Mountain Horses

[bigmoose]

just don't go with an appaloosa.


you know why the indians rode appaloosas to war?

SO THEY WOULD BE MAD WHEN THEY GOT THERE!

Now that's just funny ! We had good luck with ours. This is my Dad getting ready to pack out my bull.

 

[DanPickar]

I prefer mules, I prefer them for rugged backcountry like you'll encounter in NW Wyo, led with a good quarter horse. I've had horses quit on me in the backcountry so like guys have said on here, get a blocky horse with some draft in him.

 

[Gr8bawana]

this reminds me of young fellas asking what kind of hunting truck should they buy/build.

well, for the amount of real time you are going to be packing the trails here in our area and hunting the back country, I'd recommend RENTING pack horses/mules if you can or pay a packer to haul in and out for you.

I wouldn't go specialized for mtn packing, living in cody, you're just not going to trailer them every day or often enough out he north or south fork or up into the beartooth to make it worth it.

get something like the TW and ride all over the blm etc right from your house, for the relatively few times you'll be packing in the mtns I'd rent pack horses. WHy tie up the money?

I very much agree with this because when you own horses you find that they are a 24 hour 365 day commitment. For the week or two they may be used for hunting and packing the trade-off is not worth it. If you want to go on a trip or vacation or even just a long three day weekend they still have to fed and watered every day. If you're sick and the weather is really nasty they still have to fed and watered every day. Don't forget the regular farrier visits and vet checks.
I never used them for hunting because it was always a choice between hauling a horse trailer and sleeping in a cold tent or having a comfortable travel trailer, we always chose comfort.
We had horses for quite a few years and they were a lot work but also a lot of fun.

 

[RJW]

RJW, I hear you on the renting piece but you never know what you?re gonna get. I?d like to mitigate the amount of rodeos I have on the mountain. The only one I know in cody who rents horses is Bob at Cedar Mtn trail rides. Do you know anyone else?

I don't know anyone that will give you their string and wave adios to you, even for money, they've got too much invested in them for that.

but they'll pack you in and out, and if the stock has a problem ....well, it's not your probem, its the wrangler's problem..

as you know every other house is an outfitter here, I'd ask Bob for starts, he has 30 horses and mules that haul all kinds of tourists up and down spirit mtn all summer, they look sluggish and tired when I drive by and that's exactly the kind of pack animal I am looking for.

Do you go to the auctions in the city much, or out to jake clark's?

The name of the trainer will drive a $1 a pound animal up into $10k, some of those auction prices are as nuts as the house prices here now. you can spend a helluva lot of money just gearing up, swing into buckstitch and bring a calculator, even used tack is going to be a damn scary number, im just throwing it out there for consideration.

I just can't see tying up the cash and on going expenses if you just want to HUNT the back country, because packing horses or mules isn't hunting.

You're going to be dicking around with stock, and if thats what you want to do thats great, I'd say stop by Bob Models, then Gary Fales, and every single dude ranch that lines the north fork see if they'll let you wrangle for them.

stop in at every yard that has 26 horses in it or a Outfitter sign wired to the fence, they'll maybe need wranglers too.

BUT if you just want to hunt the back of beyond, then let someone else mess with the stock and let it be their headache, pack you in and pack you out,

you're hunting and everything else is their responsibility.

I'd start with spirit mtn and go all the way out to pahaska knocking on doors, or calling, and see who will pack for you.

once upon a time we dealt in horses, from jumpers to draft and I very rarely miss it.

I love having tons of time to hunt now though!