You’ll hear me say this a lot: There’s no one right way. It depends on the situation, on the horse, and on the rider. Every horse is different. Every rider different. And every day is different. We all have to figure out what works best for us and our horses. So although I’ll share with you my way of doing things, you may have or come up with a way that works better for you. I so strongly believe that, that it’s often difficult for me to share my way with you. I’m always assuming you’ll have your own way. But on the chance that sharing what I know might help in some way… here it goes.Some things are better off taught back home. I personally believe most things. I don’t want to “work it out” on the trail. I have horses and riders and gear I'm responsible for out there. By the time my horses and I are in the back country, I want to feel confident that each horse knows pretty well what to do. There are plenty of surprises out there. Whichever ones I can cover back home will help my horse be safer and more prepared to handle the new stuff. I can’t teach my horse everything from the safety of our ranch, but I can teach a good enough foundation that he learns how to adapt and adjust and handle new stuff.
Now, keeping your horse in camp is an interesting topic, and a funny one to discuss here. First of all, because most everyone (no, I take that back: definately everyone) I know who has packed in the back country has at least one story of stock getting away, leaving camp, and/or leaving you. The battle scars of the back country horseman. Be proud of them. Share them and show them off. It’s these things that help us realize that our worst fears are often not so bad… It’s these things that help us learn what to differently next time.
There are four skills every horse could and should know for camping in the high country. Or rather, for remaining at camp in the high country.
1. using a picket line
2. using the high line
3. being hobbled
4. respect of the portable electric fence
All four of these skills can be easily introduced to the horse back home before heading out and having to rely on one or more of these skills in the back country. But truth be known, and most of you know this: horses are smart. Most horses learn these skills pretty fast. So fast, in fact, that often times we just introduce these skills to a new horse in a safe environment: out there in the tall high mountain grass under our supervision and the companionship of a few well seasoned horses. It's worked every time we've done it that way.
However... to play it safe, we try to introduce the horse to all four back home first. And that is what I’d recommend. But do remember, the horse picks these skills up so quickly. We can draw out the learning process, and go so slowly (out of our own fear, not because of the horses’ learning ability). Or we can have trust and confidence in our horse, and encourage him to grow in his own confidence by learning one more skill, and overcoming one more obstacle.
Tomorrow I’ll share our preferred method for introducing all four of these to our horses.
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