Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's Safe horses

That's my point you done a better job of saying it. Anything and everything can be dangerous. Had a aunt once break a leg or ankle at a fire cracker show.

GH,

Never implied you neglect your family. Matter of fact, I was betting you'd show the pic of them along. Some things are predictable. Just like the fact you searched out my post in horses and ATV's and you've not posted much too or about horses.

laffin' just as much.

Never fails, if a thread goes to two pages or + it has no use to OP.

Cocadori, I am always up for a good laugh on the internet. After reading your cowboy-up days years ago when you were an outfitter in WY, I just can't look away. Good stuff, no doubt. Damn "outta staters"

Quite right. There a a lot of diffent ways to travel in the backcountry. I did not intend to get into a "my way is better than yours" or who is a better horseman discussion. I just want to learn about horses and mules. I greatly repsect people who have developed equine skills and trained their own animals to a high level.

Riverdog.If you need help, PM me and we can talk there. I have probably done most wrong things once and some twice.I'll share what works for me.

Life's short Kurt. Everyone has opportunities to make the most of it. You never know when life will change. Time and energy seem better spent focusing on positive stuff for ones self and others.

I was never a cowboy. I'm a horseman. There's a difference. I'll keep posting horsey stuff. Your kids might like it as they apparently love em. Keep checking on me it'll be hard to look away. It'll be good stuff too.

Seems to me you were a resident of NM. I was a resident of MT in 1985. I've just come back... albeit a bit further away.

If he hasn't I know I have. Running a guest ranch for 12 years I'm pretty lined out on what makes a good safe horse and the training needed. My mentor as well as one of our contracted trainers has been training horses for 60+ years. He/they worked with (along side of not for) Hunt, Dorrance, Vogt...the list goes on and on. I've got a pretty good pool to dip from. I'm sure if saddlesore can't fill your cup with knowledge I can help top it off. Albeit SS has a pretty damn good dally on what it takes, prolly needs no help getting you lined out.

You're right, life's short. I've never been a resident of NM, though I have hunted elk there, off horses, in a wilderness, without a guide.

I've never had a problem with "outta staters."

Riverdog - To horse or not to horse.. good luck with your search.

One of the most bomb proof horses I was around came from a bucking horse contractor of all places, a percheron cross. The guys saddle was loose and did not mention it to anybody. Anyway off he came,saddle and rider tangled under his belly. That horse stopped dead in his tracks and didn't move a muscle till someone got that guy out. I think its more the horses individual personality than their breeding that makes them a little more safer to ride than some.

I'm inclined to lean that way as well.

Same thing happened to my dad many years ago although he was leading the horse with a deer on top of the saddle. The horse just planted her feet and stayed put until he could get the cinch undone to resaddle her. You don't find too many like that.

Hope the foot's getting better. Shoeing? Had one of the quietest horse ever break my foot trimming him. He meant me no harm, just broke my foot after a large tarp got lifted by the wind. Same tarp he staired at everyday waiting for his hay.

Same thing happened to my wife in really rough country in Az Superstition mts. She slid sideways underneath the horse's belly, laying on the ground could not get her feet out of the stirrups. I jumped off my horse, went and grabbed her out from under the horse. The horse was froze with legs wide apart. We whirled the saddle back into position, tightened the cinch. We had to physically make the horse move, he was scared to death that he was going hurt my wife....hell of a horse to keep his composure like this in the roughest terrain you could immagine.

Wife was having fun with her girl friend and thought that I had cinched up the horse, she never checked her own cinch...she never did that agian.

I had a 3 yr old mule fall in some flat rock country.The rock itself was small,but down she went and jumped back up.I on the other hand, got bounced pretty hard and ended up with my left foot hung up and twisted in the stirrup fender with my spur dug in. My scabbard, with a muzzle loader was on that side and she fell directly on her side with the scabbard/rifle between her and my leg.I heard a loud snap and thought it was my leg as when I looked up, it was twisted at a funny angle.

I had dropped he reins and saw one hanging down, was able to grab it and asked her to stand. Luckily she did. My right shoulder as barely touching the ground.

My hunting partner was able to dismount his mule and come around to grab my mule and then he had to lift me to get my foot unhung. Bad day all around, and luckily my leg was not broken,but it sure hurt like hell for a week or so.

I use STI break away stirrups now.

I'm lucky she was a calm mule and did not spook as I would have surely been killed. A fellow in Grand Junction owns her now and he sends me emails bragging what a good mule he bought.

I have nothing to add except to say I have enjoyed reading this thread.

You need to get on your belly so you can get your foot out of either the stirup or your boot. Having your spur lock you on your back would not be a good thing. Aren't you glad you were nice to that mule saddlesore?

"Aren't you glad you were nice to that mule saddlesore?"
That's for sure.

I have been riding since about ten yrs old, That is about 59 years now. I was bucked off once on a loco weeded mule, another mule who I did not know disliked spurs, and another green mule that I had bent down to adjust a stirrup.

I had one horse rear up and go over back wards with me that unscrewed my neck and put me in a brace for 2 months. I probably fell off my little paint welsh pony a few times when I started riding as we had to ride bare back at first

Aside from those few incidences I have pretty much been lucky. A few step ons, kicks, etc and a jammed shoulder.

A safe horse is an oxymoron.

Loosening the velcro on an insulated saddle bag to retrieve a frosty cold adult beverage. The first time I used one of those bags. That sound must have been new to him.