Unless I’m just lucky, with enough horseback (or on a mule) elk hunts, the time will come when the transportation will become an adventure in itself.
One horse would pause at the slightest trickle of a stream, then leap over it as if it were a fence in an equestrian event. The first time was ugly, but then I knew what the pause meant. Another would like to turn his head to the left and back and try to nip my leg, no doubt conveying his affection for me.
A very memorable one was a big white, draft animal that scared me half to to death as he was being unloaded. I don’t remember if I was even able to look over his back. He was the most docile and tractable horse I’ve ever been on. He had a strange habit though of occasionally sitting down in the snow. Sitting down? Yes, I mean sitting down. That, fellow elk hunters, is a strange and frightening experience the fist time. Can you picture sitting in the saddle on a horse that takes a little break and sits down in the snow?
One last thing to do before you ever take the saddle — double check the cinch. The grouse got up under her nose and she reared up high. My saddle and me rolled over 90* with my off foot caught in the stirrup. Hanging on to the reins, I inadvertently pulled her into a tight circle with a buck or two thrown in. Ah, how to disembark without hoof prints up my back?
Now this part is also true. My best friend, a man of many talents none of which match his unsympathetic sense of humor, went into his rodeo announcer mode introducing me by name..coming out of chute #3…
Then there was my one and only mule, a huge animal…the smoothest ride I’d ever imagined.
Good luck L-Dave.
