Trail Work in the Pecos with the Back Country Horsemen of New Mexico

Penny in Camp

Have Saw, Will travel.

On Saturday May 29: We rolled in at 9 ish and were supposed to be ready to ride at 9.  Oops.  Fortunately, we were tacked up and just had to load the pellets (practice packing pellets) on Risa and head out.  The weather was fantastic.  It is still early spring in the Pecos due to the elevation. (8000-10,000 ft)  The grass is not tall, the aspens still have new leaves that are a tender green while the pines and firs are darker.  In the picture, you can see how they patchwork across the mountainside. Down by the creek, the willows are leafed out and there is a sharp tangy smell.  Up on the dry hill sides, the scrub oak is just beginning to bud and the scent of the pines comes and goes.  The mountain irises are blooming in the seeps and there are red and yellow shooting stars, purple violets, and a few pink geranium types along the trails. 

Cometa (well, really Jim) ponied Risa because Cometa is experienced in the mountains and can handle being bumped without falling down the side of the mountain.  Jim is really calm and doesn't worry too much if things go wrong. Wasn't so sure Penny was up for being bumped and besides Jim's extra measure of calm doesn't hurt anything!
Cometa

Water Crossing. Our first big thing was crossing the Pecos River.  It was flowing pretty well and there was a rocky drop off of a few feet to get to the rushing water.  Everyone ahead of us made it across except Black Tie and his rider.  Penny looked, and decided:  NOT.  So, Jim held Risa close to Cometa's hip and dragged her on across.  She leapt in, and rammed Cometa, but he just kept on going. 

They left Risa and came back for Black Tie, who stuck close to Cometa and only pushed on him a little.  They left Black Tie and came back for me and Penny.  Cometa went and Penny took a huge flying leap and rammed Cometa pretty hard.  This sprayed water everywhere, but Cometa kept his composure and we all made it.

Risa needed a few reminders to stay behind and both she and Penny were balky over mud.  Risa frequently jumped, ramming Cometa, and Penny just tried to avoid, but didn't need assistance.  Near Cave Creek, we had to cross water again.  Black Tie followed his buddy across really well.  Risa rammed into Cometa on her leap across and Penny refused.  Thus, Cometa was pressed into ferry service again.  Penny jumped into Cometa and this time Cometa had had enough.  When Jim got Risa back, Cometa let her know that she needed to stay behind....OR ELSE.

Cave Creek is really cool because the stream goes INTO  the cliffside and no one knows where it comes out! Or so rumor has it...

Tree of the day

The tree at an angle in this photo was pedastalled on the aspen truck you can see between Jim (on the left and Cheryl (on the right).  The aspen was partly split.  First we threaded a lash cinch (from the Joker the mule's pack) through the split and we all pulled to break the split off.  Didn't work.  Added a wedge.  Didin't work.  Raised the lash cinch and we all pulled again and got the split off.  However, the tree remained firmly in place atop the aspen. 

To dislodge the pine, we tossed one lash cinch over at the upper end of the tree and another lash cinch over near the aspen.  Half of us pulled on one and half on the other (and Mad filmed--maybe she will put it on you tube and I will link that in....) Anyway, that worked great and the pine fell to the ground!  We cut it with the two-man saw (we were working in the wilderness so only hand tools are allowed) and pry-barred it off to clear the trail!  Very satisfying. There were a few more trees, but nothing dramatic.  The return trip mud and water crossing got progressively better until Cometa lead, Risa followed closely and Penny was right on her tail.  No jumping! We were back in camp at 6.

May was waiting! So, I saddled her up and along with Linda on her Thoroughbred, Star, we rode to the river.  May was wonderful.  She was happy and relaxed and she was even, in the dusk, able to lead some!  She looked at the river crossing, but we didn't push her.  Linda got on and rode her back to camp!  Awesome!

Cometa and Doc were in adjoning pens.  Cometa had Risa and Penny with him and Doc had Star and May.  Cometa is small and Doc is big, that did not matter to Cometa, or Doc and the two of them kept charging the fence and trying to pick fights.  So, I tied Cometa to the trailer. 

Risa started crying for Cometa (apparently she decided he was a worthy mentor after all his work as the lead horse).  He called back.  So, we moved May in with Penny and Risa, and eveyone settled down.  Cometa spend the night at the trailer.

Sunday started with Risa being pressed into service as a REAL pack horse.  She got loaded with the tools of the trail clearing trade.  In her usual photogenic way, she doesn't look thrilled.  Atually she loaded well, although we took a little extra care with the big two man saw because that worried her a little bit, so we let her follow it, smell it and then distracted her a little while it was loaded.  Richard supervised loading as I hadn't really loaded tools before.

Next up:  water crossings. They went so well at the end of yesterday, we just blithley put Cometa in, Risa ollowed and Penny......  took a giant flying leap and crashed into Risa.  I have the bruise to prove it.  That could have been prevented but I didn't expect her to  jump!
Copper the trick Pony

We cleared all the way to Horsethief Meadow (see last picture) but before we got there, there was a water crossing and Richard K. decided the horse he was riding, Copper, who was on loan for the day from the Kazmar's, could cross on the bridge instead of going through the water. Who knew that Copper was interested in being a trick horse???

Monday, Risa and Cometa got the day off and Penny did a short ride.  She did a super steep down hill and we came back up it too.  It was so steep that I did not ask her to walk it.  I asked her to GET GOING.  I felt like if she went slow, she wouldn't actually make it.  She is one good horse!

Great weekend!