I’d guess that after the fear of camping, one of the most common fears about horse packing is the fear that your horses are going to take off on you. At least, that was always one my fears. Though I don’t know if it was before it happened to me.
But I don’t feel too badly now. It has happened, it can happen, it probably will happen to me again… and you know what? It’s not the end of the world, or the end of your trip. In fact, we try to look at it as “adding to adventure.” Guess I don’t know many folks who camp with their horse who don’t have a tale or two to tell about the one that got away…
Want to hear my story? Sit back, this could take a while. There are a few that got away. No, I won’t bore with you with details of them all. Just one. My first time.
It was one of my first pack trips, and I was leading a bunch of young teens in a part of the Wilderness me and horses had not been to before. After a few adventures to even find our camp (I would not recommend guiding a trip following directions of “ok, follow the trail for a ways, and at a big old snag on the top of the highest part of the hill, head into the thick timber…), I quickly took care of the horses so that I could get dinner going for the tired and hunger kids. I put half the horses on the high line, and half I hobbled and put out to graze. When supper was on, I went to check on the horses and switch halves, but the hobbled ones were gone. No where to be seen. I didn’t know then how far and how fast a hobbled horse can head home (or at least to the trail head), so I jumped on one of the remaining horses, didn’t bother taking time to saddle, and ran up the hill to look down the other side. Nothing. Not even dust. They were gone. I had a choice – either take off and try to find my horses in the dark, or take care of the kids. I picked the kids. Didn’t sleep much that night, and at first light the next morning, me and my son, Forrest, who was then about 7 years old, doubled up on his old mare and headed off in search of the run aways. 11 miles later, right before the trail head, there they were. Guess they couldn’t figure out how to load up in that trailer and get themselves all the way home.
I learned a great deal from this experience. (Though not so much that this has not happened again.) But I’ll tell you what, Forrest spent years afterwards when we’d go to camp, checking and double checking the horses, making sure no one ran away. We would tell him to relax, don’t worry, they won’t run off… He wouldn’t listen. He didn’t want to have to double up on the back of the bony old mare ever again.
Perhaps it would be better if I didn’t share this story with you, so as not to worry you about worse case scenarios. Chances are very good this will not happen to you. Believe me, if mistakes can be made, I make them. Hopefully, I can share with you some of my mistakes, some advice on what not to do, as well as some things I’d recommend. But perhaps it’s a good idea to consider the worse possible things that could happen, and see if it’s really so terrible, see if it’s really enough to prevent you from heading out there on a pack trip. Hasn’t stopped me, and I promise you, I am not a glutton for punishment.
So here’s a list of some things to learn, do, or consider before heading out:
- If you have a portable electric fence, I highly recommend setting one up at camp. It is a great way to teach beginner horses how to stay at camp. In addition, I’d recommend keeping one good saddle horse, maybe one who kicks or somehow would be safer away from the group, outside of the electric fencing on a picket line, just in case the fence goes down. At least you won’t have to walk home.
- Often we’ll picket the lead mare or mares, and hobble the geldings for grazing time. Another option is putting half the horses out hobbled to graze; the other half remaining tied to the high line. Keep the buddies separated: best buds are more likely to wander off together. If one bud is on the high line, the hobbled horse bud will probably stay close.
- When the horses are done eating, we keep them on a high line in the trees at night. You’ll know when the horses have had their fill. They stop eating. After a good days ride, we figure they’ll need to graze for at least two hours each in the evening, and again for 2 hours in the morning. I’ve seen and heard of some folks who leave their horses out grazing all night. If you’re horses are seasoned enough, try it. I sleep better knowing mine are on the high line, and would rather wake at first light to let them out.
- Start slowly. Don’t expect too much from yourself or your horse at first. It takes a while to learn the routine of how to set up camp for you, doesn’t it? It takes just as long for the horse to realize their routine as well.
- Teach your horse how to hobble, picket, and stand tied to a high line before heading out to camp (I’ll share with you how we teach all our horse to do these things at a later date)
- Always have at least one good saddle horse picketed or on the high line, just in case you do have to take off in hot pursuit. And remember, if you want to stop a horse from leaving camp, don’t just run behind him or her. The run away will be thrilled to think he’s got a buddy with him, and go all the faster. Your only hope is to either cut him off, or slowly follow him, hoping he’ll stop for a nibble in a good patch of grass, or stop for a drink at a creek crossing. I never thought a single horse would leave on his own. He will. It’s rare, but it’s happened more than once. (I figured out which mare he was going home for, and now I bring her too. No more problems there.)
- Keep an eye on the horses. Chances are they won’t suddenly plot their escape and sneak off. More than likely, they will slowly drift, until they realize they are not really at camp, and closer to the trail, and maybe that would bring them back home…
- Don’t take it personally if your horse does take off. I did, and that’s silly. They aren’t running away to get gone from you. He’ll run away because there’s something drawing him back home! Maybe it’s dinner time… he doesn’t want to miss out.
- Think like your horse. Understand him. Respect his needs and work with them. Know your horse and what makes him or her tick. Why would he or she want to leave? Is there a buddy back home, a mare in heat, a foal to care for…?
- The more you do it, the more your horse will get the routine. Be patient, and be careful at first.
- Bob’s personal favorite: Putting horses out to graze and bringing them back in to the high line is a good time to practice your bareback riding skills, and to test out how well your horse rides in a halter.
- And my personal favorite: The big reward of being able to sit back and watch our horses out there grazing away in paradise…
But I don’t feel too badly now. It has happened, it can happen, it probably will happen to me again… and you know what? It’s not the end of the world, or the end of your trip. In fact, we try to look at it as “adding to adventure.” Guess I don’t know many folks who camp with their horse who don’t have a tale or two to tell about the one that got away…
Want to hear my story? Sit back, this could take a while. There are a few that got away. No, I won’t bore with you with details of them all. Just one. My first time.
It was one of my first pack trips, and I was leading a bunch of young teens in a part of the Wilderness me and horses had not been to before. After a few adventures to even find our camp (I would not recommend guiding a trip following directions of “ok, follow the trail for a ways, and at a big old snag on the top of the highest part of the hill, head into the thick timber…), I quickly took care of the horses so that I could get dinner going for the tired and hunger kids. I put half the horses on the high line, and half I hobbled and put out to graze. When supper was on, I went to check on the horses and switch halves, but the hobbled ones were gone. No where to be seen. I didn’t know then how far and how fast a hobbled horse can head home (or at least to the trail head), so I jumped on one of the remaining horses, didn’t bother taking time to saddle, and ran up the hill to look down the other side. Nothing. Not even dust. They were gone. I had a choice – either take off and try to find my horses in the dark, or take care of the kids. I picked the kids. Didn’t sleep much that night, and at first light the next morning, me and my son, Forrest, who was then about 7 years old, doubled up on his old mare and headed off in search of the run aways. 11 miles later, right before the trail head, there they were. Guess they couldn’t figure out how to load up in that trailer and get themselves all the way home.
I learned a great deal from this experience. (Though not so much that this has not happened again.) But I’ll tell you what, Forrest spent years afterwards when we’d go to camp, checking and double checking the horses, making sure no one ran away. We would tell him to relax, don’t worry, they won’t run off… He wouldn’t listen. He didn’t want to have to double up on the back of the bony old mare ever again.
Perhaps it would be better if I didn’t share this story with you, so as not to worry you about worse case scenarios. Chances are very good this will not happen to you. Believe me, if mistakes can be made, I make them. Hopefully, I can share with you some of my mistakes, some advice on what not to do, as well as some things I’d recommend. But perhaps it’s a good idea to consider the worse possible things that could happen, and see if it’s really so terrible, see if it’s really enough to prevent you from heading out there on a pack trip. Hasn’t stopped me, and I promise you, I am not a glutton for punishment.
So here’s a list of some things to learn, do, or consider before heading out:
- If you have a portable electric fence, I highly recommend setting one up at camp. It is a great way to teach beginner horses how to stay at camp. In addition, I’d recommend keeping one good saddle horse, maybe one who kicks or somehow would be safer away from the group, outside of the electric fencing on a picket line, just in case the fence goes down. At least you won’t have to walk home.
- Often we’ll picket the lead mare or mares, and hobble the geldings for grazing time. Another option is putting half the horses out hobbled to graze; the other half remaining tied to the high line. Keep the buddies separated: best buds are more likely to wander off together. If one bud is on the high line, the hobbled horse bud will probably stay close.
- When the horses are done eating, we keep them on a high line in the trees at night. You’ll know when the horses have had their fill. They stop eating. After a good days ride, we figure they’ll need to graze for at least two hours each in the evening, and again for 2 hours in the morning. I’ve seen and heard of some folks who leave their horses out grazing all night. If you’re horses are seasoned enough, try it. I sleep better knowing mine are on the high line, and would rather wake at first light to let them out.
- Start slowly. Don’t expect too much from yourself or your horse at first. It takes a while to learn the routine of how to set up camp for you, doesn’t it? It takes just as long for the horse to realize their routine as well.
- Teach your horse how to hobble, picket, and stand tied to a high line before heading out to camp (I’ll share with you how we teach all our horse to do these things at a later date)
- Always have at least one good saddle horse picketed or on the high line, just in case you do have to take off in hot pursuit. And remember, if you want to stop a horse from leaving camp, don’t just run behind him or her. The run away will be thrilled to think he’s got a buddy with him, and go all the faster. Your only hope is to either cut him off, or slowly follow him, hoping he’ll stop for a nibble in a good patch of grass, or stop for a drink at a creek crossing. I never thought a single horse would leave on his own. He will. It’s rare, but it’s happened more than once. (I figured out which mare he was going home for, and now I bring her too. No more problems there.)
- Keep an eye on the horses. Chances are they won’t suddenly plot their escape and sneak off. More than likely, they will slowly drift, until they realize they are not really at camp, and closer to the trail, and maybe that would bring them back home…
- Don’t take it personally if your horse does take off. I did, and that’s silly. They aren’t running away to get gone from you. He’ll run away because there’s something drawing him back home! Maybe it’s dinner time… he doesn’t want to miss out.
- Think like your horse. Understand him. Respect his needs and work with them. Know your horse and what makes him or her tick. Why would he or she want to leave? Is there a buddy back home, a mare in heat, a foal to care for…?
- The more you do it, the more your horse will get the routine. Be patient, and be careful at first.
- Bob’s personal favorite: Putting horses out to graze and bringing them back in to the high line is a good time to practice your bareback riding skills, and to test out how well your horse rides in a halter.
- And my personal favorite: The big reward of being able to sit back and watch our horses out there grazing away in paradise…
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