Horse Hunting

[Elkmagnet]

We happen to have two really good horse trainers around here.
I would call both of these guys and have a quick chat
Wade is as honest as they come and a phenomenal trainer he is also a college rodeo coach and professor.
He was last year's "road to the horse" champion.

Matt really likes working with wild mustangs and starting colts. His horses win a lot nationally.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

After being injured for most of the hunting season and doing 2 multi day horse pack trips, I still don’t want a horse!!!!! They are more work than they are worth imo. I rode 2 very well trained horses and were great riding.
1) finding water can be a pain
2) finding adequate food is a pain
3) riding w a pack sucks!
4) packing grain is a pain
5) saddling and brushing pain
6) big animals can hurt you
7) taking tree branches to the face sucks!
8) riding in the rain through we brush sucks!
9) riding when it’s very wet period is not happening!
10) horses slip a lot on steep wet ground
11) horses get tired just like you do walking all day, but there big enough to say no I’m not moving!
I probably can keep going if you want..... but I can say they are pretty awesome, if wasn’t for horses my season would have not been as long.
Matt

 

[COEngineer]

"Horse Hunting" - I thought this thread was going to be about illicit activities involving the invasive species ruining parts of the West.

 

[davinski]

"Horse Hunting" - I thought this thread was going to be about illicit activities involving the invasive species ruining parts of the West.

Me too. This article came to mind.

Hunt canceled, feral horses a growing problem - Navajo Times

The Navajo Nation president’s office said the growing population of feral horses has to be addressed with a drought expected in the coming season – but not by hunting them.

navajotimes.com

 

[kiwi hunter]

After being injured for most of the hunting season and doing 2 multi day horse pack trips, I still don’t want a horse!!!!! They are more work than they are worth imo. I rode 2 very well trained horses and were great riding.
1) finding water can be a pain
2) finding adequate food is a pain
3) riding w a pack sucks!
4) packing grain is a pain
5) saddling and brushing pain
6) big animals can hurt you
7) taking tree branches to the face sucks!
8) riding in the rain through we brush sucks!
9) riding when it’s very wet period is not happening!
10) horses slip a lot on steep wet ground
11) horses get tired just like you do walking all day, but there big enough to say no I’m not moving!
I probably can keep going if you want..... but I can say they are pretty awesome, if wasn’t for horses my season would have not been as long.
Matt

youre just pulling his leg,,all part n parcel of hunting with horses,,but one does need to learn a lot re their requirements and dont forget to study their worm cycle,,i say go for it and enjoy

 

[ida homer]

Haha.

After being injured for most of the hunting season and doing 2 multi day horse pack trips, I still don’t want a horse!!!!! They are more work than they are worth imo. I rode 2 very well trained horses and were great riding.
1) finding water can be a pain
2) finding adequate food is a pain
3) riding w a pack sucks!
4) packing grain is a pain
5) saddling and brushing pain
6) big animals can hurt you
7) taking tree branches to the face sucks!
8) riding in the rain through we brush sucks!
9) riding when it’s very wet period is not happening!
10) horses slip a lot on steep wet ground
11) horses get tired just like you do walking all day, but there big enough to say no I’m not moving!
I probably can keep going if you want..... but I can say they are pretty awesome, if wasn’t for horses my season would have not been as long.
Matt

Haha. My goal is NOT to pack in a wall tent, a nice camp, etc. I still prefer to backpack hunt light and fairly minimal. Honestly, the route I would go
if Idaho wasn't so weird and tight about outfitters is calling in a packer. $500 for someone to pack an elk out is peanuts compared to the cost of ownership of
any stock (goats, llamas, horses, etc). Nate Simmons does it right.

Most of my elk spots are within 2.5 hours of my house, so I want to kill one, drive home and get the horse and come back.

 

[JLS]

Choose a horse based on the following criteria:
Disposition
Disposition
Disposition

Everything else is secondary. Don’t be the guy that buys a horse because it’s your favorite color.

Everytime you handle a horse you are training it, for good or bad.

 

[blackdawg]

I decided to get stock last year, quite a leap into the unknown. It has been a lot of work and quite a bit of money. Barns, hay, fencing, trailers, tack, shoes, vet bills, etc. I have found myself debating about keeping them at times. However, this year in Colorado 1st elk rifle, the huge armies of wheelers would crank up before daylight and could be heard for miles. I would slip out of camp and go uphill for 2 miles and didn't see another hunter, only elk, I reflect on that and realize that is quite a feat for Colorado! At 53, I can say at this point in life, the mountains get steeper and the game gets heavier each year, if the horses can get me up the hill longer maybe I will have a few more years chasing mountain critters. So I have become determined to make myself into a horseman. I had lots of years with lots of retrievers and will say, just like dogs, it's pretty black and white, they are either good or bad, the good ones will make a great experience and the bad ones will ruin the day. I totally agree with the fella that said you have to work them year around, if you aren't going to fool with them all the time you aren't going to make the kind of horse that will be a pleasure. Of course a real excuse to spend an extra week or two in the mountains doesn't hurt either!

 

[Gr8bawana]

I had a horse that I bought because she was beautiful. I never got to use her for hunting because while she liked me she absolutely hated my wife and daughter. She would try to bite them anytime they got near the corral. She actually knocked my wife's glasses off trying to bite her in the face.
My wife said "get rid of her" and I did because she could have badly hurt one of them.
So like someone already mentioned base your purchase off temperament and not looks.
Good luck with your search.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

I know I will probably own a horse in another 10-15 years when my injuries catch up with me, until than I’m using goats and walking! Don’t take that for granted..... I sure as hell don’t anymore!
Matt

 

[ida homer]

Some fine stock on CL lately. The owner of the first one told me he hasn’t bucked anyone off this week and the 2nd one currently has 3 wheel drive. So I wired them both the cash last night, didn’t wanna miss out.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Some fine stock on CL lately. The owner of the first one told me he hasn’t bucked anyone off this week and the 2nd one currently has 3 wheel drive. So I wired them both the cash last night, didn’t wanna miss out.

There’s 2 horses for sale down the road from me.... I don’t think there on Craigslist. Been there about a year, not sure why there selling them. I may go kick the tires on them.
Matt

 

[2rocky]

After a few days gnawing on this, I think going from not owning stock to hunting with horses is too big a leap.

I think being a horse owner and asking "Should I take my stock hunting?" is a more reasonable progression.

 

[thomas89]

My 70 year old uncle recently purchased a mule for back country trips. Has been bucked off twice (that he'll admit to). Broke a few fingers from the lead rope when the mule tried to bolt, flipped himself over a rail when my 3 year old daughter tried to touch him. Doesn't like mounting blocks or it seems anything for that matter. That being said ... anyone in the market for an over priced mule in the PNW region, let me know I got a lead on one! Well, the leads not actually on him, won't even let me get close.

What could go wrong 10+ miles in the back country?

I'll stick to walking.

 

[Randi]

2 rocky, MTTW and Pagosa, have given you good advise.

Find someone close by and ask them if you can "care for", as well as "learn" about them and about you, before you buy. I have had horses all my life and love them, but they are WORK. I dont know how many times growing up I heard my grandfather or father say "you have to be, at least, as smart as the horse", and you also have to enjoy them, even when you not riding them. Make sure they have water and in the winter the ice is broken so they can get to it, you have to make sure they are fed, twice a day. You should brush them and pick their hooves, even if your not going to ride them. You take care of them before breakfast and before dinner. They can and will get hurt and vet bills can add up. Even if they are healthy they need shots, shoes, teeth floated. dont forget a salt block

I love horse's but they are a LOT of work, cost money to buy and maintain --and btw, how were you going to get them to the area you want to hunt. A trailer is another consideration as well as how well do they trailer. We like the fifth wheel type trailer with living quarters, but you need a trailer. I am assuming you have at least a 150/1500 sized truck to pull the trailer . We have not yet even discussed "tack", you need a lot more than a saddle and bridle and it is not cheap. Do you have a field for them to graze in or are you buying hay year round ? In the spring when the grass is green and rich they can founder ( lame ) . Have you thought about what type of shelter you will build/have built for them. Cost of bedding and someone needs to clean the stall each day. Horse needs exercise during the non hunting season. some use hot walkers--those can also be expensive

Are you prepared to either remove the shoe's or shoe a horse if he/she throws one while on the trail

This post probably sounds like I am against having horses, quite the contrary, just being honest with you.

P.S. you said your wife's family has horses, if they are close by, spend time with their horses, learn about them. Hands on! Yes they are show horses and not trail horses, but they are horse's, just a different discipline . My barrel horses were just like our trail horses, in general, they were just taught to do different things. Also, if they have been successful showing, they have good basic knowledge of a horse and their quirks when you are looking for one to purchase. I also believe horse "breeds" are important. I would never buy an Arab for trail, packing even thou they are good endurance horses

 

[OzzyDave]

Mmmm i got that all wrong - I was going to suggest calibres.

 

[IDFireLass]

twsnow18, the amount of information about horses would take a life time of experience to learn. So read and look, listen and learn from these people.
I had my first horse at around 7 years old. Got lucky with the horse as he taught me a lot and I learned from that ol' guy.
I rodeoed during my youth and learned and understood horses.
Never ever fall in love with a color of the horse. First lesson everyone should learn when looking for a horse.
Also a bad ride will beat a good walk any day as far as I'm concerned. But I'm also thinking of my horses and how I could trust them and knew what or how they would react.
Toying with the idea of getting back into horses. Have all my tack but no horse trailer. It also means taking care of them or having someone look after them if we would like to take a break. So not sure if we could call on someone to do that for us.
We're not sure if our bodies can ride horses with our backs, knees and hips.
Good luck have a feeling it's going to be an expensive lesson for you in the long run.

 

[ida homer]

My 70 year old uncle recently purchased a mule for back country trips. Has been bucked off twice (that he'll admit to). Broke a few fingers from the lead rope when the mule tried to bolt, flipped himself over a rail when my 3 year old daughter tried to touch him. Doesn't like mounting blocks or it seems anything for that matter. That being said ... anyone in the market for an over priced mule in the PNW region, let me know I got a lead on one! Well, the leads not actually on him, won't even let me get close.

What could go wrong 10+ miles in the back country?

I'll stick to walking.

Will you take $4000, hate to low ball.

 

[ida homer]

Thanks for the detailed responses. Yes, the wife and her family have been “horse people” for 20+ years. They have 3 horses now. I’m lucky in that the trailer and boarding are covered.

The expense that is daunting to me are the vet bills. One $2,000 vet trip and shit, I could have called in a packer 3 years in a row to get bulls out.

It’s clearly a financial loss from day 1. No doubt about it, a negative venture from the get go.

So at that point, it’s about doing it for the enjoyment. Do I like horses? I don’t know yet. I rode last week, it was kinda fun. I think it could be more fun when I know the basics. I’ll either find the love and enjoyment in the horses themselves, or I won’t, and I’ll bag it and explore goats again. I’m no where near the shopping phase.

It’s gonna be a journey. I’m exploring booking a summer pack trip in WY this summer. I’ve got some good first hand reviews from close friends that have done so. I feel that could be a good intro. In the mean time, I’ll try to get out and ride once or twice a month.

The 2 things I’ve learned so far:

1. It’s a net loss from day 1, no matter how you skin it.

2. You gotta do it for the enjoyment.

Those 2 seem to be a consensus from all the replies. Thanks for weighing in.

 

[Ultrahunter]

I've left mine tied up from before daylight till after dark. Just tie them short so they cant get twisted up. They just stand there and sleep all day I think. Lots of work having horses in camp, sometimes I wonder if it's really worth it. But then there are days like this that come along!