Been working towards this since my injury March 2012. Was going to get into the blah, blah of the years since though... onto this year. You've seen a couple of my prior threads on back country intent, animal preference, hobble training, etc...
Horse set property mostly completed. Mucho $ for a middle class family. Two weeks ago, a couple cracked ribs from a buckin' horse. My wife received a temporary tattoo on her thigh thanks to a rear hoof, love tap - After my wife explained to the horse why that is unacceptable, I actually felt sympathy for him...
So onward - My hunting partner and I skipped the illustrious time frame to get into "The Bob" during the rut as the horses were borderline not ready. We've made a couple adjustments such as, at this time, our buckin', thigh love tappin' horse has been benched. This leaves us with two horses and aside from a few days of refining some activities with them, the two are ready. Getting one adjusted to panniers has been fairly successful. My next set of days off will be spent walking the two through some crap to get them acquainted to the panniers rubbing brush, etc... Had them crossing water - walking over creaky wooden planks, etc. Have them within hot wire pasture, high lined and working on ground picketing...
Train wreck, you say? I sure hope not though anticipating some challenges. For myself, this trip is about, getting back into the Wilderness, working with the horses and if opportunity presents - maybe do a little hunting. For my hunting partner, I'm hoping to keep the base going so he may focus on elk. Elk, elk, elk... He has yet to clip an elk tag and hopefully this year he is successful. Between myself at 45 and him at 55-60 (I dare not ask, haha!) - this will be an adventure. I have a decker pack though opting to go with regular saddle panniers. These are designed to fit a regular saddle. Our intent is to hike in and from base camp, ride out as necessary.
October 22nd - weather permitting... and really hoping weather does permit.
Sass:
Onward ---> until the next post and pics to follow.
Horse set property mostly completed. Mucho $ for a middle class family. Two weeks ago, a couple cracked ribs from a buckin' horse. My wife received a temporary tattoo on her thigh thanks to a rear hoof, love tap - After my wife explained to the horse why that is unacceptable, I actually felt sympathy for him...
So onward - My hunting partner and I skipped the illustrious time frame to get into "The Bob" during the rut as the horses were borderline not ready. We've made a couple adjustments such as, at this time, our buckin', thigh love tappin' horse has been benched. This leaves us with two horses and aside from a few days of refining some activities with them, the two are ready. Getting one adjusted to panniers has been fairly successful. My next set of days off will be spent walking the two through some crap to get them acquainted to the panniers rubbing brush, etc... Had them crossing water - walking over creaky wooden planks, etc. Have them within hot wire pasture, high lined and working on ground picketing...
Train wreck, you say? I sure hope not though anticipating some challenges. For myself, this trip is about, getting back into the Wilderness, working with the horses and if opportunity presents - maybe do a little hunting. For my hunting partner, I'm hoping to keep the base going so he may focus on elk. Elk, elk, elk... He has yet to clip an elk tag and hopefully this year he is successful. Between myself at 45 and him at 55-60 (I dare not ask, haha!) - this will be an adventure. I have a decker pack though opting to go with regular saddle panniers. These are designed to fit a regular saddle. Our intent is to hike in and from base camp, ride out as necessary.
October 22nd - weather permitting... and really hoping weather does permit.
Sass:
Onward ---> until the next post and pics to follow.
