Packing in to elk camp 2007

[Missouri Sherpa]

Howdy.  Mo Sherpa here getting prepared for another trip to the high country.  Some of you may remember last year I took my llamas elk hunting and brought home a nice bull.  Links below to those adventures.  I am going to take some of my horses this year instead of llamas.  I have not done a pack trip with horses for several years and I have been real busy getting  my animals and gear up to the task.  We are planning a 12 mile pack trip over the Continental Divide into the  Colorado Weminuche Wilderness.

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If I want to go somewhere in style and in a hurry I would ride this Tennessee Walker.  He is 17-2 hands, with a smooth running walk.  He can flat out walk a hole in the wind if you have stones to ride him.  He is way too fast for my pack horses to keep up with.

 
This is my primary mount, Dakota.  This aged red dun is 17 years old.  He used to be an outstanding team penning horse but he hasn't worked cattle for years and has been a good  steady trail ride/hunting horse for me. Still has power steering and power brakes, real nice features for a horse to have when leading a packstring.  I have had this horse for 10 years and we know what to expect from each other.

   This is Fritz.  We call him lightning, not because he is fast but because he isn't.  He has a lot of air under him too at 16-2 hands tall.  He is only three years old and is the most laid back horse on earth.  He has two interests, when do we stop and when do we eat.  Only one speed, slow.  He is good for people that can't handle a more peppy mount, like my elk hunting buddies that don't ride much.  They have been riding some this summer and are going to be ready by September.

   This is the most cool looking horse I have seen.  This is a silver grulla.  He has lots of dun factor expression like a buckskin, only in silver.  He just turned two and I had him gelded.  He is going to be my replacement mount when old Dakota gets too old to go anymore.

   I have about 40 rides on this horse and just sent him to a professional trainer this week for 30 days finishing.  I break young horses myself and then send them to a trainer that is more skilled than I am to polish them up a little.  This little horse is only 14-3 hands and will fill out quite a bit more as he ages.  He rides good (no bucking) and has ponied with a loaded pack without any trouble.

[Missouri Sherpa]

This is my packstring for this trip.  The blue roan is four years old and I only have about 6 rides on him and half a dozen times with the pack saddle.  Blue Thunder, he can really get airborn and raise some dust but he is coming along and will be ready.  The Fjords are my driving team.  They are 9 and 10 years old and have packed several times before.
   

Behind this string of horses you can see some brown pipe fence panels.  That is a 60 ft round pen.  If any of you are interested in successfully working with horses you need to have a round pen.  Once you learn how to get inside a horses head and work them in a round pen you can really make a lot of quick progress without anyone getting hurt too badly.
   

Saddled up and ready to go.
   

This is a detail picture of one of my pack saddles.  I buy these adjustable top bars, polymer board pack frames from a guy in British Columbia.  I happen to live not too far from a Leather Factory store and have easy access to cowhides and buckles so I dont have any trouble making my own rigging.  I pick up the cinches/girths/halters at horse tack auctions in bulk.  This saddle is extremely durable, adjustable and will not sore the back of your horse.  This is the only pack saddle endorsed by the long riders guild.  This horse will carry a couple of Utah bags and coolers on this saddle.
   

This is one of my Fjords with the same saddle and a set of Utah bags.  These bags are made from Kevlar and are indestructable.  They have lots of buckles and straps and make loading a packhorse a piece of cake.  You don't have to know how to throw a double diamond or a box hitch to be able to pack with horses if you have the right kind of equipment.   A 54 quart cooler will fit inside one of these bags and army duffle bags ride on top.  This horse is loaded with 2 50 pound bags of alfalfa cubes on each side.  The fjords can pack 250 pounds with ease.  They are only 14 to 14-2 hands tall which makes them easy to load and they weigh about 1400 pounds, mostly muscle and heavy bone.  They are tough durable draft horses.  Not too speedy but they can get you and your gear to camp in one trip.

   

This fjord is sporting a pair of bear resistant pack boxes.  These boxes will carry my groceries to camp.  Right now they have 90 ponds of sand in each box and a 50 pound bag of cubes on top.  We put in  4-5 miles today and they did good with these loads.

All people have certain gifts.  Some people are gifted bowyers and knife makers.  Some are gifted as mechanics, or artists, some as fine archers.   I am blessed with being able to work with these fine animals.  I am more of a horseman and llama wrangler than I am a bowhunter.  My passion and abilities for working with animals far exceeds my capabilities as a hunter but I don't let that stop me from having a good bowhunt.  I hope to be able to bring you a good story or two from my hunts this fall.  Good hunting.

[702plmo]

Very nice pictures and that sure is a big walker,  I bet he can rack a hole in the ground.

[Steve O]

That is the way to go in style...

I was just in Des Moines last week, it would have been enjoyable to see the pack string get a workout!

[Whip]

Sure looking forward to the stories to follow your trips this year!  To me, horse back hunting is about as good as it gets in the high country.  Glad to be able to at least follow along with you by reading about it.

[dan ferguson]

Don,t forget the hobbles, Looks like a great time.

[Mike Orton]

John, I have admired your adventures in the past.  The horsey lifestyle is one to envie for sure.  You're correct in identifying that we all bring different skills toward the pursuit of God's critters, yours apparently is in the management of knotheads.  No finer way to travel the backcountry.....          

[HalfRack]

John, it will be interesting to read your stories and see the pictures of your hunts, thanks for sharing.  I will be waiting to hear your take on the experience with horses versus the llamas, can't wait. Please take care in the back country, the danger factor is definately higher with horses, and best of luck on your hunt. Hopefully we'll see another pic of a big bull.

-Mike

[Dave2old]

Looks like a whole lot of work to me!

[last arrow]

Dave2old;

Funny thing about horses, and traditional bows for that matter.  Some people look at them and see something hard to handle and work to be done, others look at them and see many pleasurable, active hours to be spent - do what you enjoy.

Some day I hope to have a lifestyle that includes horses too.

By the way Mr. Sherpa, I realy enjoyed your post last year and realy look forward to this one.

[Wapitidung]

Mo Sherpa is Styling and Profilin.

[beachbowhunter]

Simply phenominal..

[Bard1]

not sure I can read this thread, just LOOKing at those beautiful horses makes my allergies kick in.  *sigh*