Well we made it home from our trip with only minor bumps and bruises. As a whole the horses were great assets to the hunt, especially since we were fortunate enough to get 2 elk. However, things started off hairy. Day 1 we arrived with plans of scouting for the afternoon on our horses to get familiar. Climbing the trail, at about 9000 ft, my horse got spooked and ended up sliding down the embankment, I tried to stay on but decided to bail when I realized he wasnt going to get back on the trail with me on. We both slid down 75-100 ft before stopping. His hoove took my hat off......Day 2 (first day of hunting) we headed to a different trail head which required a mile walk on the road. The horse my dad was riding was too clumsy and couldnt handle the icy conditions. he ended up wiping out on the road. Day 3 we called and requested a different horse to replace the clumsy one, which they did no questions asked. We got headed up the trail, about half way another one of the horses slipped on the icy trail causing the rider to bail off. Further up the trail, at the top, another horse slipped, causing a gash in his ankle a fat lip. We werent off to a good start.......
Days 3/4 we went to a different trail head that we were more familiar with and was a little less steep. Minor slips and trip but nothing uncomfortable. Made it up and out just fine.
Day 5 rode up the same trail with no issues and packed out our elk while walking the horses down. Long day but couldnt imagine doing it without the horses.
Recap: Coming from the flatlands of MN, turns out we had no idea what we were getting into as far as trail conditions etc. The horses we got from Sombrero were incredible animals. Well mannered and easy to ride. They didnt bat and eye when we asked to switch that one horse out. They are a lot of work morning and night to saddle and feed, but worth it. For the next guy considering it, heres what I will recommend, pay attention to the weather. If the weather is that that will make trail conditions slippery (Late seasons) consider just hiring someone to pack out unless youre extremely comfortable. But with that being said, dont be afraid to get horses and get after it. They are incredibly loyal animals that make your hunt more enjoyable by getting you into/out of places with all your energy focused to hunt.
Thanks again to everyone for your input and goodluck on your next adventures!
