Great Western Trail, Western Horsemanship

My New Fox Trotter Mare, Lizzy

March 1, 2015 Tony Henrie

When I decided I would buy a Fox Trotter as my trail horse, I was told one can not own only one Fox Trotter. Seems that has proven to be true. I recently came home with my second Fox Trotter, Lizzy.

Lizzy is a coming four year-old mare (May), registered Fox Trotter of good breeding, standing 15.1 hands. I bought her from a friend and Fox Trotter breeder out of Ephraim, Utah, named Michael George. Mike had heard I was looking around for a second horse, so on a ride he mentioned he had a young mare he would part with if I wanted to come look at her. He said he had brought her from Missouri to train as a working horse and use as a brood mare, but that she just didn’t have the lateral movement he looks for in a good working ranch horse. She moves down the road well and is a willing worker, but just didn’t have the movement he was looking for; for what I wanted she might do just fine. We talked about it a few times and I decided I would take the drive down to see her.

Seems like the best-laid plans can always go awry. I made arrangements half-a-dozen times to head down to see this little mare, but each time something would come up to side-track me. As things would turn out, I was invited by a mutual friend, Jon Tanner, to fill a slot in his trailer for a ride down in the Saint George, Utah area last weekend. Since Mike was also planning on attending that ride he agreed to take the mare, so I could take a look at her and evaluate her on the trail.

During two days of riding, some of it on pretty rough trails, I was favorably impressed by the young horse’s temperament and willingness on the trail. She proved to be very sure-footed and not prone to be excited or panicky. I didn’t take the opportunity to ride her, since I was busy trying to put a few more training miles on my gelding, Ranger. In retrospect, I should have traded horses with Mike for a few miles, just to get the feel of her. Regardless, I saw enough of her to convince me that I should buy her.

I made arrangements with Mike to meet him last Friday to finish the purchase and get the brand inspection done. As things would happen, again, I had to cancel and postpone the meeting, because I was called-in to work on a new part-time job I have acquired (to pay for my horse habit), and I didn’t feel right about trying to get out of it. I called Mike and explained. We put the meeting off until yesterday (Saturday). It turned out, however, that I got off work early on Friday, so I called Mike up and headed down his way.

Mike had explained to me that one can buy a lifetime brand inspection in Utah, that is transferrable to any new owner. It turns out that Utah State law requires a current brand inspection to transport a horse within the state, but with the lifetime inspection they issue a nice plastic card with a photograph of the horse that is good for as long as you own the horse. The lifetime inspection costs $25 and transfers to a new owner with a simple application and a $10 fee. Since I was going to have one horse inspected, I figured I might as well have both done at the same time, so I loaded up Ranger and took him along.

I arrived at Mike’s corrals around 3:30pm. I was greeted by several horses, all Fox Trotters, gathering around the truck and interested in the new arrivals. After a minute or two most of the horses had satisfied their curiosity and moved off…all except for this one little colt that was constantly into everybody’s business and making a general nuisance of himself. That one belongs to Jon Tanner, and what a beaut he is. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more precocious horse animal in my life. I told Jon that if he ever decides to get rid of that one, he is to call me first!

As I said, Lizzy is a registered Missouri Fox Trotter, and while I don’t know anything about MFT pedigree, Mike assures me she has some very nice lines in her pedigree. She is coming on 4 years old in May and she stands a measured 15.1 hands. She looks a bit on the small side, because she could use a little muscle and a few more pounds on her frame, but Mike actually measured her height with a gauge. I think she’s going to fill out nicely. She is sorrel with flaxen hocks, and once she slicks out, she just might end up with a flaxen mane and tail. She has a spot of brilliant white on her nose that isn’t quite a blaze. It looks more like she has some paint in her and it only showed in that one spot on her nose. Unique, and I like it. She has a longer back, in proportion to her height, than Ranger and her shoulder line may be a bit more vertical, but she has a good, deep chest and moves well. She has an old scar on her right rear pastern from a bad cut when she was younger, but it has healed up nicely. It doesn’t seem to cause her any tenderness and I did not see her favor it at all in two days of some pretty aggressive trail riding. Since I’m not going to be showing her, and since it was a contributing factor in the low price at which Mike offered her to me, I am OK with it.

I let Mike show me his process of handling and saddling the young mare and as he did so I began to realize she is a little more green than I had thought. She was a bit jumpy, due to the other horses ranging about, and a little less focused on what we were doing than she might otherwise have been. Mike took her out for a few minutes to work the kinks out before I got on her. I then took her down a dirt road a ways and into a pasture field for a test drive.

Lizzy with her new pasture mate and trail partner, Ranger

I found Lizzy to be less concerned with me than with the fact that she was leaving her pasture mates, but she continued ahead nonetheless. After a little riding around she began to settle down a bit and pay a little more attention to me. I was able to get her into a fox trot a time or two, but it was a very rough approximation of the gait. I was not able to get her into a flat walk, as she kept wanting to go from a slow walk right into a trot, due to her agitation at being away from her pasture mates with a rider she didn’t know. Eventually I was able to get her into a decent enough fox trot that I was sure that she will smooth out and produce a very nice gait with a little more work and training. She seems to be at about the same place with her training and gaits as Ranger was when I got him. He has begun to develop a very nice flat walk and fox trot and I’m sure a few more miles on Lizzy will produce the same results.

The one thing about her gaits that concerns me at this point is her walk. She has about the most exaggerated “camel-walk” I’ve ever ridden. It is very uncomfortable and would be a killer to ride that walk for a full day’s ride. She has an enormous over-step, back to front, of maybe 12-14 inches, about the longest I’ve ever seen in a horse her size (being mostly acquainted with Quarter Horse types, myself). She walks with an extremely long stride, causing a very pronounced up and down motion in her withers, however, once she speeds up just a bit, that seems to go away. Once her flat walk develops, I think she’ll be a very comfortable horse to ride. Once I got her moving comfortably, she seemed to step out nicely at a speed that will match Ranger’s pace very well. I am told the long over-step is one of the factors that contributes to a fast and smooth fox trot. I have seen that in other fox trotters, particularly the big gelding Jon Tanner rides.

MIke George on Lizzy at Red Mountain Trail

Having watched her move and negotiate some rough trails the week before, I had noticed none of the few negative issues I’ve just mentioned, so I’m pretty sure it was mostly her anxiety at having a strange rider on her and being so near, yet so far from, her pasture mates. I’m satisfied that she’ll smooth out and become a very comfortable ride with a smooth, fast gait eventually.

But right now, I have about one month to get her tuned up for a very long ride.

Lizzy is a little light – could use a few more pounds – and a little greener than I would have preferred, but I’m pleased with my new mare and look forward to many, many pleasurable miles with her and Ranger.

Tack and Gear, Uncategorized, Western Trails

Buying the Necessaries for the Big Trip – DeLorme InReach Explorer

March 1, 2015 Tony Henrie

Last week I made arrangements to take out a fairly large loan from savings (thank you dear Linda) for the purchase of supplies and gear for the coming pack trip. Time is getting short, so Dad and I are evaluating our gear, repairing what needs it, replacing what we can’t repair, and buying what we don’t have.

I recently went on one of my favorite supplier online stores and put nearly $4,500 worth of gear on my “Wish List”. We’ll see how much of that I actually order. I have to admit that some of what is on that list is “want-to-have” stuff, rather than “need-for-the-pack-trip” stuff.

Yesterday I drove up to American Fork, to the Cabela’s store and spent nearly $1,000. I bought several items that I consider to be necessaries for the trip. I’ll address each item in detail and give my first impressions of them. During the trip and after it is done I’ll post a test-report on each and my opinions about them.

Recently, a good friend of my father, Dick Goodman, who will be helping us with logistics, advised us to buy a satellite phone, so we could call out if we had an emergency. The idea that we could keep folks posted on our whereabouts and call out in case of emergency is a thought that had crossed my mind, but sometimes it takes someone else’s suggestion to bring an idea into focus. You have to remember that Dad and I both grew up before the advent of electricity…er, I mean cell phone and GPS technology, and sometimes we forget about things like that in our planning.

So, I went shopping at Cabela’s in Lehi, Utah to see what was available.

What I found was a number of Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) units by a couple of makers, several models of “Spot” emergency locators (which a friend had recommended), one model of satellite telephone, and several models of GPS units by DeLorme. After looking over the various capabilities, features, and options of a number of units, I settled on the DeLorme InReach Explorer, priced at $379.99.

The DeLorme InReach Explorer is a GPS unit, utilizing the Iridium GPS system. It has all the functionality of a regular GPS handheld, but also allows two-way texting via satellite. Not only that, but it also uploads details to my personal and Western Trail Rider facebook pages, as well as to DeLorme’s Map Share application*, accessed through their website, so all my friends and relatives can track our progress.

The one thing that might appear to be an issue with this unit is the small screen size. Maps? Nope, too small. Howsoever, this unit will talk to my iphone 6 as well as Android phones, by use of the Earthmate app that can be found through the App Store or any Android app site. The unit talks to the phones via Bluetooth, so cell coverage isn’t necessary. So, I will get all the map information on my iphone 6 in all its glory. In fact, through the Earthmate app, I am downloading the high-resolution map sets I will need to my phone as I type this post.

Once the unit is fully charged, one must follow the explicit instructions in the user’s manual provided with the unit for initiating and setting it up. Not following the instructions in order can cause problems that otherwise would easily be avoided. The first thing to know is NOT TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT FIRST READING THE MANUAL! The unit has an emergency beacon/call button/function that will send out an emergency call if inadvertently activated. The button has a lock associated with it, so it is quite safely secured, however, if you are like most people, particularly men like me, when they get a new toy they immediately start pushing buttons to see what they do. If you unlock the button and press it, you might get emergency vehicles and rescue helicopters arriving at your location. More on the SOS function later.

As I said, the first step is to ensure the unit is fully charged. While the unit is charging, become familiar with the various buttons and functionalities of the unit by reading the manual. While you’re at it, download the Earthmate app to your phone from the Apple App Store or your favorite Android site. Step two is to create your DeLorme InReach account online and select an airtime plan subscription.

DeLorme offers a variety of plans under two headings: Freedom Plans and Annual Plans. Both offer various options for functions and payments, with the Annual Plan options being significantly reduced in price.

The Annual option, meaning you subscribe to regular monthly service and subscription payments for a period of one year, requires an initial subscription premium of $19.95. The lowest priced plan, called the “Safety Plan” runs $11.95 per month and includes the bare minimum of functionality: Unlimited SOS, 10 texts, 10-minute tracking intervals, and tracking points and location pings at ten cents each. The highest plan runs $79.95 per month and includes unlimited SOS, texts, tracking points, and pings, and 2-minute tracking intervals. One can change plans at anytime for a fee of $24.95.

The Freedom Plan means you can activate your coverage at any time for the month or months you require. This plan requires an initial subscription premium of $24.95. The monthly fees are slightly higher than those of the Annual Plan, but offer the same options for functionality. For instance, the low and high plans under the Freedom Plans run $14.95 and $99.95 per month, respectively, compared to $11.95 and $79.95 under the Annual Plans. However, one can change the coverage under the Freedom Plans without fee simply by selecting that plan when activating. Changing from the Freedom to the Annual plans subscription requires payment of a change fee of $24.95.

I selected the Recreation Plan under the Freedom Plans subscription for my trip. It offers unlimited SOS, 40 texts, 10-minuted tracking intervals, and unlimited tracking points and pings. After the first leg of our trip I will decide whether to upgrade to the Expedition Plan, which offers unlimited texts. The Recreation Plan runs $34.95 per month, while the Expedition Plan runs $64.95 per month.

After creating your account and activating a plan, and making payment via credit card, you can set up your options and add contacts, set up your preset messages and responses for texting, and set up your “sharing”. The menus on the unit are easily navigated by use of the small thumb pad, using the button with the check-mark as the “enter” button. The “X” button is the “back” and “stop” button. You can also access and control the unit on the phone through the Earthmate app, including activating the SOS function.

The third step in the initiation and setup process is to go outside and make sure you have a broad and clear view of the sky. Turn the unit on, point the antenna in the air and wait. When you set up the DeLorme account online, DeLorme sends out a welcome message as a test to make sure the connection has been made. You will see a little green light on the face, which indicates you have a message waiting. If the light turns red, you have an urgent message waiting. Please note that this little light only indicates messages waiting and does not indicate satellite coverage for the GPS function! You will respond to the welcome text with a simple response text, which tests your unit’s ability to send texts. This process may take up to 20 minutes to finalize, so be patient.

Once you are able to send your text response, the GPS unit has been initialized and is ready for use. You are then ready to complete the setup process by calibrating the altimeter and digital compass functions. You are also ready to make the Bluetooth connection with your phone and start setting up your personalized functions and options on your Earthmate app.

I had trouble getting my iphone and DeLorme Explorer unit talking to each other. I finally decided to try connecting the unit to my Apple Macbook Pro by USB cable (included) to see whether an update option would appear when it connected. It did! The update took several minutes to complete. I noticed that the “message waiting” light blinked red and green during the update. Do not unplug your unit from the computer or shut down your computer until the update is completed! Once the update completed, my unit connected right up to my iphone 6.

The menu on the Earthmate App on my iphone 6

Calibrating the altimeter is not a one-time thing. Although it will always be approximately correct by just using the GPS as reference, it is a good idea to reset the altimeter at the beginning of or during an adventure by finding a point at which the elevation is certain, such as at a trailhead where elevations are often shown on trail signs, and using that elevation to set the unit. You may also set the function by using barometric pressure readings from a reliable source nearby, such as airport weather reporting.

The compass is calibrated by initiating that function through the settings menu. After selecting “Calibrate Compass” you simply move the compass in a figure-8 pattern, making sure the antenna moves through all directions in reference to the ground several times until you hear a beep, indicating the process is complete. As with the altimeter, it is a good idea to recalibrate the compass at the beginning of each new trip.

The SOS function is activated by sliding the “lock” switch on the face of the unit to the left, exposing a red line, indicating the function is now available. By then pressing the SOS button, the function is activated, sending out SOS messages to GEOS, the DeLorme monitoring center, which will then dispatch rescue services to your location. The SOS function can also be activated through the menu, by selecting the SOS icon, then pressing the “enter” button (the one with the check-mark), or by using the phone app and selecting the SOS function from the menu. Use this only in time of true emergency, as this will set in motion a very expensive bunch of fast-turning wheels.

A map on my iphone 6 via the Earthmate app

As I look through the maps on my iphone 6, the resolution is sufficient that I can see excellent topographical detail, however at the magnification level needed to see marked trails, the viewable area of the map is quite small. I find it difficult to be able to see where a particular trail goes, as one would be able to do on a map, without simply following it on the touch screen. While one can gain greater perspective by zooming out, the dashed-line marking trails disappears after only two clicks out. A larger screen would alleviate the problem proportionate to the size of the screen, but this issue is not a problem with the Explorer, it’s simply the size of my phone display. I am pretty old-fashioned and still feel more comfortable with a paper map in my hands, however, for the Mexico-to-Canada pack trip I have planned, the maps alone, at 7.5 minute size covering the selected route, would number over 100 and would cost more than $700. Not having to buy and carry all those maps is a benefit one cannot ignore and one for which I can happily deal with the little inconvenience of a small screen on my phone. I should mention that I believe the screen on my iphone 6 is as large or larger than the screens I saw on all the GPS units offered at Cabela’s, including the venerable Garmin Montana.

My overall impression so far, not having actually used the unit yet, is that the DeLorme Explorer is exactly what I need, not only for the impending pack trip, but for all my packing adventures for years to come. I will be able to store the information from my trips, mileage, speed, elevation, etc., for my blog posts, keep my followers updated on my progress during the trips, call for help in emergencies, and make the trail information available for others to use.

Moreover, the peace of mind it will give my wife and my mother while Dad and I are out on this pack trip, knowing we can communicate with them and call out in case of emergency at anytime, from anywhere, via text and emergency beacon with this unit, and the fact that we can keep them posted on our progress via text and facebook posts, is well worth the $379.99 price tag and the subscription price.

This was a good score in my book. Thumbs up!

Now, you’re probably asking yourself how we intend to keep this handy little unit, as well as our cell phones, charged up.

Stay tuned.

* I will provide the link to my Map Share on a separate post once the trip is underway. The Map Share link is specific to each trip logged by the InReach Explorer unit.

Western Trails

Red Mountain Trail, St. George, Utah

February 22, 2015 Tony Henrie

After a great day of riding into the southern part of Zion National Park, near Hurricane, Utah, I spent the following day, Saturday, with Jon Tanner, Michael George, Craig Sorensen, and a number of members of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association riding Red Mountain Trail, just northwest of St. George, Utah.

This trailhead is located just north of mile marker 15 on Highway 18. There is a very nice parking area with a restroom, which was built by the local Back Country Horsemen Association a few years ago, with the cooperation of the Bureau of Land Management. The parking lot was built to accommodate horse trailers and allows even large trailers room to park and maneuver in the lot. There is no running water and no electrical service, so you’ll need to consider that if you’re hauling horses from any distance to this trailhead. There are no parking fees, but I’m not sure if overnight camping is allowed. You’d have to check that with the local BLM office.

Once we got everyone together, we had about 31 riders, most mounted on Fox Trotters. There were at least two other groups, smaller than ours, starting on the trails at about the same time. There are several trails and plenty of room for all and we never bumped into any of the other groups while on the ride. The Red Mountain Trail makes a loop of about 6.7 miles, starting at one end of the parking area and ending at the other, so you can pick which direction you want to go. There are steel gates at either entrance, built to allow hikers, bicyclers, and horses, but not ATVs. As this area is actually outside the Snow Canyon State Park, dogs are allowed on the trails off-leash.

We headed out the south end of the parking area and got just outside the gate and waited while we gathered our forces. Once we got started, the group quickly separated into several smaller groups, all traveling the same direction. With a group of gaited horses, such as Fox Trotters, there are those who travel quite a bit faster than others, so those who wished to slow down a bit, and stay out of the dust trail, hung back a bit.

The terrain, for the most part, consists of very fine sandstone dust, juniper trees, manzanita, and sage. There are several parts of the trail that are pretty rocky, and a couple places that might present a challenge to the uninitiated rider, but I would consider the trail to be in the category of fairly easy overall. Many of our horses, including mine, were barefoot and handled it very well.

About half-way through the trail loop, one suddenly comes upon the northern rim of Snow Canyon, which drops away about 1,400 feet in sheer cliffs from the trail. There are no walking paths and no guardrails, so one has to pay attention to things when going up to the edge for a look or for photos.

What one sees here is breathtaking and cannot be adequately captured on my little iphone 6 camera. I did my best, but this is a sight one must take a look at in person to really experience it.

We broke there for lunch and sat around enjoying stories from some of the more experienced riders in the group, which was enjoyable all in itself. This area is primitive, so don’t expect any picnic tables or trash cans.

After a restful half-hour or so, we mounted up and headed out to finish the loop. The entire ride took under 3 hours, covered 6.7 miles, and was quite easy on the horses and riders. On the way out, there are at least two trails that diverge from the main, so one must pay attention to make sure he/she is tracking where they want to go. The trail markers were not entirely clear as to which way was back to the parking area. Having someone along who actually knows the trail is nice, but not absolutely necessary, as one would have to try pretty hard to get lost. Just keep tracking east and eventually you’ll hit the power lines and Highway 18. Then just look around and you will be able to find your way back to the parking area, since the area is almost clear of trees for at least a hundred yards from the highway.

This was a short ride and would make a good “filler” ride for some extra time during a weekend trip to the area. There are a number of other similar trails in the area, so one could actually fill up a weekend, and more, hitting them in turn. Each trail around the Snow Canyon area holds its own particular spectacular views and adventures.

Enjoy the photo gallery.

Western Trails

Coal Pits Wash Trail, Hurricane, Utah

February 22, 2015 Tony Henrie

Several weeks ago, I was invited by Jon Tanner to fill a slot in his trailer for a ride down to the Saint George area of southern Utah for a couple days. He was going down to meet members of the local Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association for a couple days of riding. After he twisted my arm a while, I agreed (that’s exactly how it happened, right Jon?).

Jon picked up me and my horse, Ranger, Friday morning at 6:30am and we headed south. We arrived at the designated meeting site, the Washington County Equestrian Center at Hurricane, Utah at about 10:30am. I was surprised to see that about 30 riders showed up. I had no idea there would be that many. Due to the large size of the group, and that some wanted to see one area while others wanted to see another, the group split for the day’s ride.

Jon and I followed Janet Carver to the Coal Pits Wash trailhead, located about 8 miles and a bit east of Hurricane on Highway 9. The parking area is a wide spot on the north side of the road just before the highway turns a bit north. I don’t recall seeing a road sign announcing the location, so you just have to look for it. The parking area will hold several trucks and 4-horse trailers and there is room for a turn-around, if necessary.

The trailhead is easy to see. There is a gate that marks the trail. Once through the gate (make sure you close it after passing through) the trail is easy to follow. It tracks generally northward. Just a short distance up the trail, you will cross into Zion National Park. Although there are only trail markers where different trails intersect, it’s not terribly difficult to see where others have gone before. In some areas, where the trails my diverge or where the rocky ground sort of hides the trail, you will find rocks stacked to mark the trail. Also, this trail is open to horse, bicycle, and foot traffic, so be aware of other travelers and be courteous to all.

The trail heads north into a broad canyon where the traveling is fairly easy. The trail has a slow, steady climb, crosses through the creek several times, but more often stays up on the bench on the east side of the creek. It is a good idea to water your horses in the creek, as once you start your climb up out of the wash, there is likely to be little water on the trail.

There are several deep cuts in the bench, from erosion, that one must either go around or cross through. Which you choose to do is up to you and your horse; a couple of the cuts were pretty steep and narrow. In fact, coming back we simply jumped a couple of them, rather than taking the long way around. This is an area in which an inexperienced rider and/or horse can get themselves into trouble, so don’t bite off more than you can chew, so to speak.

On up the trail about two miles, you will come to the intersection of the Coggins Trail. This trail leads up a steep switch-back that climbs very quickly up out of Coal Pits Wash and up through a saddle. This trail, while not particularly challenging for the average horse, may be quite intimidating for the uninitiated rider. The climb is steep and the slope falls steeply away from the narrow trail. As you climb higher on the hillside, you will find some pretty spectacular views of the area you have just passed through. If you will click on the photo below and enlarge it, you will see a string of riders from our group about three-quarters of the way up the hillside.

The climb up out of Coal Pits Wash on the Coggins Trail.

The trail then goes over a saddle into some fairly level and easy-riding areas that track generally east-by-northeast through juniper and pinon trees toward beautiful red and white cliffs. At this point you are above the wash and will find little water, other than the occasional puddle left over from recent rains.

At this point we tracked generally toward the cliffs, following a well-marked trail – marked by traffic, rather than signs – until we felt we had gone far enough and turned around. We found

a small, sort of mini-slot canyon off to one side of the trail that we followed up a ways. It added interest to the ride, but was just a short diversion that required either a return trip the same way we entered, or a little bushwhacking to make our own way over the ridge back to the trail. We chose the bushwacking.

Also, along the way up on top, keep your eyes open for petrified wood, such as the log laying across the trail in the photo to the left. I’m told there are dinosaur tracks somewhere in the area, but we didn’t take the time to look for them. I’m sure you could get more information as to where they are located from park rangers (we didn’t see any rangers during our ride).

We followed the same path out that we followed in, however one has to pay attention, as there are several trails that diverge from the main trail. As mentioned, there are trail markers at points were marked trails diverge from the main, however, sometimes it is difficult to determine where the trails actually diverge. At one point we missed a turn and went several hundred yards on the wrong trail before we realized we didn’t recognize the terrain. We simply went back to the last marker and found the trails diverged on a large, flat rock and we simply missed the trail. Once we recognized our mistake it was easy to see the small stack of rocks that marked the trail we wanted.

Although we traveled out on the same trail we followed in, the views were as spectacular as before. Each direction offers its own views and perspectives and there is nothing lost in following the same trail out.

Our ride took about four hours and covered around seven miles. It was an excellent way to spend a nice February afternoon. By the way, the temperatures were in the high-sixties, with clear blue skies for us. In the summertime you can expect temperatures above 100 degrees. Wintertime is the time to see this area by horseback.

Enjoy the photo gallery.

Great Western Trail

Running out of time….

February 17, 2015 Tony Henrie

Seems like I have hardly had time to sit down these past several weeks. Since the second week of January I have been busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest at a county fair!

I spent the first couple weeks of January looking for a part-time job, so I could pay for my horse-related activities, as directed by my family financial advisor (wife). I was putting in applications at places like Cal Ranch, Tractor Supply, and Ace Hardware, etc. so I could keep it at part-time, so as not to defeat the purpose of getting the job in the first place…which was to pay for my horse habits. Why pay for a horse if you can’t ride him? I had no idea what my job search would set in motion. So much for retirement!

After a couple weeks of job hunting, I picked up a few hours a week driving a night courier route, delivering car parts through a stretch of back country in central Utah. I was driving two nights a week, leaving about 10:30pm and returning home around 6-7am, and covering 350-400 miles. I found I was almost completely useless for a couple days after each run. Didn’t like that feeling, but the money was decent and I enjoy driving, and particularly driving at night. At least I had some money coming in.

The driving job helped me pay for the fees for several certification courses I decided to take to become an NRA Firearms Instructor as well as an instructor for the Concealed Firearm Permit (CFP) in the State of Utah. Since January 17, I have obtained my Utah CFP, certified as an NRA Basic Pistol Instructor, and taken the course to become a Utah CFP Instructor. I’m still waiting for my CFP Instructor card to come back.

After finishing the CFP course, I got to talking with the instructor, who mentioned that he was associated with a group who was putting together a team for special projects related to security details and personal protection. He wondered if I might be interested. I told him I’d think about it. I called him a couple days later and expressed my interest and asked him to put me in touch with his contact. A couple weeks later I interviewed with Bedrock Protection Agency and became an on-call employee for their special projects group. I completed my Utah Armed Security Officer certification and am now a licensed Security Officer in Utah.

As it turns out, Bedrock likes my qualifications and has approached me to take over the training program for their security officers. So, this week my application was submitted to become a PACSCO certified instructor for the Utah Armed and Unarmed Security Officer licensure training. Additionally, I have already worked one special project for them.

In preparation for instructing at Bedrock, as well as doing NRA Basic Pistol and Utah CFP courses, I have registered the business name of “Guardian Personal Firearms Training” in Utah, under which I will conduct all my firearms training-related business. I also intend to register the name in Arizona and obtain business licenses to instruct courses for the Arizona CFP, since Arizona accepts the Utah CFP course for their CFP certification, as long as it is taught by a qualified instructor. Arizona accepts certified NRA instructors as qualified under their laws.

All this sort of interfered with a project I had going on already, of building cabinets for my daughter and son-in-law, who are finishing their basement. So, I’m behind on that, but making progress when I can. I hope to have them finished by the end of next week.

On top of all that, I sold both pairs of my chaps two weeks ago (the ones I made last year – see my blog posts on them), which was good, except that now I don’t have any chaps for my pack trip in April. Then the fellow called back last week and needs another pair for his nephew. So, this evening I ordered leather for his third pair of chaps, as well as leather for pairs of chinks and chaps for myself. I’m hoping the sale of my first three pairs of chaps opens the door for further business in that direction. I am hoping to be able to expand my leather working, and the sale of the chaps has helped me further that purpose, allowing me to buy more tools and leather.

Additionally, I still have my old Hamley Ranch Saddle to finish repairing.

Then today, I got a call from the CEO of Bedrock, who wants to pull me in a little deeper into the company. I explained that while I am very excited about the opportunities presented to me by the company, for the next several months I cannot commit to full-time employment. I explained that in April and May I intend to be with my dad, riding horses from the border of Mexico to Panguitch, Utah, and that was my main priority for the moment. I let him know that once that ride is over, that I will be able to put forth whatever effort and time is required to make myself fully useful to the company. He seemed satisfied with that answer, for which I was glad, for I am truly excited about the prospects of working with this young and growing company.

So, for the moment, I will be working part-time for Bedrock, part-time in business for myself as a firearms instructor, and part-time as a cabinetmaker, and part-time as a leatherworker….how many parts was that? I am also a Cub Scout leader, a husband, a father, and grandfather…and I have to pick up the dog poop every Monday (nothing like that to keep me from getting too proud of myself).

So you can see I have been rather busy. Busier than I really want to be. I haven’t had but one chance to even mess with my horse in the past three weeks. That is about to change.

This weekend I will be joining Jon Tanner, Michael George, and several others on a ride in the Saint George, Utah area for a couple days this weekend. I’m truly looking forward to it.

I have to say that when I told my new boss, the CEO of Bedrock Protection Agency, in the face of a very good opportunity for me, that I would be unavailable during April and May for a pack trip with my dad, I suddenly felt for the first time that this trip is really going to happen and I was not going to let anything get in the way of it this time. Dad and I had the chance to do a similar trip many years ago, but we both let other aspects of life sort of pinch it off. I have been planning this trip now for more than two years and I have lived with the fear that I would allow some other part of life smother it again. Today I sort of a flushed all doubts from my mind and a whole new level of excitement has filled me.

Only problem now is that I’m running out of time! Just a little more than a month left before we hit the trail! Lots to do.

Great Western Trail, Western Trails

Back to Planning the Big Pack Trip

February 9, 2015 Tony Henrie

To those of you who have been following this saga from the beginning, thank you. You will be pleased to know that Dad and I are actually in the “OK! We’re going to do this!” stage now. For those just joining us, my father and I have been trying to plan a horse pack trip from Mexcio to Canada. We have both been dreaming about something like this since I was in high school and we’re finally going to make it happen. We’ve had to scale our plans back a bit…a lot…because of a number of factors coming into play. The thought of making it all the way from Mexico to Canada is still rolling around in our heads, but we’ve decided it would be much wiser for us to break the trip up into “legs” and try not to bite off more than we can chew at a time.

Our hope for this year, 2015, is to take the first two legs of the trip, from the Mexican border to

The first two legs of our Mexico to Canada trip.

Panguitch, Utah. Shown in the graphic in red and green, as close as I can figure, using Google Earth and USFS maps, that will cover about 800-1,000 miles. I’m confident it will be closer to the 1,000 mile mark, since the Arizona Trail has been fully documented at 800 miles and our route through Arizona will be at least 100 miles longer than that, due to our desired stop in Eagar. We intend to document the trip by GPS, so there will be no question as to mileage and so anyone who wishes to follow our route later will have that information to help in their planning.

Truthfully, the second leg of the trip, from Eagar, Arizona to Panguitch, Utah, is the part of the trip Dad and I have been dreaming about. He and I have talked about crossing the Grand Canyon on our own stock for more years than I care to remember. From Eagar to Flagstaff, we’ll follow portions of the old Honeymoon Trail, which the early Mormon settlers of northeastern Arizona used to travel to be married in the LDS Temples in Utah. We’ll also travel the old General Crook Trail which he blazed from the White Mountains to Camp Verde in the late 1800s. We’ll then travel north on the Arizona Trail, crossing through the Grand Canyon, then on up through portions of southern Utah where my great-grandfathers used to ranch and run cattle. The legendary outlaw Butch Cassidy was known to have frequented the areas we’ll pass through. We’ll end up this leg, and likely our travels for the year, at Panguitch, Utah, where Dad was born and raised. This leg of the trip will be between 500 and 700 miles, as close as I can figure, and should take us about 6-7 weeks. Dad will turn 81 years old during that leg. There is a lot of history, both general and personal that we’ll be passing through on that part of our trip.

As of today, the plan is for us to depart sometime in April (a lot will depend on weather) and try the first leg of the trip. This will take us from the U.S./Mexico border just east of Douglas, Arizona, northward to Eagar, Arizona. That leg will be approximately 300 miles and should take us about three weeks, give or take a couple days. Eagar will be a sort of home-base for us, since that’s where my folks live. Once there, we’ll rest up for a week or two while we assess how we did and what we need to change. We will see how we feel about our horses, decide whether to add a couple to the string and whether any of the ones that made the first leg need to be changed-out. We’ll assess our gear – saddles, pack saddles, halters bridles, packs, cooking gear, etc. – and make adjustments where needed. Not among the least of things for a couple of old farts, we’ll assess our own health and determine whether our old bones can make the second leg of the trip.

To add a little more detail, shown in the graphic in red, the first leg will have us departing from about Border Monument #77, just a couple miles east of Douglas, Arizona. We’ll track generally north from there, crossing State Highway 80 and on into the Chiricahua Mountains. As I will be taking my trusty trail dog with us, we’ll stay clear of the boundaries of the state park there, tracking around it on the east side. We’ll trend northwest from there, following portions of the Grand Enchantment Trail through the mountains until we come close to Safford, Arizona, where we’ll head east until we come to Eagle Creek. We’ll head north from there, passing east of the San Carlos Indian Reservation border, wind our way up to cross Highway 191, and head over into the Blue Wilderness Area. We’ll drop down off the Mogollon Rim and find Blue Road and follow it northeastward until we come to a friend’s place just south of the town of Blue. We’ll likely stay there a couple days and rest ourselves and the horses, before heading up Foote Creek Trail, or possibly Grant Creek Trail, back up on top of the Mogollon Rim near Hannagan Meadow. From there we’ll be tracking northwest, passing west of Alpine and Nutrioso and on up to Eagar, Arizona. That will be the end of the first leg, as I said before. As close as I can figure that should be very close to 300 miles.

That route for the first leg makes good sense for us, because it crosses roads at various places and passes through or near a couple of towns. That will make it a fairly simple matter for our logistical support. We already know we will have to pack our horse feed, or at the very least supplement it on this first leg. It’s not likely there will be much grass along that route at that time of the year. We will plan to have a driver meet us at planned locations to re-supply us with feed…for both horses and humans. From what I see on Google Earth, though, we should be fine on water for the stock and for ourselves all along the route that time of year, as there are numerous stock ponds and tanks and a few creeks. Snow run-off and rain should have them all pretty full.

After taking a couple weeks for rest and recuperation, as well as assessment and adjustment as necessary, there at Eagar, we hope to embark on the second leg – the trophy leg – of our trip. This route, shown in green in the graphic, will track northwest from Eagar, Arizona along the edge of the pine forests of the Tonto National Forest, to Show Low, Arizona. Just west of Show Low, we’ll meet the General Crook Trail, which is a designated trail for foot/equine travel. It will take us on down the mountains to Camp Verde, where we’ll join the Arizona Trail. The Arizona Trail will take us north, passing west of Flagstaff, Arizona (actually through Flagstaff for a short distance), then on

Second leg from Eagar, AZ to Panguitch, UT

north to the park entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park. We’ll stop there to make all the necessary last-minute arrangements with the park service and the mule outfitters before heading down the designated trails to the bottom. While horse travel in the park is permitted on designated trails, coordination is necessary, so as not to encounter a string of mules coming the other way on a narrow portion of the trail. We’ll spend a night at the Ghost Ranch at the bottom of the canyon, to which I look forward with much anticipation. We could probably make it down and up in one day, but I can’t imagine making that passage without stopping for a night at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. That is something I have dreamed of. Sadly, my dog will have to travel this portion in the truck with the hired help.

From the Grand Canyon, we’ll move northward to cross U.S. Highway 89, where it makes a big jog as it crosses Paria Canyon. We’ll follow Paria northward to Willis Creek, which we will follow westward to the Grandview Trail. The trails up Paria and Willis Creek hold some spectacular scenery, winding through “slot-canyons” so narrow in some places that we’ll likely have to unpack our horses to pass through. The Grandview Trail wanders around the outskirts of Bryce Canyon National Park. It offers much of the same scenery, although from a less spectacular perspective, as the park does, but is on BLM land, which allows me to take my dog and is unregulated as far as horse travel. The Grandview Trail passes around the south end of Paunsaugunt Plateau (Bryce is on the southeast side of the plateau), then turns northward along the west side of the plateau. We’ll follow that trail up to Red Canyon, where we’ll come down off the plateau and make our way on into Panguitch, Utah.

We still have family living there in Panguitch, and Dad still has many old friends there. I expect we’ll be met there with open arms….and shaking heads. That will be the end of our trip for the year, completing the first two legs of our Mexico to Canada trip, covering about 800-1,000 miles.

It will also be the fulfillment of a long held dream for one son and his dad.

Western Horsemanship

How do you like my training arena?

January 9, 2015 Tony Henrie

I took Ranger out this afternoon for a training ride. We worked on his gaits, neck reining, controlling his hind and front quarters, backing, stops, and general paying attention. How do you like my training arena?

I found an old abandoned gravel pit not far from where I keep Ranger. It makes a great place for me to work on his mountain trail skills as well as his control skills. So far he’s been impressive. He is extremely sure-footed, quite strong, and very athletic. There are a lot of places to work on steep ascents and descents and the terrain is quite rocky, which will toughen up his hooves. There are also a few long ascents on which I can work on improving his strength and endurance. It’s the perfect training arena for me.

I have been working on keeping his attention focused on the trail ahead of him. He is still suffering from a bit of buddy and barn sour-itis, so I find him often looking in the direction of home and veering off in that direction without a cue from me. When he does that – and I mean even the slightest look in that direction – I pull him into a tight circle with pressure both on the bosal and leg pressure, and sometimes with a touch of the spur. He’s doing a lot better now. There are few things I like less than a horse that is constantly wandering from side to side on the trail, because he’s trying to look toward home or his buddies. I don’t mind a horse that looks around a bit, as long as he stays on the trail and going the direction I point him. I very much enjoy riding a horse that is interested in the trail ahead as much as I am and worries as little about the trail behind him as I do.

I used spurs on Ranger for the first time today, to see how he would react with them. He surprised me by showing that once upon a time he received some good training, probably only 30 days or so when he was two or three, but good training nonetheless. I found that he responded to cues with the spurs that he hadn’t quite figured out just with my heels. Not that he wasn’t responsive with my heels, just that he didn’t recognize what I wanted and it was like teaching him from the get-go. With the spurs he quickly started remembering his former training and I was able to get him to move his fore and hind quarters very well, much better than if I were just starting to teach him. It will still take a bit of work to get him to pick it all up again, but it was obvious he was remembering things from former training. That was a pleasant surprise.

We also worked a bit on trailer loading. I have started working on that at the end of every ride. Seems that he is more in a training mind-set when we get back than when we start. After the ride, once I load him into the trailer I feed him a little and let him rest while I brush him. He is beginning to be much less resistant. I think another week or so will have him walking into the trailer unassisted, which is what I’m looking for.

On the trailer training, I found the resistance-release method works best with him, particularly since I have no helpers. With his halter on and a 12′ lead, I may work on yielding his hind quarters and doing a few other simple exercises to get him focused on me, paying attention, and being obedient. Then I will walk into the trailer, expecting him to simply follow me in (I have a 4-horse slant-load). When that doesn’t happen, from inside the trailer I put fairly heavy pressure on the lead, but not enough to make him want to pull back, and kiss to him, which is my “move” cue for him. Within a couple minutes he will get tired and take a step forward. When (not “if”) he takes that step, no matter how small, I immediately release all pressure an give him a scratch on the forehead and a pat on the neck, without allowing him to back up that step we just gained. I then repeat the process as many times as necessary until I have him stepping into the trailer. It takes patience and persistence. You cannot release pressure until he complies, even a little bit, or you will defeat the training. Also, as the training progresses I require a little more compliance each time, on his part, before releasing pressure. I don’t want him to learn that minimal effort is all that I require.

One other thing I learned today about Ranger. He is so short-coupled that when we are ascending a steep trail, I have to pull my heels back and up out of the way or my spurs will hit his stifles. He really pulls those back legs up under him when he’s ascending. Never had that happen with a Quarter Horse.

Today’s ride was a nice one and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Temperatures were in the 40s and no breeze at all. It was nice. Ranger and I are starting to figure each other out and his training is progressing well.

Website Management

Forum may or may not be working….

January 6, 2015 Tony Henrie

Sorry that I have let the forums go for so long. Last year I let it go because it was getting little use and it took huge amounts of time to administer. I just couldn’t keep up with it.

It wasn’t the users who were the problem, but the spammers. I finally installed a good anti-spam plugin, but by then I had other problems with the software. After a couple of updates to WordPress, things on the phpbb forum got goofy. I spent untold hours trying to figure it out, but couldn’t, so I just let it go.

I started trying to look into it again this week and was discouraged to see that I got hit with another round of Russian and Chinese spammers. I have spent the past two days deleting more than 4,500 spam comments and over 1,500 spam users from the forum, all of whom hit since about mid-December 2014. On top of that, I still can’t get the integration between phpbb and WordPress working.

I looked for help this morning, after getting the spammers cleaned up last night, only to find that the integration plugin WP_United has been abandoned. Their support forum hasn’t been maintained since about last May and even their forum has been taken over by spammers.

So, I’m looking for other software to try to integrate the forum, gallery, and the main WP website.

I’ve installed a plugin that is supposed to allow integration of the memberships of the website and the forum, such that registering on one automatically registers you for the other, but I’m not sure whether it’s working, or even whether I have been able to successfully remove WP_United, and I don’t know whether it even recognizes the Coppermine photo gallery. So, we’re in a rebuilding stage.

I may end up having to completely take down the forum, and maybe even the website, and install new software altogether. Hopefully I’ll be able to save the information already posted, because there is some good information there.

Sorry for the inconvenience. Had I know this was going to be such trouble and such a time-sink when I started it, I don’t think I would have even attempted. I figured it would be a good learning experience and be good exercise for my gray matter. I find that nowadays it’s not the learning that is difficult, but the remembering what I learned from one day to the next.

Still, I’m trying. I still believe there could be value in this website and forum for those of us who enjoy spending time out on the western trails for pleasure, as well as for those with business interests – those who make their living as guides, suppliers, and outfitters. The vision was to make this website a clearinghouse for information specific to horse and mule packing in the western United States, whether for people who like to go it on their own, like I do, or to get those who would rather have a guide and outfitter in contact with people who can supply their needs.

It may never get there, but it won’t be for lack of trying on my part.

Thanks for following along through this ordeal. I’d much rather be out riding my horse in a snow storm than sitting in front of this computer trying to make sense of software programming.

Saddlery, Tack and Gear

Working on the Repairs for My Hamley Saddle

January 3, 2015 Tony Henrie 1 Comment

Now that my wife and I are settled in a house here in Salem, Utah, I have been able to get at least some of my tools out of storage and into my little workshop out back. Some of the first things I brought are my saddles and leather working tools.

A couple weeks ago I finished the work on my old Bighorn saddle, which needed to have the horn tightened up, new fleece, and new saddle strings. I finished that project and put the saddle immediately back to work on my new Missouri Fox Trotting Horse, Ranger. After having my last horse, Penny, beat my good Hamley Ranch Saddle to pieces, I decided that the Bighorn saddle was going to be my breaking and training saddle from now on.

My 1947 Hamley Ranch Saddle, ready for repairs

Last week I got to looking at my old Hamley and decided it was time to start the repairs.

The saddle was in need of new saddle strings, new rear rigging leathers, new stirrup leathers, a new cantle binding, and possibly new fleece, as well as repair to a tear on the front left side of the seat jockey. I also need to soak and flatten both the rear jockeys and the skirts, as they have curled up pretty badly.

Just so you know why I didn’t just sell the old saddle, or hang it up for decoration, this particular saddle came to me from my wife’s family. It belonged to her uncle, Earl Richins. I got it because there was no one else in the family who would get any use from it. A couple years ago I contacted Hamley, which is still in business in Bend, Oregon, about the saddle. For a nominal fee, they took the saddle’s serial number and researched their files. They provided me with a Certificate of Authenticity for the saddle, which showed the saddle was made for Earl G. Richins, who paid $154.50 for it in 1947. It is a family heirloom and I intend to continue passing it down. I also intend to make it mine and hope that whomever I pass it to will make it theirs and use it as well. I’ve no use for a decorative saddle.

A little over a year ago I had a mare that was prone to panicking. She would occasionally just go bananas if I got her into a position where she didn’t understand what was happening and felt trapped. While working with her one day, trying to teach her to sidle up to a gate, so I could open it, she went berserk. She went back, fell over, lunged up, crashed into the gate, then over again she went. Then she jumped back up and crashed into a fence where a tree was overhanging. I had come off the first time she went down, so I was just standing by watching the rodeo, waiting for her to get finished with her tantrum. After crashing through the tree branches, she finally stopped and settled down. I went to her to make sure she wasn’t hurt, which she wasn’t, just a little shaken up. However, my saddle was another story completely.

When I got over to Penny, I could see a stick about the diameter of my thumb sticking out of the cantle binding of my precious antique Hamley saddle. Not only that, but as I checked for further damage, I found both rear rigging leathers about to tear away from the cinch ring, a large new scrape on the pommel, and a scratch across the cantle, where my spur had raked as I came off. It was only a day or so later that one of the stirrup leathers gave out and broke. So my Hamley was out of commission. After evaluating the work that would be required to “restore” the saddle to “collector” condition, I decided that it was simply out of my price range. Judging by what I have priced at Hamley and other saddlers, it would run in the area of $3500 to have the saddle restored. I decided that I would do the repairs myself and bring the saddle back to usable condition. I decided that as an aspiring saddle maker, this would be an excellent learning experience. While some may criticize me for learning on my Hamley saddle, in my opinion it was simply too far gone to be worth the expense of sending it back to Hamley for repair/restoration.

So, here I am about ready to do the repairs. By this time I have acquired most of the tools necessary for saddle making. I still lack some of the more expensive gadgets, such as a leather splitter, and I could always use a few more punches and strap-end cutters, but I have enough to do what must be done on the Hamley.

Last week I started on the repairs. I started by disassembling the saddle, as much as was necessary, so I could take a good look and evaluate all that needs to be done. Turns out the tree, a bullhide-wrapped wood tree, is in excellent condition. I was surprised to find that Hamley uses bronze stirrup hangers, rather than having the stirrup leathers pass over the saddle bars. The tree is solid as the day it was made and the bars are in good condition. I removed the old saddle strings, pulled the few nails holding the skirts to the bars, then removed the skirts. I removed the rear jockeys, then the rear rigging leathers. The stirrups had been removed months ago. The last thing I removed was the cantle binding. I pulled the seams loose and cut the threads with a sharp knife. I used a pair of pliars to remove the remaining thread from the stitching holes in the cantle. Click on an image for a slide show with the photos in full-size.

I decided the first project would be the cantle binding, as I dreaded it the most. The cantle binding is one place that really shows the craftsmanship, or lack thereof, of a saddle maker. This was to be my first cantle binding and I didn’t expect it to come out perfect, but I hoped it would come out well.

I started by reading up on the topic in the reference books I have bought along the way, including the three-volume set by Al and Ann Stohlman and another book by Davy Jones on saddle making and repair. I decided to follow the directions given by the Stohlmans.

I cut the new cantle binding out of 7/8 oz skirting leather, making the piece about 1-5/8″ wide by 30″ long, which were measurements I took off the saddle itself. I then made a stitching groove along both edges, about 1/8″ from the edge, as this would be a binding with exposed stitching on both the front and back. I edged and buffed the edges and skived the ends thin. I then soaked the binding in luke-warm water for a few minutes, until it stopped bubbling. After stripping off the excess water with my fingers, I put the binding into place on the cantle, stretching it tight and placing a 1/2″ #12 tack at each end, down under where it would be hidden by the seat jockey. I formed it as much as possible with my fingers, so that the edges fit nicely into place on the cantle where the old binding had been. I then let the binding sit until almost dry, going back and forming it with my fingers now and then as it dried.

Before the binding was completely dry (you want some moisture left in the leather), I removed it and finish trimmed the long end to fit properly, then re-skived that end. I applied rubber cement liberally to both the cantle and the cantle binding, however, as directed by the Stohlmans, I did not apply rubber cement to the very front portion of the underside of the cantle binding, so that it could be adjusted easily as it was put into place on the cantle. I then carefully placed the cantle binding into place on the cantle, working it into place with my fingers. A rub stick would have helped as well here, but I didn’t have one available. Both ends were tacked into place with two tacks. These will remain permanently.

At this point I ran a #5 overstitch wheel over the binding in the stitching groove to mark where I would cut the stitching holes with the awl. I then threaded two #517 stitching needles and sharpened my awl and went to work. I found right away that it is critical to have a good awl blade and have it razor sharp. There is a talent that is developed in using an awl. I got better as I went, but my first few holes through that thick cantle leather were difficult. I had a hard time getting the awl to penetrate perfectly straight, as I kept applying pressure that was not perfectly straight. I bent my awl blade slightly several times. Once bent, you just cannot straighten an awl blade perfectly. I was able to straighten and resharpen the awl blade enough that it worked, but I had difficulty in getting the awl to penetrate straight and emerge on the backside right where I wanted it to – in the stitching groove. I would watch to see where the blade was going to emerge, then I would pull it back and adjust until it emerged where I wanted it to.

I only got about 1/3 done on the binding that first evening, because there wasn’t enough light in the work area. I just couldn’t see well enough to see where the tip of the awl was emerging and I was tired, so rather than risking a major mistake, I left it for the following day.

When I got back to the project, of course the binding had dried out completely. I decided to try stitching with it dry, as I didn’t like the way it came out while working on it damp. I found that when the leather was damp I tended to tighten the stitches too much and the leather would bunch a little, making the work look a bit rough. I found that when I stitch with the leather dry I liked the look better.

One saddle maker, Dusty Johnson, recommends drilling the stitching holes with a Dremel-type high-speed tool. He told me that by drilling the stitching holes, rather than cutting them with an awl, he is able to complete the stitching on a cantle binding in a matter of a half-hour, rather than about two hours with an awl (it took me much longer). I used Dusty’s technique to make my chaps and I find it makes my stitching look much more professional. I may try that the next time, but I was afraid it would show up on this binding where I changed methods. I finished the cantle binding stitching with an awl and with the leather dry.

Another thing I am learning, slowly but surely, is to be consistent and apply the correct amount of pressure when I tighten each stitch. Toward the end of the stitching I pulled two stitches through the binding leather. They are visible if one looks, but not bad enough that I would tear it all off and start over…at least not on this saddle. All I can guess is that I came upon a weak area in the binding leather in that place, as I applied no more pressure there than anywhere else on the binding. It is possible I was applying too much pressure all along in tightening my stitches.

I also found I tend to mark my cantle binding with my fingernails and tools as I stitch. This is something I really need to pay attention to , especially while working damp leather. Anything with an edge or corner that touches damp leather will leave a permanent impression. This is not a problem on this saddle, because it’s going to get a lot of marks on my pack trips anyway, but if I were doing this as a gift or a commission, it would look pretty poor. It gives my work a used look when it is brand new.

At the end of the stitching I learned another thing. I did not pay enough attention to the angle at which I was inserting the awl while stitching around the binding. I ended up finishing the stitching on the front, but still lacked nearly 1/2″ in the back. I ended up creating another two stitches in the back, running them through existing stitches in the front, while creating a lock-stitch at the same time.

I will likely stain the cantle binding to try to get it closer to the color of the old original leather. I haven’t yet decided whether to do that or just let it age naturally with neatsfoot oil.

All-in-all, while I am not completely pleased with the appearance of my work on the cantle binding, I know it will be serviceable and it was an excellent learning project. I am sure my next cantle binding will reflect improved craftsmanship on my part. Below is a gallery of all the pictures I took for this post.

Next up: The rigging leathers.

Great Western Trail, Western Trails

A New Year’s Day ride in the Antelope Island State Park

January 2, 2015 Tony Henrie 1 Comment

What a great New Year’s Day I had for 2015!

Last Monday I was invited by Jon Tanner to join him for a New Year’s Day ride with the local chapter of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association (MFTHBA) at Antelope Island State Park. It didn’t take me long to clear it with my family and jump on board. We agreed that I would haul my horse up to pick him up and the two of us would head over to Antelope Island, a short drive from his place. In the end we invited my son-in-law, Scott Palmer, and Michael George, a friend of Jon’s, as well.

16" of snow on top of the horse trailer — 16″ of snow on top of the horse trailer

I got up at 5:30am, after a late evening – New Year’s Eve, you know – showered, made myself a breakfast, then headed over to pick up my horse and trailer in the dark. I had the forethought to prepare my trailer the day before, having shoveled off the 16″ of snow on top of it and made sure I had everything I needed already in it. I had also pulled it out of the pasture where it is being stored and the landowner had cleared a path in the snow with his tractor, so I could make an early departure without having to dig out.

I easily hitched up the trailer. Catching up Ranger in the dark, though, was another problem. The day before, the landowner had offered to feed Ranger an extra bait of hay early, so he would have something to go on during the ride. I asked him not to, so that Ranger would be hungry in the morning, so I could more easily catch him in the dark. I figured to feed him alfalfa cubes and a little sweet feed in the trailer anyway. I used grain in a bucket to help me catch him. On the third try he let me get the rope around his neck. Seems like he always lets me catch him on the third try. We’re going to have to work on that. Anyway, I caught him up, and after a little persuasion, was able to load him in the trailer. We’re going to have to work on that, too.

By 6:40am I was headed over Spanish Fork to pick up Scott. He was ready, so we didn’t waste time. By 7:00 we were headed for Pleasant Grove to pick up Scott’s horse. His horse, a 16-hand Tennessee Walking Horse (TWH), was easy to catch and load, so by 7:50am we were heading for Kaysville to pick up Jon and Mike. We got to Jon’s a bit earlier than anticipated, so we waited there a few minutes for Mike to get there. Mike borrowed one of Jon’s Fox Trotters for the ride. We had Jon’s horses loaded and were moving out by 9:40am, headed for the park, which was just a short 30 minute drive from Jon’s place. Upon entering the park, there is a guard shack, where the park fee of $10 per vehicle is collected. We arrived at the White Rock Camp Ground parking area about 10:10am. Upon arrival we found the parking lot filling up with trailers and lots of riders heading out for the trails. I would guess there were upwards of 50 riders, representing several horse and mule associations, as well as some folks just out for a ride.

By 10:30 we were saddled and heading out on the trails. We grouped up with several others on Fox Trotters and headed out at a pretty good clip. At first, Ranger had trouble keeping up, moving from a fox trot to a pretty choppy trot. I worked to keep him in the fox trot and trying to encourage him to stretch out his stride to get a faster clip. Meanwhile, Scott’s horse, Bandit, the Walker, was a bit excited and Scott was working to keep him settled. He and I ended up getting a bit behind our group. It took us about a mile to catch up with them. During that spread, Ranger started to get his gait in order and move at a faster clip, while keeping his fox trot, with which I was very pleased.

During the ride we saw several buffalo, for which the island is famous. Each year the park service holds a roundup and auctions the excess buffalo in order to keep the population in check. The park service allows the general public to participate in the drive. I am told one has to register at least four months in advance nowadays, and that the roundup has become such a popular attraction that people come from all over the country to participate. I am also told that the day of the roundup has become somewhat of a circus, due to the participation of some 300 or so riders of widely varying experience levels, both human and equine. Accidents and injuries during the round up have become something to be planned for by the park service. According to Jon, it seems that every year there are several riders and horses injured by charging buffalo.

In the upper left, if you zoom in, you can see a small herd of buffalo

We also saw a small herd of bighorn sheep, a coyote, and several upland game birds. The island, of course, is also know for its Pronghorn, also know as American Antelope. We saw none on this ride, but there is a substantial population of them on the island.

The use of the trails on the island is strictly regulated by the park service. As usual in a state park in Utah, as well as other states, dogs are allowed on leash only. Riders, hikers, and bicyclers are restricted to travel only on the designated trails, departure from which can result in a fine. We passed a small group of park rangers on horseback who were patrolling the trails. I am told the park allows no more than 10 feet deviance from a marked trail before a citation may be issued. Good to know if you plan a trip to Antelope Island. There are restrooms (no water) at the parking areas and a ranger station is not far away. Jon mentioned that when the snow gets deep, the White Rock parking area is closed and parking is moved to the ranger station parking area.

Antelope Island is the largest of several islands in Utah’s Great Salt Lake. It covers about 42 square miles. The tallest peak, Frary Peak, rises to almost 4,500 feet above sea level, which amounts to just over 2,200 feet above the Great Salt Lake. There are several trails that are open to equine travel on the island, as well as several loops one can make in a vehicle. From the White Rock parking area there is a trail head with a 7-mile and a 14-mile loop. Some of the trails are closed at certain seasons, such as springtime during the period when antelope are bearing their young, so it is advisable to call ahead to the park service if planning to ride a specific area. The only time deviation from the designated trails is allowed is during the fall buffalo roundup.

For our ride we selected the 7-mile loop, but were enjoying the ride so well when we reached the loop intersection that we all chose to go on and take the 14-mile loop. It was the right decision. The longer loop enters some pretty rocky areas and offers some wonderful views from higher elevations on the island.

My horse was barefoot, but handled the terrain well, although one has to factor in the snow, which I’m sure made a difference. I only felt Ranger wince just a couple times and he never got tender-footed at any time during the entire 14 mile ride. There were several spots on the trail where melting snow had created puddles, which had then frozen, creating a slip-hazzard, as well as the possibility of a horse getting a nasty cut by breaking through the thin ice crust. On one switchback, Scott’s horse slipped and fell on his side, catching Scott’s boot in a stirrup. Luckily, Scott had the presence of mind to keep hold of the reins and was able to bring the horse to a halt with no injuries to him or the horse. Scary, though!

2015-01-01 10.52.04 — Scott on his Tennessee Walking Horse, Bandit

Also, snow packing into the horses’ shoes was something to be careful of. I took a turn at riding Scott’s TWH, Bandit, so he could take a turn on my new Fox Trotter, Ranger. While working on Bandit’s “stop pedal”, I gave him a “Whoa” command, at which time he dug in his heels…or tried to. Turns out his shoes were packed and he had been walking on a pad of ice about an inch thick. When he dug in his heels they slipped right up under him and he went down on his rump, which promptly projected me onto the trail on my rump! It was rather humorous to all, including myself, with both of us hitting the trail on our rumps. Again, I was bright enough to keep hold of the reins, and so was eligible to ride on to the trailer, rather than walking. I told everyone I was just working on perfecting Bandit’s sliding stop and thought he was doing rather well. I recommend taking along a hoof pick for winter rides.

We arrived back at the parking area about 2:30pm, where we unsaddled and enjoyed a good, hot bowl of chili, compliments of MFTHBA, and good conversation. Met some nice folks, saw some very pretty horses and mules, and some very nice saddles and other tack. All-in-all, it was a great way to spend a New Year’s Day. I hope it is a good omen for the rest of the year. Enjoy the photo gallery.

Ranger and I at Antelope Island, 01/01/2015

If you zoom in on this photo, you will find a large buffalo bull right in the middle

We left the park just before 4pm, after needing Scott, Jon, and Mike to help me get Ranger loaded into the trailer (again, something Ranger and I are going to have to work on) and headed home. We unloaded Jon and Mike’s horses and gear at Jon’s house and headed back home to Salem. I let Scott’s horse off in Pleasant Grove, let Scott off in Spanish Fork, and dropped my trailer and Ranger at his pasture in Woodland Hills, arriving back home in Salem long after dark, at about 7pm, just in time to get a nice New Year’s Day supper with lots of black-eyed peas and ham.

Me, in my cold-weather gear, on my Missouri Fox Trotter, Ranger

It was a very long, but good day for me, and a great way to start the new year.

Here’s to lots of horse trips and lots of blog entries in 2015!

P.S.

For those of you still wondering about my Mexico-to-Canada trip, Dad and I are making plans for at least the first two legs of it, from the Mexican border to Panguitch, Utah for this spring. We hope to depart from near Douglas, Arizona on or about April 1st, arriving at Eagar, AZ about three weeks later. That leg will be about 275-300 miles, much of which is already familiar terrain to us. At that time we will evaluate our horses, equipment, tack, and ourselves, to decide whether we can make the next leg, from Eagar to Panguitch this year. If we feel like we can do it, we will rest a couple weeks at Eagar, make the necessary adjustments, and head out around the first week or so of May. The second leg will will be about 500 miles, will follow the Arizona Trail through the Grand Canyon, and end up at Panguitch, where Dad was born and raised. As close as I can figure, it should take us about 5-6 weeks for that leg.

Stay tuned. I’ll be posting as things develop.

For horse and mule packing, camping, and trail riding in the western United States

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For horse and mule packing, camping, and trail riding in the western United States