey into something very special, and connected me to people I would never have had the opportunity to meet.
More later... Best, Wendy

Wendy taking a break

2006-08-10T15:07:00.000-06:00

Hi,

I'm at home for the next few weeks, spending some time with my family and theoretically waiting for the weather to cool off. The thing is it's a perfect riding temperature right now-which is unusual for August-and it's hard to not just get up early in the morning, pack up and head out again. Horse travel gets into your blood and it's difficult to stop once you and your horse establish a rhythm. Jolie looks at me expectantly these days, and though I'm riding her hard everyday to keep her in shape, I think she might be missing the road as well.

Jolie had two behavior changes on this trip: She used to hate fly spray and would get wildly alarmed when I sprayed her legs or any part of her body really. But one day she was attacked by flies so badly-we were in dairy country and cows seem to generate zillions of the face fly variety-that she suddenly understood why I was spraying her-it was stunning to watch as she seemed to say to herself "O.K. now I get it" and then she suddenly relaxed and stood still. And so now she seems to breathe a sigh of relief when I appear with my spray bottle.

The other behavior was a surprise and also lucky. I had let her loose in a field one morning, something spooked her and she took off running toward the road. There was nothing I could do but call her and, amazingly, she turned around and came galloping back to me. This is a horse that never came when called- unless food was involved... Even though we have encountered nine million of them, large rocks still make her suspicious. Crouching lions, I suppose. I'm not sure if she'll ever get over that one.

My trip from Danville took me up through the beautiful Northeast Kingdom hill farms and forests north to the St. Johnsbury/Lyndonville area. Then we were on to Sheffield, Barton, Albany, Lowell, Westfield, Montgomery, Bakersfield, E. Fairfield and Fletcher- where we stopped. I encountered wonderful people and stayed on some extraordinary farms-big ones for the East- 800 acres, 650 acres-high green pastures, pine trees and mountain ridges. The Ridges are controversial in the Kingdom because there's a plan to put several large industrial wind farms on some of them. On first hearing, wind sounds benign enough, but these projects are slated to place miles of 450' towers with red lights on top along the most beautiful mountains in the state. They'll be visible for miles in all directions. When I learned that changing 5 lightbulbs in every home would save what they would generate in a year, and that the only benefits to the locals are revenues that don't amount to much, comparatively, and they don't get the benefits of the energy.....well you can imagine where I've landed on the issue. It seems to me that Industrial wind should be located in windy industrial places...not in beautiful rural regions...

to be continued

Wendy's stories from the campground

2006-08-09T10:33:00.000-06:00

I guess the last time I wrote, I was taking a break in E. Montpelier. From there I rode with two wonderful folks – Brenda and Morris Lasell – over to Groton State Park, one of two campgrounds in Vermont that takes horses. The route was along a very flat and shady rail trail which carried us for about 20 miles high on the sides of the hills. The park was great except that the water was laced with uranium in the horse area...which was declared not potable for humans but fine for horses. I didn't want Jolie to glow in the dark, so I managed to get water from another well on the grounds.

I camped for two days there, and the first night I realized that it was obvious to others that I was alone. When you're tucked back in a field somewhere, it's easy to make yourself invisible, but in an organized campground it's not. So that first night I was a little restless and alert because there was a group of men cruising around on Harley's and though I don't want to make any judgments, there were 3 of them and 1 of me. The next night I felt pretty comfortable and settled down for a good sleep when a couple drove in and took the campsite next to mine. They lit a roaring fire and because the crackling sounds and the smell of the smoke were soothing, I began to slip off into a beautiful dreamlike state. Suddenly though, I began to hear some fairly questionable sighs and rumblings and realized that my neighbors were "starting in" (so to speak) and soon they began to make such an expressive racket that I began to worry about the children in the campground. This went on for hours, very loudly. It was hilarious in a way- except that I'm sure I was not the only one in the place who couldn't get to sleep. I figured that when the whole thing ended there'd finally be some quiet, but no – the fellow began to talk in a very deep and booming voice. And so, after covering my ears with as much clothing and baggage as I could find, tossing and turning, and grinding my teeth, I decided I'd had it. The moon was still up, no signs of dawn, no birdsong, I caught Jolie, packed up and rode away...which turned out to be a bad idea, because I missed a crucial turn and ended up riding a good 10 miles out of my way...and as dawn came the first of the day's storms came with it.

There were 4 that day. One came with a particularly violent tornado-like wind that blew the roof off a building in Barnet- the next town over. I hid out in a dairy shed during that one, talking to the drenched farmer and his wife who had been trying to get their hay in before the deluge....As the next one hit I was riding by a tidy farm that had a ranch gate over the entrance-so I made for the barn and fell asleep in the hay while Jolie snoozed and the rain clattered on the tin roof. Later, the owner showed up and we had a nice chat about his dreams of riding from Maine to the Dakotas...sounds like a good idea to me. I ended that day quite late on a beautiful tidy hill farm in Danville with views of the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

To be continued.....Best, Wendy

Bernice's adventures in Minnesota

2006-08-08T16:21:00.000-06:00

Mary Jo Blend gave me my second ride out of Hettinger, ND on Highway 12. I stayed at Hettinger after the Gilies dropped me off at the fairgrounds and a number of local horsewomen found out about me. Fourth of July was just around the corner and my time was fast running out. I only had two weeks to cover a lot of distance.

From Mobridge, SD on it got nothing but hotter and hotter and hotter. Drought conditions, but like Keith Gilie said they don’t know what “no water is” – yes, the crops were behind, but there were crops and even with the absence of water, it was still green, the ditcher were thick with alfalfa, clover, buffalo grasses. I let Honor eat as we moved. The ditches along Highway 12 were mowed (hayed) wide and smoother, very little glass and South Dakota is very pastoral, quiet and flatter than any other part of the country I’ve yet ridden through. We no longer saw cowboy hats, but rather caps with a John Deere emblem or a name of a town. We met many, many people along that stretch of the ride – all very friendly and curious about the ride.

I did not realize Minnesota was home to a large hog industry – huge, long, white hog sheds housing thousands of pigs all automatically fed. Unfortunately, there is the smell no matter how pretty the farms and landscaping was, it still had a strong odor through the entire western half of the Minnesota ride. But one must expect some smell. Coming from a dairy background, I’m quite familiar with farming practices. And for the most part, these new farming techniques are efficient and very clean.

I was tipped off about the Luce Line Trail that runs from Cosmos, MN into the cities (Minneapolis) and it was a lifesaver to be off the hot roads on a shaded, soft green RR track turned trail. We had cool lakes for poor Claire and even my shoes came off to walk on the grass. We were able to walk/ride two entire days, something we had not been able to do for week as the temperatures were every day in the high 90’s and 100’s. On Friday, July 14th, we were getting close to our Waconia destination; New Germany just ahead. At the T-Road Bar, I stopped for a beer and water for Honor. Of course, when one rides up on a fully packed traveling horse, heads turn, questions flow and rarely do I buy my own beer. Some one trotted off to fetch Honor grain. A bucket of water appeared from nowhere and before we left, we’d made many friends and the TV station from Minneapolis was on our tail.

Honor is now road safe – semis, trains, heavy equipment do not bother her. We left Montana still pretty iffy and now, two and a half months later, we are a tight group that has it down and will only get better as we travel the country, hill and dale, together. One horse, one dog, one woman.

We leave August 15th for New Mexico. The horizon calls to me, but first a good rest. Many, many thanks to all of those that helped make this part of the ride possible. There are so many that fed us, gave us a clean shirt or a place to camp. We met hundreds of interesting, generous people – to each my deep appreciation and sincere Thank You’s.

Bernice

Letter from Bernice Ende

2006-08-07T16:17:00.000-06:00

July 24th, 2006

Greetings to all!

Well, we arrived July 14th – late after 11pm making my family all quite anxious. All very tired with sore feet and wary from having to push thru the awful hear that pursued us from Forsyth, MT to Waconia, MN. Most days we rode from 4am to 11 am, then rested as best we could as bugs (all of which bit) and melting heat made it so uncomfortable. Then back on the road from 6pm until dark. But all in all it was a very interesting ride. Challenges that arose were met with more confidence, more to draw from with last year’s experience behind me.

The saddle and saddle bags are holding up wonderfully – great – no rips, no zippers have given out. I rave about the ease and durability of the bags. They tie down solid and wash out without soap. They are, of course, faded and stained in places but holding up very well. All seams are holding even through my brutality with them. They are truly put to the test with this much packing and unpacking as each day I pack and unpack at least 3 times. The Tucker Saddle no longer has a nice new polished look to it. After 1200 miles, it is well broke in, stirrups are set, fenders are soft. It has been from the beginning a comfortable, lightweight saddle. I’ve never regretted using it. I’ve added a crupper as the saddle needed to be held back off Honor’s high, narrow withers. With the crupper and breastcollar I’m now far happier – as is Honor – with how the weight of the saddle, pads and myself ride. We are in and out of ditches. Perhaps it is not mountainous riding, but the saddle gets shifted a great deal.

Eastern Montana was historically very interesting. So very much happened that helped shape this country during the 1800’s – the Indian wars, early pioneers and the now ghost towns that were once thriving communities that simple sank once the RR’s were discontinued. Yet the flavor of the Wild West, cowboys, open space and freedom still remains. We traveled highway 20 from Mobridge to the Minnesota border. Small towns dotted the entire ride across South Dakota. We no longer had plentiful creeks and rivers which meant stopping to ask for water at least 3 times per day. This meant longer stops for visits but it also meant we were generously supplied with food – for all us.

We fell behind – heat, sore shoulders and so much visiting put us far behind schedule. We caught three rides – one in Forsyth with the Gilies, Vicki and Keith, who were ranchers I met while staying in a corral north of town. They also took me on a cattle drive using one of their horses. I came away with a much greater appreciation for the skill it requires to move 200 head of cattle – not only rider, but horse. The terrain is anything but smooth. Those horses had to be fast, surefooted and able to withstand the roughed pitching, jumping and turning required of them to maneuver run away calves. Vicki has a beautiful line of colored Quarter Horses matched with excellent confirmation and nice dispositions.
to be continued

Wendy Copp sends word

2006-08-04T10:09:00.000-06:00

We received another email from Wendy Copp. We had asked her a while back to tell us what she packs in her saddlebags because we knew many of you out there following her travels would be curious about what she carries. She has obliged us in her most recent email.

Wow, it's been a long time since I've even seen a computer. Most of the folks I've stayed with have ones that are so slow and ancient that they don't bother trying to use them.
I'm taking a break during this excruciatingly hot weather. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't ride in it anyway because it's too humid, the bugs are atrocious and the air never cools off. So Jolie and I are going to take a rest for a while.
Let’s see. My saddle is a custom made endurance saddle made by a fellow named Fred Pokrinchak. It weighs only 14 pounds and has a flexible panel tree, which seems to be working beautifully. I replaced the fenders with ones made by Torsion, and also exchanged the nylon billets with leather ones. I use two pads – a wool felt one and a wool blanket. They've worked well, except that they don't stay in place when I'm off my horse walking down steep hills. I use a mohair string girth.

I'm carrying about 42 pounds in my saddle bags-12 pounds in front, when my water bottles are full- and 30 pounds in back. I've packed a tent, sleeping bag, airflow mattress, D-cell battery fence charger, 4 fence poles cut into 3 pieces with connectors attached, 4 insulators and enough hot tape to make a small 25 x 25 paddock, first aid equipment for both Jolie and I, toiletries, leatherman, headlamp, pepper spray, rain poncho, really good rain pants and jacket, portable water bucket, tape recorder and notebook, about 5 pounds of grain, combination curry/brush, hoofpick, mane comb, insect repellent for horse and human, food for me (jerky, nuts, fruit, bread, cheese yogurt, etc. I've been able to replenish my food at the occasional little store I come across, or at the various farms where people have invited me in), 2 pairs of socks, 3 underwear, extra t-shirt and long sleeved shirt, 1 pair of pants and 1 extra horseshoe. I think that's everything. I didn't bring a stove because I just didn't have any more room. The leatherman and headlamp have been
particularly indispensable.
You might notice that my hat looks a bit peculiar...it’s because I'm wearing a detachable sun visor which has been great in both bright sun and pouring rain. People have told me I look like a traveling gardener, a pic (?) or a samurai. The thing seems to be a Rorschach test of sorts. All I know is that it works really well!
I've attached a recent photo and will tell you of my travels in my next installment...tomorrow, I think. Hope all is well with you,
Best, Wendy

Waterproofing a Canvas Wall Tent

2006-08-03T09:59:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year. Hunters are getting ready for the season and pulling out all their gear to check it, including their wall tents.

If you feel that you need to retreat your canvas wall tent for waterproofing, there are right ways and wrong ways to approach it. You should purchase a product made specifically for this purpose, such as Canvak. People have used other products in the past, such as Thompsons Water Seal or other types of wood sealants. But these are not intended for waterproofing canvas tents and are consequently, inappropriate products for treating a fiber that should be able to breathe.

To use Canvak, set up your tent on its frame. Make sure it is clean and dry. You can then apply the Canvak like you would paint: roll it on, spray it on or brush it on. Let it dry. The can suggests 1 gallon for each 100 square feet of canvas. It seems to take a little more than this, so be sure to buy more than you think you need to save yourself two trips or two shipping charges.
For those of you who own a Montana Canvas wall tent, you should not have to worry about retreating your tent, as long as you take care of it. Montana Canvas uses only canvas that is pretreated for water resistancy (as well as mildew and fire retardancy) and as long as the tent is taken care of, that treatment should be effective for the life of the tent.

Taking care of your canvas wall tent means making sure that it is absolutely dry before storing it. It also means taking care of it while it’s in use. I recommend using a tent fly with any tent, wall tent or other, made of any material, canvas or nylon. A tent fly does many things that both protect your investment and make your camp more enjoyable:

Why do I need a Wall Tent fly?

It further shields you against rain and snow by protecting the roof of your Wall Tent and extending the dripline an additional 12” from the sides of the Wall Tent so that precipitation will not run down the walls of the tent.
It helps insulate your Wall Tent by preventing heat from escaping through the roof.
It protects the roof of your Wall Tent against damaging ultraviolet rays, debris from the trees, etc., as well as from interior condensation.
A fly can keep a canvas tent much drier. A damp or wet canvas tent weighs more and will take longer to dry out when you get home.

For those of you with a Montana Canvas Wall Tent with Relite, you also should not have to retreat the Relite. A can of All-Dri is sent with your tent simply to spray on the seams to fill in the holes made by sewing the tent together. Once this is done, you should not have to treat your Relite Wall Tent again.

Is Relite a good material for a wall tent?

2006-07-26T14:34:00.000-06:00

It's wall tent season again and we have had lots of people calling to order their wall tent in time for late summer camping and hunting season. We have also had lots of people asking, as they do every year, about the Relite fabric option in our wall tents. So here is some information to help you decide about which fabric will best serve your needs in a Montana Canvas wall tent:

Montana Canvas Wall Tent Material Comparison
Montana Canvas Wall Tents are available in two materials: 100% Canvas and 100% Relite. Both materials are pretreated to be flame retardant, water resistant and mildew resistant and meet the California Fire Marshall specifications. Montana Canvas also offers a Montana Blend wall tent where the roof is made of canvas and the side walls of Relite.
Canvas. Canvas is the traditional material for wall tents. The canvas used by Montana Canvas is available in 10 oz and 12 oz weights (10 oz is the most popular). Because it is 100% cotton, canvas is especially good at absorbing some of the interior condensation created by drying clothes or boiling water, while also retaining heat well. The weight of canvas helps it billow less in a stiff wind. A canvas wall tent provides excellent shelter, but needs to be taken care of properly. We recommend completely drying your canvas wall tent after each use to avoid mold and mildew growth.
Relite. Relite is available exclusively from Montana Canvas. For many outdoor camping purposes, Relite is the perfect tent fabric choice. This unique polyester-based fabric is extremely lightweight, which makes it ideal for packing in on animals and environmentally friendly, low-impact camping. Soft, pliable and easy to clean, Relite offers a tear strength and longevity as good as canvas. Because Relite is so highly durable and more resistant to destructive ultraviolet rays than other commonly used materials such as nylon, it is the choice of many outdoor enthusiasts. Relite does not grow mold or mildew. However, we do recommend that you dry your wall tent out before storage. This takes only a few minutes with Relite and keeps it from smelling musty when you use the next time. Relite does not need to be retreated for water resistancy, but we advise you to reseal the seams as needed. All-Dri is provided with your Montana Canvas Relite tent or can be purchased from us.
Montana Blend. Montana Blend offers you the best of both worlds. With the majority of the tent made of lightweight Relite, the overall weight of your wall tent is substantially reduced from that of a canvas wall tent. The canvas roof provides you with a more breathable material overhead to absorb the condensation from breathing, cooking and drying clothes. Although we recommend setting up your tent to dry it out before putting it away, with a Montana Blend tent, the tent could be set up such that the roof was exposed to dry. The canvas roof gives your wall tent a more traditional look than a 100% Relite wall tent.
When choosing Relite fabric for your wall tent, we highly recommend the tan. It allows plenty of light to penetrate the tent without being too bright inside or out. It blends well in most environments and does not show the dirt as much as the white or spring green.

I have used a Montana Canvas Wall Tent made of Relite for 15 years. I chose Relite because I pack into the backcountry to go camping and hunting and like to keep the weight of my equipment down. I have used this tent in all types of conditions from early spring to late fall and have never had an issue. I heat my tent with wood and use a fly, which I strongly recommend to all tent users regardless of the material they choose. After 15 years of hard use, I have no reason to believe that a wall tent made from Relite will not last as long as any canvas wall tent.

Wendy's last notes

2006-07-21T09:13:00.000-06:00

Here's the last bit from Wendy's emails:

After leaving Woodstock, we rode through Pomfret to S. Royalton, where the newspaper came and took photos of me tacking and packing up. Then E. Randolph to Williamstown, Williamstown to E. Montpelier where we're having a rest. Sunday we'll head toward Groton State Park on an old railbed that is flat and easy going. I think we'll camp there for a few days because it's supposed to be a great place to ride. I have spent a lot more time with people than I thought I would when I planned this trip. In fact one of the reasons why I wanted to go out by myself was to experience some deep quiet and solitude, to travel slowly and develop a partnership with my horse. However people have come out of the woodwork to participate and help and so I'm am grateful for the goodness I've been shown.
I'm really happy with the saddlebags, by the way. They're easy to put on and take off and feel like trusty friends. Jolie has no sores or back troubles, I'm happy to report. She's a wide horse and I do think that helps. We're using a flexible tree saddle which has also served well.
After tomorrow, I'm not sure when I'll be near a computer again. If I get any reasonable pictures, I'll have my husband send you some.
Best, Wendy

I imagine a few of you might be interested in what kind of saddle Wendy is riding and what gear she has packed along. We have asked her these questions, which hopefully she will have time to answer when she gets another break near a computer. If you have any other questions for Wendy, please email us at gopackn@outfitterssupply.com and we will be sure to pass your questions along.

Wendy Copp rides into Woodstock

2006-07-18T09:07:00.000-06:00

I rode into the Woodstock region on July 3 and was immediately impressed with its horse friendliness. Besides the very excellent trail system they have around those parts, in choice places along the road someone has stationed beautiful water troughs. While Jolie and I rested beneath a tree in a very rich pasture, a fancy carriage drove by pulled by a pair of Oldenburgs, and as we made our way toward our night's destination we came upon a fellow in a cart driving his Morgan. We chatted for a bit and his eyebrows flew up in his head when I told him where I was staying for the night.... A woman from the Vermont Horse Council had arranged for me to stay with someone named Steve Leninski, who I learned was quite a controversial figure in town. He's a Ukrainian fellow in his 70's- an avid polo player who decided that he wanted to make a polo field on the mountain behind his house -- so he proceeded to dynamite the top off until it was flat enough to play on -- this took a whole year! Among other things he told me that the way to cure a horse from biting is to stick road kill in its mouth. The way to cure colic - give the animal a mixture of diesel oil and garlic. When his daughter was learning to drive, he jumped his horse over her moving vehicle. In any case he was a great character and a gracious host, who has permanent for sale signs on everything inside and outside of the house....
I stayed in the Woodstock area for five days, spending one night outside under the first clear skies in weeks, and one night in an incredibly outfitted barn and a few nights with Gina Lancaster who was my tour guide in the region. We rode up to the top of Mount Tom in the Marsh Billings Park, where horses are welcome and where Jolie had an unexpected attack of terror after staring down at the town below. Suddenly out of nowhere she wheeled around and took off with me down the trail. It was a good half mile before she settled down again. Was she in a rush to go shopping? Did she want to get her hair done? What?
Over the July 4th weekend we finally began to get a string of dry days, and so everywhere farmers set to work cutting hay (I learned that years ago July 4th was the traditional time to cut hay here -- I guess before mechanization -- now in a good year its normal to get 3 cuts). So the smell of grass was in the air and in every field there were wind rows or wagons being loaded with bales. It's a relief to see the hay piling up because we've all been worried that there would be no horse hay available this year. Corn is another matter. I've seen only one good field in all my traveling- most have scrawny plants or no plants at all -- which is why they've declared a state of emergency for the farmers here. The early rains just ruined everything.

Notes from the Trail -- more from Wendy

2006-07-17T08:58:00.000-06:00

Here is the rest of the second email we received from Wendy:

We ended our first day out of Jamaica at Andover, at the house of some friends of a friend. At dawn the next morning, as I was leaving, the man of the house followed me across the fields playing a hair-raising tune on his fiddle... He was striding through the tall grass wearing red suspenders... quite a brilliant start to what proved to be a difficult day -- mostly because the weather was miserably hot, stagnant and humid and stuck in a state of impending storm. All through the day people offered me shelter from what looked like imminent storms-which never developed-and it seemed as if we were progressing at about 1 mile an hour. Both Jolie and I would have been happy spending the afternoon snoozing under a tree, but we found ourselves in a busy area around Ludlow and it felt like we needed to get farther away from civilization. So we kept moving, until finally the storm we'd been expecting caught up with us on a little road near a couple of summer cottages. As it hit we caught sight of a man making for his garage and when he turned around he was surprised to find us right behind him. We squeezed in with his tractors and other machinery and waited while everything outside went haywire...branches falling, power knocked out, etc. While chatting with the owner of our shelter I was able to identify an odd animal I had spotted that morning. As we were following a wooded road an animal stepped out of the trees that looked from a distance like an awkward black German shepherd sized puppy. It had incredibly beautiful black fur and a fluffy tale, and when it turned to face me had ears and muzzle that resembled a large weasel. It was the famed Fisher Cat -- a very ferocious creature that eats cats! In any case the storm cleared things a bit and we set off on another trail that took us up and across some fabulous farms and down the other side to the longest stretch of tar road we've traveled on yet. However the road had no shoulder, was very busy and seemed to harbor every nutty driver around. Meanwhile I was not feeling well, Jolie was reaching new heights of crankiness, and it was getting late. As I stepped off of the road to let a particularly ferocious driver pass , I looked up and noticed a Bed and Breakfast sign. "O.K. Jolie"I said, "we're splurging!"

The agreeable couple who owned the place set Jolie up at a farm close by and then invited me to have dinner with them... Well in the course of our conversation we discovered that the couple in question -- Jim and Ellen Parrish -- had been close friends with my husband's parents in Virginia Beach, Virginia! !!!!! How could this be? An impossible and random coincidence! That night they took me for a drive around the region and we startled a healthy looking bear out in the road... The next morning as I was getting ready to pay for my extravagant splurge, Ellen refused to take any money saying "John and Dottie (my husband's parents) were such a huge help to me when my father died, that this is one way I can pay them back!! It's Fate
you've come here," she said. Needless to say, I wept.

With their good wishes in my ears, I set off toward Woodstock -- a place famous
for its community of horse lovers and owners....

Bye for now
Wendy

Wendy has sent us another email with more stories from her ride, so check back again.

More from Wendy Copp, Riding around Vermont

2006-07-14T09:02:00.000-06:00

We heard from Wendy Copp again yesterday and she has very generously provided us with great details about her trip, which sounds quite eventful. She has given us so much, we need to blog it in installments. Enjoy and check back again for more!

I'm giving Jolie a rest for a few days in East Montpelier and am finally near a computer again ... upon which I just wrote a long account of my travels and then they vanished as I mentioned. I've looked everywhere on the computer and am now going to start again. Wish me luck!

After spending three days in Jamaica in the little octagonal house by Cobb Mountain Creek --more a river really -- during which there were floods and endless thunderstorms, Jolie and I were finally able to resume our travels. (Jolie spent her days at a very posh stable owned by a strikingly tall and robust German woman named Teeney Hamilton) We headed up through Jamaica State Park on a beautiful old railroad bed where they don't allow horses, but when I asked the park ranger if they would let us pass, just this once, he thought about it a minute and then said "well your horse's hooves can't be much worse than moose hooves". So we agreed to avoid the sleeping campers and "crept" by in the early morning fog, following the West River up to Hamilton Falls - a very dramatic spot with a 150' drop, where over the years a few very optimistic people have jumped in and died.

I have been using the Vermont Gazateer as my map on this trip, because it indicates dirt roads, class 4 roads and trails, and has proven very reliable -- in fact often more reliable than the locals -- though when we came out of the state park at the top of the falls the map was very confusing -- so we headed in the wrong direction ... until we came upon an imaculate farm and a very old and tiny man standing by the side of the road. He was so short and so still I nearly missed him -- in fact, I had to do a double take to be sure I was looking at a person. He couldn't hold his head up and was very hard of hearing, but when I yelled my questions at him he was able to tell me how to get to the trail I needed and where to make the necessary turns once in the forest. And he was correct!

We headed up and over a mountain on the treacherously, muddy, steep and rocky trail in question, and made our way over to the next valley where we hit a road that could carry us north for a while. Most of these roads are very deserted and a pleasure to ride upon -- most too, in this part of the state are in the mountains and are not straight like they are through the flatter farmlands near Lake Champlain. So we do a lot of winding up and down hills and almost always next to a wonderful river or stream. Because of the copious rain, these are swollen and loud rivers, but it's a music which is soothing, and finding water for Jolie is very easy. She has taken to drinking out of puddles -- something she wouldn't have done before this trip -- but she's learned fast that if she's thirsty, she needs to drink what's available. She's
learned to take care of herself really. If she tires while climbing a hill, she'll pause for a bit in the shade and then carry on when she's ready. She is also quite adamant when it's time for a grass break and I try to oblige her within reason. Some days, however, we'd never get anywhere if I let her stop as much as she'd like. She's not a horse with a huge work ethic, but she has been fairly open hearted about the journey. One very helpful thing is that she doesn't care when we walk away from other horses, or barns. She seems to be happy to be on her way...

Another Distance Trail Rider...Wendy Copp

2006-07-12T11:38:00.000-06:00

We have received a letter from another distance trail rider we met, Wendy Copp. Wendy is a Vermont native who is riding 1,000 miles around the state of Vermont (and a little bit in Canada). Wendy began her trip in late June and sent us this email last week.

I had a great start to my trip last week -- with the exception of a few monstrous thunderstorms -- one of which found me on a mountain with a woman who was attempting to show me a shortcut, who instead got us quite lost. The weather was clear and the riding was fabulous. Along the west side of Vermont, paralleling Lake Champlain is a beautiful expanse of farmland bisected by wonderful dirt roads, old stage coach roads and trails. Early in the week it was hot, so I got started each morning around 4:30 and was able to pull up for the
day by early afternoon.
For the first few days I rode with various people who took me on trails I never would have found myself, and who kindly put me up and supplied accommodation for my horse as well. Because we got lost on the aforementioned mountain one day, riding on deeply muddy trails, my horse was exhausted and my schedule was set back a bit. I was hoping to reach Manchester on Wednesday-having started from Burlington on Saturday. Instead I found my way down to the small town of Wells on Thursday-with two loose shoes and a tired horse, wondering what my chance of finding a farrier were on short notice at the end of the day, and wondering also where I would find a place for the two of us for the night.
In the midst of mulling these thoughts I passed a house with a wonderful pair of people who called out to me -"Hey ,where are you going? Do you need water? Does your horse need water?..." Needless to say, they absorbed us into their backyard, put me up in their camper, found me a place for my horse, and most amazing of all had a neighbor who was a farrier...who upon seeing my horse's feet, went home to get his equipment and turned up with another farrier in tow. So not one but two farriers went to work...unheard of anywhere. Finally in Manchester the next day, I gave Jolie, my horse, a few days off and then hit the trail again on Monday with another friend.
We headed down to East Arlington and then turned to the east and headed into the mountains where the rains began...and only got stronger and wilder as we climbed. We rode for about 12 hours all the while looking for a suitable campsite (it being the forest and without much meadow) and finally found one where Daniel Webster addressed a crowd of 15,000 back in the 1800's. What? we asked ourselves. Why here in the middle of nowhere? We found out later that the road we were traveling used to be the main road to Boston. It was a wild night of rain on the mountaintop, coyotes calling, a bear hooting and water everywhere. The horses were fine in their little speed fence and seemed alright with the wild animal ruckus. We were not particularly happy with our soggy selves, but yesterday (Tuesday) was beautiful, and we rode down to Jamaica to stay with a friend until the weather decides to clear a bit.
I have to say I seem to have picked a bad summer to be riding like this. It's been raining constantly in the east, farmers haven't been able to plant corn or cut hay. The volume of precipitation has been setting records. All the equipment has been working fine.
Hope all is well in the west,
Best,
Wendy

We don't have a lot of background information on Wendy just yet, but she told us that she likes to do distance rides every now and again because, as she described it, she "needs a little adventure in her life." We aren't sure how old Wendy's mare is, but she is a Canadian and apparently well-suited to the task at hand. If you are not familiar with this breed, you can find more information on the Canadian Horse home page. Like Bernice, Wendy does not have a pack animal and is carrying everything she needs on Jolie. And also like Bernice, Wendy chose our TrailMax Original Saddlebag System to carry her gear. We will certainly keep you posted on Wendy's progress as we receive updates.

Good Fishing!

2006-07-10T10:49:00.000-06:00

So our pack trip into Black Bear went well. The weather held and the fishing was great. It was a pretty interesting experience for Kevin to go over the bridge at Meadow Creek. It’s a solid bridge, but the railing is at hip height when you are walking across it. So when you are riding, the railing is at the top of your foot. The bridge is narrow enough that you can look over either side to see the river raging 50 feet below you. The crossing can be tough on those who have a fear of heights.

We camped in Black Bear on the South Fork of the Flathead River. We had one problem in camp because I had somehow forgotten half the legs for my HorsePac panniers. The lids on these panniers can be set up to convert them to a table and the legs raise the boxes to a nice height for working. Without the legs, we still had a flat working surface, just not at a very convenient height. Thank goodness we also brought a Roll-A-Table. That camp table with a pair of Roll-A-Chairs was perfect for eating, prepping meals and playing cards and visiting at night.

We took a ride up the east side of the river one day, which was quite enjoyable. The horses behaved themselves for the most part, although Marley, my new trail horse, was startled by a dog at one point. He jumped, spun 180 degrees and started off the other way. Kevin got him under control pretty quick and he was fine after that. Marley has always been a pretty level-headed horse, so I suspect he just didn’t expect to see a dog where we did and it spooked him.

The next day, we hiked up the west side of the river for a while. On the way back, we saw that the Forest Service had stopped their string at the Black Bear cabin, which is a lay over point for them between Meadow Creek and the Administrative Center at Big Prairie. We went up and knocked on the door, which surprised them more than getting visitors, because they said they don’t remember anyone ever knocking on the door. We visited with the packers for a while. They were bringing in just general supplies – food and propane – this time, but they are working on a big project right now that they occasionally bring supplies for as well. The last remaining remnant of the original phone system between the lookout towers in the Bob Marshall Wilderness runs for 22 miles between Black Bear Cabin and Big Prairie. There was a fire in that area last year and the dead trees are now falling down on the phone cable in parts. The Forest Service has a big job ahead of them to repair that line and keep it running. But tradition and usefulness make it worth their while.

Other than those two side trips, we really spent most of the time fly fishing and visiting with the other folks camping on our area as we knew most of them. One of our neighbors in there owns the fly fishing shop across the street from us at home. Bob came down at one point to tell us that we were using the wrong flies. Fortunately he volunteered some of the right flies to match the hatch and our catch greatly improved. It was all catch and release for Cutthroat trout and we caught some nice ones with Bob’s flies.

Bob also chased a black bear out of his camp, which then proceeded to visit ours. We were very diligent about keeping our food in the bear-resistant panniers we brought so the bear was not rewarded for his trouble. Our supplies were a little scrambled, but otherwise he did no damage to the camp.

Kevin and I tried out a new lightweight canvas tent that we had found and it worked great for the two of us. Gave us plenty of room for both of our Roll-A-Cots and we still had room to get dressed and store some gear. I was pleased with it so far, but would like to try it in some more adverse weather conditions before I really make up my mind.

Overall, it was a terrific trip – really relaxing and loads of fun. Makes it hard to come back to work! Now, we just have to start planning our next one.

Leather Tools for Do It Yourself Saddle Repair

2006-07-07T16:31:00.000-06:00

Well, we got back from our trip a few days ago, but have been so busy that I haven't gotten a chance to write. While I was gone, we got in our new shipment of leather tools. We have added a line of basic leather working tools that any horseman could use for basic saddle repair. Knowing I might get asked which ones a person should have, I put this blog together.

There are a few leather tools and hardware that every horseman should have to do minor saddle repair. These leather tools will help you do your own minor fixes on broken straps and parts, do your own adjustments to tack and saddle parts and, with more serious problems, help you make emergency repairs to get you by until you can take your saddle to a saddle repair shop. The most basic leather tools and hardware that every horseman should own include leather hole punches, rivets and rivet setters, hoof nippers to cut rivets and Chicago screws.

Many horsemen already own a revolving leather hole punch. This is fine for most holes that you need punched in tack and if you only need to punch a half dozen holes per year. However, the revolving leather hole punch will only go up to a number 7 hole. Anyone who needs to make repairs to saddles will probably need a number 8, 9 or 10 leather punch at some point. Below I have outlined the most common uses for each number leather hole punch:

Number 2: Curb straps and chains; throat latches
Number 3: Curb straps and chains; throat latches
Number 4: Headstall cheeks, crowns and nosebands; rivet holes, breastcollar tugs and straps
Number 5: Most pack saddle straps; crupper straps; breeching straps
Number 6: Chicago screw holes on reins and bit ends of headstalls; holes for tie ends of reins and headstalls
Number 7: Chicago screw holes on reins and bit ends of headstalls; holes for tie ends of reins and headstalls
Number 8: Latigo tie straps; off billets, flank/rear cinches
Number 9: Latigo tie straps; off billets; holes for Blevins buckles on stirrup leathers
Number 10: Holes for Blevins buckles on stirrup leathers

Rivets are a very useful for repairing broken and torn tack and saddle parts. For those of you not familiar with a rivet, you can see them in action if you look at the connection point of your fender and stirrup leather. Rivets can be used to hold together broken straps on headstalls, reins, pack saddles, cruppers, breechings, etc. You can use them on your saddle and pack saddle accessories if you need to. To use a rivet, you need a punch, a rivet setter, a maul or some type of hammer and a set of hoof nippers. For instructions on using rivets, see How to Set a Rivet.

Many horsemen already have a set of hoof nippers in their tack room, barn or trailer. Hoof nippers can also be used to clip off the excess end of a copper rivet.

Chicago screws are also useful hardware for connecting tack and saddle parts. They are perfect for connections where you may need to take the connection apart later on, such as the bit end of headstalls and reins. Chicago screws also commonly “go missing” if you haven’t hit them with Lock-Tite or nail polish to make sure they do not work loose. Once again, you can use the number 4 leather hole punch to make the hole for the Chicago screw.

If you have basic leather tools and hardware that include leather hole punches, rivets and rivet setters, nippers and Chicago screws, you should be able to perform emergency saddle repair and tack repair yourself. If you are in the backcountry, this may mean the difference of riding out versus walking out or making a second trip to go back and get your gear.

Heading into the Bob for the Fourth

2006-06-28T10:42:00.000-06:00

It has been such a busy summer so far that I haven’t had much of a chance to get out on the trail, but this weekend my stepson, Kevin, and I are taking a pack trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. And it should be a great time. The weather is finally starting to clear up (feels like it has been raining for a month straight), so we should have no problems that way.

So we are headed up the South Fork of the Flathead River. We will be leaving from the Meadow Creek Trailhead and riding about 12 miles in to an area known as Black Bear. I haven’t spent much time in there over the years. I always seem to be riding past it on my way to some other location. So this seemed like a good time to check it out. We will probably be camping at a spot called Kelly Point right near the river. We are hoping to spend most of the weekend fly fishing for Cutthroat Trout.

We are going in with two saddle horses, Marley and Rusty, and two pack mules, Rosie and Violet. We are not packing the mules with my TrailMax Not-A-Knot system like I usually do because Kevin wants to practice his cargoing skills. So we are packing strictly manties on this trip. We are going a little easy on the weight this trip since it is the mules’ first trip out. And the horses haven’t gotten a whole lot of use yet this year either. At the moment I am feeling generous enough to offer my new trail horse, Marley to Kevin to ride since we haven’t bought a horse for him yet. Rusty likes to be in front, so Kevin will be leading the pack string.

I also chose this area because it was a reasonable distance in. Not too much for a first trip for the pack mules and trail horses and not so close that we would be guaranteed lots of company in our camp or feel like we hadn’t really left civilization behind. This is what I call a tune-up trip where we start getting everyone ready for the mountains. So taking into account the criteria that I discuss in my article on how much weight can your horse carry, we’ll watch the weight in the packs on this trip. We are also going to be taking lots of breaks because the girls in the office want me to take lots of pictures for our catalog and website.

So I won’t be blogging for a few days, but we expect to have a good time and have loads to tell you when we get back. Have a great 4th of July, Everyone!

Last notes from Bernice's letter

2006-06-27T09:04:00.000-06:00

This is the last bit from Bernice's letter.

Now I am on Highway 12 heading east and have passed through small towns with many, many curious people stopping to visit. The days are hot and must stop by 1 or 2 pm. I get up as early as possible. Honor grows more and more dependable. Three nights ago we spent the night along the side of Highway 12…just could not go on any longer. The headlights of passing semis did not bother her in the least. We move together well and are getting the routine down...packing and unpacking is a ritual. I let Honor eat as we walk. She’s learned not to stop and it keeps her happy. I try to get four hours of travel in before the heat sets in. Then we take a break with saddle and packs off. We then put in two more hours, rest and another two hours and then we are done for the day.

Claire always wears her booties on the pavement. The ditches are not safe with rattlesnakes and glass and being so very rough, so we stay on the road. It’s a trade off...hard on the feet and legs, but safer in the long run.

I hope to be out of Montana in a week or so, will make a hard push up to Miles City and then down to Ekalaka and stay. We will rest a few days in the Custer National Forest before looking at South Dakota. At the moment, Honor stands behind me half-dozing. We are in a little lean-to out of the strong winds and sun. Claire is in the corner, snapping at flies. We have taken a two-day break here in Vananda. Will send photos soon.

Best to all,
Bernice

Bernice's adventures in Flatwillow

2006-06-26T10:00:00.000-06:00

More from Bernice...seems like she still has her sense of humor.

Grass Range to Flatwillow was a long stretch with no cars all day. I told a passerby the other day that had stopped to visit with us that it wasn’t like being in a car out here. That on a horse or walking you were “in it”…and “in it” … and “in it.” That it didn’t just shoot past you. The immensity of this open country either terrifies or embraces. I feel exposed and touch by vastness.

We made it into Flatwillow in the late afternoon. It was hot and there was a storm coming on. I knew I needed shelter for the night. I try to find shelter most nights now as afternoon storms come through with high winds, rain and many times hail. The place a stopped was a house belonging to the Bulls Eye Ranch, a 50,000+ acre ranch. The Connellys were the managers and the set me up in the empty house. They took me over to their hours for supper and showed the ranch and were just a delightful family to spend the evening with. They gave me clean clothes and dog and horse food. We visited until late that evening.

Heading south out of Flatwillow, it was a cool morning. I was now heading through unmarked roads for a stretch of 30 miles or so that connected with 4 Mile Road that goes into Musselshell. Little dirt roads went every which way. Even with Jim Connelly’s directions, there was no way. I got lost, disoriented and worried. I just couldn’t keep going. About a mile or two away were oil wells and I thought pickup trucks. We hiked over to the ridge, climbed to the top and sure enough, there were a few little shacks that were used to work in, gather information, etc. Here I met Bob and Mark. I’d tied Honor and Claire down below as the place was fenced off from cattle. I walked in and said, “Your wives sent me to check up on you.”
Not a word.
I said, “You do have wives, don’t you?”
Yeah, yeah.
They were stunned I guess. Anyway, we laughed and I told them I was lost and could they help me? Water? Etc. Bob took me in his pickup and showed me the road...roads...I would need. As I said, I’d never have found my way through the maze of roads.

It was about 5 pm and they were finishing up work. That they were there was somewhat of a miracle. Bob and Mark sent me off with apples, bananas, candy bars, pretzels and tomato juice that I later made into soup that night. I headed back to a set of corrals that had shelter and water where we camped for the night and id it ever rain and storm that night! We walked the next morning in the pouring rain that soaked the clay ground making walking and riding so hard and long. But about 1 pm the sun came out and who came driving down the road but Bob and his wife, Nancy. They came to make sure I’d made it. Wow. And they brought food! Wow again. Hungry? Yes! They invited me to stay at their place that evening in Musselshell. I ended up staying two nights...cleaning up and resting up.

More of Bernice's letter

2006-06-23T09:30:00.000-06:00

Here's more from Bernice's letter. She offers a fairly poetic look at some lesser known parts of the Big Sky State. Enjoy! There will be more tomorrow.

So let’s see…here’s a brief round up of the past week or so after leaving the Lewistown area. We rode a few short easy days. We spent the first night in Giltedge in a rancher’s hay corral. The next day we made it as far as Highway 87 after a day of cross country riding along a ridge line that offered spectacular views, dirt roads, four wheeler roads, cattle trails and many, many fences and gates to go through. We came out somehow through a strip of trees lining the bottom of the ridge only to find a creek I could not cross. And a herd of cattle dancing circles around us as we walked the fence line looking for a crossing. Luck and good fortune were with me as evening approached and we found a grown over trail that still held a culvert for a crossing. We again stayed in a hay corral. There was even a watering tank where I could wash up and Claire and Honor could get good water. I try every night to cool Honor’s back off with water or ice if I’m at someone’s house. I know she appreciates it and surely it feels good. The ranch owner (of the hay corral with the water tank) stopped by checking to see who, what, where and said “Fine, yes, stay.”

Morning brought rain as we walked Highway 87 into Grass Range. Stopped at Little Montana Café and tied Honor up out front which brought many people to a halt with questions and looks. They brought my breakfast outside so I could stay with the animals. This was a little boardwalk, reddish building covered with years of dust, weathered and part of yet another, half-empty town. As I have passed through many more this week, I call them “born again towns.” They were once thriving towns, gold mining towns, railroad towns with hundreds, even thousands that populated the areas. Now all the snap, crackle and pop is out of them, but somehow a business has re-emerged or a house has been filled with a family and another town springs life from old decayed buildings and town sights. It is interesting. Flatwillow, Musselshell, Sumatra, Ingomar, Vananda all hold remains of prosperous towns, beautiful hotels, schools, banks, train depots, brick structures and many ornate, classy buildings rich with history and stories.

Word from the Trail

2006-06-22T13:59:00.000-06:00

Hello, Everyone! It's been busy around the store as people prepare for the upcoming holiday weekend (myself included!) and haven't gotten to the blog lately. But we got a letter from Bernice today. She has had some troubles (which I have shared with you below), which have caused her to take some time off. The letter is much longer than this, but I thought I would just share this section today because I would like to make some comments about it.

Wind blows hard from the West. Brings cool, bug-free days. Without it, it is miserable.

Must get words off to you. Feel like I’m adrift on the ocean in another country. Northwest Montana is long ago. Even Eastern Montana feels like another state, so different is the landscape. This open, endless prairie, the rose sunsets, the skyline defined by a single tree or long forgotten building. It all feels far away and the ranchers, farmers or those holed up in some abandoned town in a house hardly fit to live in are just out there, surrounded by space the sound of wind and the hope that it will stay that way.

Spring has been good to this area…luscious, green grass, tall blades, crested wheat, alfalfa, clover, cheat grass. Cattle fat with young calves suckling move slowly across 10,000+ acre ranches.

We move slowly. Honor has sores on her withers … not from the saddle, not from pads, but from my own negligence, not paying attention. Remember when we spoke of cutting out the pads. Well, I cut out the white ¼” pad, but not enough. I had added a wool blanket, one I was using to sleep on and the Pro Choice pad on top. It was way too much. It was a hot day and I was tired. Honor was getting agitated by a bridge. We had stopped to rest and she was not willing to settle down, so I said OK, we’ll just keep going. This was crossing the Missouri River on 236 south bound. I put the saddle on fast and too far forward. She was all trot and dance and she had swelling that evening. No sores just swelling.

Anyway, long story short – I’ve taken two weeks off and am walking a hell of a lot. But we are all healing and are now just north of Forsyth, MT. There’s no one to blame but myself and I feel Honor is just now forgiving me for my pushing and for not paying attention. She’s a hard one to pad and I’m not done yet experimenting with padding. I think one can get away with more on a broad, flat-backed horse, but her narrow ridge line of a backbone is a just asking to sore up. I have to be very specific about pressure points. Anyway, we shall survive.

In my opinion, this is the type of situation that truly defines a long rider. The standard definition of a long rider is someone who rides a 1,000 miles in a stretch. However, unwritten in that definition is what it takes to be a long rider. A successful long rider will have some horse experience, creativity and tenacity. When you are on a long ride, you are out there on your own. So when problems occur, you are the only one who can solve them. You need to have the horse experience to recognize problems when they occur and with any luck, recognize potential problems before they occur. When problems do occur, you may be far from civilization and far from anywhere where you could buy a “fix”. So you need to be creative enough to find a solution to your problems or a temporary fix that will get you through. And you can’t give up the first time something goes south.

So, before anyone jumps all over Bernice for her current situation, I just want to point out that she has all of these traits. While Bernice may be condemning herself for causing the problem, she should possibly give herself credit for recognizing the problem before it became a bigger issue for the horse. Her horse experience allowed her to know that padding this horse would not be simple and to keep an eye out for potential problems. Her experience also helped her recognize the problem when it did occur. She is being creative in her approach to solving the problem by cutting the pad, trying different combinations of pads and blankets, etc. And her tenacity is what keeps her walking toward Minnesota even though she can’t ride the horse, instead of giving up. I think this experience of Bernice’s is proof positive that Bernice Ende is a true long rider.

Bernice had more to say that I will post in parts over the next few days as it was a rather long letter (she has promised to send pictures soon). As always, for more information on Bernice and her trip, you can check in at http://www.outfitterssupply.com/long-rider-bernice-ende.asp.

Interview with Bernice Ende, Long Rider

2006-06-14T09:04:00.000-06:00

For those of you following Long Rider, Bernice Ende's journey around the western United States, I thought some background information on her might be interesting. Through conversations during her preparations and a question and answer session we held on the morning of her departure, we have some interesting information about Bernice to share with you. Here are a few of the questions we asked with Bernice's answers:

How did you get started with long riding?
I always knew I would do a long ride. When I started thinking about last year’s trip, it was just a perfect time in my life. I had sold my dance studio and I had no other responsibilities. I was training horses for the McCurry’s when the idea popped into my head. And it would just not go away. I kept trying to talk myself out of it and couldn’t. I just didn’t believe the doubts I would try and convince myself I should have. I finally told some friends that I was going to do it and that committed me. It was all planning from there on out.

How did you and Honor [the horse] train in preparation for the trip?
We worked a lot on “desensitization”. I exposed her to cars, trucks, semis, logging trucks, school buses, ATV’s, bicycles, llamas, hikers, anything and everything that we could find. Kids and dogs running at her from a house as we pass on the street. And every time, I turned her to face what was coming to make her braver. It also helps develop the trust bond that we need out there. I also used my dressage training to work on her responsiveness, flexibility and aids as well as fitness and muscle building. We worked with and without a saddle and with and without packs. Ultimately she has to be able to do anything I ask of her loaded with the saddle, the saddlebags and me.And we trained for endurance. We worked on walking, trotting, running, climbing, trail work, hill work and road work. We varied our schedule. Some days we would ride 8 miles and some days we would ride 20 miles.

What do you do in camp?
The first thing is to attend to the horse and the dog. Both animals need to be brushed, rubbed down and have their feet checked out. Once they are taken care of and eating, I will cook myself something as well. Then I like to sit, look, listen and observe. I will often check my maps and think about the next day or the next week or where we have been.Many times it isn’t all that quiet because something makes the horse nervous. She fills up on grass and now she is ready to go. Or maybe there is a creature out there in the dark or whatever. Claire, however, just passes out.

We'll keep posting more Q&A's as we get them. If you have any questions for Bernice, please be sure to send us an email at gopackn@outfitterssupply.com or comment on this post. We can't promise when we will get the answer, but we will be sure to pass the question along.

New Horse and Mule Packing DVD

2006-06-12T14:26:00.000-06:00

We had another rainy spring weekend here in Glacier Country, so I watched our new DVD from Bob Hoverson. I was really impressed.

For those of you who don't know Bob Hoverson, he has worked for the Forest Service for over 30 years, riding about 1,000 miles and packing over 100,000 pounds of gear every year. He is a Master Instructor of packing and Leave No Trace and teaches the Forest Service Packing Class out of the Nine Mile remount station. Last year he released The Packer's Field Manual, a book on packing with a Decker Pack Saddle that makes a great companion to this DVD. Bob and I have been friends for years and I can't think of anyone more qualified to make this DVD.

As I said, I was impressed with the DVD. It is a great tool for learning everything you would need to know about how to pack traditional cargo loads on a Decker Pack Saddle. I call these manty loads, but Bob refers to them in the traditional terminology of cargo loads. The video is over two hours long and divided into eight chapters discussing equipment and techniques.

Bob does a great job of showing you the parts of the Decker Pack Saddle and explaining what each part does so that you really understand your equipment. He also does a great job of explaining how to fit the saddle and the rigging to each animal, (which is where I learned something about equine anatomy and cinch placement). He talks about the various hitches a person can use to tie up your load and sling your load to the saddle. And he really makes it clear why the Decker Pack Saddle is so well suited for packing big loads, heavy loads and awkwards loads.

He doesn't just talk about the pack saddle and the pack loads either. There are tidbits here and there on stock management, safety, etc. There is just a wealth of great information in this video. Even for you guys that just want to pack with panniers and a top pack or just pack in a couple times a year, the information presented here is useful and the skills you can learn might save you in an emergency sometime.

Plus, you know, cargoing loads is fun and a challenge and you look great going down the trail. And its an American tradition that should be kept alive for future generations. So, kudos to Bob for doing a quality job of filling a void in horse packing education tools.

Bernice is on her way to Musselshell, MT

2006-06-08T08:51:00.000-06:00

Good morning, everyone!

We received a letter from Long Rider, Bernice Ende yesterday saying that she was heading SE toward Musselshell. She sent a little note saying that she was recently interviewed by a writer from Western Horseman. So we can all be on the look out for that article. We will definitely let you know if we find out what issue it will be in.

She also said that a TV crew from Great Falls, MT was going to catch up with her sometime this week and a radio station in the area was also going to do a spot on her. Bernice is sure getting a lot more press and attention this year compared to last year, but she said herself that she thinks part of this is that she is much more accessible to the public on this year's route as opposed to last year where she spent a lot of time in the mountains and National Parks.

She also sent us some more background information on her and "her team" for all of you who have been contacting us with these questions. I thought to keep it interesting for all of you that I would post one or two questions every day or every other day. You can also check Bernice Ende's pages at the Outfitters Supply website for more information.

Highlines vs Picket Lines

2006-06-06T13:46:00.000-06:00

I wanted to take this opportunity to clear up some terminology generally used by people who camp with their horses and mules in the backcountry.

I was talking with a customer on the phone and we were discussing how to feed and contain your trail horses and pack mules in camp. I started talking about how I would picket my dominant horse and hobble the rest of the group to allow them to free graze for a while. Then then I would put them all back on the highline. There was a short silence and then he asked, "Well, when does the dominant horse eat?"
"When he is on the picket line, " I said.
"How do you do that?" he said. "Leave his lead rope real long?"
"No, " I said. "He doesn't have a lead rope on. He's on a picket rope."
We went a few more rounds like this until I realized that he and I had very different images of what a horse picket line was. Once we got that cleared up and got our lingo straight, we were able to have a fruitful conversation.

I know for a fact he is not the only horseman out there using this terminology and I thought this confusion could be a good thing to talk about here, so that no matter what you call things, you know what your options are for feeding your horses and mules in the backcountry. Here are some definitions:

Horse Highline: a length of rope strung between two trees as high up as I can get it from which (in my case, anyway) hang In-Line Swivels to which I attach each horse's (or mule's) lead rope. The animals can then stand comfortably next to each other or move around in circles without getting tangled up. If I am able to keep an eye on them, I can even let them have enough lead rope to lie down or roll. Horses are typically much more comfortable on a highline than tied to a tree or a hitching rail.
Horse Picket Line: some people refer to a horse highline as horse picket line. Truly what they probably have in mind is a rope strung between two trees at about 5 feet off the ground to which they would tie horses on either side. Really, a horse picket line is a rope hitching rail.
Picketing your horse: when I talk about picketing my horse, I am referring to pounding a picket pin or picket stake into the ground with about 30 feet of rope that attaches to a single-leg picket hobble on my horse's front leg. He can then graze in a circle around the picket pin.

Hopefully this will help make things clearer and you can find the system of feeding or containment that will work best for you in your terrain. Some additional notes on each one...

I use my horse highline mainly for containment, although I can still feed my horses with feedbags on a highline or string a hay bag from an In-Line Swivel if I brought hay and was so inclined.
A horse picket line is used almost strictly for containment.
I picket my dominant horse and hobble the rest to graze them and then put them on a highline to contain them. But picketing your horse can be a viable option for containment if, for instance, you are camping where there are no trees. Just remember when you picket your horse to clear the area of rocks or anything the rope could potentially snag on and to move the picket frequently to limit damage to the area.

I could say a lot more on each one of these (and probably will!), but for now I just wanted to address any confusion folks might have.

Trail Riding Etiquette, Part II

2006-06-02T14:12:00.000-06:00

Last time I got through about half of the basic trail riding etiquette tips that I had. This is by no means a complete list and as you can see, we have had one reader contribute another tip. Please feel free to add your tip by making a comment to this entry. Here are some additional tips.

Nasty horses in the back. If your horse is unruly, he should bring up the rear where his poor behavior will not be witnessed by the other horses and cause them to get upset as well. And, if you are lucky, he may learn a thing or two from watching calmer horses in front of him all day.

Tie a red ribbon in the tail of a horse that kicks. If you are following a horse with a red ribbon, obviously it would be safer to maintain a little more distance between you, but also you might be extra watchful for signs of forewarning: pinned ears, swishing tail, hind leg at the ready, etc. Remember that your horse could move to avoid the kick and put you in its path instead. A broken leg or knee from a kick 10 steep miles from the trailer is no fun.

Mares in season and stallions can present special problems on the trail. They require an extra level of attention on the part of the rider and the others in the group. If you are riding one, be extra vigilant of her/his behavior. If you are not, but they are part of your group, keep an extra eye out on these animals. Ideally the rider on either of these animals would be an experienced horseman, but we all know you can’t count on that. Warn oncoming riders if necessary. And then also consider that any horse you may pass on the trail could be a mare in season or a stallion and that the rider may not be experienced.

Watch the footing, especially on uphills and downhills. Gravel on rocks is like ice. Wet bridges can also be very slippery. If you encounter problems, warn any riders behind you.
When leading and/or riding with anyone behind you

Walk

Always ask before trotting/loping

Warn of holes, bad footing and other dangers

Warn when you are stopping

Warn if a branch might snap back in someone’s face

Keep track of other riders behind you

Take turns leading, if possible…share the dust.

When you reach a watering area, take turns and don’t crowd. Wait for everyone to finish before moving off. And remember your Leave No Trace ethics: do not destroy additional water front so you can all water at the same time. Use only the obvious area where animals come down to drink.

Stop if there is a wreck. This should be pretty obvious. Your help may be needed. But also, once again, horses are herd animals and do not like to be left alone, especially in an unfamiliar area. If you ride off, while someone is trying to mount back up, their horse could panic and take off to catch up with the group.

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics:

Don’t cut switchbacks.

Try not to walk through soft, wet ground. Horses’ hooves are sharp and destroy vegetation.

Pick up all your trash, including cigarette butts, and pack it out.

Pick up other people’s trash to keep places as pristine as possible and set a good example.

Be respectful of those who live there and those who will visit behind you.

Take only pictures, leave only footprints.

Always be prepared for the idiot or the inconsiderate. Be prepared for someone to take off at a gallop while you are mounting, bump into you from behind or stop dead in front of you.

Keep your comments to yourself (or pick your battles). Unless the situation is a health risk or puts a life in danger, refrain from passing on your horsemanship wisdom. Many people may not respond well to a “know-it-all” or will resent the implication that they are stupid. Your “helpful suggestions” may cause more harm than good.

Additional safety items

Always carry ID on your person and on your horse in case you become separated.

Tell someone where you are going in case you don’t come home, even when riding with a group.

Carry basic survival gear on your horse and at least the bare minimum on your person: cell phone, matches, food, water.

Following basic trail etiquette can help ensure the safety of you, your horse safe and others who you ride with or meet on the trail. But just as importantly, it can keep the trails open to horses. Many trails are closed to horses because of riders who abused the privilege. It is a privilege as much as your right to ride these trails. Remember that you are always an ambassador of horseback riding and that we all share the outdoors. If non-riders always meet a courteous and polite horseman on the trail, their impression of all of us will hopefully remain positive.

Trail Riding Etiquette, Part I

2006-05-30T09:33:00.000-06:00

I don’t need to tell you that there are no “official” rules for trail riding, like there are for, say, driving. But there are some commonly accepted practices that I think are good to remind ourselves of every once in a while. And while the word “etiquette” implies good manners, trail etiquette is as much about safety as it is about courtesy. Horses are herd animals and prey animals and this is the driving force behind how they think. Most horses do not like to be “abandoned” and can get upset if they feel this is occurring. When they encounter something which they perceive as frightening, their natural prey animal reaction is to jump (and run). Much of what is listed below comes from an understanding of these facts.

When encountering hikers and bikers

Ideally hikers and bikers will yield to a rider.
When encountering hikers or bikers, talk to them and get them to talk to you. Hikers with backpacks and bikers with helmets do not look human. Explain this to them and ask them to speak so that your horse will understand that this “thing” is actually just a person.
Ask them to stand off on downhill side of the trail. Once again, horses are prey animals and often attacked from above, so keep the scary looking thing down low. It can also be easier to control a horse going uphill if he spooks.
Stay relaxed yourself and keep talking to the hiker and your horse if he is nervous.
Find out if there are more in their party and tell them how many in your party.
Thank them for their cooperation and be kind and courteous. We are all out there to enjoy ourselves.

Dogs

I think we all understand the problems that loose dogs can cause, so I will suffice it to say: if you can’t control your dog (with your voice from horseback) or he is ill-mannered with other people or animals, leave him at home.

Other horses

In theory, single riders will yield to pack strings. Be prepared for this not to be the case (see item “3d").
In theory, downhill riders will yield to uphill riders. Be prepared for this not to be the case (see item “3d").
Do not try to squeeze by other horses, you are asking for all kinds of trouble. Instead, give yourself plenty of room to go around.
I generally yield to anyone coming up or down the trail if I can because I know my animals and my riding ability. I don’t know their animals or their riding ability. So I take the safer route and yield myself.
If it is a narrow trail with no way to move off to let another pass, decide who should turn around.
Always turn your horse to the down hill side. He can see his front feet and won’t step off the trail. He cannot see his back feet or where he is putting them as well, so you want to keep those on the trail.
Unless you know the oncoming horse and rider and their abilities, it is safest to assume that the horse and rider are both inexperienced and be prepared that anything could happen as you or they go by.

You want to maintain a distance of about one horse length between horses while going down the trail. This leaves you time and space to react safely in the event of an accident in front of you.

When you encounter a short bridge on the trail, walk the horses across one at a time. Allow more than the usual single horse length between each horse over longer bridges.

For your safety and the safety of others around you, pay attention to your horse and keep him under control. Keep a peripheral eye on the rest of the horses and the environment around you. Being prepared for anything to happen can often prevent a bad wreck.

Think like a horse, especially if you are the leader of the group. If you look at objects on the trail like a prey animal (is it unfamiliar or potentially dangerous), you can help prepare yourself for anything. Once again preparation and awareness can be the difference between a controlled flight and a bad wreck.

Next time, I'll talk about some additional issues including some Leave No Trace principles. In the meantime, remember that following basic trail etiquette can help ensure the safety of you, your horse safe and others who you ride with or meet on the trail.

How much weight can my horse carry? Part II

2006-05-25T15:21:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned before, we are regularly asked how much weight a horse can carry, whether its the rider, saddlebags, hornbags, pack loads, etc. In Part I, I discussed how each horse needs to be individually evaluated for each ride taking into account certain conditions such as his fitness, length of ride, weather and temperature, etc. In this session, I will discuss the rest of the criteria list.

Live weight versus dead weight
It is important to remember that live weight (i.e. a rider) rides differently than dead weight (i.e. a pack load of any kind) and the 20% of body weight rule doesn't necessarily apply to live weight. A rider can move and shift in the saddle to compensate for rough terrain and can get off and walk. A good rider is also easier for a horse to carry than an inexperienced one. An experienced rider in a good fitting saddle on a fit horse could be fine on a long, tough ride, even if the combined weight of saddle and rider is more than 20% of the animal's body weight.

Packing the load
Dead weight, on the other hand, does not have the ability to adjust to terrain changes and, therefore, must be carefully packed to stay put and be comfortable for the animal to carry regardless of conditions. Remember, gravity works. Once dead weight begins to slide off to one side, it has the tendency to keep going. This can upset your animal, cause soring or, even worse, cause a wreck.

Unfortunately, there are no hard and fast rules on how to pack a load. It depends upon what you are packing, your equipment, your animal and all of the other conditions listed in Part I. However, there is one rule to always bear in mind: equal size, equal weight and equal weight distribution. If you follow this rule, you should generally have less trouble packing a load.

Equal size. It is easier to balance a load that is the same size on each side. This is easy with panniers and saddlebags, which have a fixed size. It is more difficult with mantied loads. This is one reason I recommend panniers to beginning packers.
Equal weight. Any kind of load should be balanced from one side to the other. This means that if your panniers, saddlebags or hornbags do not weigh the same, you need to balance the lighter side by hanging something else off of that side such as your rifle scabbard, pack saw, camp axe or another such item.
Equal weight distribution. Try to pack each pannier, saddlebag or hornbag so that the weight is distributed evenly throughout. Do not pack all of the grain in the front of one pannier and your down sleeping bag in the back.

Additionally, while weight rides better and is carried better higher up the animal's sides, be careful not to make a load top heavy. Once again, gravity works. A top heavy load is more likely to slip and once dead weight begins to slide off to one side, it has the tendency to keep going. And remember that the top pack is meant for bulky, lightweight items.

Saddles
Both pack saddles and riding saddles need to fit well to be effective and not cause additional problems. A poorly fitting saddle will not properly distribute weight across the horse's back. If the fit is particularly bad, it can cause sore muscles or even open wounds. Before loading any weight on your animal, be sure to double check the fit and condition of your saddle. (Also be sure to use a good saddle or pack pad and check to ensure that it is clean on the side next to the animal. Grass seeds, burrs, crusty spots of dirty sweat can all cause a sore to develop on your animal).

Saddlebags
When loading saddlebags, the weight and ability of the rider should be factored with the horse's size and condition as well as with the fit of the saddle. An inexperienced rider can unknowingly throw the horse off balance and too much extra weight in the saddlebags (especially if badly packed) will make recovery more difficult. Additionally, poorly designed saddlebags can hang too low or constantly shift, which can irritate your horse and put extra strain on him.

No simple answer
There is never a black and white answer to the question "How much weight can my horse carry?" The answer always has to be determined on an individual basis considering the factors listed in Part I. You know, most of these items are simple common sense, but so many of the "horror" stories that I have been told over the years could have easily been prevented if the people involved had just critically and honestly judged their animals against this list. So remember, if you have any doubts at all about your horse's ability to do whatever task you want to ask of him, make adjustments, live without some things or just don't do it.

How much weight can my horse carry? Part I

2006-05-22T11:00:00.000-06:00

We got a call last week from another up and coming Long Rider from Vermont. Like Bernice Ende, she will also be riding with just a saddle horse, so weight is a huge concern for her. Having addressed this question with her, I thought it would also be useful information to post.

We get this question in reference to all manner of weight: the rider, western saddlebags, hornbags, pack loads, etc. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. Just like humans, some horses will be able to comfortably carry more weight than others. The only way to determine how much weight your horse can carry to evaluate each animal and each trip individually.

Factors to consider
For every ride you plan, you should take the following into account when determining each animal’s load size.

Size and weight of animal
Condition and health of the animal
Conditioning and fitness of the animal
Conformation of the animal
Attitude of the animal
Age of animal
Size, fit and weight of the riding/pack saddle
Ability of the riding/pack saddle to distribute weight across the animal’s back
Weight of the rider or pack load
Ability of the rider
Design of the packs or horse saddlebags
Distance of the ride
Type of terrain
Altitude
Temperature and weather conditions

Many of these are self explanatory, but I do want to touch on some important points.

Percentage of body weight
When packers ask me how much weight they can safely pack on a horse or mule, I give them the basic rule of thumb of 20% of the animal's body weight, depending on all of the factors in the list above. To pack a heavy load, an animal needs to be in good health. This doesn't just refer to whether or not he has a cold, but whether his feet are in good condition and properly shod or trimmed, whether he has any bites or sores in spots where they could be irritated by the gear and whether he is well rested and prepared for the trip ahead. Good fitness means your animal should be regularly and well exercised.

Individual Assessment
I can not stress enough that you have to know your animal and for every trip you need to evaluate at least the animal’s condition as well as the temperature, distance and terrain of your ride and base your load weight on those factors. A long ride on uneven terrain at the height of summer requires animals in peak condition. An animal should also be given time to acclimate to a change in altitude. Humans are not the only ones who can suffer from altitude sickness. If your animal is not up to the task you are asking of him, you may be endangering not only his life, but yours as well.

As examples of individual assessments, I once owned a tough, raw-boned mule named Henry. Henry only weighed about 1100 pounds, but he could pack a 250 pound load for 15 miles in hot weather and dance the whole way. However, I currently have a mule, Daisy, who is pushing 35 and would be retired if she didn’t pitch such a fit when she gets left behind. Daisy’s loads typically weigh in at maybe 15% of her body weight. We all walk a little slower to accommodate her and I keep her in mind when deciding how far we’ll go each day.

Conformation
The animal's conformation can be a factor in how well your pack load or horse saddlebags ride. For instance, a low withered animal will need to be packed carefully and evenly because even a minor difference from one side to the other can cause the saddle to constantly shift as you go down the trail. At best, this is an inconvenience causing you to constantly adjust. At worst, the saddle could slip completely and cause a wreck. In another example, a short-backed horse may not be able to carry large western saddlebags as they will sit uncomfortably too far back on the horse's rump.

In the next blog, I will touch on the other points in the above list, including differences between live weight and dead weight and some points on successfully packing a load.

Comfortable Trail Saddles

2006-05-17T16:27:00.000-06:00

I was thinking about that ride that I took with my wife and her daughter, Allyson. Allyson has ridden horses for years, but more as a competing hunter/jumper. Trail riding in a western saddle has been a rarer experience for her. She used my wife's Circle Y Flex Lite Trail Saddle and loved it. I told her she should share her experience with other people and that she could use my blog to do it.

Hey, Everyone! It's Allyson. I just wanted to tell you about this last trail ride and especially the saddle because it was so comfortable for me. I am currently in the market for a western trail saddle and thought I would share my experience in case any of you are going through the same thing.
As Russ said my background with horses is mostly as a hunter/jumper, but since moving to Montana and mostly riding trail, I have been riding western saddles. I have not bought my own yet, but instead ride whatever is on the horse I am riding. Well, since my mom got a new Tucker Equitation Endurance Saddle (that she absolutely will not share, by the way), I was allowed to ride her Circle Y Flex Lite. What a super comfortable saddle. I think it was so comfortable for me, not so much because of the padded seat, which was great, but because I could sit in a more upright position, more similar to an English position than other western saddles have allowed me. And I wasn't stuck there, either. As the day progressed and I got tired, I was able to sit back more on my pockets (as my western riding friends would say) and was still as comfortable as before.
The seat in the Flex Lite isn't really wide either. That has been another complaint of mine with other saddles. Sometimes they are just so wide and flat that they "get me" right on the inside of my upper thigh. But this one was great. Still wider than my English saddle, but really comfortable and so much more secure.
And I could saddle the horse myself. I am not a wimp or anything, but sometimes the western saddles that people have had for me to use have just been so heavy that is was miserable to saddle the horse. But this one is light enough that I could get the saddle up on Rusty (Russ' old trail horse) without any trouble. So this Circle Y Flex Lite is now the front runner in my quest for a western saddle.
Now, if I could just get that Tucker away from my mom to try....!

Bernice Ende makes it to Big Sandy

2006-05-12T15:03:00.000-06:00

Bernice called us today to say that she rode into Big Sandy last night. They are taking a well-deserved, three-day break. She sounded very happy and upbeat, although excited about a shower and a bed.

During our conversation, she told us that since she left Badger Creek, she was not been able to find natural water along the way, so she had to stop multiple times during the day to ask people for water at their houses. But she said, "People are so nice!" Everyone she has met since she set out has been interested in what she is doing and very supportive. She is often fed and watered as well by people she meets.

She also mentioned that all of her gear is working so well and she couldn't be happier. We had tried to address all of her concerns and problems from last year with her saddle and saddlebags with a new Tucker High Plains Trail Saddle and a set of TrailMax Saddlebags, but until the gear is truly put to the test, it can be hard to know whether everything is just right. Bernice says that the saddle is so light and comfortable for her. There are no sores or rub marks on Honor. She had no idea that the Tucker would be such an improvement over her old saddle. And she is really excited about being able to trot a lot in perfect comfort.

Postcards from the Trail

2006-05-10T14:30:00.000-06:00

We received our first postcard from Bernice today. Check it out.

Camped outside Valier. Corrals just 1/4 mi. W. of town. Walked into town for supplies - looks like long stretch of not much but open vast prairie ahead. Passed through Bl. Feet reservation - many stopped - very curious - fed me - beer for each night - Holding up well - going slow - tired yes but finding plenty of grass and water. B

Bernice promised us as many postcards as she can, so we'll post them as we get them. If you aren't familiar with Bernice and her journey, you can find out more on our website at www.outfitterssupply.com/long_rider_bernice_ende.

Testing the new trail horse

2006-05-08T15:35:00.000-06:00

I took a trail ride with my wife, Maxine, and her daughter, Allyson, last weekend. This was my second ride out on my new trail horse, Marley. We started out from the Buffalo Bridge across the Flathead River on the Salish-Kootenai tribal land. I think you can take the trail probably 40 or 50 miles downstream, but we only went about 4 or 5 miles. Then we turned off the trail and followed cow trails and game trails through open country back to where we started. We past a couple of old homesteads on our way. It was a beautiful day.

But, the point of this was to tell you about Marley. I was only half-seriously looking for a new trail horse when a customer of ours came in and told me about Marley. He was being sold by a neighbor of a friend, so we went over and checked him out. As hard as I tried, I couldn't find a reason NOT to buy him. He has so many of my qualities of a good trail horse that it was hard to pass him up.

Our first test was working cattle with a friend who runs his cattle on 80 sections in eastern Montana. As an ex-roping horse, I knew Marley had had experience with cattle, but I wasn't sure what to expect. He was great. He worked the cattle all day, he rode away from the herd and the other horses to fetch strays, he loaded in the trailer and was calm and level-headed about all of it. I don't have cattle of my own and don't really need a cow horse per se, but it is great to be able to help a friend and to have a horse that is willing and capable. That is a real bonus with Marley.

Back to the trail ride, Marley was great there too. He has a nice trot that is easy to sit and he was content to be in the front or in the back. I am still looking for the hole in him. Which reminds me of a story. I met an old guy once who had been riding and training horses for close to 70 years. And I asked him if, in all those years, he had ever had the perfect horse. He thought for a minute and then said, "Boy, he'd be a good one, wouldn't he?"

Long Rider Bernice Ende Embarks on her 5,000-mile Journey

2006-05-05T16:13:00.000-06:00

At 10:00 this morning, Long Rider Bernice Ende mounted her Thoroughbred mare, Honor, whistled to her dog, Claire, and they set off down Heart Butte Cut Off Road outside East Glacier, Montana. They are bound for Waconia, Minnesota, where they will take their first break on this 5,000-mile journey around the western United States. Bernice has given herself 11 weeks to get to Waconia so that they can take their time on this first leg. She figured this averages out to 100 miles a week or about 16-17 miles per day, which is a little more than half of her average last year. But she wants to give everyone time to work up to that level. And she wants to have plenty of extra time in her schedule in case they find a beautiful spot where they would like to spend a couple of days.

I met Bernice when she walked into the store to trade her old saddle for something lighter. We talked for a long time and by the end of the afternoon, we had her outfitted with a Tucker Saddle and our TrailMax Saddlebag system. She is so pleased with her new set up. It has solved several problems she had last year. The Tucker Saddle weighs at least 10 pounds less than her old saddle. And the saddlebags that she used last year were too wide, causing her load to be sloppy. She had to hold it snug with multiple bungee cords. Now she has saddlebags that can be secured to the saddle quickly (one of her requirements) and will stay completely balanced and in place.

Anyway, Bernice has promised to keep us posted on her progress with postcards from the trail. I'll let you know when I get the next one.

Dragged into the 21st Century

2006-05-04T13:44:00.000-06:00

I have officially joined the online revolution and become a blogger. If you had asked me 2 years ago if I wanted to have my own blog, I would have first asked you "What's a blog?" and then immediately said "no". But, so many people are getting information and advice online. I thought this could be a great forum for people like us who love to get out into the backcountry with their horses and mules.

So I am hoping to use this forum to share with all of you things that I have learned after 20+ years of packing and trail riding in the Bob Marshall Wilderness area and other places around Montana and the Pacific Northwest. Invariably, this will spark a comment from someone else who had a similar experience, or even a completely different one. Which is what makes this blog such a great forum for us. Join our Outfitters Supply blog and you can contribute as often as you like.

Riding in the Backcountry

“Rebekah – An Evening in Purple”

Lost Horse in the Scapegoat Wilderness

How to attach a leather saddle string using the slit braid method

Le Cadeoau Du Cheval (The Horse Gift)

Osprey Packs and Leave No Trace Team Up for a Youth Writing Contest

Gaited horses arrive in Montana

Grizzly Bear Central

Bernice ready to complete final stage of ride

Placement of hobbles

Chinese horses???

All for the sake of a horse (snow)shoe...

Montana Mule Days

Leave No Trace Practices

Leave No Trace camping

Dan is heading home!

Nominated for best animal blog!

Daniel Robinson will spend two more months in jail

Long Rider Updates

Happy Birthday Dan!

English Long Rider, Daniel Robinson, imprisoned in India

My View on Tucker's New Mule Saddle

Prescott, At Last!

Long Rider Bernice Ende Outwaits the Weather in Crown King

John Wayne Commemorative Saddle

Albuquerque to Reserve

News from the Trail

On the Road Again with the RMEF

I'm guilty!

How To Start a Pack Horse or Mule

Christmas tree hunting in Montana!

Charlie Russell Saddle

The Spirit of Giving

October 8, 2006

Kansas is Long Gone...

How to Set a Rivet

Supporting Bernice's Travels

Should I Pack Horses or Mules?

Discomfort in the Saddle

Bernice Ende is loving the Plains Region

"Ride the Wind" book review

Bernice is headed out of Kansas and I have hunting fever

Bernice leaves the birthplace of Russell Stover

Bernice stays a few days in Red Cloud, Nebraska

The Long Riders' Guild

Which Rifle Scabbard is Right for You?

Bernice talks about her Thoroughbred, Honor, Part III

Bernice talks about her Thoroughbred, Honor, Part II

Bernice talks about her Thoroughbred, Honor Part I

Attaching a Rifle Scabbard, Bow Scabbard or Camp Tool Scabbard to your Saddle

Be Seen!

How much weight can my horse carry? Part II

How much weight can my horse carry? Part I

Which panniers should I use? Part II

Which panniers should I use? Part I

Wendy stays with some Vermont farmers

Wendy taking a break

Wendy's stories from the campground

Bernice's adventures in Minnesota

Letter from Bernice Ende

Wendy Copp sends word

Waterproofing a Canvas Wall Tent

Is Relite a good material for a wall tent?

Wendy's last notes

Wendy Copp rides into Woodstock

Notes from the Trail -- more from Wendy

More from Wendy Copp, Riding around Vermont

Another Distance Trail Rider...Wendy Copp

Good Fishing!

Leather Tools for Do It Yourself Saddle Repair

Heading into the Bob for the Fourth

Last notes from Bernice's letter

Bernice's adventures in Flatwillow

More of Bernice's letter

Word from the Trail

More interview questions with Bernice Ende

Interview with Bernice Ende, Long Rider

New Horse and Mule Packing DVD

Bernice is on her way to Musselshell, MT

Highlines vs Picket Lines