The Horse Thread

[MarzNC]

When was that Marz?

Mid-1990s. Was the first big trip after I got married in 1992.

The trail riding I did in the Canadian Rockies was with my older brother in the mid-1970s. That was a lot of fun. By then I'd been going to summer camps for both English and Western riding for a while. For reasons my mother never could figure out, I loved horses from the time I was very young even though I lived in NYC. I learned to ride English at a good camp near the city she found for me when I was 8. The Western riding camp was in the Finger Lakes region of NY.

 

[Campgottagopee]

weigh 800-1500 pounds and have really sharp teeth.

That's why they intimidate me!

 

[Brownski]

Mid-1990s. Was the first big trip after I got married in 1992.

I may have been your guide. I was there in 94 & 95. There were 3 outfits in the area but we were then only ones that were silly enough to ride on tundra. Did you take pics?

 

[Harvey]

And bring treats.

What is good for them? Carrots? Would the horse people be mad if I fed them? What is the chance of the horse eating my finger?

 

[Brownski]

What is the chance of the horse eating my finger?

Probably not more then 33% totally in your favor

 

[tirolski]

What is good for them? Carrots? Would the horse people be mad if I fed them? What is the chance of the horse eating my finger?

Horses like apples too. Best just roll em to them before they remember ya.

 

[MarzNC]

I may have been your guide. I was there in 94 & 95. There were 3 outfits in the area but we were then only ones that were silly enough to ride on tundra. Did you take pics?

Well, it was in August 1993. Back then I was organized enough to actually create a proper photo album for major trips. It was a 2-week trip that started with a cruise from Vancouver. Afterwards we drove to Denali from Anchorage. I planned out 3 days well in advance, Aug. 29-31. We lucked out with the weather. It was a little drizzly the day I went riding. But the next day when we did the bus tour in the park it was pretty clear all day. We saw the leaves start to turn color the day we drove to Denali and by the time we drove back, the color was gone and most of the trees were bare. Autumn was over and it was winter! Even a few snow flurries as we left.

My notes say "Wolf Point trail ride, $75 for 2 hour ride." The other people in the group were from the tourist train. They only had that day in the Denali area so didn't see much due to the cloud cover.

 

[Brownski]

Ah, ok. I started the following year. The seasons change rapidly up there for sure

 

[wonderpony]

What is good for them? Carrots? Would the horse people be mad if I fed them? What is the chance of the horse eating my finger?

Actually, the horse people would probably be mad, unless you asked them. Most horses would rather eat the treat than your fingers, anyhow.

 

[wonderpony]

That's why they intimidate me!

There's a lot of bad information in movies about horses. Case in point, I love the movie Silverado. At one point, the bad guys have Scott Glenn on the ground, stretched between a couple of horses. A third bad guy rides his horse back and forth over Scott Glenn, theoretically hitting him. I just don't see that happening. Humans are gushy and most horses don't like stepping on gushy things. The horse would probably have jumped over the guy on the ground, if that were real.

There is the occasional asshole horse, but most are good natured critters Draco was a bit of an asshole when he was younger, and was super mouthy (a nice way of saying he would bite things and the occasional human). Now, he only does it when stressed.

My standard safety spiel to my son's friends when they would come visit is that a horse is a prey animal. They also have a blind spot behind them. Always make sure that they know where you are by talking to them. As long as they know where you are, you're fine.

I really do find it amazing that they let us sit on their backs. It's quite a privilege.