Category Archives: Western Trails

Posts regarding trails I have ridden, plan to ride, or just hope to ride

Good trails, Western Trails

Cleveland Spring Trail, Blue Range Primitive Area, Arizona

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During February, 2024, my good friend, Derek Habel, and I made a trip into Arizona for a ride in the Blue Range Primitive Area, in southeastern Arizona. “The Blue” as the area is known locally, is one of my favorite places in all the world. It is essentially a low mountain range split by the drainage of the Blue River, which runs south into a confluence with the San Francisco River. In 1905 Forest Service Employee W.H.B. Kent described the Blue Range as “no discernible mountain range, but rather a chaotic mass of very precipitous hills” (USFS website).  It is an apt description. The Arizona side is a designated Primitive Area, while portions in New Mexico are designated Wilderness Areas, according to the Apache-Sitgreaves USFS website. It was the last primitive area designated in the U.S. National Forest system.

When I was a young 15 years old, I was introduced to “The Blue” by my father, who took my younger brother and I on our first real deer hunt with horses. He drove us down the dirt road known as Red Hill Road, to a particularly wide spot about 3/4 of the way to the bottom, where we made our camp and stayed a few days. During that short stay, I grew to love that area and it has had a lasting impact on my life.

In about 1990 or so, I took my son, my sister, and her boys on a backpack trip into the area known as Tut Creek. We hiked up a trail to a saddle just north of Foote Creek Mesa, where we made camp. The following morning, we hiked about a mile to Cleveland Spring, which was nothing more than a short pipe sticking out from under a rock, where we filled out canteens. From that day, I have wished to ride Cleveland Spring Trail from Tut Creek to Foote Creek.

So, with my riding buddy, Derek, I finally checked off that bucket list box .

The trailhead from which we started is the Tut Creek Trailhead. Getting there is pretty simple, but not without some adventure. Take US 191 south from Alpine, Arizona about 14.2 miles (You can come up from the Safford area, but this highway was once designated US 666 and is definitely not recommended for pulling a trailer longer than about 25 feet) then turn east on Red Hill Road.

Red Hill road, is a regularly maintained dirt road that winds down fairly steeply into the Blue. Near the bottom. I say “regularly maintained” however, that is rather subjective. It gets graded now and again. Don’t try it when it’s been raining. You may not make it. Follow that road downhill somewhere around 15-ish miles and you’ll pass the trailhead on the west side of the road. It’s about a quarter-mile from the Blue River crossing, so if you get to the river, you passed it.

Now, you can also get there by taking Blue Road, which heads south from US 180 just east of Alpine, Arizona. This road is a much better road, still dirt, but maintained more often, and less steep than Red Hill Road. When you reach Blue Crossing after about 22 miles, where Red Hill Road intersects Blue Road, turn north on Red Hill Road, cross the Blue River, and head up about a quarter mile and you should see a sign indicating the turnoff on the two-track to the trailhead. If you are towing a horse trailer, look to the east side of Red Hill Road and find a place where you can pull off and park. Dispersed camping is allowed, with the standard 14-day stay limit.

So, that settled, head west on the two-track about a half mile and you will find the official trailhead (coordinates: 33.63125, -109.1098). Third warning: Don’t try taking your trailer in there.

There you will find the trailhead signage, indicating it is designated for foot and equine travel; no mechanized vehicles.

Follow the trail until you cross Bush Creek. Somewhere along there you will find a trail sign indicating the various trails you can take from there. If you go right, you can take Red Hill Trail, which will take you to the top of the Blue Drainage, to a trailhead you would would have passed on the way in on Red Hill Road. If you go straight west, as we did, you will be on Cleveland Springs Trail.

Cleveland Springs Trail will take you up a lower canyon for about a mile or so, then abruptly turn up a side hill on a switchback to the south. As you climb the side hill, the trail will eventually sweep back toward the west to take you across a saddle on the north end of Foot Creek Mesa. There are a number of nice camp areas on that saddle and it is the place where I camped with my sister, her sons, and my son those many years ago.

Continue on westward on the trail, through a fence gap and you will begin your descent into Foot Creek. This trail is a bit sketchy, as there has been no maintenance of it in probably the past 50 years, but if you keep your eyes peeled, you can find your way across and down the mountainside to the creek.

(Click on a photo to get full-size)

 

Once at Foot Creek, you will see the trail intersection at a fence gap. If you turn right, or north, through the gap, you will begin the ascent to the top of Foot Creek Trail. If you turn to the left, or south, following the creek as we did, you will descend to the Blue River, however, the trail is not well marked once you leave the creek bottom. We must have made a wrong turn once we got into the meadows at the bottom, because we had to do a bit of bushwhacking to get up to Blue Road.

From there, we followed Blue Road eastward until we got back to Blue Crossing, turned north onto Red Hill Road, crossed the Blue River, and returned to our point of origin. The ride comprised a loop of about 6.5 miles and took us most of about 6 hours. Now, we were riding gaited horses, but there are mighty few places on that ride where one would be able to gait along at a decent pace. With the ups and downs, and switchbacks, and bushwhacking, I guess about 1 mile per hour was about right.

Here’s a compilation of some videos we took on the ride (or see my YouTube channel at Western Trail Rider).

Since the Wallow Fire of 2011, many of the trails in The Blue, such as Foot Creek Trail, KP Mesa Trail, Grant Creek Trail, and Steeple Creek Trail, all of which were once nationally know trails, have nearly disappeared. I have been told Grant Creek Trail is impassable, but I have made it all the way down. I was told Red Hill Trail is impassable, but I and a couple friends made it all the way from the bottom to the top. I have been told Foot Creek Trail is impassable, as well, and it may be, above Cleveland Springs Trail, but we were able to make it from there to the Blue. I guess a lot depends on how badly you want to get from one place to another and how much faith you have in your horses.

For me, as I said before, this was a bucket-list ride I had been wanting to do for nearly 35 years and I enjoyed every minute of it.   While the trail has not been maintained in many years, the wildlife and cattle use it, as do the cowboys who still run cattle in the area, but it sees very little travel from visitors. There are places on most of the trails where one really has to hunt around to find the old trail, but if you know what to look for, it can be found.

One day, if life lets me, I would love to spend a couple summers riding up and down all those trails and restore and re-mark them all, so hikers and horse riders can once again enjoy my favorite place in all the world.

Happy Trails.

TH

Saddlery, Western Trails

I finished my first saddle!

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Somewhere around 15 years ago, I decided I would like to learn to make saddles. I began to acquire tools of the trade and bought a number of books on the subject, including the full three-volume set, The Stohlman Encylopedia of Saddle Making, which I have found to be a wonderful resource. I started by making a few items of cowboy gear, such as chaps and chinks, a few knife sheaths and handgun holsters, spur straps, and other useful items, which taught me several valuable skills, such as hand-stitching heavy leather and decorative stamping and carving.

I then started doing various repairs on older saddles, eventually doing a couple of complete restorations, which taught me the basics of how saddles are made and put together.  During this developmental period, I started putting together in my mind what I would want in a saddle of my own. I decided that for my uses, what I needed was a very heavy-duty, but lightweight saddle.  I considered everything from “Aussie” stock saddles to the Santa Fe style western saddle from the 1850s, to modern lightweight saddles, but finally decided that my taste was definitely centered on the late 1800s stock saddles. So, the research began.

After many years of just reading, perusing pages of photos, and looking over saddles from that period in the American west, I finally got up the courage to make the investment in tools and materials to start my own saddle. I will warn the reader here, that this investment in hard cash money, to buy the necessary tools to do this thing right, is no small thing. I am sure that in my sparsely outfitted saddle shop I have well over $2,000 invested in tools by now, most of which are tiny little hand tools, such as stamps, pliers, hammers, and cutting tools. On top of that, a side of top-quality saddle skirting leather now runs in excess of $300 and two are required to make one western style saddle. On top of that, a good saddle tree will run  $400-800, including shipping. When you can buy a good used saddle for $300, this is something you have to weigh in the balance.

Well, in 2021, a friend of mine encouraged me to build a saddle. He even fronted me enough money to buy the leather and tree, provided the saddle would be for him. So, I jumped in. After a bit of research and consultation with the friend-client, it was decided a Wade-style saddle would suit him. I decided on the  Timberline Wade tree, made by Timberline Saddle Trees, Vernal, Utah. It is their “flagship” saddle tree. After consulting with them on the phone, I sent them the custom measurements I wanted in the tree, to suit my client’s horse, and away we went. I also ordered two sides of leather, one 13/15 oz and one 11/12 oz Herman Oak skirting leather from Montana Leather, Billings, Montana.  I also ordered the saddlery hardware from them.

I was very pleased with the quality of the saddle tree. It was money well-spent.

The first item of business was to smooth the pommel to bars junction and dress the saddle horn.

Then comes the ground seat. I elected to make a leather “seat strainer”, rather than the more commonly used tin strainer, as I have read it makes a more comfortable seat. I used the heaviest leather I had on hand, which worked out very nicely.

Next was the gullet covering.

After that, I made the ground seat.  Then it was time to decide on the decorative stamping and/or carving I would do to make the saddle attractive. I had a hard time deciding on this.

Carving designs in leather is not difficult, but the artistry involved is quite complicated. Each saddler or leatherworker tends to follow certain conventions in design, but eventually creates his/her own style and that style becomes his/her “signature” and will identify his/her work ever after. That, to me, makes it a pretty weighty thing. As I have not yet quite settled on my particular style, and as messing up a detailed carving on a saddle can absolutely ruin it and waste much time, labor and cost, I decided to go with stamping designs. After a number of trials and sample stampings, I settled on the design you see below. I then made the Sam Stagg front rigging parts and the stirrup leathers, which I then followed with the back of the cantle.

The stamps used, alternating between the two, are Craftool Pro # D2166 and Craftool #D438. I used a 3/32 grooved tool (of which I do not know the technical name) to make an outline for the design, which helped keep the stamping lines smooth and symetrical.

After installing the gullet cover and the pommel cover, I oiled and stained them with Tandy’s Pro Dye in Dark Brown. The Dark Brown color darkens the leather to a dark reddish-brown, which I find very pleasing. Oiling the leather with warm neatsfoot oil (100% pure neatsfoot only, as neatsfoot compound oil has additives that can harm leather) beforehand helps the stain to absorb more evenly into the leather. Adding more coats and allowing drying/absorption time between coats will darken the color a little with each coat.

I then finished the horn and wrapped it with a latigo horn wrap. I was quite pleased with the result.

Along about this time, I also covered the cinch rings with leather. Leather-covered cinch rings were fairly common in the 1880s. The leather helped the latigo slide over the ring easily, when cinching down a saddle on the horse and keeps the unsightly rusty rings covered. Nowadays, we have stainless steel cinch rings, but in those days they were just plain steel and rust was a problem.

Next came the skirts, which I made out of 13/15 oz leather with a rounded design, reminiscent of the 1880s California style (the Texas style was squared skirts). I made the skirts a bit shorter than might be seen on vintage 1880s saddles, as I wanted to keep weight down.  I used a heavy paper throughout the building process to make patterns, which, in turn, makes the saddle build repeatable and easier the next time. I cut the skirting leather to my patterns, then wet-formed the skirts to the tree bars by tacking them in place tightly until they dried. I then glued and hand stitched the fleece to the skirts.

For me, stitching a pair of saddle skirts takes a good 8-10 hours of pretty intense concentration and labor (not to mention sore fingers!).  In the future, I fully intend to spend the $1,500-2,000 to purchase a stitching machine, which would turn that job into a very simple 15-minute job. I used a synthetic waxed thread, which was what I normally hand stitch with. The wax helps the thread slide through the leather and settle with a uniform tension, which helps the stitches to appear even and uniform. I had to remove  as much of the wax as possible by wiping the thread with leather scraps, as the wax pulls the fleece into the hole, causing tangles and knots. Stitching saddle skirts is a tedious job.

I then designed and made the front and rear jockeys, stained them, and connected the rear jockeys with a saddle braid. In this photo you also see the seat leather, which has been cased and is being molded to the saddle by means of a bench strap. The strap is part of the saddle stand and is put under tension by means of a ratcheting lever. When the seat leather dries, it will be trimmed to final size and readied for installation.

The next process was to make the seat and side jockeys. I decided, based on a video from the YouTube channel, Agar France, to stitch the side jockeys to the seat leather, making the three parts into one. Traditionally, the seat leather was installed, then the side jockeys, the purpose of which was to prevent pinching the rider’s leg between the seat and stirrup leathers.  These were installed as separate pieces. These side jockeys were often tacked to the tree bars with brass tacks to keep them firmly in place during use. Stitching them to the seat leather simplified the installation of the seat leather, making it more like a modern saddle, which incorporates both the side and front jockeys into a one-piece seat leather.

Having watched a particular video by Agar France, which no longer appears on his channel, I decided to place the front jockeys underneath the Sam Stagg front rigging, as shown above, however, once I got the saddle finished, I discovered this configuration interfered with the movement of the stirrups. It caused the inner stirrup leather to pinch between the front jockey and the cinch ring.  The solution was to move the front jockey to cover the rigging straps, which freed up the movement range of the stirrup leathers and was still in keeping with design conventions I have seen in the 1880s stock saddles. In the end, I was pleased with the result.

At this point, the next order of business was to trim the cantle and do the cantle binding. This is, in my mind, is the most difficult and critical part of the saddle making process. If it is done well, nobody notices. If it is done poorly, it stands out and becomes the most noticeable part of the saddle. I have read that the mark of an excellent saddle maker is that the stitches on the backside of the cantle are straight and even. Getting the frontside of the cantle binding stitching straight and even is difficult enough, but getting the stitching awl to penetrate more than an inch of saddle leather at exactly the right angle and exit at exactly the right place, time after time, in a straight and even line, is extremely difficult! I can testify that this takes much experience and effort to achieve. I have stitched several cantle bindings and the results show that I remain a rank amateur saddle maker.

However, I don’t let that get me down and discouraged. I have noticed that in the current generation of saddle makers, most take pains to hide the stitching on the backside of the cantle by various means. Some make a slit in the back edge of the cantle binding leather, such that the stitching on the backside comes out inside the slit, which is then glued down smooth after the stitching is done. Others cut decorative design into the backside of the binding leather and do not run their stitching into it at all, but affix it to the back of the cantle with brass button tacks.

I have never cared much for the Cheyenne Roll, which is the large roll at the top of the cantle, found on modern saddles, especially roping saddles with low cantles. I much prefer the simple cantle binding found on vintage stock saddles, which is what I elected to put on my saddle. I do, however, like the cantle binding to be thick enough to provide a decent hand-hold, making it easier to carry or move the saddle. My cantle binding is made of 12 oz leather, skived thinner on the backside to make forming and stitching easier, covering three layers of heavier leather made up of the seat leather, a spacer leather, and the cantle back leather. This seems to come out about to my taste for the cantle binding thickness.

The cantle binding leather was then cased (soaked, then allowed to sit overnight in a plastic bag) to make it soft and pliable. The edges were then edged with a #3 round edger to make them round and smooth. I used a groover to make a stitching groove along both the front and back edges to allow the stitches to rest below the level of the surface of the leather, to protect the stitches from wear. The groove also provided a guide to help me get the stitching awl to exit in the right place on the backside of the cantle.  I also used an overstitch wheel in the groove on the front edge to mark where the awl would penetrate for each stitch. After preparing the cantle binding leather, I stretched it tight over the cantle, forming it into place using a bone smoother.  I then tacked it into place with shoe tacks. Each tack penetrates through a mark made by the overstitch wheel, so that the hole will eventually become an awl hole and thus be hidden by a stitch.

Once the cantle binding is dry, it retains its form. I then applied Barge contact cement to the cantle top and the cantle binding. Once the cement had dried to where it was no longer tacky, the binding was carefully put into place. Note here that once the two surfaces to which contact cement has been applied make contact, they are pretty much stuck. I used a piece of paper between the pieces and slowly removed it as I got things properly placed.

Once the cantle binding is properly placed on the cantle, the stitching can commence!

Several cantle bindings ago, I bought the best awl and awl blades offered by Tandy Leather. The haft ran nearly $30 and each blade ran about $16. I broke three of those blades within the first several inches of cantle stitching. I examined the blades and discovered that while the blades were very sharp and penetrated the leather easily, they were designed with a natural breaking point right above the point at which they enter the  haft. A very poor design for stitching cantle bindings! I returned to my local Tandy Leather store and discussed the problem with them. They happily refunded my money for the haft and the blades. I then bought their less expensive awl haft – $12.99 – and a variety of awl blades in the $3-4 price range. I have found that I can sharpen these less expensive blades on a very fine water stone and strop them on a leather strop with polishing compound and they penetrate leather more smoothly than the expensive blades. Since that time, I have broken exactly one awl blade. These blades are soft enough that I can put pressure on them to make them penetrate thick cantle leather and exit where I want them to without snapping off the blade in the leather.  Yet they are hard enough to retain their sharpness for a reasonable amount of stitching.

So, to continue…

My cantle binding stitching came out pretty well on the front. The backside, however, is a different story. I have seen worse, but not often. I am not proud of the way the backside stitching came out, but it is what it is, as they say. I still have much to learn (In my defense, the photos make the stitching appear even more rough and uneven than it really is. Some of what you see in the photos is the wax residue from the thread.). On the other hand, if I don’t tell anybody, nobody will look for it and it will go largely unnoticed. Sigh…

With the cantle binding in place, it was time to oil and stain the entire assembly and mount the saddle skirts permanently. To mount the skirts, the traditional method entails installing saddle strings in the leather of the saddle skirts before the fleece is attached, then drilling corresponding holes all the way through all the saddle leather and the tree bars, then fishing the strings through those holes to bind the skirts to the tree bars, then finishing off the installation with a few well-placed nails. I elected to go with a more modern approach.

I installed a series of short lug straps in the saddle skirts prior to attaching the fleece, arranged around the perimeter of where the ends of the saddle bars would lie. These lugs are then pulled up tight around the ends of the saddle bars and nailed or screwed in place. This holds the skirts to the tree bars nicely and allows no movement. This also leaves the saddle strings independent of the skirts, making replacement of damaged or missing saddle strings a simple matter, rather than requiring the complete disassembly of the saddle.

The attachment of the skirts was finished with a number of well-placed nails around the topside of the skirts, including the gullet area.

I had already determined the locations of all the attachment points for all the various pieces of saddle leather to the saddle tree during the pattern-making process. These are the points where the parts are nailed/screwed to the tree.  I pierced each of these attachment points with an awl, so that I could relocate the parts in exactly the same place as the building process progressed.

It was now time for final assembly.

I decided at the beginning of this project, to make my own saddle strings, as the price of a pair of saddle strings at the local tack store has gotten out of hand. I bought a side of 8oz latigo leather and cut from it my 1/2″ saddle strings. I then used a  #2 round edger on the backside (flesh side) edges and pulled them through a tool I made to give the strings a nicely finished shape.

I also made my leather conchos.  I bought concho cutters for 1-3/4″ and 1-1/2″ leather conchos at a cost of around $85-135 each. I figured making conchos was an excellent way to use the mountain of scrap leather I was generating. After cutting a sufficient number of conchos (16 of each size) I oiled and stained them. I then used a 1/2″ slot punch to cut the holes for the saddle strings to pass through. I also cut the 1/2″ slots into the saddle jockeys in the appropriate places.

I attached the saddle strings to the saddle by lacing a string through the appropriate jockey from back to front, then placing a screw in the center of the mounting point in the jockey, where I had previously pierced it with an awl (as shown above). This screw also pierced the center of the saddle string. The jockey was then screwed in place, being careful not to over tighten the screw and make it pull through the leather.  This firmly attached the saddle string in place behind the jockey, using the jockey leather as backing.  The saddle string was then threaded through a 1-3/4″ concho, which was slid into place tight against the jockey. This was then fixed in place with two 1-1/2″ ring-shank nails, one on either side of the now hidden screw. Finally, a brass 1-1/2″ concho (I chose to go with brass conchos to dress up the saddle a little) was slid into place over the leather concho, which covered the two nails, then the assembly was finished off with a bleed-knot in the saddle string.

This was the first time I have used this method for attaching saddle strings and I am quite pleased with it.  My saddle strings get used extensively for tying gear to my saddle and my grandkids use them as climbing aids for getting up into the saddle, so they need to be firmly attached and strong. I think these will handle it. Also, as I stated before, if a saddle string needs to be replaced, it is a simple matter of pulling a couple nails and removing a screw, rather than disassembling the entire saddle.

Now, with the saddle assembled, I finished the rigging by making the strap (probably has a name, but I don’t know it) between the front cinch ring and the rear cinch ring. That was the final piece to complete the saddle. I was finished…I thought.

As I mentioned near the beginning of this very long post, after assembling the saddle, I found the movement of the stirrups were impeded by the front jockey, which pinched the stirrup leather against the front cinch ring. After pronouncing several magic words in the general direction of the saddle, I found that if I rearranged the front jockeys to cover the Sam Stagg rigging, rather than go behind it, the problem was solved and the look was still in keeping with the overall 1880s motif of the saddle design. Thank heavens for those magic words!

Before:

After:

So, I pronounced this saddle finished!

I am  rather pleased with the outcome.  I like the overall design. I feel like it flows rather well and keeps well with the 1880s feel that I wanted. It is made on a modern wade tree, which is a marked improvement over the trees that were available in the 1880s and the leather is generally of a higher quality, due to the modern methods of vegetable tanning.

You will undoubtedly notice the color variation between the saddle and the stirrups. The stirrup leathers came from a different side of leather from most of the rest of the saddle and it accepted the stain a little differently. I considered darkening the stirrup leathers to more closely match the saddle, but the more I looked at it, the more I liked it. I chose to leave it as-is.

Here is a gallery of photos from the build. Click on a photo to see a larger version.

A few final notes about the saddle:

My horses, and the horse the saddle was initially designed for,  are gaited. Gaited horses tend to reach out farther forward and farther rearward with their front legs than the standard Quarter Horse in the walking and gaiting stride, which causes problems with saddles with forward rigging, such as a full-rigged roping or ranch saddle. The forward position of the cinch causes rub sores behind the horse’s elbows. I have found that a 3/4 rigging, by and large, alleviates this problem. I intended to set the rigging of my saddle at the 3/4 position, but had trouble determining exactly how to position it.

I positioned the cinch ring where I wanted it to be, then locked it down with my bench strap contraption to place tension on the rigging leather. The straps coming around the back of the saddle horn then had to be pulled into position to determine where to attach them to the front rigging straps, to hold the cinch rings in the correct position. However, I could not stretch those smaller 1″ straps and had to guess at their proper attachment point. That done, I cut the 1″ strap ends and place rivets to affix them to the front straps. As it turned out, I didn’t get it exactly right and the rigging ended up at about the 7/8 position, rather than 3/4. Still, it fits the horse it will be used on (a strongly built Rocky Mountain Gaited Horse) quiet well.

I generally do not use a rear cinch. Rear cinches came into vogue during the mid-to-late 19th century, when cowboys found that when they latched onto a steer and dallied to their saddle horn, sometimes the back of the saddle came up, often ejecting the cowboy into the dirt with an angry steer staring at him. A rear cinch was devised, moving the front cinch farther forward to what is now called the “full” position. The rear cinch was generally not kept tight, but just snug enough to keep the saddle from pulling up in the back during roping and cutting. A tight rear cinch can cause a horse to buck if it is not made accustomed to it. For my use cases, which are trail riding and horse pack trips, in which no high-performance moves, such as cutting and roping, are ever involved (at least not by choice), the rear cinch is simply dead weight. It has no function at all. I have heard it said that the rear cinch keeps the back of the saddle down when you are going down hill, but the truth of the matter is that if your saddle pulls up in the back while going downhill, it doesn’t fit your horse properly! In fact, my Missouri Fox Trotter has such nicely formed withers and shoulders, that my saddle rarely moves regardless of whether we are climbing, descending, or on level ground. So, why, then does this saddle, which I designed, have provisions for a rear cinch?

Simple. Design. It looked better with the rear cinch ring.

I added several accessory type things to this saddle to suit my own needs. I added 1″ D-rings under the front jockeys as attachment points for a breast strap. I also added 1″ D-rings under the rear jockeys, just aft of the rear cinch rings, as attachment points from which to hang a rifle scabbard or other gear. I added a 2″ brass ring on each side on the front concho, held in place by the saddle string, which I use to carry an axe when I am on backcountry pack trips. The handle of the axe slips nicely through the ring, hanging the axe on the pommel by the head. Very convenient for clearing trails in wilderness areas.

Some of you will wonder why this saddle took me three years to complete. Well, it’s like this…I had a lot of money wrapped up in this saddle – around $1,000 in materials alone – and I desperately wanted not to screw it up. I hated the thought of wasting valuable leather and having to make a new part, due to an error stemming from my inexperience. So, when I would run up against something I wasn’t sure how to do, I would simply set it aside and mull it over…sometimes for months at a time…until I came up with a solution I thought would work or learned something that cleared the process up for me. Then it was a matter of just girding up my loins, so to speak, and getting it done. The process took awhile, but the experience has been invaluable.

And now for the final word.

After all that time, effort, and money, my saddle did not fit my horse! Again, it was initially designed and measurements taken, with a large-boned Tennessee Walking Horse in mind. The saddle ended up being too small in seat length for the rider and then the horse died! So, I continued with the build thinking it might fit my horse. It did not.

So, I took the saddle out to let another friend-client take a look at it, to see if he were interested in it before I put it on the market for sale. He liked it and immediately bought it as a gift to his son for his 16th birthday. That pleased me immensely.

So, am I now a professional saddle maker?

Not by a loooong shot, but I intend to make other saddles and a few of them might get sold. Who knows? One thing I know is that the next saddle won’t take me three years to complete!

Happy trails!

TTH

 

Good trails, Great Western Trail, Western Trails

Riding the Superstitions

For many years I have wanted to ride some of the trails in the Superstition Mountains, near Phoenix, Arizona. Being an Arizona boy myself (currently living in Utah) I am very familiar with the area and the legends of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, from which an entire tourism industry arose in the area known as Apache Junction.

As the legends go, way back in the late 1800s a fellow came into town with a sack of gold to deposit in a bank, but he would never tell anyone where he got it. Eventually he died and nobody ever knew where his mine was located, except that he was believed to have been mining in the mountains now known as the Superstitions. Since then, that small, but very rough mountain range has been scoured by treasure hunters to the degree that it eventually became a favorite hiking area that sees very high foot traffic throughout the year.

Being a lover of difficult and challenging trails, I have long wished for an opportunity to ride in the Superstitions. Last week (the weekend of December 29-31, 2022) I finally got my chance. My good friend and riding buddy, Derek Habel, was looking at buying a horse in the Apache Junction area. He decided that he needed to combine a trip to look at that horse with a ride or two in Arizona, where the weather was much warmer and more hospitable than here at home in Utah. So, he called me and tossed out the idea of us heading south for a few days, combining a short visit to my parents in Eagar, AZ with a trip to the valley to check out that horse he was looking at. I, of course, jumped at the chance!

We decided to take a couple of Derek’s horses, as they are trail novices and need some work to make them good trail horses. Big John is a 12 year old Missouri Fox Trotter gelding, standing about 15-3HH, weighing in at around 1200 lbs. That’s the horse you’ll see me riding. Powder is a 6 year old (I think) registered MFT gelding, standing about 15-2HH and about 1000 lbs or so. Derek rode him. Both these horses are well saddle broke and have calm dispositions, but lack a little in good bridle and trail training.

HINT: click on photos for large version

We departed the Spanish Fork, Utah area on Wednesday, December 28 amid a serious snow storm and headed for Arizona. We drove nearly 8 hours through snow, sleet, ice, fog, and rain, finally breaking out into better weather for the last three hours to my folks’ place in Eagar, AZ.

We spent one night there, then headed the following morning toward Apache Junction, which is a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona. I love that drive! It had been more than 30 years since I had driven it and I thoroughly enjoyed describing all my memories to Derek as we passed through Show Low, then the Salt River Canyon, Globe-Miami area, and down Devil’s Canyon, through Superior and on into the Valley of the Sun, by which the Phoenix area is sometimes known. Dangit! Amid all the talking, we forgot to get any photos of the drive!

We arrived at the stable where the horse Derek wanted to see was boarded at about 4pm. After evaluating this registered Missouri Fox Trotter, we were less than impressed, given the asking price, so Derek and the owner were unable to come to agreement. (Derek, being a large man, looks for large Missouri Fox Trotters that have a natural gait. I help him make them into excellent trail horses.) We grabbed a hotel room for the night and began to plan for a ride the following morning.

We decided to take the trail recommendation given us by the owner of the horse we had come to see, so we headed back toward Superior, to the Picket Post Trailhead, located about three miles west of Superior.

The Picket Post Trailhead offers several options for hiking and horseback riding. We selected the loop, which is designated as the Arizona Trail #222. This is a loop of 8.4 miles, much of which is also a section of the 700 mile long Arizona Trail, which stretches from the US/Mexico border all the way to the Utah/Arizona border.

We found the signage on the trail to be somewhat confusing, as apparently someone else did.

We followed the signs for the Arizona Trail, moving in a clockwise loop, which eventually led us through Telegraph Canyon, then along a two-track ranch road, and eventually back to a true trail bearing the Arizona Trail markers, returning to the Picket Post Trailhead. You can find our track on my page on the Ramblr ap @westerntrailrider.

The USFS has graciously provided an ample parking area at the trailhead, including an area specifically designated for trailers, however, as is usually the case, the hiker parking lot can fill up quickly on weekends, after which the trailer parking area begins to fill up. I have learned by sad experience to park with my rig pointing to the exit in such a way that nobody, not even a tiny little electric car, can park in front of me. The trailhead is a little farther off the highway than I expected. You will pass a set of corrals within sight of the highway, but this is not the trailhead. Continue on the dirt road, bearing left at the first intersection. This road will dead-end at the trailhead. There is a pit toilet at the trailhead and covered picnic tables, but no other services. Bring your own water.

The Arizona Trail #222 loop is an excellent desert trail for horseback riders and hikers. No motorized (including E-bikes) traffic is allowed on the portions which are part of the Arizona Trail (all but about a mile of the loop). You should expect to encounter numerous hikers, as this is a very popular hiking destination. This is USFS land, so dispersed primitive camping is allowed. The trail follows two streams, so water for the horses and humans (if filtered) is available most of the year. This is a fairly easy trail, however in Telegraph Canyon we found a couple places where a competent trail horse was called for. Some sites rate this trail as “moderately difficult”, but we thought that was a little higher on the difficulty chart than we would place it. The terrain is rocky, so while I would recommend shoes on horses, we rode it barefoot and our horses never got tender (If you are planning more rides in the area within a couple days, however, unshod horses will definitely get ouchy). Derek and I agreed that on a difficulty scale from 1-10, this trail was about 90% a level 2 (easy) and about 10% level 5.

One caution I will definitely mention is the cactus. There are numerous varieties of cactus in this area, including the mighty and beautiful Saguaro, prickly pear, barrel cactus, and several varieties of cholla, also known as “jumping cactus.” Cholla cactus is what you have to watch out for. It has unbelievably sharp spines, of which even the lightest touch can cause a nodule to attach itself to the victim (ergo the name “jumping cactus”). The horse and/or rider not acquainted with cholla cactus can quickly escalate a simple prick to an emergency 911 situation.

If you or your horse should brush a cholla cactus and get a nodule stuck to you or it, remove the nodule by grasping the spines with a tool, such as a multitool pliars. Grabbing the spines with your fingers usually results in the nodule sticking to your fingers in a never-ending cycle. After removing the nodule, check the area and remove any remaining spines. Infection does not normally occur unless part of the spine is left beneath the skin, like a splinter. Chaps for the riders is a good idea.

One last word about trails in the Phoenix area: These are trails best visited in the cooler months of the year. During the last weekend of 2022 the weather was damp and temperatures hovered around 60 degrees F during the day. During the summer months, this area is a veritable oven, with temperatures regularly rising above 115 degrees F. Also, during the hottest months, it is likely the streams will be dry, offering no water at all.

The following day, Saturday, December 31, 2022, Derek and I decided to give the Bluff Springs Trail – Dutchman’s Trail Loop a try. I had done a couple searches on the Internet for “Equestrian Trails Superstition Mountains Apache Junction, AZ” and come up with the Bluff Springs Trail as the #1 recommended equestrian trail in the area. The Trailhead is the Peralta Trailhead, located northeast of Apache Junction, within about a half-hour of town. The loop is about 9.6 miles long. Our trail track may be found on Ramblr.com @westerntrailrider.

The official trailhead offers inadequate parking for hiker traffic, however, just south about 100 yards or so before you arrive at the official trailhead, there is a designated RV and trailer parking area large enough for several fairly large rigs. However, as stated before, this area serves as overflow for the hiker parking. You can expect both parking areas to fill up during the weekends. There is a pit toilet at the trailhead, but no other services. There are a couple of streams that cross the trails, but I expect they will be dry much of the year. They were running quite well during our visit and offered plenty of water for our horses.

At the trailhead we found a USFS Ranger, who advised us against taking the Bluff Springs Trail on horses. He said that particular trail is “not recommended for equines”. He described some of the trail and allowed that horses are not prohibited, but the Bluff Springs Trail was not recommended for them. After talking with him for a few minutes, we decided to give it a try anyway. Derek and I are both very experienced on difficult trails and felt we are capable judges of a horse’s ability to negotiate any particular trail obstacle. We assured the ranger we would dismount and walk where necessary (and we did a couple times).

Departing the Peralta Trailhead by the regular trail, about 100 yards along, we came to a trail sign where the trail diverged in three directions.

Having read that a clockwise circuit of the loop was recommended (to put the hard climb at the beginning), we selected the Bluff Springs Trail for our start (the loop returns on the Dutchman’s Trail). The Bluff Springs Trail climbs steadily for about 1.5 miles and climbs and descends several times thereafter for another 3 miles or so.  In the first 1.5 miles, we decided we agree with the USFS’s position that this trail is not recommended for equines.

That is not to say that an experienced trail horse and rider team cannot negotiate this trail, but even an experienced team will find it very challenging. I will state emphatically that a horse/rider team that is not experienced in this terrain and is not in condition for a very challenging trail will not enjoy this ride in the least. It is a very difficult and challenging trail! Derek and I agreed that this trail rated about 7/8 on our difficulty scale. If you have followed any of the adventures Derek and I have had, you know our difficulty scale is a bit tougher than some other folks’ scales. Keep in mind that we did not photograph the most difficult spots, as we were busy keeping our horses upright and ourselves on top!

Having said all that, after about 3 miles, the most difficult of the obstacles were behind us and the trail was quite nice. Some of the views of this rocky and broken terrain were quite spectacular to me. Derek, on the other hand, doesn’t appreciate the desert as I do. I guess you love what you grew up with.

For the average trail horse/rider team (and that’s not meant to be derrogatory) a very enjoyable and moderately challenging ride can be made as an in-and-out of about 8-10 miles on the Dutchman’s Trail. Just go right instead of left at the first trail sign out of Peralta Trailhead. This ride will offer several moderately difficult, or as is commonly said, “technical”, spots, but most of the trail is easy, passing through some very scenic desert areas.

The same cautions apply to this area as to the Picket Post area, regarding water, cactus, and heat. This is a trail for the cooler months. Horse shoes are highly recommended for this trail, although Derek and I rode it barefoot. Our horses being barefoot offered them greater traction on the rock faces and boulders in some of the more difficult sections of trail.  Trail boots would help with traction, but it is likely some would be lost in the rocks.  Water will be available for the horses much of the year, but will likely be dry during the hotter months. Again, this area regularly reaches above 115 degrees F during the summer months, but is wonderful during the cooler months…like December and January ; )… During the late summer and fall months, monsoon storms can be spectacular to watch, but very dangerous to be caught out in due to flash floods and lightning and temps start to reach the 100s in April or May…just sayin’…

Due to winter storms threatening Utah, Derek and I headed north immediately after our ride in the Superstitions. We made it to Page, Arizona, within sight of [what’s left of] Lake Powell. On Sunday, we made our way past Kanab before hitting rain, then snow.

Luckily, the snow petered out just north of Panguitch and we made it home in the rain, encountering snow again just a few miles short of Spanish Fork, Utah. We were glad we headed home when we did, because it snowed most of that night and all the next day.

It’s good to be home, but what a nice couple of rides we had down in Arizona while the world was covered in snow here in Utah. Derek and I are talking about making this an annual trip. We’ll see.

TH

PS. I posted a lot of photos of the trails on my Ramblr track, which are correlated with their location on the trail.

 

Good trails, Land Use and States' Rights, Western Trails

New Private stock use restrictions at Bryce Canyon National Park

For those who might be planning rides to Bryce Canyon National Park this year (2022), I had some erroneous information recently that private stock had been banned for the rest of 2022 until further hearings. That was incorrect.
 
I just got off the phone with the park service. Here is the current information re private stock. There was some sort of safety complaint by the mule ride concessionaire recently, regarding private stock use, and a move was made once again by the concessionaire to push for a ban of private stock on park trails, however the current park manager has been making every effort to keep the park open to private stock, as there has been a tremendous public push-back against a ban of private stock. The result was that the daytime use of private stock has been banned during the daytime operating hours of the concessionaire. Private stock use is now restricted to daylight hours after 5pm. All other time slots have been removed. Advance reservations are required.
 
Current time slots for private stock use will be every half-hour from 5pm until 7pm (so that the last group is off the trail before dark). Groups are limited to a maximum of 10 horses. Reservations must be made at least 72 hours in advance through the park service at 1-435-834-5500 (Link below).
 
There is a commission being formed including the NPS, Back Country Horsemen, and the concessionaire, among others, to create a new system of rules that will be reasonable and convenient for all park users, including those who wish to ride the park on private stock.
 
If you have been considering it, now might be a good time to join your local Back Country Horseman of America (BCHA) chapter! We are fighting a difficult battle to preserve our right to ride our horses on America’s wonderful back country trails.
 
Our local chapter here in Utah County is the Back Country Horsemen of Utah High-Lines and Hobbles Chapter. We meet the third Thursday evening of each month, have a monthly group ride, do service projects in cooperation with the USFS for trail maintenance, and host a number of other activities to help our members and others improve their horsemanship knowledge and skills. Come join us!
Help us keep our horse trails open!
 
If interested, send me an email at tony.henrie@westerntrailrider.com and I will hook you up.
Good Stories, Western Trails

Some Horse Stories from my Dad

Not too long ago, I spent some time with my parents at their home in Arizona. While I was there, Dad and I had a chance to sit and reminisce about some of our rides, pack trips, and other experiences together. I got him talking about his boyhood in southern Utah and he told me about his first three horses. As soon as I got back to my room that night, I spent a few minutes writing down in my journal what he told me. I thought it might be enjoyable reading for my followers.

Dad was born and raised in Panguitch, Utah, which is the setting for the stories I am about to relate. This is taken directly from my journal entry for December 2, 2021:

This evening Dad and I sat up late talking about family history and some of his youth experiences. He told me about three horses he had as a young boy: Nick, Brownie, and Flicka. Dad has always loved horses. So have I.

When Dad was about 6 years old, or thereabouts, he and his buddy, Doug Davis, were playing in the hay loft of his Aunt Pearl’s barn (Panguitch, UT, circa 1940). They noticed an old gray horse had walked into the yard and was snatching hay from the cracks between the siding boards of the barn.  He and Doug decided to catch the horse, so they went down to give it a try, thinking the horse would run away. The old horse just wanted to be fed, so they fed it. Eventually, Dad got a rope around the horse’s neck and tied it to a post. He ran across the road, to his grandpa’s house (Norm Sargent), where Dad and his family were living at the time. He told Gramp he had caught a horse and asked if he could keep it.

Gramp said, “Well, let’s go see it,” so the two of them returned to the barn yard where the horse was tied. Gramp took a long look at the horse, checking its teeth, hooves, and walking all around it. Then he told Dad, “Yes, you can keep him. I used to own this horse and he’s come home.  His name is Nick.”

Dad kept Nick at Gramp and Granny’s place. He has an old photo somewhere (I’ve asked him to try to find it) of him and five other kids sitting on Nick’s back. Dad and his friends often took turns riding Nick around their block. Once, Dad and a friend were riding Nick down Main Street in Panguitch, when  an older boy, who was always somewhat of a bully, stepped out of his doorway and shot a rifle at them. At the time, Dad thought it was a B-B gun, but in retrospect, he now believes it was a .22 rifle, probably loaded with .22 short ammunition, which was commonly used for killing rats. Nick jumped and tried to run away with them, but Dad was able to get him back under control and got home safely. Dad doesn’t remember seeing a wound on the horse, but he walked with a limp on a hind leg ever after.

After that incident, with Nick going lame, Gramp told Dad he had better just let the horse go and return to whoever owned it. So, that’s what they did. Years later, Dad remembers, he saw old Nick working on a local farm, pulling logs and brush for a man. He was still limping on that hind leg.

Dad’s second horse was Brownie.

One day Gramp was in another town working, when a rancher drove his cattle into town to market. He was riding a mare with a colt. He didn’t want to keep the colt, so he asked Gramp if he wanted it. Gramp, thinking about Dad, accepted the colt. He loaded it into the back seat of his 1937 Dodge and drove home to Panguitch.  When he arrived, Gramp pulled Dad aside and told him, “Come see what I have for you!”

Dad raised Brownie by himself, with a little help from Gramps. He eventually broke her to ride – again, by himself at about seven or eight years of age. Being a mustang, Brownie was always ornery and hard to handle (of course, that’s from the perspective of a seven or eight year old boy), but Dad loved her.

One winter (winters in Panguitch are long and cold) his dad (my grandfather, Torild Henrie), approached Dad and explained that they just couldn’t afford to feed Brownie through the winter. She was sold to a local rancher.

During June the following year, his dad was killed in a construction accident. Dad had just turned 9 years old at the time.

Not too long after, the rancher to whom Brownie had been sold, approached Gramps and said, “Remember that mare you sold me? Well, she had a foal.”  He offered the foal to Gramp, which he accepted on Dad’s behalf.

Dad went out to the fellow’s ranch, on foot I suppose, where he easily caught Brownie, who knew Dad well. He mounted Brownie and rode her back to Gramp and Granny’s place, with the young foal following. When he got there, he rode into the barn, then locked the foal inside.  He then returned Brownie to her owner.

The foal was around six months old, so easily weaned.  Dad said he had a tough time getting her to become friendly with him, but eventually succeeded. The 1943 movie “My Friend Flicka” had recently been released, so that is where this little filly got her name.

Dad, now at about nine or ten years old, broke and trained Flicka himself. Not knowing any better, however, he started her very young, riding her probably by the time she was a yearling. Dad believes that his riding her so early, even though he was such a small boy, may have stunted her growth a little. He remembers that she was a small horse and that her front legs seemed a bit short proportionate to her hind legs. He remembers that while she was a good horse, she was never particularly athletic.

Eventually, Flicka was sold to a local rancher, who used her to help him make the rounds on his irrigation ditches.

Dad said he had horses all through his youth and even dated on horses during his high school years.  Nick, Brownie, and Flicka were his first three and they kindled in him a life-long love for horses, which I am pleased to report he passed on to me in full force.

Thanks, Dad.

For Dan and Jackie

TH

Good trails, Western Trails

I Found a New Playground!

Last week I took one of my annual winter trips to the Saint George, Utah area for some good riding among the red rocks and cedar trees.   I try to make a couple trips down south each winter, because there is often as much as 30 degrees difference in daytime temperatures between there and here at home in Salem, Utah, and normally little to no snow on the ground. However, to make it worth the 4-1/2-hour drive and the fuel expense, I normally plan to stay a couple days.  I usually drive down on a Thursday morning, get in a short ride that afternoon, then plan for a long ride on Friday and another short ride on Saturday. I try to return home Saturday evening, so I can attend to my religious services and family responsibilities on Sunday.

Down at St. George, I have several friends with property and horse facilities, who offer their places for my riding buddies and me to overnight. The recently finished camper in the front compartment of my horse trailer saves on lodging and is quite comfortable and convenient for these short stays.

On this trip, my Thursday evening ride was on the Red Mountain Trail, which I have ridden a number of times. It has some of the most spectacular views of all the trails I have ridden, at the head of Snow Canyon, looking down into it.

The trailhead is located about 10 miles or so north of St George, off of Route 18. Take Skyline Drive past Diamond Valley toward Veyo.  The entrance to the trailhead is easy to pass, though, so watch for the sign. The trailhead has excellent parking for half-a-dozen large rigs and a pit toilet, but no other facilities.

The trail is a loop of about 7 miles and is suitable for intermediate riders or novice riders with assistance. Most of the trail is easy, however, there are several places where a little trust in the horse and confidence in the rider are needed. There is no running water on the trail, but during the winter, there are occasionally a couple water puddles where a horse can be watered. Barefoot horses will be fine. The trail is fairly easy to follow, as it receives a lot of foot and equine traffic. At the apex of the trail at the head of Snow Canyon, there are several tie posts installed where horses can be tied. This is where we normally take a snack break and take a few minutes for some good photos of the canyon. The trail continues along the canyon rim for a good distance.

Just a note of caution, there are no developed view areas and there are no guard rails or services on this trail. While none of the trail follows the rim closely, the canyon rim may be approached at a number of places, which offer very tempting photo opportunities. I know of at least one horse that was lost over the canyon rim when it spooked, falling to its death. Luckily the rider was already on the ground when it happened. This is a very deep canyon with walls that drop vertically several hundred feet from the rim. Nobody routinely monitors the trail for safety and cell service is very limited.

 

 

I enjoyed my ride, as I always do on this trail, however on that particular day, the wind was howling at about 30 mile per hour. With the air temperature already in the teens, the wind-chill factor was likely below zero. By the time I got back to the trailer the sun was setting and I was chilled to the bone. I was very glad to get to my friend’s place and get the propane heater and a hot meal going in my camper!

The following day, Craig Sorenson (my host), Jon Tanner, Dave Barnhurst and a few others arrived and we started our riding day at the Elephant Arch trailhead in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, located just north of Washington, Utah. Take the Washington exit off of I-15 and turn north. There are actually two trailheads about a mile apart – the Grapevine Trailhead and the Elephant Arch trailhead.  The linked site will show you how to get to them.

The Elephant Arch trail is a short trail ride, only a bit over an hour, but it is quite enjoyable and scenic. A section of the trail is in the bottom of a dry wash and provides riders a stretch where they can get the horses into a nice canter if they desire. There are places in the trail that are a bit steep, but overall the trail is suitable for all levels of rider. At one point in the trail, there is a short side-canyon trail that takes one through a very short slot canyon that is narrow enough that both stirrups will rub the walls for a few yards, then you turn around and head back the same way to the main trail. Elephant Arch itself is at the end of the trial (the trail is out-and-back) and it is a little hard to see if you don’t already know where it is. On this trip I didn’t get all the way up to the end of the trail, as our riding party got split up early-on and I just turned around when we met up with the group on their return from the arch (I’ve been there before, so no big deal, but I didn’t get any photos).

Normally, when I do the Elephant Arch Trail, it is tagged onto the end of a longer ride on the Grapevine and/or Dinosaur Tracks trail. This is what I recommend for first-time visitors. The longer trail takes about four to five hours and is quite spectacular. Take a lunch and water. The trail is suitable for barefoot horses. There is one long stretch up Sand Hill Trail which will require at least a couple stops to rest the horses. Having someone along who is familiar with the trail system is helpful, but as long as you stick to marked trails, you really can’t get lost. This trail system is very popular with hikers and bicyclists, as well as horse people.

On Friday afternoon, we decided to ride in the Snow Canyon State Park. There are several trails designated as equine trails, but most of the trail system is reserved for hikers and bicyclists. One should be familiar with the designations of the various trails, so as to avoid a citation. Maps are available at the trail entrance. Parking fees or a Park Entrance Fee are applicable.

While I have ridden the Red Mountain trail a number of times, this was my first ride in the canyon itself. The trail is a fairly short in-and-out of only about three to five miles (estimated). There are two branches to the canyon floor, so we rode up and back in each. The views are very nice and the trail is pleasant. Again, barefoot horses will be fine. The trail is suitable for all levels of riders, but be prepared to encounter quite a few hikers along the trail.

The parking area at the trailhead is limited for large rigs, but there is a good turnaround. When the parking area is full, getting a long rig in and out might be problematic. There is a very nice public toilet facility and, during the warmer months, running water. If the main parking area should be full, there is another good parking area (fee area) just outside the park at the lower entrance from which horses may also access the park’s trail system.

Now for the ride that excited me most: Gunlock

After Friday’s two short rides, I was looking forward to a longer ride with fewer restrictions as to the trail rules. Gunlock State Park was the answer. I had heard about Gunlock for years, but had never ridden there. On this trip to St George, Jon Tanner had coordinated with Deja Schweitzer, who is well acquainted with the area, as a trail guide for us. I’m glad we had her along.

We met Deja at a parking pullout located just south of the reservoir, on Gunlock Road. The pullout is not a fee area, but parking is limited to the side of the road.

There are no facilities. The trail crosses a stream and also approaches the reservoir, so there is plenty of water for the horses. The trail has some rocky areas, but it suitable for barefoot horses.

Deja led us on a 10-mile loop through the western side of the park, however, the park is bordered on almost all sides by BLM land, which means literally thousands of acres of land to explore with very few restrictions or limitations.  It was a great place to let my colt, Trooper, run free and get some exercise as well. The area is mostly high desert, covered by sage and cedar trees, but there are also red-rock mountains, slot canyons, and, of course, Gunlock Reservoir. I used Ramblr to track our path and it is available for download here.

I really enjoyed riding this area! While most of the trail we rode follows OHV trails, there is no restriction to off-trail riding. As my horse was barefoot, I spent a lot of time riding alongside the trail, in the softer dirt, to make it easier on my horse.

I also enjoyed doing a little rock climbing, which is much safer on a barefoot horse, to expand Chief’s experience and confidence.

Toward the end of the trail, Deja led us through a fun slot canyon about a half-mile long that was the highlight of the ride.

I am very excited to have finally ridden the Gunlock area! I think I have found a new training area and playground for my horses. I expect to return there at least once each winter, during my annual pilgrimages to the Saint George, Utah area.


Many thanks to Deja for the photos she took. I rarely get many good photos of myself and my horses on my rides and this was a real treat for me.

TH

Western Trails

It’s been awhile…again.

3 Comments

A number of years ago I created this website for the purpose of documenting the information I was researching in preparation for a  huge undertaking: a horseback trip across the western United States, from south to north – Mexico to Canada. As I asked questions on a number of forums and websites, I came to know that there was very little helpful information available and that much of what I found was unreliable. Along the way, however, several people suggested that I might start a blog, so that they might keep up with my progress, not only in the research, but with the adventure itself.

That idea appealed to me as a means of collecting and storing good information, not only for my own use, but for those who wished to follow my project. As I began to look into the prospect of starting a blog, I discovered that I would have to subscribe to one of several blog websites that would use the traffic I generated, along with thousands of other bloggers, to generate a revenue stream for the site owners through advertising. It occurred to me that I might as well purchase a domain name and make my own website and that other “horse people”, like myself might even wish to join me and create blogs for themselves under my website banner. In time, enough visiting traffic might be generated to earn the bloggers a little income from advertisers on the site. So, I bought the domain name Western Trail Rider.

I have had the website since 2011 and have authored nearly 200 posts. I was able to coax a couple of others to start blogs under the WTR banner, however, neither has kept up their blogs. It seems facebook is a lot easier when one is simply posting for personal enjoyment. The few advertisers who have contacted me wished to operate on a commission basis only, meaning that if anyone was referred to them through my website, they would pay me a small fee. The problem was that I had no means of tracking referrals or proving referrals to claim payment. It just didn’t work and I didn’t have the technical knowledge to better market myself and/or website for profit. I even paid a consultant to address some technical issues with the site and help me try to create a marketable site. My consultant was less than reliable and the effort failed. He still owes me several hundred dollars.

I have been unable to complete the Mexico-to-Canada horse pack trip, although I am still trying to make it at least to my father’s hometown, Panguitch, Utah, so my purposes for the website have evolved somewhat.

Over the past several years, the website, in connection with my Western Trail Rider facebook page, has provided a means of assisting others with the sale and purchase of horses, which brought me to create the “Horses for Sale” page in the site. However, my effort to market horses for other people began taking so much time that my own horses stood in the pasture unused. I have made the decision to reallocate my time to spend the bulk of it riding and training my own horses.

More than anything, I have used the blog as a means of documenting as a journal my rides and pack trips, as well as a place for some articles I have composed regarding horse training, product reviews, how-to-do-it, and other things I like to write about. My hope has been that my posts may be of some use or enjoyment for others as well.

So, my website has generated very little income and costs me a couple hundred bucks a year to maintain. My technical knowledge is frustratingly inadequate and I often encounter issues with the website that require hours of study and effort to remedy.

According to the statistics generated by WordPress, about 13,500 or so people have subscribed to my website, but I’m pretty sure most of them are spam subscribers, selling knock-off Ray Ban sunglasses and expensive handbags.  I rarely see a comment on the site that is not a robot-generated spam comment.  Lately it has not seemed worth the expense or time I spend to keep the website up.

Recently, as my renewal date came near, I thought about letting the website go.  It is a hard thing to do, though, since I have put so much of myself into it. Over the past several months, I have had several conversations touching this, in which several of my subscribers told me how much they enjoyed reading my posts and hoped I would continue. This was very gratifying and led me to decide to continue. Then, very recently a very dear life-long friend, who is in poor health, told me how much he has enjoyed reading my blog posts, despite the fact that he is not a horseman, and that he hoped I would continue to publish posts about my rides and other horse-related adventures.

Well, I have paid my subscriptions and fees and the website will continue. I have made it a New Year’s Resolution to catch up on posts I have long left unfinished. I am sorry that I let things go so long.

So, here’s to you, Dan, John, Miranda, Dad and Mom, and all those I don’t even know, who have taken some enjoyment from my writings, musings, and adventures. And thanks for the encouragement.

The adventures will continue!

 

Western Trails

Another Saddle Repair: Liam’s Antique Youth Saddle

I have been working on repairing an antique youth saddle for a young man to whom I am providing some horsemanship training. Last week, as I was trying to adjust the stirrups to fit his little brother, one of the stirrup straps broke.
 

I told his father that this old saddle is pretty worn out, but has good “bones” under the leather. The stirrup straps had been repaired and “cut and pasted” so many times that there wasn’t enough good leather left for any more repairs. I suggested that I could repair it to serviceable status by replacing the stirrup straps, but that the tooling was no longer available, so the repairs would be pretty obvious. He asked me to go ahead and see what I could do.
 
Well, I like my repairs to old saddles to approximate, as closely as possible, the original parts, so I started taking a good look at the stirrup leather tooling. After studying the stampings a little, I decided I might be able to make the two stamps I needed, one of which, as I said, is not available from any source. After tinkering a little with some steel rods I had in my shop and a couple files, I came up with a couple of homemade stamps that very closely approximate the original tooling on the saddle. In fact, you have to look very closely to tell the difference.
 
On Monday I cut new stirrup straps and yesterday I completed the stamping patterns, using the best piece of the original stirrup strap as a guide. I’m quite pleased with the result.

This evening I completed the stirrup straps, riveted everything together, installed the new buckles, and cut all the adjustment holes. Then I oiled the new leather well and applied Fiebings Pro Stain, in Dark Brown. I also oiled and cleaned the original sweat leathers and attached them to the new stirrup straps. The resulting repairs will be stronger and more durable than the originals.

Then I used a soapy water solution to clean the rest of the saddle leather. I got the leather sufficiently wet to allow it to dry on my saddle stand and reform the skirts and jockeys, which had dried and curled. I bound the saddle to the stand with belts and bungies and allowed it to dry. After it was dried and its new form set, I oiled it well and applied stain to make it match the new leather more closely, while not losing the patina of the original leather. 

On a more valuable saddle, I would have completely disassembled the saddle and cleaned and reformed each piece individually, but for this saddle, that would be more work than it might be worth on its best day, and what I have done will extend the life of this old saddle for another 20 years or so. 

As I began to reassemble the saddle, I found I had to replace one saddle string and that the cantle had broken loose from the bars. A previous repair had been made, in which the saddler made a metal piece, which he turned into a decorative piece, and attached it with screws to the bars and the back of the cantle.

It reinforces the connection between the cantle and bars, but I decided to go a little further and make a little stronger repair. I pulled the skirts away from the tree bars and pre-drilled and installed four 2″ #14 wood screws through the bars and up into the cantle. It’s solid now and the decorative metal reinforcement is just that – reinforcement, not the primary holding force for the cantle-bars connection.

The objective of this repair was not to bring this saddle back to “restored” condition, but to make it serviceable again for the purpose of teaching a couple of young boys to ride. I think I was more than successful in that regard and the saddle is now in better condition than it has been for many years past.


This saddle should be good for another 20 years or so. Might even make it to another generation of youngsters learning to ride!

I’m pleased with my work and I enjoyed it immensely.

TH

Good Stories, Great Western Trail, Western Trails

Finally! I’m going to cross the Grand Canyon!

Today, I feel very blessed and grateful.
A couple weeks ago I realized I was again going to have to postpone the next leg of my Mexico-to-Canada horse pack trip, which was planned for this month (May 2021).  As it turned out, two issues arose:  First, my recon of the area revealed that the drought had pretty much dried up the water sources along the route between the North Rim and the UT/AZ border, which is the driest part of the Arizona Trail even in the best years. Secondly, my riding partners for the trip had some major events occur in their lives that made it pretty much impossible for them to make the trip. Without the logistical support their involvement brought, I couldn’t see any way to continue.  So it seemed my Mexico-to Canada horse pack trip would remain stuck at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for at least several more months. That got me a bit down in the mouth.
 
As I considered whether I might be able to at least cross the Grand Canyon by myself, I began to realize that my hopes of eventually continuing my horse pack trip all the way to the Canadian Border are pretty much gone. I thought that if I could at least get across the Grand Canyon, I would have fulfilled one of my last remaining lifetime “bucket list” dreams and, though things looked bleak, if I were to be able to continue the big pack trip, my logistical issues for the future would be greatly simplified.
 
My goal now is to make it from the US/Mexico Border to Panguitch, Utah, which is the destination I originally dreamed of in my youth. That’s the trip Dad and I used to talk about when I was in high school – Tucson, AZ to Panguitch, UT. My dad was born and raised in Panguitch; that’s where my pioneer forefathers settled and my greatest desire for the trip was to re-connect, so to speak, with them, so Panguitch was our original destination. So that’s what I have dreamed about for most of my life – a horse pack trip from Tucson to Panguitch with my dad.
 
During about 2010, a conversation with an old friend, Dale Maples, got me started considering a cross-country trip starting at the US/Mexico Border and ending at the US/Canada Border. Neither of us had any idea what that entailed and we figured we could make it in a couple months. After starting my research, I realized this would be much more of a major undertaking than either of us had imagined.  Eventually, Dale decided he could not make the trip and my dad and I began to make plans.  Very early, we realized we just would not have the financial or logistical support we would need to make the trip in one shot (besides the fact that I was in my mid-50s and Dad in his 80s), so I started planning to divide the mileage into a number of legs, ranging from about 200 to 1,000 miles each. 
The first leg of the trip would be a “shakeout” leg, in which we would get a better idea of the mileage-per-day we could plan on, how our horses and gear would fare, and gain useful experience to help us plan for the rest of the trip. This leg would be from the US/Mexico Border, about 19 miles east of Douglas, Arizona, to Eagar, Arizona.  At Eagar, which is where my parents live, we would evaluate ourselves, our horses, and gear, and decide whether we could continue on and make the second leg of the trip at that time, which would end at Panguitch, Utah around late-July.
We completed the first leg in April 2015, making 355 miles from the US/Mexico border – actually tied up to the border fence – to Eagar, which is where my folks live. This leg took Dad and me 28 days on the trail. It was a wonderful father-and-son experience (you can read my blog posts about it on this site) and an exceptional learning experience.
Our original plan was to make it to Eagar, and if all was well, to continue on to Panguitch, all in one trip. The plan was to arrive in Panguitch, Utah about July 22, just in time to take our place in the Garfield County Pioneer Day Parade on July 24. However, we were not many days on the trail when we realized that making the entire trip, over 900 miles, in one shot was not going to be possible for us. We decided to stop for the year at Eagar and continue on the second leg the following year, planning for much shorter legs in the future.
We continued the trip in 2016, making our way from Eagar, AZ, joining the Arizona Trail above Payson, AZ, and following it to Flagstaff. Again, our plan was to make it to Panguitch this time, but after reaching Flagstaff, we found it impossible to continue. The drought in 2016 was so severe in northern Arizona that wildfires were raging all through the region and we had already found ourselves threatened at one point and diverted by firefighters in another place. Additionally, consultation with the local US Forest Service made it clear that finding water for ourselves and our horses would be a critical issue. We wisely decided to stop there at Flagstaff for the year.  In the end, we made 200 miles in two weeks.
The following year, my father, in his 83rd year, got bucked off his usually trustworthy gelding while out on a ride and got pretty beat up. It took him quite a while to recover from a lacerated spleen and other less severe injuries. That year my mare was pregnant, as well, so we delayed the next leg for another year. It was during that layover that Dad finally decided it was time to hang up his spurs. So, with a heavy heart I began to plan for the rest of the adventure without my best riding partner.
During 2018, a good friend, Jeff Palmer, mentioned he would like to make some of the horse pack trip with me. During the spring of 2019, he and I made our way from Flagstaff, AZ to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We made a total of 92 miles in 5 days, ending a couple miles east of Tusayan, Arizona, which is only about 7 miles from the south gate of Grand Canyon National Park.
And there I have been stuck since that time.
Making it across “The Big Ditch” has been a major logistical problem. The Arizona Trail crosses the Grand Canyon via the South Kaibab Trail from the South Rim, continuing from the bottom to the North Rim via the North Kaibab Trail, a total of 22 miles.  The drive for the truck/trailers from the South Rim around to the North Rim, however, is nearly 6 hours, making it necessary to stage vehicles at both the North and South Rims, have places to keep horses with water and feed at both ends, and camp permits for at least three days within the park boundaries. Due to necessary coordination with the mule train outfitters operating on those two trails, crossing from the south to the north presents difficult schedule issues that make it nearly impossible to cross the canyon in one day, not to mention the fact that the park extends another 30 miles or so beyond the trailhead at the North Rim.  Therefore spending a night in the canyon was in the plan, along with another night in the park at the North Rim, before heading out to continue to the UT/AZ border.
However,  securing a Back Country Camp Permit for two nights in the Grand Canyon National Park is a difficult thing.  Applications for these, to have any chance at all at getting one, must be submitted four months before the desired date. Recently the GCNP started allowing submissions 10 days in advance of that 120-day span, but does not actually process them until the opening day of the application time-frame. Of course, I struck out and was unable to secure a permit. The park rangers, however, were very helpful and encouraging. They give some priority to travelers going through the canyon over those just making out-and-back trips, in an effort to assist those making cross-country trips on the Arizona Trail.  I fit into that category and they assured me that if I could come to the park and wait a few days, they would be able to secure a camp permit for me and get me and my horse through and on my way.
Then came the news that my riding companions were not going to be able to make the trip.  So, as mentioned above.  It looked like I was going to have to wait again.  I began to have doubts about the whole trip, as age is starting to catch up with me and I have been feeling the miles lately.  I began to think I might have to just call everything off and just be happy with what I have accomplished so far…which is nothing to sneeze at! I mean who gets to make a horse pack trip of 555 miles with their dad? Still I felt a sense of loss at the thought of giving up on yet another lifetime dream.  At my age, you begin to realize that most of those dreams just aren’t going to happen and I don’t have too many of them left.
Then, last week, someone made a comment on a post on my Western Trail Rider facebook page, to the effect that she and her husband were traveling around southern Utah with their mules, riding at various sites. She mentioned that her husband has always wanted to ride through the Grand Canyon and wondered if it might be possible for him to tag along with us as we crossed. I told her sadly that it looked like my trip was going to be cancelled after all.
Then, a few nights ago, I found I could not sleep for thinking about having to cancel my crossing of the Grand Canyon and the prospect that my opportunities for doing so were quickly waning.  I began to wonder whether my new friends, Ron and Janet Erickson, and I might be able to work out something together. The long and short is that after a few communications back and forth, we have struck a plan!  I decided that the direction in which I crossed the Grand Canyon was less important than the fact that I did, in fact, cross that marvelous natural wonder on my own horses! Besides, riding from north to south makes coordinating with the outfitters easier.  So, if all works according to plan, Ron and I will be dropped off by Janet, with our equines (Ron rides a mule) on Thursday morning at the North Kaibab Trailhead at the North Rim. While Ron and I make our adventure real, she will drive a rig around to the South Rim, where she will pick us up when we emerge from the canyon in the afternoon at the South Kaibab Trailhead.  Looks like this is finally going to happen!
So, I will be heading south on Tuesday to meet Ron and Janet, who are currently staying  at Paria River Ranch, to complete our plans and maybe take a ride with them on Wednesday. Ron and I will cross the Grand Canyon, me with Chief and Missy, him with his mule, from north to south, on Thursday, May 20, 2021.
Yes, today I feel very blessed and grateful. Thanks to the generosity and willingness of the Ericksons and Ron’s dream, like my own, to cross the Grand Canyon on our own worthy steeds.
How great is that?!
Good trails, Western Trails

Buckskin Gulch – What a Ride!

I finally got to do one of my “bucket list” rides! I have been wanting to ride Buckskin Gulch for several years now, ever since I first saw a few photos of the spectacular slot canyon and learned it was accessible by horses!

Last week, my good friend Jeff Palmer and I made the drive to southern Utah, loaded with our horses, to make the ride. The Buckskin Gulch official trailhead is located about 4.5 south of US89, off of House Rock Valley Road. The intersection of US89 and House Rock Valley Road is about halfway between Kanab, UT and Page, AZ, where the highway takes a large turn through a red rock ridge.

The trailhead has a large parking area, sufficient for even large truck/trailer rigs, and a pit restroom. There is no water and no other services at the trailhead. Visitors are requested to register and there is a permit fee of $5 per person, which can be paid either online or at the trailhead.

While the canyon is approximately 13 miles long (from what I have read), from the House Rock Valley trailhead, one can only go in about 9 miles, before reaching a place where horses cannot pass, due to a huge rock pile. Hikers are able to climb over and around the boulders, but it’s a no-go for horses. Our ride in-and-out, according to the Ramblr app on my iphone, was 18.2 miles and took us almost 5 hours. Horses should be shod, as much of the canyon floor is filled with natural river rock and is pretty tough on the horses’ hooves.

The canyon has two other entry points, one a few miles farther south on House Rock Valley Road, called Wire Pass, which is impassable for equines, and one from the eastern end of the canyon, which has its trailhead at White House. I have yet to try this one.

From the official Buckskin Gulch trailhead, we rode a couple miles through a dry wash, lined by picturesque red rock hills and sage brush, before actually entering the slot canyon, As you start into the canyon, you first get a primer of things to come as you pass through a couple of narrow passages with red cliff walls, but nothing like the canyon itself!

Once you actually get inside the canyon, the walls climb high and the floor gets narrow. The air cools down and it gets a little spooky, as you begin to realize that there is no way out, but the way you came in!From that point, it was absolutely fascinating to observe the various shades of color in the canyon walls and the way the light plays off of the turns and edges of stone.

I had brought along a spare horse, since I was working on legging-up my two horses for a pack trip next month. I let Chief wander free. He is a very calm and friendly horse and no danger to the other visitors in the canyon. It was actually nice to have him along, as he provided a means of showing the impressive scale of the canyon walls in some of the photos, since photos rarely provide the true impact of seeing these things in person.

 

The ride reached the mid-point after a little over two hours, at about the nine-mile mark, when we reached a blockage in the canyon that we could not pass. At this point I switched my saddle to Chief and rode him out the way we came and let Missy go free.

During the ride we passed a number of hikers along the way, most of whom entered the canyon through Wire Pass, which, as I said, is impassable for horses. We actually entered into the passage leading to Wire Pass and followed it as far as we could, which was only about 100 feet or so, then turned around and came out.

At this junction in the canyon, there is a rather spacious bottom. Along one side of the canyon wall there is a large flat wall on which can be found a number of ancient petroglyphs. Also found there are various examples of vandalism of these ancient drawings and a bit of modern graffiti. It also appears that it may be somewhat traditional, when there is moisture in the canyon, to place one’s hand in the mud and plaster a hand print on the wall, as we saw numerous examples of this as well.

Our ride out took a little less time than our ride in, as the horses sensed we were headed back toward the trailhead. However, the views on the return trip were just as fascinating and awe-inspiring as on the ride in. Seeing everything from the opposite direction was like seeing it for the first time.

Here is a video of the ride from my YouTube channel at Western Trail Rider.

Below is a gallery of photos we got during the ride. Click on the photo to see it in larger scale.

Yep! It was quite a ride! I think I may make that an annual type of thing for myself!

TH