February 2016:

During the summer of 2012, I got together with an old friend I hadn’t seen in a while.  As we sat and talked, he mentioned that one day he’d like to ride from Mexico to Canada on the Great Western Trail (GWT). That conversation planted a seed in the back of my mind (very fertile ground, due to a lot of dead and composted ideas back there), which took root and started to grow.  I spoke with him several weeks later and together we decided we would give it a shot.  As I started looking for information on the GWT, I was surprised at how little there really was.  Apparently nobody had made the full trip in one shot before, at least not that I found documented.  There were only wildly divergent estimates on the mileage, ranging from 3,000 to 4,500 miles, despite the fact that it’s only about 1,500 miles by roads (Google Maps), so estimating travel time is pretty much a wild guess. In fact, on the GWT website, I was the only registrant on the equine forum, so they made me an administrator.

Anyway, as I started talking to folks on forums and other sites, I was told several times that I should start a blog and document my preparations and planning, as well as the trip itself. I figured that if there was interest, I might do just that, and hopefully provide some helpful information for others who might be following after.

So, here it is.  I purchased the domain name “westerntrailrider.com” to host my own blog, as well as to create a place where others, who may have the same idea, can post their blogs as well.  The site will be restricted to topics relating to the use of, access to, and preservation of, trails and areas open to horse travel in the Western United States, horses, mules, equipment, good stories, etc.. I’m hoping that eventually this will turn in to a well-stocked clearinghouse of information for those who love riding horses in the beautiful outdoors of the western United States.

Outfitters, suppliers, guides, and others who have goods and services to sell, relative to the mission of this website, are encouraged to join. Feel free to plug your businesses and services on the Forums and to place links on your signatures and posts.  Start your own blog under the WTR banner. Those who would like to place professional advertising on the website should contact the site administrators at admin@westerntrailrider.com.

I have recently disabled the link to the Forum, due to the administrative load and the fact that nobody is using it. Down the road, when/if the demand warrants, I will reactivate the forum. For now, it seems most folks prefer the ease and instant gratification of facebook. So, please visit my facebook page at Western Trail Rider.

By the way, Dad and I started the first leg of our Canada-to-Mexico horse pack trip April 11, 2015.  We went from the US/Mexico border, just east of Douglas, AZ, to Eagar, Arizona. The trip was 355 miles and took us 28 days with 5 horses and a mule. See my blog for the whole story.

In 2016 we made it from Eagar, Arizona to Flagstaff, before we were overruled by the forces of nature. There just wasn’t any water north of Flag. The drought, fire danger, and extreme temperatures forced us to call a halt to our trip. We made 197 miles.

It’s not looking like we will be able to complete our Mexico-to-Canada trip. My hat is off to those who have made such journeys. The mileage we made was a great trip for Dad and me. We accomplished most of what we wanted: To spend time together as father and son, and to reconnect with our pioneer heritage – to feel and experience many of the things our pioneer forefathers did. The fact that we won’t actually make the full 3,000 mile trip is only a minor failure in the grand scheme of it all.

I will continue to keep the website up and to document my horse-related experiences on my blog. Hope you’ll join me for some good times in the saddle.

Happy Trails!

Tony Henrie
westerntrailrider.com
facebook: Western Trail Rider