Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Ever have a horse?

Had them all my life. Switched to mules back in the70's. I still have one mule. They are healthier than a horse, live about another ten years longer than a horses and eat less

I grew up with horses. Being a career Marine kind of made that impossible to keep on with. My younger brother Gene became a farrier, and still doing it now in his 60's.

Me and Gene back in the day, circa 1965,


One of our stud horses, circa 1977,


Gene running the barrels in Colville, WA in the Jr Rodeo around 1970 or so,


Myself coming out of the chute on a young bull at the Colville Jr Rodeo, around 1970 or so.


Gene being awarded a trophy at the Colville WA Jr Rodeo.



We were cowboys once, and young.

A horse I was saddle training near Sidney MT, circa 1977. Mounting him the first time, after a week or so of ground work, and driving. One of the ways I earned money as a teenager, along with shoveling $hit.




My brother Gene, back in the early days, 1965 or so. We lived near Gig Harbor WA then, a little place called Arletta WA.

For a couple years while working on a feral horse project. One would hustle but could not be tethered and left alone. The second was perfectly happy trailing along a couple hundred yards back and could be solo tethered for extended periods. The former always came up with some means of dumping me about every 6 months, but I luckily came up unscathed each time.

Simply can't justify the expenses today, and if I could I'd go the mule route.

On the humorous side: The community has a kid's rodeo every spring, and I mean all the way down to toddlers. A coworker took his kids out last year and the younger slowed their departure a bit looking for his second stick horse. Said it might be needed if his first one got tired or threw a shoe.

Great thread guys.

Yes. They work out ok for me.

MY current rides


My Scar horse


Little mare we call GG(Grey Goose)
Like they say “if you can’t ride a good one,ride a grey one”

I always liked the look of your big roans.

Yup, came by cowboying honestly…

The outside of a Horse is good for the inside of a Man

Sure, hasn’t everyone. 😎 around 1962 South Park, Colorado.

Ever been bucked off? I have.

Came off a green broke colt twenty years ago. Broke my femur just below the right hip. Ambulance ride to the hospital where they put in a plate with seven screws and two pieces of baling wire to hold it all together.

It was embarrassing.

Grew up on and around horses, we had big cattle drives growing up, all the neighbors got together to work each other’s cattle. I know working and moving cattle is still better than 4 wheelers and feed trucks, cattle stay calmer and less stressed, and you don’t leave baby calves behind when you move heard, nothing like setting a good horse!

I've had two Quarter horses, one Racking Horse, and one Mountain horse

I grew up with horses. Today I breed and raise horses

What is a "Racking" Horse"?

Exaggerated walking gait on some TWH and saddlebreds. Very showy.

I have had a few but prefer mules. Mules always know.

Alabama Racking Horse. It's a breed