Doesn't this sound like a great vacation?

becdubie · Doesn't this sound like a great vacation?

I'd rather pay $2000 for this than a cruise anywhere..... After my vet bill is paid off...I'm gonna start saving for this. Sounds like a great 30 year anniversary present to me and my hubby- 3 years to save.

Mountain Vacation Ride
This is a five-day educational mountain vacation ride for the whole family. Bring your riding club, or a group of business executives trying to develop confidence and build a lasting team....

You may bring your own well-broke trail-wise horse to enjoy or ride one of our pleasant and well-mannered horses. We will take the time to acquaint you with your horse and give you a chance to get to know him. All of our horses are gentle with many miles of trails behind them, thus helping the beginning rider to feel confident and relaxed.

On Tuesday you will have a day filled with backcountry packing, followed by a trail ride to the top of the Beartooth Mountain Range to the camp. Throughout the week Ken teaches backcountry horse camping, leave no trace methods, backcountry horsemanship, along with trail riding safety and training techniques.

You will begin with backcountry packing. This is a great opportunity to learn by helping to pack equipment and horses. Ken teaches balance, safety and tying. Your luggage weight is limited to 35lbs for this trip. As you ride you will have incredible photographic opportunities and captivating experiences you will never forget. The Beartooth Mountains provide majestic scenery and a variety of wildlife that rivals any in the world. Elk, deer, mountain goats, and coyotes are never far from camp. You may wake up some morning to find a herd of elk or a solitary moose grazing among the tents. Eagles are a common sight along with a multitude of smaller species of birds and mammals.

Every morning after breakfast, we ride out through alpine meadows and fields of wild flowers to sights of deep canyons and sparkling streams. Fish for golden, rainbow, cutthroat and brook trout. These alpine lakes and streams are only accessible by horseback or hiking. It is fly-fishing at its best.

Take this opportunity to vacation and ride with Ken McNabb. You will see some of the most beautiful country in the world!

Mountain Vacation Ride: $2,000

PasoBaby_CarolU

Becky, why don't you just join BackCountry Horsemen? Once you join, all the rides are free, except for your food. You go and learn with people who do this all the time. There is a weekend program called "Leave No Trace" and it's taught all over the country. It's over a weekend and you pack in and learn all the 'how to's.

The Montana group was the first in the USA, where it all started.

http://www.bchmt.org/

sebocat

My dream is one of those dude ranches where I can go learn to work cows and play on a ranch!

Copious_Amour

Goodness. I read this as "doesn't this sound like a great vacuum?" I should go to sleep. It's already 4:36am.

This does in fact, sound like a wonderful vacation!

becdubie

Thanks Carol. I was at a tack auction there was a group of BCH folks, I could hear them talking they were making fun of people who wern't traditional, didn't ride in big ole western saddles. Made fun of beginners, people who used leather saddle bags...that kind of stuff... I'm sure it wasn't representative of the whole group, but after that I was sort of turned off by them. You're right, that's a great place to get a lot of infrmation, maybe I'll check into going to a meeting or two.

I'm just dreaming....

PasoBaby_CarolU

That's awful Becky. But you are right, all groups are different. Our local chapter is a pretty good group, but we've had problems with other group's people joining us and making a mess of things (e.g., chasing elk), so we don't invite them anymore.

Check your local chapter and try a meeting or two. Even try a ride as a guest. See if they are OK. I hope so. By/large most are great people. We have a small group in the state that are all Parelli Level 3 and above. We occasionally do "Parelli rides" just so we can exclude the buffoons. There is one guy who rides in full Mountain Man attire, complete with a big revolver. He likes to ride to the crest, stand in the stirrups and gaze across the landscape. I'm sure he thinks he's very picturesque. LOL

Malcolm

I am with Carol on this one. Save your money for the next vet bill. You have a horse and know how Becky. Those are greenhorn prices and having done this work, its blood, sweat and tears money. You would make Ken's job too easy. Its only worth it if its in country worth seeing too far to tow your horse to.

Malcolm

becdubie

Thanks for the vote of confidence Malcom, the country Ken rides in isn't much different than what I have in my backyard, and my hubby and I know how to camp and pack.... We just need to get out and do it.

Geesh...I hope I don't have another vet bill like the one I have now....it drained what I had in savings and then some. But it's a good idea to always have something in the bank account just in case.

Malcolm

I have similar sentiments about what Buck's brother Smokie calls "clinicitus" Bec. Often we don't stop to think about what we got already. You are lucky to have that sort of riding country. Methinks this summer gonna haul some horses to the hills and take a mountain ride to some good fishing and camping spots. I mean if your horses can do what most want to basically do, then just do it.

I foolishly rode in a motorcycle enduro ride last Sunday. It was called a fun ride. Not much fun navigating all that countryside and obstacles without being able to look around and enjoy nature. Horses don't need that sort of micromanagement and enable us to really have fun and enjoy it out there.

Malcolm

PasoBaby_CarolU

Sounds like a great idea Malcolm...and I have to agree. We are invited on rides to "enjoy" our ATV. NOT! Our ATV is attached to the manure spreader in the summer and snow blade in the winter. When I'm out 'riding' I want to listen to the birds!

You know Becky, if you want, you can (for 1/4 that price in gas) come join us for a camping trail ride next summer. Your choice, mountains or desert. We do Moab in March, Red Canyon in April, and Strawberry (mountains) in July. At Moab and Red Canyon you camp in a hotel..I know, rough. At Strawberry we really do 'camp'...but it's with our trailers or tents...

All it would cost you is gas...

becdubie

Oh Carol, thanks for the invite. That's really only about a day's drive from us I think. When you know the dates, let me know and we will see what we can work out.