Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting an other horse accident

A couple years ago one of my hunting partners was busted up pretty good on his horse. He and his wife get LOTS of trail time but sometimes accidents happen. They'd encountered a group of boy scouts on bikes on a steep side hill section of the trail. The boys politely stopped and pulled their bikes off the trail. As they went by on the horses, Jerry's horse stepped a few inches off the trail and the edge collapsed under a hind foot. The horse went down the embankment 6 or 8' and Jerry took a HARD fall, hard enough that the scouts got a chance to use their 1st aid training while one of them rode to the trailhead to call for help. They finally got him out by helicopter.
He recovered ok but it took a while. He had a double hip replacement some years ago and they were afraid that the muscles had pulled loose from the metal. Also he damaged a vertebra in his neck. He hurt a lot for quite a while. He was able to hunt with us that fall and did get his deer but he couldn't hunt alone. He wasn't able to dress it alone as he couldn't lift enough to move it at all. My llamas got another pack trip getting it out.

Best thing about an equine vs a wheeled vehickle is the equine won't fall over or run into a tree if you let go of the steering wheel.

I've seen horses run into trees even when you're white knuckling both the steering wheel and the grab bar. Why don't saddles come with roll cages?

When I was outfitting we had a written disclaimer that was required to be read and signed by each hunter before they could do anything. It started like this, "Horseback riding is an inherently dangerous activity" and on to basically say that the Outfitter could not be held liable for any damages. I would have never even considered putting a client on an unknown animal. Our "Dude stock" was so dead broke that they would never even consider bucking. They knew that took extra energy and they needed all they could get for what lay ahead!
Saddle mules are the real way to go. I want one this next year hopefully. I have two great old geldings that are 20 now, and would like to switch them over to strictly just packing or a dude friend now and then maybe.

Ever notice how toward the end of a hunt some guys have come to absolutely hate a horse while others have grown fond of it like they would a dog - and it's the same horse.

I think it says more about horsemanship and the character of the man than about the horse.

Don't like horses, never did.

Here is a question on the horse subject:

I know it isn't "the cowboy way" or "cool" to wear a helmet, but how many outfitters offer a helmet?


any time I get on a horse I wear my helmet but I know a lot of people don't, just not sure if the option is really offered on these western hunts

Helmet probably not offered on a hunt. Most guys wear orange hats,not too many orange helmets. I did have an old friend that wore a orange hard hat. That was before helmets were used for riding. He rode a 16 hand mule. I offer helmets when I take out my wagon trains. If they refuse the helmet they have to sign that they refuse to wear it.

I think breakaway stirrups are a lot more important than a helmet.
Google STI break away stirrups

We need to ban horses on back country elk hunts.

That would have saved me a world of hurt, for sure. Never knew they even existed.

Been bucked off, fell on many times in my life by horses and a few mules, I have yet to land on my head.

You lucky bastard....grin

After one incident where my mule fell,I was hanging upside down ,with only my shoulder touching the ground,hung up.Lucky my mule did not bolt andmy hunting paed w asclose.
It took me a year of me telling myself I could not afford them to make me change my mind that I darn well better get a set.

I may have to look at getting set

Yeah Sam I am lol. I am getting so stove up it is easier to fall off a horse than get off lol. Missed getting a nice bear this year cause I was to slow getting off, but my pard saved the day. He is younger lol. Was riding back to camp and spotted this bear tearing up a stump about 50 yards off the trail, she was faster than me lol. She made a fatal mistake though, she stopped and looked back and Don nailed her. She damn good eating lol.

There are other brands of break away stirrups on the market for a lot less money. I can't comment on how well any of them work if needed.

True. I looked at them all, and these seemed to be the best made for function. Plus they are a bit oversized and fit hunting boots well

I'll have to take your word for it. Fitting a big, warm boot does count for a lot, though.