Horse Ride GONE WRONG! Vlog #27

Mule Ranching Vlog #27: We saddled horses and loaded our pack mules to go on a long ride. After arriving at camp late at night we go to bed tired. The next afternoon a forest fire moves towards camp. We quickly saddle and load our animals back up to escape the fire. Our pack trip was cut short and we head off the mountain early.

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[AndyTheCornbread]

Forest fires have ruined a lot of my ride plans over the years. I feel your pain, glad to see you got out just fine and that the smoke wasn't thick enough to be bad for the horse's lungs on the trip out.

[brooke]

I am a firefighter and work with packhorses/breakers. I love that you took the young horses and mules out. Best way to get a great horse is exposure and experience!

[mamasaurus]

My first camping experience with horses was an accident. The horses knew we had come across people we didn't want to be out there with long before we did, and tried to tell us we had to go back. Despite how obedient they normally were, we didn't listen to their odd behavior and made them go on, which is when they bolted off the trail with us. By the time we stopped them and got back to a trail, it was too dark to risk coming off the mountain so we found a big tree to sit back against and hold the horses leads. They stood over our shoulders all night, nuzzling our hair and cheeks, and eyeballing critters checking us out in the distance. We had called search and rescue to tell them where we last were and told our families we weren't coming home that night before our batteries died. We heard men shouting and saw a lantern on the ridge above us, and ducked down against the horses quietly. S&R found us hours later, and the horses stomped between them and us with ears pinned because they were still wary. They said they were not the men with the lantern we had heard earlier. I took them back to where the trouble began and we found a previously stolen car, burned to its shell, and they went on to look for who we had come close to while we went home. Miss those two horses, they were amazing caretakers for us compared to our other, "hyper" horses. They both passed away in their 30s.

[annapowell]

As someone who has broken my back twice from horse wrecks and seen my mother nearly die (24 fractures on the left side, flail chest, and all ribs + collarbone broken), my first glance at the thumbnail just about gave me a heart attack. Glad no-one was hurt! Cool experience watching them work!

[JCCaelan]

Well, that's some great desensitization for the young animals.

[denisehinz]

I am 51 n I love your gaited mule gaited horses are sweet for those of us who have back issues I wish I could come ride with you guys you are so much fun

[rigo]

I watching your videos and I have my bells on your videos and I'm subscribed to your videos and 👍☝

[annabarnett]

That one dislike will always be Raleigh reacts and probably her friends 🤣🤣🤣

[jackieotab-brickey]

Considering you’re on young Mules, they handled that very well! Especially when watching the helicopter getting water at the lake, what a cool shot! Hope y’all stay safe and cattle are in the clear. If that fire didn’t start, looks like you would have had some beautiful elk too!

[wyominghorseman]

I love you guys. Some tips for beginner packers.

Balance your weight within ½ a pound. Keep the loads even in height. Learn to top pack with a tarp and correctly tie a box hitch or squaw hitch. Learn the Diamond hitch double box and double diamond later.
Don’t leave your lead ropes to long. In a string each critter should have enough rope to reach the ground with its nose if its stretching to do so and no more. You don’t want your string getting off trail and wrapped around a tree or root or rock or stepping over the lead rope and having a hell of a wreck.
This applies to passing another pack string and not being able to control your bunch as well.
Your halters need to be a good fit and kept snug. You can lose a mule or horse by having one itch his face with a hind foot and getting it caught in a loose halter. This applies anytime, at home in camp or on the trail.
Teach each pack stock to lead and trail easily, and to cross water and bridges, before you put them in a string.
Here's a hint, don't hard tie a green string to the top of the Saw Buck or Decker. Use the ring on the right side of the spider that has the lateral strap on the britchen and forward to the cinch. Make a double loop of bailing twine about 3 inches in diameter through that ring. Tie a double or triple loop of baling twine as a break away, to the D Ring on the pack saddle and thread your pack string lead rope up through the spider ring loop and tie to the break away loop from the D ring.That way you can turn your string using the hind quarters of each pack animal to turn the follower. And if you should have a wreck the whole string doesn't go down. It's easier to have lead ropes pre-tied to your pack saddles. Then tie up your lead ropes on your pack and snap the pre ties to each pack stock being led in the string. Gives you extra lead ropes in camp for your high line too.
Happy and safe Trails.
And never lead a string with a gaited horse or mule unless the whole string is gaited. I've seen a guy kill his pack mule doing just that.

[soniahanley]

Wow that was pretty crazy thanks for sharin guys I’ve never seen them fill up like that I’m glad u r all safe :)

[PumpkinVillage]

That was some wake up call. Glad it turned out ok. Take care, Al

[suemcfarlane]

In Australia we have swags that have a roll back panel over top of you so if the weather is clear you can open it to see the stars but are still protected by fly mesh so no problem with mosquitoes

[joanhale]

Sorry you had to cut your trip short, but glad you all got out safe. Looking forward to another adventure.

[brandeissports]

Wow! Fires everywhere these days. Glad you guys were safe.

[markdoolan]

Those canvas cutters in Australia are called swags.
Our stockmen have been using them droving for generations. Like yours the new ones have them poles but the originals were just canvas and some foam rubber tied up with a stirrup strap.

[angiesnyder]

Happy you guys are safe I love trails and I feel your pain

[stormvalestarabs]

Those Skycrane helicopters are awesome. And their pilots are just the best kinda people.

[ellieannswitzer]

That’s crazy. Fires can spread so quick. There was a fire set by machinery 100 yards from my house. Plans were swoopin in and out, right over our neighborhood. Barley missed my entire neighborhood. 😨

[cuddlebuddymc]

Wow. Sorry that your hunt was short but always been fascinated with the pilots.