Pasos as pack horses

[SarahR]

We went on an 8 day pack trip over the week of the 4th. Originally we were going to use our new packsaddle on one of our friends' QH's. It didn't fit (too wide), so our only option was to pack my Paso Fino and have me ride one of their horses. Jypsi had never packed before, but she did great. One of my friend's remarked at how smoothly she moved with a pack, and how nicely she kept up with our fast walking TWH:

http://www.rosehorse.com/PackHorse.jpg

[Terry Wallace]

Hey Sarah...is that pic taken on the east side of the highway?

looks like those very steep mountains before you get to Durango....

Beautiful country...! Its really rocky there...do you have your horses shod? Just wondering if you do any barefoot riding where you live. ;-)

[SarahR]

Hey Sarah...is that pic taken on the east side of the highway?

looks like those very steep mountains before you get to Durango....

Beautiful country...! Its really rocky there...do you have your horses shod? Just wondering if you do any barefoot riding where you live. ;-)

That pic was taken 5 miles up the Poison Park trail north of Pagosa Springs on the way back from an 8 day pack trip :)

My husband's TWH has gone barefoot all year, he has really tough feet and has had no trouble. He can gait on a gravel road and not even flinch. My mare has to be shod, though. It *is* really rocky here, like you said :)

[Terry Wallace]

8 days...you lucky duck you!

I used to look at those mountains coming down the pass into Durango, and see all those rocks, rock-slides and think of how dangerous some of them would be to even try to cross on horseback.

As for beauty...it is outstanding.
How long have you lived in that area?

Any chance you will come join us at Mile High next weekend? I'd sure "save" you a seat!!

[SarahR]

8 days...you lucky duck you!

I used to look at those mountains coming down the pass into Durango, and see all those rocks, rock-slides and think of how dangerous some of them would be to even try to cross on horseback.

As for beauty...it is outstanding.
How long have you lived in that area?

Any chance you will come join us at Mile High next weekend? I'd sure "save" you a seat!!

Don't be too envious, it rained on us the whole time! We hardly got any riding in, mostly it was battling the rain :(

We stick to the trails, but even some of those can be scarey. I hate the steep sidehill type trails where it drops off and is narrow. Those really scare me, but lots of people don't even notice. I have tons of trail pics from all over this area at:

http://www.rosehorse.com/cgi-bin/pro2/emAlbum.cgi?c=show_thumbs;p=Trail%20Riding/Colorado%20Trails

I really need to add pics from this year. Hoping to get DSL up here soon so I can upload stuff like 'normal' people do (we have old phone lines with 28.8 dial up)

I wish I could come to Mile High, but after taking 8 days off I need to work, ha ha!

[hast]

GORGEOUS... country, just gorgeous.

[TrueStepPaso]

Just one pic, and I stared at it for a while....its looks so beautiful there.....

[CarolU]

Sarah...looks beautiful. I'd sure love some of that rain. It's 100 here right now. :(

So how did the pack saddle fit? Any problems or sore spots? Maybe that is your answer, just pack yourself in it. ;-)

[qltrlori]

There is a really cute PF gelding for sale in So. CA. that was used as a pack horse. He is his photo:

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h92/qltrlori/nicolaslace.jpg

Lori

[dana]

Beautiful country and sounds like Jypsi did you proud!
how is the bug population where you rode?

[SarahR]

I think the pack saddle fit ok, on the way up we didn't have the breast collar or breaching adjusted right. On the way back we got it set up right. There was no tail swishing or stumbling with it, she seemed just fine being a pack horse. I didn't have to worry that she was going to 'blow up' like the QH's our friends have can. The trade off was I 'had to' ride a trotting horse up and back :)

The bugs were almost non-existant due to the constant rain. Of course, this week has been sunny all week......doh! We should have gone this week.....today is supposed to be 100 here too, Carol.

Here's the moose we saw up there on the 4th of July. Right after this we got caught in lightening, so we got fireworks, too:

http://www.rosehorse.com/Moose_calf_sm.jpg


http://www.rosehorse.com/moose_sm.jpg


Here's "The Window" and "Rio Grande Pyramid":


http://www.rosehorse.com/Window.jpg