Jackson Hole Pack Trip

We're taking a pack trip into the Bridger Teton National Forest with Bob Barlow's Jackson Hole Horse Pack Fishing Trips. Since our crew didn't make it in time for the initial ride in with the rest of the guests, Bob's friend Dale Clark, who runs a pack trip business for hunters, and his wife Carol packed us in and led us to the camp.

The ride in is about 10 miles and would usually take about 2.5 hours. The ride has a few steep and rocky trails. It traverses meadows of wild flowers, forests, Willow Creek and to a couple of spots with majestic views. Since our group was filming the ride, it took us a little over 4 hours to ride into camp.

This pack trip is unique, because it is only a 20-minute drive from downtown Jackson Hole to the trail head. The ride into camp is shorter than most as well, but just long enough for our crew, after more than a few hard days of riding.

On the way to the trail head, which is down an unmarked dirt road, we drove right by a bald eagle, who was perched on a pole, no more than 20 feet from us. At first, I thought that the eagle was a statue or something. It was so still and so big up close. We stopped our car to look. After about a minute, the eagle took off, flying in front of our car and into the sky.

Dale Clark, who led us on the trails, has really fabulous horses and sounds like Sam Elliot. His voice is very pleasing to listen to as he tells you about the land and its history. I rode a horse named Jack, a dun colored horse--part Quarter Horse and part draft. He was amazing. He was so well trained and patient. We have to do a lot of stopping, starting and redos when we film. Jack didn't get agitated. He simply did what I told him.

Dale buys his horses young and trains them himself. He has a string of 22 horses. He is also a farrier, and had this new machine to help him swiftly and safely shoe horses. I would be very interested in seeing one of those.

Chip was riding a chubby Quarter Horse draft mix named Chunk, like the character in "The Goonies." His horse was certainly a character. Very adorable and well trained as well. Doug rode Moonbeam, who was just perfect and even let him sit on him backwards, behind his saddle, to film us riding behind. Now that is an understanding horse!

With Equitrekking, we have something that we call Horse Cam. That's when Doug films us from on horseback. The results can be good or bad, depending on the terrain and how smooth the horse is, but it is always worth trying, because it gives viewers a view that they would see if they were traveling on horseback with us.

We couldn't have picked a prettier day for our ride. The sky was blue with clouds, as we stared up the first incline and into the forest. We passed wildflowers in the forest, including Wyoming's state flower, the bright red Indian Paint Brush. We rode through one valley that looked up to a large canyon in the distance. The valley had the remnants of a cabin left over from the original homesteaders who probably picked this spot for its stellar views.

When we finally reached camp, I felt relief and a sense of accomplish- ment. That's the great thing about a pack trip. No matter how far you travel, you are heading to a destination. The trip there can be a challenge, but the fact that you are physically traveling into the wilderness on horseback to spend time camping and enjoying the land and nature, grants a sense of serenity and achievement.

Stay tuned for more from the pack trip and more from Wyoming!

UXU Ranch- Spectacular Ride

It was another beautiful day at UXU Ranch in Wyoming. I am sitting on the front porch of my cabin writing this. We did what is called the spectacular ride this morning, rightly called because of the spectacular views.

I rode Tiny again, who helped me climb up to 8000 feet to the top of a ridge. We were literally up in the clouds. It was a challenging ride with steep, rocky and narrow trails. The horses have to be in really good shape to do this ride.

Tuff rode his Paint as well and Tara took out her mustang, who actually used to be live in the wild. Someone prior to her had been training the mare and now she is working with her as well.

From the ranch, we rode down and across the North Fork of the Shoshone River. Tuff gave us some good tips on crossing a fast moving river like the Shoshone on horseback. The cold water splashed up onto my cowboy boots and pants leg as we ventured onward.

We headed up, up and up to a ridge where the ranch below looked like a spec and we could see Yellowstone and snow capped mountains in the distance.

Tuff, UXU's owner and an avid cowboy, rode with us, as did his daughter Tara. Both had great tips for navigating the mountain trails. Our gourmet dinner got moved inside because of some rain, so we'll have to hear the cowboy poet in the lodge. I am looking forward to it and am certainly hungry.

Stay tuned for a pack trip outside of Jackson!

Wild Mustangs in Wyoming

With binoculars in hand, Ken (Kenny) Martin and I are looking across the badlands in search of "The Wild Bunch," one of a few bands of horses that Kenny has been watching for the past six years. War Bonnet is the dominant stallion of this band, which is composed of 10 mares. This is an unusually large number of mares for one stallion. As I stare across the vast land of yellowish grass and hills with lines of red, I realize that the wild mustangs in Wyoming are even more majestic and interesting than I had even imagined.

Kenny Martin takes groups out to see some of the approx- imately 160 horses who inhabit the McCullough Peaks range outside of Cody in Wyoming. Kenny tells me that these horses have been DNA tested and are direct descendents of Spanish horses. They may also be descendents of the horses that Buffalo Bill used in his Wild West Show.

"The Wild Bunch" is actually two bands who travel close to each other. There are War Bonnet's group and Grey Face's group. I watch a couple of the foals, including a buckskin foal, who is staying close to his mother.

All of the horses look really healthy. I am actually surprised how healthy they look for horses surviving in the wild. I can't help but compare them to the horses that we saw recently on Cumberland Island off of the coast of Georgia. These mustangs look well fed, unlike the scrawnier horses on the island. This makes sense. The land here in Wyoming is high desert with a sometimes fierce wind, but it is somewhat more hospitable than the subtropical conditions on Cumberland Island, GA.

The land here is beautiful and so are the horses. In the distance, Kenny points out two five-year-old bachelors, Raven and Crazy Horse. Crazy Horse has half a tail, which he lost in a battle. Raven briefly led a band of mares, but lost them to War Bonnet in a fight. The herd dynamics are the most interesting. Kenny has been observing the horses for years. He's formed an understandable attachment to them and knows each of their personalities well.

War Bonnet looks like a paint horse, but he has a pink nose. There are about 40 horses in the Wild Bunch, a similar number to another group that we are looking for called the Red Paint Band, named after the mountains in the distance, which look like they have been painted red.

McCullough Peaks is about 22 miles outside of Cody, Wyoming ,and encompasses 110,000 acres. The BLM is in charge of these lands and in charge of the horses here. We run into two women who are studying the horses while out with Kenny. They are closely monitoring the horses to make sure that the birth control that they are using to control the herd's population isn't changing the herd dynamics. The herd at McCullough Peaks is a strong and healthy herd, something that they don't want to change. The BLM is also in charge of the round-ups, the last of which was a couple of years ago.

I can see why people would want to adopt these particular wild horses. After watching The Wild Bunch for a while, we venture back to Kenny's van, looking out for cactus and rattlesnakes as we trek around. We're off to find the Red Paint Band and the interesting characters that live within.

If you want to take one of Kenny's tours, you can find more information at Red Canyon Wild Mustang Tours. Stay tuned for my next posting on UXU Ranch's "Spectacular Ride" in Wyoming and more to come from Wyoming and Colorado.

Cody Rodeo

Cody, Wyoming, has been holding a rodeo every summer night for over 60 years. Every summer night, folks gather for barrel racing, team roping, bull riding, bareback riding, tide down roping, junior steer riding, and of course, the rodeo clown.

I kept thinking about what events I would try if I were to enter a rodeo. I've tried barrel racing before. Even though I went pretty slow, it was a lot of fun. The female barrel racers really move on their horses. I was certainly impressed. You most likely couldn't get me to do the bull riding. That is one dangerous sport.

Doug and Chip were in and out of the ring and standing over the gate where the bulls barreled out for each ride. They got some very close action shots and more than a few times had to skirt out of the ring and behind the metal fence.

Also impressive and very cute were the children who barrel raced. One child and her horse slid going around the third barrel and fell to the ground. We all took off our hats and held our breath for her, as she eventually got up and hopped out of the ring.

There were competitors from all over the world at this small town rodeo--even as far away as Australia. Because they have it every night, it's a great place for aspiring athletes to get their start and gain experience.

As popular music blared and the announcer told us bits of interesting information on each rider, I sat back and took it all in.

Stay tuned for more stories from Wyoming, including Yellowstone, more ranch riding at UXU, Jackson and more. You will really enjoy the next posting--Wild Mustangs in Wyoming!

UXU Ranch - Wapiti, Wyoming

Today I rode Tiny, a Paint Horse, at UXU Ranch in Wapiti, Wyoming, which is 22 miles outside of Cody. The area is reported to have been called the most scenic 52 miles in America by Teddy Roosevelt. As Tiny and I climbed to the top of a point to take in the snow peaked mountains in the distance, I could see why.

UXU Ranch takes about 30 to 37 guests at a time and offers spectac- ularly scenic riding on good horses. Being between Yellowstone National Park and Cody, Wyoming, it also offers other attractions. You are close enough to take in the Cody rodeo, wild horses, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, downtown Cody, as well as the wonders of Yellowstone.

UXU also has great food and wine. I have already feasted on elk, melt-in-your-mouth muffins, organic vegetables, parmesan risotto and other tasty meals. The good food is vital when you are riding all day.

Tara and Tuff took our crew out for an all day ride in the Shoshone National Forest. As an English rider, I don't ride Western all too often. As we took off into a fast trot, I attempted to sit at first, quickly reverting back to posting after a few "City Slickers"-like bounces. The rest of my crew was attempting to adjust quickly as well. It's a good thing that we have a couple of weeks out West to begin to feel comfortable in the saddle.

Tara and Tuff are avid Western riders. Doug, our director of photography, grew up on a ranch and was pretty comfortable in the saddle, even carrying equipment and filming.

The terrain that we were riding through is dramatic and picturesque. The finger shaped, sand colored peaks that rise up into the sky from the Absoraka Mountain Range were formed during a volcanic eruption thousands of years ago.

We were riding through meadows of wildflowers, where we could do a bit of loping, but also steep mountain trails, where it was best to let Tiny pick his footing. Tuff led us up to a mountain top that looks out to snow covered mountains in the distance and 360 degrees of stunning views.

We crossed the North Fork River at one point and went into a lope in a meadow. Tiny danced a little when Molly, Tara's dog, passed too closely in front of us. This is not unusual, I am told, but I vowed later to watch the dance on film.

We covered about 10 miles today, which takes all day, as we were constantly getting off and on to stop and film. We also stopped for lunch out on the trail. We didn't have sandwiches packed into our saddlebags. Instead, we enjoyed grilled kebabs, couscous, Rice Krispy treats and grilled cheese sandwiches. This was one of the best parts of the ride, as we were hungry coming into camp and got to enjoy a hot and hearty meal before heading onward.

The remainder of the day's ride was a mix of beautiful landscapes, bright blue skies, and some walking, trotting and loping on beautiful land that's wide open, pristine and really spectacular.

The next entry you'll read features the Cody rodeo, and stay tuned for more UXU, Yellowstone and Wild Mustangs in Wyoming.

Driving at the Mountain Top Inn

Well, the rain has put a damper on my plans to ride today. Since it rained all morning, the trails were too wet. So, we spent the morning filming inside stuff. I sat by the fire for a bit. Yes, it is summer, but we are in Vermont in the mountains on a rainy day, so a nice fire helps with the chilly, wet weather.

I toured one of the chalets, which was great and would make the prefect party house. I wanted to move in actually. The Mountain Top Inn has over 30 rooms and suites in the main lodge and a number of chalets that guests can rent. In the winter, the trails that we horseback ride on in the summer are used for cross country skiing. I can see cozying up in a chalet after skiing and then taking a sleigh ride.

I spent some time with Pat and Mikey today, the two beautiful Clydesdales who pull the carriages and sleighs in the winter and help guests who want to learn to drive. Mike, who took me out for my trail ride the other day, also teaches driving, something that I would try today.

So I tried driving a carriage on Daufuskie Island, and there we used a trotting horse named Trotter. This would be my second lesson, but would again be different, as we would be using two Clydesdales and driving a cart.

I felt super small standing beside Pat and Mikey, as Mike helped me learn how to tack them up with the harnesses and other equipment. Mike would work on Mikey and then I would try to copy what he did on Pat. It worked relatively well, except that the tack was pretty heavy. I had trouble hoisting it over Pat's withers.

I was a little worried about my little toes, as we led Pat and Mikey over to the carriage. Mike let me lead both of them. I kept my arms stretched out pretty far and hoped that they wouldn't decide to sandwich me as we walked.

Pat and Mikey are very well trained, but they are also super affectionate to each other. As we got the tack ready, the two nuzzled each other. So sweet!

Mike did the driving at first to demonstrate commands and technique. We were learning at the top of the hill overlooking the inn and the lake, making it a beautiful setting. We had dirt roads and a wide open field of grass and wildflowers to experiment.

Mike taught me some of the commands and how and were I would want to hold the reins. I had a little trouble a first and also had to come to terms with two large Clydesdales instead of one single Trotter. I would need more strength and contact to stay in charge.

Driving can be more dangerous than riding. There is a lot that can go wrong. I was on the lookout for the couple of holes that are in the field. Mike knew where they were located and would warn me appropriately, but as a new driver, I needed ample, ample warning so as not to get us stuck.

So I needed more strength this time and just as much concen- tration. After mastering a circle or two, we took up the speed a notch to a trot. This was where the fun began. Cantering was absolutely a rush, as we took off down a dirt road.

Pat and Mikey continued with the kisses and the sweet responses. I had thought that they maybe wouldn't listen to me at first, because I am not Mike, their regular driver. They were very responsive though. This was probably because Mike was right beside me, but also because they are so well trained.

We continued down the dirt road and the rain started up again. It would thankfully be a short shower. After ploughing the fields a bit more, we finished the lesson. I felt pretty confident in my driving skills. Certainly not enough to take off on my own, but definitely enough to want to try it again.

Stay tuned for next week's postings from the wild West. We're going to find wild Mustangs in Wyoming and ride at UXU Ranch outside of Cody. We're traveling from Northwestern Wyoming all the way down to Albuqueque, New Mexico.

Mountain Top Inn, VT

We were lucky to have a beautiful sunny day at the Mountain Top Inn today. Located in Chittenden in Central Vermont, the Inn is small, but has all of the amenities of a resort. It's open year round with cross country skiing in the winter and lessons in dressage, cross country, trail rides, carriage driving, hiking, kayaking, canoeing and pontoon boats in the summer. The inn sits in an idyllic spot. It looks like what I would think of as Vermont with a lake and rolling hills covered with trees.

Part of the main inn was a barn in the 1870s. It sits high on a green hill overlooking the of the Green Mountain National Forest and Chittenden Reservoir, which I'll just call the lake.

We arrived in time for a morning trail ride to a spot where riders can stop to have lunch and look out over the inn, lake and mountains. I rode Cassanova, a mixed breed, who was a delight to ride. Cassanova has a really smooth canter and was also very surefooted. We did a lot of climbing up steep mountain trails to get to our lookout spots.

Mike, who is a great horseman and has experience leading rides all over the country, took our small group out. I rode with two other ladies and one of their daughters, a 10-year-old who was a great little rider and jumper.

We started out with a trot and canter in the nearby field, before we started to climb. Mike pointed out some of the plants and talked about the many moose that he sees along the trail. I was on the lookout and hoping to spot one or two. I saw a deer instead, right before we took off on a short canter. We did a lot of walking and trotting in the beginning of the ride.

Once we reached the lookout point, I was taken aback at first. It was truly beautiful. The clouds hung low over the hills. I wished that we had brought our picnic with us today, so that we could stop and enjoy it a little more.

After soaking in the scenery, we headed down the trails. The Green Mountain National Forest stretches from Massachusetts to Quebec. The neat thing about riding in Vermont is that there are a lot of dirt roads with little traffic and great trails through the woods, which are a good combination for trail riding.

After trail riding, we headed down to the lake for kayaking and then a pontoon boat ride. There is a small beach area by the lake where families were gathered eating, fishing and lying out. I briefly kayaked. It was very quiet and peaceful out on the lake with the surrounding mountains.

We had a larger group join us on the pontoon boat ride, and Roger told us a little more about the area and the resort. Roger grew up in Chittenden and enjoys fishing on the property, where President Eisenhower came to fish in the 1950s. We got some really pretty footage of the mountains from the lake as the sun was setting.

Back at the lodge, I settled into my High Meadows suite, which has great views. There is also a shower with two shower heads and a large Jacuzzi tub, ideal to help riders soothe their muscles after a day of riding.

The rooms at the Mountain Top are decorated like a cozy mountain lodge, with big leather couches, equestrian-themed pillows, animal print wallpaper, fireplaces and flat screen televisions. It's a nice mix of comfort and luxury.

At dinner, I had a salad drizzled with fresh berries, duck glazed with maple syrup and homemade chocolate ice cream. The restaurant at the Mountain Top is part of the Vermont Fresh network, meaning that many of the ingredients are grown locally in Vermont. The vegetables tasted really fresh and healthy, countering the effects of the triple scoop of chocolate ice cream with whipped cream.

Now it is time to sleep because tomorrow is another big day on the mountain.

Icelandic Inn-to-Inn Ride, Day Two

Thank goodness we had a beautiful day of sunshine today. I spent the day riding with the same group plus a few other riders who joined us in the morning and afternoon. I am now writing at the Mad River Inn, the inn owned by Karen Winhold, who runs the Icelandic Horse Farm. We just finished a really good and much-needed dinner of Caesar salad, grilled salmon, asparagus with hollandaise sauce, Portobello mushrooms, rice and cheese cake topped with raspberries. Very good fuel after a day of riding and in preparation for the next day.

I was paired up with Bylur today. Bylur is a 14-year-old dark brown Icelandic whose name means "wind gust." Bylur was a little more eager to lead the pack than Kristall, my mount the other day, but just as much fun. We tolted and cantered along country roads and into lush forests along wooded trails.

The ride today involved a lot of up and down hills. We are in the mountains after all. It also involved a few meadows, filled with wildflowers and with great mountain views. A few times when I wanted Bylur to tolt he trotted instead, which may make for a more tender bum tomorrow, but other than that, he was great.

We started out with a three hour ride that began on country roads and then went through mountain trails covered in bright green ferns. It was a pretty social ride, and I got to know a few of the other riders a little better, as well as our ride leader Jane. Jane has a dressage background, which was evident from her superb posture. She also loves Icelandics for their gaits and what she called their outlook on life. She described them as "fun-loving and want to go but in a good way."

I understood her feelings, as we tolted and cantered a bit and then walked up and down for the first leg of our journey. We stopped in a gorgeous field of tall grass and wildflowers to stretch our legs and take in the views.

We are riding on Icelandic saddles, which are very comfort- able. They are meant to keep you comfortable for long periods of time in the saddle, such as an inn-to-inn trek.

One member of our group had only been out of the dressage ring a couple of times, but had no problems on the trail. A mother and daughter pair, who own several horses, were totally comfortable as well. We all wanted to go faster and faster and see how quick these little horses really could be. With a big group of varying levels though, the canter was the fastest that we would travel, which was still fun. I am ready to try the pace and attempt the flying pace at some point though.

Back at the farm, we had an outside lunch before our afternoon ride, which was shorter. I have really enjoyed experiencing Icelandic horses. They are so much fun to ride and not intimidating. There is no posting the trot if your horse can tolt, which is great for long distances in the saddle. I can see why beginning riders would want to ride Icelandics and why more experienced riders would as well.

During lunch, I interviewed Karen, the farm owner. There are currently 34 Icelandics on the farm, and though the horses are known as being pretty easy to take care of, I can't imagine that having 34 around is a breeze. Karen has a helper, her adorable daughter and her friendly mother, as well as a larger staff of ladies who keep the barn running.

I am much more tired than I thought I would be and am looking forward to a good night's sleep before a hearty New England breakfast and a new day of adventures.

Icelandic Inn-to-Inn Ride, Day One

We were troopers today, riding on our first day of the inn-to-inn ride in buckets of rain. I rode Kristall, a well trained and super fun Icelandic. We had a lot of fun, even in the rain.

The Icelandic Horse Farm is located in Fayston, Vermont, in the Mad River Valley. It is near the small town of Waitsfield. With around 34 horses, the owner, Karen has her hands full. The farrier was there this morning and comes quite frequently. We watched her work at impressive speeds as the cute Icelandics were brought in one after the other from the rain for new shoes.

There are seven other riders on my inn to inn ride today. We watched a short video on Icelandics and their specials gaits, the tolt and pace, for part of our orientation. I had ridden Icelandics before in Iceland and was looking forward to attempting the tolt and pace right here in the U.S.A.

Karen talked to each of us about our riding experience and matched us up with the appropriate mounts. We will switch during the ride and also be allowed to help tack up our horses and care for them during our vacation.

We were filming this morning's ride, which is a little tricky in the rain. Doug rode in the back of our Jeep, shooting out of open window, while Chip drove. Our group donned rain gear, which wouldn't be able to keep us dry during today's torrential downpour.

As we took off into a trot, I knew that I would need another lesson in cueing the tolt and pace, something that I wanted to experience. I split off from the group at one point to do a little filming and did some cantering on Kristall. I think that I was tolting at one point, because it was fast and smooth, but I'll have to look back at the video to check and see or ask tomorrow.

It's a good thing that Icelandic horses have been bred to withstand extreme weather. Though I was soaked to my underwear, Kristall was probably just fine. The rain careened off his bushy mane and onto the muddy road, as we passed gorgeous green mountains on country roads.

I thought that I may feel awkward on an Icelandic, as I am tall and the Icelandic horses are smaller than what I am used to riding. Icelandics are so strong and sturdy though, I didn't feel awkward at all. I felt great, as I sped up for another canter on Kristall.

I was looking forward to a hopefully sunny day for the next ride and learning more about the Icelandic horses' special gaits.