Camp meals and menu

Now is the heart of winter. We are snowed in. The horses plow through three feet of snow, or remain confined to their trenches and packed trails. More and more time is spent within the comfort of their sheds. The days of running free and wild have been snowed over for a while. Their winter has begun; they slow down and retreat in turn, accepting the powerful confines of the season.

With all this snow, it is challenging, perhaps unnatural, for me to turn my mind back to summer, back to warmer days, green grass, and open mountain passes. But reminiscence of summer and the ensuing pack trips is both a fond memory and a positive aspiration.

So, return with me, or look ahead, now to the high mountain, back country horse pack trip. We’re out there with our horses; the horses are hobbled or picketed and contentedly grazing. Camp is set, ready for a comfortable night stay. The saddles are covered, a small camp fire is built, and water is hauled from the creek. Now, we turn our attention to feeding ourselves, to the camp meals and menus.

I’d like to share some our simple menus that we’ve served for guests on pack trips, or made just for ourselves when out at camp.

My rule of thumb is to keep food as simple as possible, but make sure we have plenty of it. Balanced meals, nutrition, liquid intake, simplicity of preparation, storing foods, keeping foods fresh – all of these are taken into consideration. Most important, we want a meal that tastes good. The point of the meal is to nourish and satisfy both body and soul.

Our outfitting business has chosen not to cater to those requiring four-star, gourmet meals. We’re wilderness outfitters. We ride horses, sleep in tents, and get dirty. Save the fanciest meals for back home or in some resort where someone else is doing the dishes. As long it is just the three of us doing the work together as a team, there are some things for which I draw the line. Preparing a meal that would require me to stay back at camp, spend my day cooking instead of being out there riding, is not an option. Me, I’d rather ride. And even after a long hard day in the saddle, I can pretty well guarantee a good, hearty campfire cooked meal that has yet to leave a guest dissatisfied.

Keeping it simple for me means a one-pot meal whenever possible. It means preparing a good deal of food ahead of time at home – probably not complete meals that have been cooked and frozen, but at least side dishes, accompaniments, or the better part of the preparations. You can scramble and season your eggs, chop your veggies, and grate your cheese - all well ahead of time, then store in a ziplock bag and freeze. All of this not only saves on cooking, but on clean up.

Keeping it simple means a good, hearty camp fare, and plenty of it. No one should go hungry. And keeping it simple means allowing yourself time to enjoy the company, the horses, the view, and the mountains. That, my friends, is why we’re out there.

Prepare at home well in advance. Make your menu. Make your list of ingredients. Get your ingredients together in the most efficient packaging. Freeze foods well in advance so that they remain frozen for longer.

Practice at home first. If you’re planning on using a camp stove, become familiar with its set up and operations. If it’s your first time cooking over a wood fire and hot coals, not charcoal briquettes (unless, of course, you choose to pack in a bag of briquettes, too?), build a fire pit in your back yard, or visit a designated camp site first to learn the ropes. Burnt food, or food left raw or doughy, is a bummer when you’re down right starved. If you’re planning on using a dutch oven, try it at home first. Learning when you’re tired and hungry is not recommended.

A few things I keep in mind when planning a menu:

1. Simplicity. I can’t state this one enough.
2. Variety and good taste. Might as well enjoy it, and we do.
3. Nutrition. The better you eat, the better you feel, and that is of upmost importance when your body is working as hard as it is packing in the high country. Consider well balanced, complete meals, with adequate fruits and vegetables, not just meat and potatoes. This is not the time and place to diet, though be sure you know any specific dietary needs or preferences for all folks you’ll be cooking for.
4. Hydration. This is a factor, perhaps more so in the high country, but for any intense physical activity, which horse camping is. Encourage beverages at every meal, and make sure there is always fresh, clean drinking water available to refill a cup or water bottle.
5. Quantity. Not only considering the quantity of people you’ll be cooking for, but making sure there is enough for all. Consider the caloric intake. Better to have to deal with left-overs and table scraps than to make anyone go hungry out there. Snack. Always have food available, be it at camp, or on the trail in your saddle bags, horn bags, or pockets.
6. Time. How long will you be out? How many days and how many meals will you need to plan? How long will you be able to safely provide fresh and frozen foods, and at what point would you be safer relying on canned, dehydrated or preserved?

When I am horse camping alone, my hands are full with setting up camp, caring for the horses, and riding all day long. For practical reasons, I keep the food as simple as possible. I have resorted to those instant “backpacker” meals in a bag where all I had to do was add hot water and wait. The packages were designed for two persons. I can eat the better part of the whole thing. No way would one of those have been enough for two persons. Adequate caloric intake is important. If there is one thing I need to work on for solitary eating habits, it’s trying to make sure I get enough.

When it is just our family of three I am cooking for at horse camp, I’m willing and able to take a little more time for preparing meals, and I am far better at allowing myself more time to sit down to enjoy the meal. We’ll sit around the camp fire long after our plates have been scraped clean, just enjoying the mountain and each others company.

When I am cooking for a group, I spend more time preparing, and less time kicking back. Cooking over the fire, which is the center of attention to any camp, I can still manage to enjoy the stories and conversations just the same. However, with a group, somehow, it always ends up being more prep, more cooking, more clean-up, more dishes, and just plain more work. Unless you have (or are) a designated camp cook who remains back at camp cooking, cleaning and tending to any stock left behind, remember my advice from the last post: If you are camping with a group, share the load. Enjoy it all together.

Here is a sample menu for a five day pack trip.


Day 1

Breakfast: Not provided

Lunch: To be prepared and packed at the Ranch before saddling up and heading out. Set out all the fixings for beef and bean burritos. Each person can make their own, wrap them up well in foil and pack them in a paper sack, along with a few homemade cookies and fresh fruit. Lunches will be packed on each individual’s riding horse.

Dinner: Cream of broccoli cheddar soup (the packaged soups made by Bear Creek are my favorites), steaks cooked over the fire, baked potatoes (pre-cooked, warmed in foil in hot coals), Caesar salad and fresh bread (made ahead of time, wrapped in foil and gently warmed over the coals). Chocolate cake (made ahead of time at home) for dessert.


Day 2

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with ham and cheddar cheese (eggs can be stored scrambled, seasoned and frozen in ziplock bags, or carefully pack cardboard cartons and bring along the real thing), cinnamon rolls (made ahead, wrapped in foil, and gently warmed in a dutch oven or over hot coals), fresh melon.

Lunch: To be prepared and packed at base camp for consumption during the days ride. Sandwiches and snacks may include: pb&j, lunch meat or salami, jerky, cheese, crackers, fruit, cookies, chocolates.

Dinner: Black bean soup, chicken fajitas with fresh veggies (chopped and marinated back home), tortillas and/or cornbread (baked ahead). Peach cobbler or blueberry crisp (made with canned fruit and baked in a dutch oven at camp) for dessert.


Day 3

Breakfast: Green chili stew (made ahead and frozen), fried eggs, tortillas, canned fruit.

Lunch: To be prepared and packed at base camp for consumption during the days ride. Sandwiches and snacks may include: pb&j, lunch meat or salami, jerky, cheese, crackers, fruit, cookies, chocolates.

Dinner: Minestrone soup, Buffalo Burgers with all the fixings, potato chips, salad. Cheesecake w/fruit topping for dessert (made at camp with an instant boxed mix and canned fruit).


Day 4

Breakfast: Veggie and cheese omelet, spice cake (made ahead of time), bacon, canned fruit.

Lunch: To be prepared and packed at base camp for consumption during the days ride. Sandwiches and snacks may include: pb&j, lunch meat or salami, jerky, cheese, crackers, fruit, cookies, chocolates.

Dinner: Split pea soup, BBQ shredded pork (made ahead and frozen), cole slaw (chopped and prepared at camp), rolls (made ahead, wrapped in foil, and carefully warmed over hot coals. Blond brownies and bourbon balls (both made ahead) for dessert.


Day 5

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, sausage gravy (easy to make at camp, though I have also made ahead and brought frozen), biscuits (the canned ones don’t do well in elevation, but any instant mix baked in a dutch over is a good bet), canned fruit.

Lunch: To be prepared and packed at camp for consumption during the trip back to the Ranch. Sandwiches and snacks may include: pb&j, lunch meat or salami, jerky, cheese, crackers, fruit, cookies, chocolates.


In addition/all days

Beverages: At each meal at camp, I boil up a pot of cowboy coffee and have a pot of water on for anyone wanting hot chocolate or tea. I also put out fixings for tang, Gatorade and/or lemonade. A little flavor to the water may encourage folks (especially kids) to drink more.

Snacks: I like to have a grab bag (usually a large plastic container) available for each person able to dig into at will in order to refill their pockets and saddle bags or munch on while at camp, which includes: crackers with cheese, trail mix, individually wrapped chocolates, jerky, dried fruit, fresh fruit, granola bars, hard candies, and my personal favorites, smokehouse almonds and peanut M&Ms.

An extreme sport

What do you call it? I call it an extreme sport.

No, it’s not rock climbing or sky diving or heli-skiing. But horse packing in the back country is nothing less than… extreme. Think of what you’re up against: unpredictable elements and untamed nature, trails unmanaged and/or unknown, solitude and/or stuck working with some less than ideal companions, managing horses who may have their own mind and agenda, the wilds and the wilderness, within us as well as about us. At best, you return cold and sore. You give up comforts for... for... for what, you might ask?

For a sunrise over the magnificent mountains while sipping hot coffee and watching contented horses graze. Meals which taste so much better cooked over the open fire. A view you become a part of, something no photos could possibly capture. A bonding with our horses which does not come from a little ride in the arena. Lying snuggled in a tent between my family, there together safe and warm, hearing the gentle snorting of the nearby horses. I am wanting for nothing more.

It all creates a picture that for those of us who long for it, makes it all worth while.

Back country riding is not to be taken lightly. And consequences are possible. We do all we can do minimize risk and maximize enjoyment. It’s an awesome experience. That’s why we’re out there. But no matter how careful we are, accidents may happen.

And yet, I love it. I imagine most folks who do it, love it. We’re out there for that feeling of adventure, of life, of living, of such an intense reality that only comes when we are ever so slightly out of our element an into a factor of the unknown. We become more alert, more alive, more attuned to our environment, to ourselves. It’s a Zen state. We live each moment in the here and now.

Be here now.

That’s about the best advice I read recently for preventing accidents, or if you find yourself in the middle of one, getting through it and helping others through to the best of our abilities.

Riding is risky. Back country riding adds a whole new element to the risk of riding known as environment. Slipping, sliding, falling, getting hit by branches or caught out in the elements… or lost. These are just a few of the risks. All accidents can not be prevented, of course. Not everything in life is within our control. But quite a bit is. And those things that are, we should know how to control. How? Knowledge. That and remaining here and now, so that our knowledge doesn’t fail us when we need it most.

We do our best to go out there with knowledge.

Know your horse. I trust my horses. They are not perfect. None of us are. But I understand them, and they trust me. We work together. If we are training and working with an inexperienced horse, we know it is best not to go alone, or at least, are certain someone back home knows our route and is looking out for our return. The return of a horse without a rider is never a good sign. Neither is the return of a rider without a horse.

Know your environment. Where are you going and what could you possibly encounter? Are you prepared? Will you be warm enough? Dry? Have shelter? Find food for your horses? Do your horses know how to walk on granite slopes and slide down steep muddy trails with a rider or pack? Will they keep their cool when surprised by the unknown – because there is simply no way to prepare a horse for everything that they might encounter? All we can do is prepare them to safely react to the unknown.

Know your survival skills, including wilderness or back country survival skills and a basic knowledge of first aid. Up here one of the most useful skills is that of building a fire. Hypothermia happens. Don’t let it happen to you. Go out there prepared.

So at the end of the riding season, when I reflect back on my wounds and injuries and the worst of it was a split on the bridge of my nose, I consider myself lucky. I’m hoping it’s more than dumb luck. I’d like to say it’s because I was careful. I paid attention to my horses, my environment, my skills, the weather, the route, what was going on around me at all times… but no, I’m not always here and now. My mind wanders faster than my horses’ footprints. I daydream. I get scared. I get excited. I learn too often how little I still know, how much more I need and want to learn. I’m afraid I am just plain lucky. At least I was this year. And I’m mighty glad for that.

Part IX in the series on Horse Packing How-To: Setting up camp

The first tid bit of advice, coming from my recent experience of doing it alone: work together! Share the work load!

Usually, it’s the three of us (my husband, son, and self) and we all take our respective jobs. It is pretty much the same when just the three of us are out there, or if we have a group of clients we are taking on a pack trip. After unsaddling and turning out the horses, a job which always comes first, the next order of business tends to be to string up a large tarp. The tarp is double duty – it serves as a mantie or cover for the panniers on the pack saddle as well. At camp, the tarp will serve as “camp kitchen,” and sometimes, all we need for sleeping quarters. In stormy weather, it’s a good place to unpack the panniers and sort out the camp supplies, keeping gear (and yourself) relatively dry.

Our two quickest methods for hanging the tarp: One is by stringing a lash rope from one tree to another, using the cinches for tree savers. Run the tarp length wise, centered across the rope, then string out and down all four corners to neighboring trees or to stakes in the ground, creating an instant gable shaped roof line. Method two is stretching and tying off diagonally opposite corners to trees, up high enough to make a comfortable and workable ridge line, then tying off the two other opposite corners to stakes in the ground. This way is fast and easy, though your tarp may not be as high. Even works quite well for one person, as I learned recently.

After the tarp shelter is secured, then the other assorted tasks can be delegated. One of us gathers wood and water, digs a fire pit, starts the fire, and purifies water if need be. One of us sets up the tent, if we are using one, or lays out the sleeping pads and bags and pulls out camp chairs (a great luxury and one of the finest reasons for selecting horse camping instead of back packing!). And one of us unpacks the groceries and starts the meal. I can pretty well guarantee by this time, we’re hungry and tired.

As a single camper, this can seem like quite a lot of work after a day in the saddle, as I learned. However, when we work together, like with so many things in life, we make light work of it. It’s just one small “chore” for each of us, and a good way to stretch out after a day horseback.

And before you know it, camp is set, we’re sitting comfortably by the warm fire, eating a good meal, and enjoying the incomparable view of the wilds in the evening in the high country.

Obstacles along the trail

I learned the hard way about solo horse packing. However, the best thing I learned was that it’s really not so hard.

The biggest obstacle is, of course, fear.

Fear of runaways. What if my horses leave me, run for home, and I get stranded out miles from a road on a trail I probably won’t see anyone on for a day or so? What I found out was that after the first night of being tied up next to my tent and being let out to graze at first light, just the two of them quietly eating next to me sitting on a log with my hot coffee in hand, was that only through trials and traumas like this do we really bond. My horses were there with me, in body and mind. Perhaps it was survival. They were going to stick with me. By the second night, in a new camp, I allowed one to graze untethered. When he became frightened, he ran back to me. I learned to trust them. They were trusting me.

Fear of bears. Probably the most common question folks ask. And truth be known, I slept with a weapon by my sleeping bag, just because of the fears others have instilled in me with these questions. Around these parts, a loud noise (and I can be loud) is enough to scare a bear away. I have done that. I have lived in bear country for years, know how rare they choose a human confrontation, and have even chased a bear away by myself. I should know better than to be afraid of wildlife. Respectful and understanding, yes. Paranoid, no thank you.

Fear of being lonely or bored. Well, I’m a solitary sort. I don’t know if I’ve been bored for more than a fleeting moment in my entire adult life. And loneliness is a state of mind. Alone need not be lonely. I had a loving husband and son back home. That is a security blanket to wrap around any time loneliness may poke its ugly face in the “alone” picture. In the meanwhile, I cherish time alone. And besides: when you’re with horses, you are never alone.

Fear of getting lost. Perhaps this could be a true fear if I was in unknown territory. But I had been on this trail twice in my life. It was not entirely new. More important, I know these mountains well enough from years of working and exploring with my boys. And most important, after spending enough time off the beaten trail with my husband and son, I’ve learned enough about survival that “lost” I suppose is a “more or less” deal, kind of like alone/loneliness. Taking an alternate or indirect route might be a better way to call it. But lost? By now I better be able to find my way around. I suppose this is where preparation, planning, and experience come in. Believe me, I’m not trying to brag here. My experience is still minimal compared to many. But I was not heading out unprepared. I knew what I was doing, and where I was going. More or less.

Fear of people. The stereotypical back country crazy man? My fear of people is tested enough back home with my neighbors. On the trail, however, folks are pretty awesome and friendly. As a rule, I stop and talk to everyone I see. There are some neat folks out there. I try to be “an ambassador for the sport” at each opportunity which arises. I think we all should be. However, the opportunity didn’t arise much. I ran into one man on a motorbike on the first day, and a couple backpacking on the third day. They were, as I expected, great encounters.

Now, what did turn out to be the hardest part above and beyond the fear in my own mind was the physical work. Doing the work that I am used to sharing with three: me, my husband, and our son. Going alone in this respect was HARD. Setting up and breaking down camp, lifting the load on the pack horse, lashing down the load alone, preparing meals and cleaning, gathering water... Riding was easy. This other stuff was hard. I learned a few tricks, and a few things I’d do different next time. First, I want a small pack horse! My days of lifting a fully loaded pannier onto a 15.2 hand horse are OVER. Well, truly, I don’t think I could ever lift 60 pounds alone that high. So, I have these fantasies of a couple of little horses or mules… no more than 13 hands high. In the meanwhile, I learned I could load just a fraction of the panniers first. Then lift that small load on the pack saddle. And then stuff the rest of my load into the panniers in place on the saddle, standing on my tippie toes, or on a stump or rock if available. I didn’t bring a scale, but weighed my contents before leaving the ranch, and kept track of what went in each pannier. I actually kept a list, and this worked well for repacking evenly each time.

Setting up and breaking down camp, including pitching tent, stringing up a tarp, gathering fire wood and water, covering the saddles and gear, etc. took one hour in the evening and one hour in the morning. I reckon next time I’d try an easier tent. Simplify! But I don’t know how to save much time there… except share the work load!

And tending the horses takes about a total of ½ hour in the evening and ½ hour in the morning. I wouldn’t skimp on their care. As they’d graze in the evening, I’d brush them out and double check for any wounds or sores (of which there were none). My one mistake here was that I didn’t pack them any treats. There is plenty of good high mountain grass out there; they did not go hungry. But the extra treat also represents extra care and loving, and my horses would have appreciated that. Goodness knows they deserved it.

See? It was not so hard, and will be even easier… next time!

Going alone

I don’t know why I did it, except for some ceaseless, burning voice inside me, whispering, almost nagging like the wind that I had to go.

In part, I did it for myself. In part for my son. In part for my husband. And a part for anyone else who might be intrigued or inspired by what some middle aged woman born in Jersey might do after living in the wide open wild mountains this long.

It was not a big deal, not a long trip. I planned on four days and three nights. I completed it in three days, two nights. And during that short time, I accomplished all I set out to do. I had all the adventure I set out to find. I achieved all the goals I made for myself. And by returning early, showed my husband and son how important they are to me. Brownie points.

It was certainly not about getting away from them. It was just about proving I could do it myself. All by myself. Something I used to always feel I could do before I got married (that was later in life – I was 35). Something I used to feel before my “little boy” surpassed me in height. Now six feet tall and still growing, I surprise myself to hear how often I ask him to help; how regularly I leave the hard, high, heavy work for him to handle; how much I turn to him now when chances are, I could do it myself.

And then there is the issue of proving oneself. To oneself, to ones family. Not so much to prove strength, ability, independence. No, it is far more than that. More important, I feel, was that I wanted to prove to my son that with proper preparation combined with confidence in ones self, a hunger for adventure, and a trust in faith, in whatever direction ones faith may follow… that one can do anything. We can go anywhere. We can be anything we want. Even some crazy woman’s version of Jeremiah Johnson, just for a few days.

My faith is in my horses. My mountain. My boys. My self, including body and mind strong enough to get me through alone. Mother Earth and her wilds, her wildlife. This is my temple. And so, in a way, I set off to a sanctuary, both within and around me.

It was just a pack trip, a solitary journey covering 40 miles in the mountains we call our Big Back Yard. A distance my boys could cover within hours on motor bike or snowmobile (if allowed into the Wilderness…). A horseshoe shaped path around our ranch. Just me, my riding horse, and my pack horse.

No big deal, I suppose. Yet I feel bigger for it. I feel as if I climbed my own Everest. That’s nothing I’ve wanted to do, but this, a solitary pack trip, was. And I did it.

I tell my husband we can not wait for change. We have to create it. If it comes unannounced, we learn to ride the waves. But in the meanwhile, instead of sitting back on the shore and waiting for the big one, we can dive in and enjoy. Change is all around us, with every ebb and flow. It is what helps us see the magnificence in the sun rise, the beauty in the evening light, the joy in every day, as every day is new, and we too are as new as the hour. If we let ourselves. If we remind ourselves. And sometimes, if we challenge ourselves.

Part VIII in the series on How To Horse Pack: Arriving at Camp

This may not seem like much of a topic, but after remembering how stressed I’d be on the trail, right before arriving at camp, thinking about how to handle who and what first and how… I’ll hope I’m not the only one who might have appreciated a little advice on what you do when you get to the camp site.

It’s this very reason that I’ve envied back packers (mind you, however, I am an avid and true blue horse packer). They arrive at camp, drop the load from their back, and sit back and rest a while. Then lay out their tent or bivy sack, heat up the water for their dehydrated dinner, and call it quits. OK, I don’t know if this makes up for the burden of carrying 70 pounds on your human back all day, but it’s the compromise. We horse packers don’t have the load, but once we get there, the work is far from over. (Oh, and in further defense of the horse packer – yes, you can tell I’ve been in this debate more than a few times – “sitting in the saddle” all day is far more than just sitting… Let me know what you think after you’ve spent 5 hours or so in the saddle in the mountains one day.)

So, what do we do when we arrive at camp?

Well, first of all, the horse comes first. And usually we have a few horses to care for. So, there’s work to be done.

When we arrive at a location we plan to set up camp, the horses need not be too close to camp. Remember, once they stop and relax, they’re more than likely to be needing to relieve themselves (probably the rider will be too), but no one needs that where you’ll be pitching your tent. We find a group of trees just far enough away from where we’ll be setting up camp that it’s easy to lead over the pack horses one at a time to unload, but odors will not be offensive.

Usually by the time we reach camp, the horses are tired and hungry (once again, probably the rider will be too). I stop, drop the lead rope of the pack string, drop the reins of my riding horse, and chances are more than likely that they’ll all do nothing more than lower their heads and begin to eat. As a probably obvious tip here, make sure you stop in a grassy location. The horses are more interested in eating and resting than running off. This gives me time to dismount, remove my horse’s headstall, hang it over the saddle horn, and clip on his lead rope; then take off my hat and chaps, which I usually just hang over my saddle; and untie the pack string.

Bringing the stallion to camp adds a little extra caution. I’ll drop his reins and let him graze, only long enough to remove his bridle, and clip on a long lead rope which I can picket to a stump or rock or bush if need be, to keep him at a safe distance from fighting with the other horses. But since he’s a skinny boy, I’d like him to be grazing as much as possible when he’s not working. You can use this trick if you have a horse that fights, bites, kicks, or runs off.

Then, each pack horse is led over closer to camp, and their load is lifted, unloaded under a big tree in a neat pile. Sometimes not so neat. But it’s all there. All the fixings for setting up camp in one big pile. We can take care of all that later. First, the horses. One by one, the horses are led over to a good sized fallen tree (in our neck of the woods, these are plentiful) that works as a great saddle rack. There, each horse is unsaddle, inspected for chafing, wound or saddle sores, briefly curried, and sprayed with fly spray if need be.

After each horse in unsaddled, they can either be tied to trees (high and tight) for a short period of time if this is permissible in your location, or better yet, set up your highline with tree savers (or cinches) right from the get go, and tie the horses safely up there.

The saddles are left uncovered to air out if it’s not raining, but we don’t forget to cover them before night fall, throwing one of the pack tarps over them to protect them from rain or snow, frost or dew.

After the last horse is unsaddled and tied up, we usually leave the horses tied and resting while we address the unpacking of the panniers and the setting up of camp. A little bit of down time for them won’t hurt, though we know what they really want is GRASS.

So, after camp is set and our personal belongings are all in order, before we can sit down and relax (or eat… and I’m usually pretty hungry by now, so keep those snacks handy), the horses have to be turned out to graze. I’ve address how we do this in a previous post.

When the horses are all turned out and grazing, and all stock seem well and fine, and the camp is set… then and only then can we sit and relax. But since we didn’t have to limit our gear to what we carry on our human back, and had our horses help instead, chances are we packed a chair, and now we’re sittin’ pretty!

Care for the horses in camp: theory in practice

After previous posts discussing the “how to” of caring for horses while at camp, I thought it might be of help to see and read about some specifics. This is theory in practice, examples of actual situations of us caring for our horses while at camp. There is no one right way; it is a lot of trial and error, of working with the number of horses you have, their personalities, and the location and situation of where you are.

Example one: 7 horses at a new camp. The horses have worked hard, bringing us and our gear to camp, but once there, most are not working. It’s time out for a few days. Therefore, they can graze during the day.

During the day, we have set up a portable electric fence which runs from one group of trees, across the meadow, to another group of trees. It is hard to find any sort of clear path through the trees, so they act as a natural boundary. At night, the horses are tied to a high line in the middle of those trees, so it’s pretty much the center point of their world up there. A creek runs through this “corral” which is pretty handy, but if there was not, the horses would be led to a water source before turning them out and again before bringing them in. Within the corral, two horses are left free to roam (the most passive, follower types) and five of the seven horses are hobbled (the more experienced hands who have learned that hobbles won’t stop them, and those who may know the way home). A “just in case” measure. Though they can move pretty far and fast with hobbles, we usually can run faster…

At last light, we lead the horses up to the trees and tie them to the high line for the night. Lead ropes are clipped back on, or untied if they’ve been safely tied up around their neck in a no-slip knot during grazing, and hobbles are removed and now buckled losely around the horses neck so that they are handy in the morning. Each horse is given a generous handful or two of horse cookies once all are tied up. They learn to settle in for the night. A newbie may paw and become anxious, but they will learn, they will settle down with time.

At first light, I go let them off the high line. They are happy to see me and nicker and paw. I put hobbles on those that will need hobbles before I untie them. They are anxious and hungry in the morning, rightfully so, yet for my personal safety, I require that they behave and stand still while I work with them. I untie the most insecure first, and the most confident last. That way no one is left panicking back on the high line alone. Since I usually work alone in the early morning, I do what it takes to make it safe and easy for myself.

Example two: 5 horses at a familiar camp. The horses are becoming familiar with camp. They recognize the location, and seem relieved to have arrived there. They will not be working hard during the day, but we know they (like us) are happier when their bellies are full, so better to let them out grazing as much as possible.

There is no need to tie them up at night now. They know their way around, and we feel confident the portable electric corral set up across the meadow will be enough to contain them. Now when their bellies are full and they are looking for a comfortable place to rest, they return to the trees where their high line is. Although we don’t tie them up, it is now their comfort zone. We bring them a pail of horse cookies to share every time they return to the trees.

Example three: 5 horses at a familiar camp. The horses know the camp and by now call it their home away from home. There are enough of them together that they will not be looking for the horses we left behind, nor anxious to run away from camp back to the trailhead or ranch.

During the day, we picket two horses, hobble two, and let one roam free. We are certain to leave enough room between the two picketed horses that they will not tangle, and do check on them frequently in case they tie up on a bush, rock, or themselves. I have seen it happen enough that I’d rather take a few minutes every 2 hours to make certain they are all OK.

At night, they are either tied back to the high line, or brought into a small corral set up with the electric fencing to remain safe and comfortable (and close) for the night. I personally can’t sleep well with my horses picketed, but I know folks who do and have had fine luck with that.

Example four: 4 horses at a new camp. We’ve been riding all day. Both we and our horses are tired. We have a big day tomorrow, and will be moving on mid morning. Yet the camp is not familiar to our horses, and we do not feel comfortable leaving them out at night, and nor have we packed in a portable electric fence.

One horse is picketed, two are hobbled, and one is left loose. The horses must be allowed to drink (led to water if no creek in the “pasture”) and graze at least two hours that night before we tie them to the high line for the night. There is usually a good 3 hours of light after we arrive at camp in which we can leave them out to graze. Likewise in the morning, the horses are given at least two hours to graze while we have breakfast and pack up camp, before we bring the horses in to saddle and move on.

The first of summer

So much I wish I had time to share. Yet like with so many of you, suddenly we find ourselves so busy this time of year. Where did this rush come from? Catching us unprepared once again, caught up in the whirlwind of the season, but enjoying most every moment.

We’re up at our “ditch camp” with our horses four days a week, then taking day rides and giving lessons and visiting with guests two days a week, and cabin cleaning on the seventh day…

And yes, I love summer.

However, there is also so much I’ve been anxious to share – especially specifics on horse camping now that we’re out there with our horses again. (Wendy – I took many pictures of the high line and horses at camp I look forward to sharing.)

The next couple weeks are jam-packed, but I’ll look forward to catching back up and sharing much more as time allows.

In the meanwhile, here’s one thing to think about…

As I sit at camp in the early morning hours, bundled in front of the crackling fire sipping my steaming coffee, with my boys still sleeping in the tent and the horses peacefully grazing about me on the high mountain grass, I can imagine no place I would rather be, no life I would rather have.

There is a closeness to oneself one finds out there, perhaps because one has fewer distractions, only seeing if we choose to look and hearing if we choose to listen. There is a universal understanding which comes to us, however we prefer to spend time out in nature. We begin to see the Big Picture, and realize our small but blessed place within that circle of life. And there is a closeness that comes with our horses when we are out there living and working with them, day in and day out, side by side, that can not be achieved back home on the ranch or in the stables.

And so, off to the high country we head with our horses today….we’ll return Thursday evening. May you all have a wonderful week!

More on training your horse to stay at camp when you are still back home

I’ll explain briefly here our preferred methods for introducing all four of the “skills” I mentioned yesterday that come in handy for keeping horses in camp. These four skills are:
1. Using the Picket Line
2. Using the High Line
3. Hobbling your horse
4. Using the portable Electric Fence

For containing your horses in or near to camp, we use a combination of these. Often times, for grazing we will picket a lead mare, and the notorious run a-way, and hobble the other geldings; then at night we will keep our horses tied to the high line. For longer stays, we’ll set up the portable electric fence in a big, wide area, and still picket the lead mare within that perimeter. I’ve seen camps with well seasoned horses only picket the lead mares and allow the gelding to roam free. If riding all day, the horses are left out to graze all night. And for the most seasoned horses, they can learn to stick close to camp, especially if you camp in familiar places time and time again.

Using the Picket Line
What is it: A picket line is a long rope attached to the horses’ halter or single hobble around a front foot, with the other end of the rope firmly attached to a stake. The horse is able to graze around the stake to the length of the rope.
Precautions: We run our picket line from the halter. We have tried both methods, and find this to be easier for the horse to maneuver and to keep him/herself untangled and out of trouble with the rope. Still, we have had horses tangle, and I personally do not like to leave horses picketed for long periods of time unattended.
Teaching this to your horse: As with most of these skills, the first step is teaching lightness, respect and feel for the lead rope and halter. The second step is teaching the horse to keep off his rope. The best way I found to teach this is to allow the horse to walk around in a safe, small pen (a corral or round pen) with their lead rope dragging. They will step on it. And pretty shortly, they will learn from which foot the pressure comes, which one to lift, and how to get off their own rope. I start with a 10 foot lead, and eventually increase to a 20 foot lead. At this point, your horse will have learned well to stay off his lead, or to lift his foot to get off the lead before putting too much pressure on his head. So, the third step is then to have the end of the long rope secured, tied off, or staked, in a safe situation so that your horse can learn to give to the pressure and feel when he comes to the end of the line. This is also a rather useful skill for the horse to learn so that he/she does not step on dropped reins, or pull back if and when the horse does find himself on the reins.


Using the High Line
What is it: The high line is a long rope secured between to trees on which the horses lead rope can be tied overhead. The line is run with tree savers (we use old cinches) wrapped around large sturdy trees at about 8 - 9 feet high on the ends, and often sagging down to about 7 feet in the center. Yes, we usually have to climb the tree to wrap and tie off the rope, and we try to get the rope as tight as possible. We use a long rope, approximately 50 feet long with evenly placed rings to tie on the lead ropes. This prevents the lead ropes from slipping up and down the rope. I once woke to the whole lot of horses squooshed up in the middle where the lead ropes slipped along the high line. Now I secure the lead ropes with a slip proof device/string or use those rings.
Precautions: Horses should be evenly spaced, distance between horses should be considered out of kicking range, and placement or order of horses is essential. I put the ones who kick far off on the sides, and the ones who get along well can be closer to the center.
Teaching this to your horse: Again, first your horse should have lightness and respect for the halter and lead. Get your horse comfortable being tied up for an extended period of time. From there, this is a relatively safe thing to teach the horse. Seems like most new horses adjust naturally and easily to this, even being tied up all night long, if he’s there with his buddies near by, and they let him know it's OK.

Hobbling your horse
What is it: Hobbles are restraints put around the horses lower legs. Most hobbles go around the front two feet. I’ve seen some which include one of the back legs for a third leg. It’s a rather safe and comfortable way for your horse to remain out grazing for extended periods of time. I know some folks want to teach hobbling as something that keeps your horse in one spot and one spot only, but that’s not the point in the high country. A hobbled horse can move around and graze, but his motion is slower and he won’t be as likely to think he can run off, or be able to get as far as fast even if he thinks running off is the thing to do.
Precautions: Horses can learn to run pretty quickly when hobbled. Make sure you have a good saddle horse tied to the high line or picket line if the other horses are out hobbled. Rotating hobbled horses isn't a bad idea. We often put half the horses out hobbled to graze, the other half back at camp on the high line. And split the buddies up. One buddy out hobbled; one on the high line.
Teaching this to your horse: The lightness and feel we teach to the horse with lead rope and halter, here is taught to the horses feet. Start by getting your horse used to the feel of the rope around his feet, and comfortable with his feet being handled. Then teach your horse to give to the rope around his foot, one foot at a time. I do this by first having him lift the foot, first forward, then back, with the rope around his foot, teaching him to give (lift) with gentle pressure. If he fights at first, I ignore it. I don’t up the pressure. I just continue teaching. Soon your horse will feel comfortable with the rope on the foot, and comfortable giving to light pressure. At that point, lead the horse by the foot. I literally run a 20 foot lead around the horses foot, one foot at a time, and gently pull until I get him to step towards the pressure. Just one step at a time. Continue this for a few steps, and it only takes a few minutes before you can lead the horse anywhere in the corral by the gentle lead of the rope on the foot. Teach this to all four feet. When your horse is reasonably comfortable with this, I’ll put the hobbles on the front feet. There are all kinds of fancy hobbles on the market. My favorite for teaching are old thick cotton ones that won’t burn or cut into the horse in any way should he struggle. I do not try to get the horse to move when he has the hobbles on, but encourage him to stand still. He will eventually try to move, and usually this is an odd sight to see a horse learn to move with hobble for the first time. If you can imagine a very big, ungraceful bunny hop. Let him learn, stay out of his way, and comfort him when he’s relaxed again. Remove the hobbles from the relaxed horses, not one that is fighting or resisting.

Using the portable Electric Fence
What is it: This is a great invention, though it’s big and bulky to pack in, and takes a while to set up, so we don’t use the portable electric fence unless we are remaining at a camp for an extended period of time. But when we do use it, it is by far the safest and most comfortable means of containing horses in the back country. You can purchase the separate componants (stakes, tape or wire, charger, ground rod), or ready made packages that even come in handy carry cases which can be packed in and set up at camp.
Precautions: Make certain your horse can see the wire or tape, and that both have a breaking point should your horse panic, tangle or run through the fencing. I prefer to use 1 inch tape which is very visible to the horse.
Teaching this to your horse: Horses are quick to learn about electric fences. Start by running a line of electric fence to block off a section of pasture. Always make sure in the training stage that the juice is on! Horses are very smart. I’ve had horses learn to hear the clicking of the power, and could tell when it was on. And when it was off, learn to walk right under. Keep the power on, especially for training. Teach your horse to respect that tape or wire. They quickly learn to look for it and stay away.

Part III in the series on Horse Packing How-To: Training your horse to stay at camp when you are still back home

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.

On camping: Keeping it clean

I grew up with a dad that would pick up trash, even along the streets of New York City, in attempt to keep his world beautiful. How can you not respect that? So… how does it make you feel when you see trash? And what do you do about it?

To this day it remains a great upset of mine. And never more disturbing than trash in the wilds. You’d think the back country, the wilderness and Wilderness are no place to leave trash behind… but still you’ll find it. Perhaps it’s an accident at times; I’d like to hope it is. Perhaps something fell or blew away unnoticed, or the drag rider (for me, usually my son Forrest who is well trained in the art of trash spotting) did not see.

Does anyone else remember that commercial from the 70’s with the wise old Native American man riding his pony, a single tear falling down his cheek as he looks upon the litter spread out before him on this beautiful land? That was powerful stuff.

What can we do as we ride by except stop our horses, get off, and pick it up? I will every time. Fortunately, where I live, we are lucky enough to have trash be an exception, not a rule. But still, my horses no longer fear plastic bags (those things always seem to fly away from folks, I guess), and my saddle bags often come home full.

Trash is anything we humans left behind that does not belong. Including fire rings. How campers came to believe that stones had to be gathered and stacked in order to build a temporary fire is a mystery to me, and how one can leave a fire pit and think that the next folks by won’t notice… Stones don’t “grow” in a ring with a burned out center. We notice. Perhaps those campers are trying to be “thoughtful” by leaving it there for the next camper to use. No. The next camper hopefully knows how to follow Leave No Trace ethics.

This week I came across two such rings filled with trash. Hmmm. I’m thinking that either the campers didn’t know beer cans don’t burn and must have left the fire before it was dead out. Or else the campers thought their trash was… OK? Either way, I just don’t get it. You took such great efforts to pack your gear and get this far out. Did you find trash here when you arrived which spoiled your impression?

I’m far from perfect. I am certain I have lost and left things behind out there. Hopefully the next rider after me is caring enough to stop and pick up my mess. On the other hand, I do my best to clean up after others if need be. I just don’t think I’ll ever understand why it needs to be, if you know what I mean. There are few places remaining unspoiled by mans heavy hands. I’ll do what I can to keep the wild and the wilderness pristine

Leave No Trace: A basic introduction to Wilderness travel and camping for the Horseman

Riding and horse camping in the Wilderness may seem overwhelming at times, with a long list of rules and regulations to follow in order to “leave no trace.” But it’s actually remarkably simple. In fact, one of the best parts about the Leave No Trace principles is its simplicity. Stay simple! It makes riding and camping with horses easy and doable. And the experience of being in the Wilderness where folks have and do treat the wilds with deserving respect is incomparable.

The basic principles of Leave No Trace for the horseman are the same as for the hiker or backpacker, with just a few additional considerations. I’ll go over the general points today, and in the future, we can show you each one in greater detail, through recounts of our hands-on experiences.

I understand that each Wilderness Area may have specific concerns and considerations, so please take an extra few minutes to look up any additional recommended guidelines for the area you intend to be travelling in. Most of this information can be found on line today.

The basic principles for LNT travel and camping are:
Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel and Camp On Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
You can sum this up even more simply by just remembering to be thoughtful and considerate of the land, the trail, wildlife and other people. I figure this is a big, beautiful world. Respecting that basic principle is easy.

We do it both for a living and for the love of it. When it’s just the three of us, we travel as light as possible, everything thing we need for the three of us packed on one horse. And yes, we seriously limit our weight and bulk on our packstock because of the high elevation and challenging mountain terrain.

When we take a group into the Wilderness, our impact is slightly greater, with a larger number of persons and stock, sleeping tents for our guests, and a portable camp kitchen which really helps me in order to prepare good meals for a larger group.

In any case, when we leave a camp, we do our best to see that signs of our ever having been there are minimal. You’d have to search for clues.


Here are some specific principles and practices to keep in mind with the LNT ethics:

Planning ahead first means limiting your group size. For foot traffic only, group size is limited to 15 people. For those of us travelling with stock, we are limited to no more than 25 heartbeats, persons and stock (riding and pack) combined. Plan accordingly: limit your gear, repackage food for minimal waste, pack well and wisely, and be prepared (I’ll share our packing suggestion list in the future).
In choosing a camp site, find a durable surface, 200 feet from any water source, and use what’s there. Good sites are found, not made. Don’t alter the landscape. Choose an area that won’t be impacted by your horses, gear and tent. For horse travelers, get well off the beaten trail. You don’t want to be in the way with your stock. Allow for stock grazing where you won’t disturb trail traffic. Tuck you high lines in the trees. Use a downed tree to store saddles and tack. I’m big on privacy. I don’t like to see anyone else from my camp, nor disturb anyone else. I’m out here for a reason, and it’s not the social life.
Limit campfires. Don’t burn if you don’t have to. Cook on a campstove. Use a lantern or candle for light. We have a fancy double burner aluminum pannier set we pack for cooking for groups. I can prepare a good three course meal for a crowd, and never have to burn a stick. But I admit, a campfire is magical and special and warm (and it’s pretty cold up here), so when we camp during times that fires are not permitted (it is your responsibility to know if a fire ban is in effect), I miss a camp fire. When you are permitted and do choose to have a campfire, keep fires small, use only small sticks and twigs on the ground. Burn fire completely to fine ash, and be sure the fire is dead out before leaving camp. We dump water in the hole, stir it up with a stick or shovel, and then put our hand in. That will tell you if it’s out! In some locations, there may be designated fire pits. In our part of the Wilderness, there are not. If we see “rings” folks left behind, we scatter them. I guess some people don’t realize that a fire ring is not only completely unnecessary, but it’s leaving a mighty big trace. I don’t want to know you were there before me. That’s the point of the Wilderness. Instead, we dig out our top soil, the top 6-8 inches, stash it under a nearby tree, and build our fire in this hole about 15x15 inches. When we are leaving the campsite, we make certain the fire is dead out, then replace the topsoil. I’ve heard about fire blankets – small squares of fireproof materials that you can pack with you and place right on top of the ground, build your fire on it, and be certain that you’re leaving no trace when you carefully clean up from this. This would be a good thing to pack in many areas.
As for some horse specific considerations to keep in mind: feed must be certified weed free, but I’d say this is a consideration for folks camping at the trailhead or at the few Wilderness locations that are so close to urban centers that use is heavy. In the majority of the back country, at least where ever I have been so lucky to camp, there’s more than enough horse feed already there. Don’t pack in feed. Let you horses graze. In our elevations covering trails between 10,000 and 13,000 feet, and riding/working an average of six or seven hours a day, our horses are in excellent condition on high mountain grass alone, and without fear of colic from packing in rich or unnatural horse feeds. Just like we’re trying to limit our impact, allowing your horses to graze will be far less of an impact over keeping them tied up and eating feed you hauled in.
Don’t cut switchbacks. Horses will leave a greater footprint than two human feet, especially in wet, muddy areas. Keep this in mind and use thoughtful consideration. Our goal is to leave only footprints, but even minimize these. If going off trail to stop or set camp, spread out, don’t leave a new trail behind.
As for horse manure – I haven’t figured out how to clean up on the trail behind us as we travel, so my apologies to the foot traffic that does have to step over the occasional pile. But at camp, there is no excuse not to take the time to kick or spread with shovel or stick the manure your horses leave behind. A broken up pile of horse poop will be all but impossible to see after a day drying in the sun, or an afternoon of rain. A pile left intact can remain visible for a full season.
Then there is the issue of human waste. Again, this is simple, so please keep it simple. There is nothing worse than finding a camp where someone had set up (and left) a big hole for a latrine. Think small and simple. When you need to “go to the woods,” find a private location in the woods or brush, and dig a cat hole 6-8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water source. When you are done, cover and disguise the cat hole. Don’t forget to pack your shovel! We use one of those good sized folding ones that fits easily into either a pannier or large saddle bag. We have a bright yellow one, and lean it up on a tree with a roll of TP hanging from the tree in a ziplock bag. If the bag and shovel are gone, you know the woods are “occupied.” TP is supposed to be packed out, though in an area of minimal use like where we camp, I will use biodegradable paper and bury it with my humanure. Back in the day, people thought you should leave TP out on a rock or something. No. I don’t want to see your TP, and you don’t want to see mine, right? Leave no trace! Handy-wipe type products are great for personal hygiene, but be sure to pack these out.
Respect nature in everything you do. There no need to be out there if you don’t. Enjoy looking at the wild flowers, the grasses, the trees, but don’t damage, pick, or cut anything alive. For the horseman, this also means limiting time stock is tied to trees; rotating location of stock staked out to graze, and using tree-savers when putting up a high line.
Respect wildlife. Observe only from a distance. Bottom line, leave them alone. Control pets or leave them at home. Store food and trash securely.
Respect others on the trail and in the Wilderness. Be courteous, yield to others on the trail. People, on foot or horse, should step to the downhill side off the trail to allow for packstock to safely pass. Being nice goes a long way! Make a good name for horsemen. If you have to encounter anyone else on the trail, have it be your goal to make the encounter be a positive one for you, your stock, and the folks you meet.
If you packed it in, you can pack it out. Take out all your trash. Everything. Don’t bury or burn it. Plan on bringing trash bags if need be.
You know what they say: Take nothing from the wilderness except photos and memories. Leave nothing but footprints, and as a horseman, take extra precaution to limit these. Damage nothing during your stay.
Double check that you have in fact left no trace. Do a final sweep around your camp area – check for trash, scatter horse poop (with boots and branches), if there was any pawing around trees, cover this back up. Take the time to clean up. Check and double check. Even if, on the unfortunate chance, you find litter or signs of an obvious camp left behind by someone else, clean up after them. I’ll jump off my horse any time I see a piece of trash on the trail and stuff it in my saddle bag. I’ll spend time bagging and packing up someone else’s trash if I find it left behind at camp. I don’t appreciate it, but I sure am not going to leave it for someone else to see. Leave the campsite and the Wilderness as you wish you found it.

I hope this doesn’t sound complicated. It’s not. It’s so simple. But if we choose to use the Wilderness, we need to accept and abide by these principles. Remember, it’s our choice. Choose to use it wisely.

For more information, and more specific details, check out these web sites:
http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles.php
http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/falls/9200/leave_no_trace.html
http://www.outdoorplaces.com/Features/Backcountry/leavenotrace/

The one that got away

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…

On camping

I’m afraid one of the biggest turn offs for folks avoiding back country horse trips is camping. Not everyone likes to rough it. First, let me say, there is nothing wrong with that. Then, that said, let’s take a look at back country camping, and see if I can’t start to change your mind…

We do rough it. When it’s just my husband, my son and myself out for a family pack trip for a few nights, we’ll throw our sleeping bags onto of the horse blankets and string up the tarp that was used to cover the packs above us if there’s a chance or rain (or snow… yes, we’ve been under that tarp in snow storms). We cook over the open fire, sit on a stump of wood, listen to our horses shifting and snorting beside us all night long… and love it.

I know this way is not for everyone. In fact, I’m not sure I know anyone else who enjoys things this rough. We certainly never expect our guests to rough it this much. At the very least, we’ll give them a tent to sleep in and proper camping pads to sleep on. And three course dinners prepared on our two burner camp stove while kicking back in a Crazy Creek chair watching the sun set over the high mountains…

More often than not, back country horse camping involves sleeping on cots in wall tents, and gourmet dining in a mess tent at a table with chairs… It’s not as rustic as you might imagine. It all depends on your choices, what you are comfortable with, what your needs are. There is no right or wrong. It is all individual preference. There are so many options, but which ever way works for you and your needs, bottom line is you'll be out there, riding, enjoying the high country, and yes, camping...

I keep going back to this idyllic picture of what camping in the back country feels like, which is this unparalleled, peaceful, serene, healing experience. It’s not just an incredible horse fix, it’s a nature fix, a personal fix, a life fix! Let’s see if I can paint the picture for you: You arrive at camp in the late afternoon after a thrilling day on the trail seeing the most magnificent country you have never been able to see before, and no other persons besides the folks in your group, because you’re so far away from the “convenient” rides and locations. Your horse knew the trail, was sure footed and well mannered, a good mountain horse. Now he’s being unsaddled, watered and let out to graze. You’re free to unwind, take a solitary walk by the creek, or go sit on the hillside and watch the setting sun while sipping at something special and listening to the incomparable silence. Later, full from the wonderful dinner and content after the good stories shared around the campfire, you turn in, and sleep a most well deserved and peaceful sleep. The following morning, you wake up to the smell of coffee on the fire, grab a steaming cup, and kick back on that hillside to quietly watch the cow and calf elk make their way across the meadow. And after a good hot and hearty breakfast, you saddle up and spend the day doing what you love best… riding!

If you talk to anyone who’s spent time out there, or if you’ve done it yourself, this isn’t too far off, is it? It is truly an extraordinary experience.

If this sounds interesting, start by considering your options – do you want a trip with just your family or friends, or do you want a professional outfitter to guide you? And if you’re considering an outfitter, again there are so many options – which one will fit your needs - from rough to luxury; 2 or 10 hours a day in the saddle, and other personal choices should be considered.

If you want to try it yourself – do! Learn the tricks of the trade. It’s not Rocket Science, believe me. If I can do it, anyone can. Coming up, I’ll do my best to share what I can to hopefully help you feel ready to give it a try. But do try. And yes, make mistakes. You'll learn from them.

Start small, simple, closer to home. Perhaps “car camp” first – camping out of your trailer and setting up a portable corral by your trailer. Then move on from there as you feel more comfortable, and as your horses learn the ropes. Yes, they too get used to camping, and learn to love it as well.

Consider what works for you, and maybe try one step further. One step at a time. Before you know it, I’ll be seeing you in the back country!