Starting to Train my Elk Hunting Horse for next year

[Mustangs Rule]

Twice this season, I got under 250 yards from an elk, set up my homemade shooting sticks, put the cross hairs where they needed to be, then pulled my trigger, on an empty chamber.

Click not bang!

I’ll be 75 soon, can still hike most all day in steep country, even recover a deer, FOR NOW, but no way an elk.

My old hunting partners got tired and quit hunting. I am not interested in new ones

Last fall I rescued two mares from an old couple, both younger than me! She had cancer and he had Parkinson’s.

Both horses had not been ridden for years, older one was terribly neglected, just skin and bones. The skinny older one is gaining weight and the fat younger one is on a diet. Younger on is a real pretty bay mustang, got some draft horse genes in her from when farmers got tractors and let their work horses go wild.

She could be a fine solo elk hunting horse, ride her up, lead her down loaded. She is stocky, strong, great hooves, super sure footed. But has no confidence, always been under guidance of the old mare.

Gonna set up my shooting bench near her corral, start with quiet 22’s, get a road kill deer quarter for her to smell whenever. Even get some blood from a butcher too.

Beats playing bingo at the senior center!

MR

 

[Salmonchaser]

Glad you’re still getting out there. I only ride a little, wife and daughter have been involved with one or another trail riding groups for well over 30 years. Daughter was three when she rode her own horse into the eagle caps. Wife said ground work so the horse trusts you and lots of trail time. Good luck.

 

[BuckRut]

We always leave hides hanging around the corral in our pasture. They always get curious and approach and get comfortable with the hides on their own time and it seems to work well.

 

[406dn]

It is to be respected when a person keeps finding a way, so I tip my hat.

I'm starting to lean on 72 years of age, and still enjoy everything involved with big game hunting. It is likely working with horses that brings me the most enjoyment. Their primary job has been as field trial mounts for pointing dog filed trials. That job develops a really nice horse over time. Between the long rides and the low level chaos that occurs, a horse becomes fit and calm, with all of the consistent work.

So, far each of my horses has accepted the job of packing meat, without complaint. It is not easy to think of a better time to have a horse than when there is an elk on the ground a few miles from the trailhead.

Good luck with your new to you horses.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

Glad you’re still getting out there. I only ride a little, wife and daughter have been involved with one or another trail riding groups for well over 30 years. Daughter was three when she rode her own horse into the eagle caps. Wife said ground work so the horse trusts you and lots of trail time. Good luck.

What I hear a lot, especially from older riders is "walk a 100 miles" with your horse. Well maybe not a 100 miles but put lots of ground work,

 

[Mustangs Rule]

It is to be respected when a person keeps finding a way, so I tip my hat.

I'm starting to lean on 72 years of age, and still enjoy everything involved with big game hunting. It is likely working with horses that brings me the most enjoyment. Their primary job has been as field trial mounts for pointing dog filed trials. That job develops a really nice horse over time. Between the long rides and the low level chaos that occurs, a horse becomes fit and calm, with all of the consistent work.

So, far each of my horses has accepted the job of packing meat, without complaint. It is not easy to think of a better time to have a horse than when there is an elk on the ground a few miles from the trailhead.

Good luck with your new to you horses.

Thank you very much.

It has been 8 years since I had horses. I had a 1/4 Appy and a big running 1/4 horse for 12 years. Had to put both down at the same time.

The 1/4 Appy had terrible ringbone plus cancer. The vet said my older horse that was over 30 was not gonna live much longer with kidney issue so put them both down.

That was a very hard day

 

[BrentD]

Twice this season, I got under 250 yards from an elk, set up my homemade shooting sticks, put the cross hairs where they needed to be, then pulled my trigger, on an empty chamber.

Click not bang!

I’ll be 75 soon, can still hike most all day in steep country, even recover a deer, FOR NOW, but no way an elk.

My old hunting partners got tired and quit hunting. I am not interested in new ones

Last fall I rescued two mares from an old couple, both younger than me! She had cancer and he had Parkinson’s.

Both horses had not been ridden for years, older one was terribly neglected, just skin and bones. The skinny older one is gaining weight and the fat younger one is on a diet. Younger on is a real pretty bay mustang, got some draft horse genes in her from when farmers got tractors and let their work horses go wild.

She could be a fine solo elk hunting horse, ride her up, lead her down loaded. She is stocky, strong, great hooves, super sure footed. But has no confidence, always been under guidance of the old mare.

Gonna set up my shooting bench near her corral, start with quiet 22’s, get a road kill deer quarter for her to smell whenever. Even get some blood from a butcher too.

Beats playing bingo at the senior center!

MR

I never got beyond this point with my wife's horses, but I did have a dream of leading an elk-loaded horse out of the mountains. Never happened. They are a lot of work to hunt with. This photo is Rusty with most of a boned out mule deer on his back just as a test. He couldn't care less if he gets a treat for it.

 

[Pagosa]

I started these little foals being exposed to blood and hides 2 years ago. They are physically mature at 3 now and can hopefully lead out a Quartered elk this fall. Hopefully it’s not a rodeo.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

Is it cold! Minus 11 degrees F yesterday morning. Then a howling wind coming off the prairie



I can tell when the wind chill factor is high by looking at my mustang mare. I built her horse barn right out my window.



An old habit of mine,,,done it over and over for decades in different places, I like to hear whinnies out my window.



Mustangs are about as cold proof as any four legged critter can be. Their stubby thick ears have so much dense hair on them and in them, they look like a pointy birds nest.



I would not be surprised if a flicker flew out of one of her ears



Amazing how often even in way below zero she stays out but when the wind howls like now she tucks her butt to the inside of her barn and stays in there looking out.



Today was an inside day for me too, great time to sit by the wood stove and write



I have not broken the ice off her watering trough for a week so she cannot drink from it. Following my mothers rules, four times a day and in the evening just before I go to bed, I bring a bucket of warm water out to my mare. It has been just her and I for three months. No other horses.



My very first memory was looking at our families work horses in their stalls. I was maybe two years old as I stared up at those mountains of hair looking at one looking down at me,,,then I felt my mothers hand on my shoulder gently moving me away from their huge hind legs.



When she was a child she used to ride bareback on work horses bringing them both in from the pasture.



She would walk up, raise her hand and just touch the horse she wanted to ride on it’s jaw, opposite the direction she wanted it to go,



With no halter or lead rope, guided by just her finger pressure, she brought the huge horse to a big rock where she hopped on.



Horses, especially mustangs, often have this evolutionary safe guard by preferring cold water. For sure to avoid parasites and bacteria.



When the water is bitterly cold they could under drink and be a risk of deadly compaction colic, especially if they have any sensitive teeth.



As per my Mom’s instructions, during real cold, I only have my mare drink from me. I hold the big bucket against my lower belly, not on the ground and let her drink,,,, from me.



Horses crave smelling a persons breath, they are really doing a hormone check. In between drinks she smells my breath. When all is well horses love to share breath with a person, just be face to face as they often do with each other.



My mother told me that giving a horse warm water like this when it was cold would trigger old nursing feelings . Horses never forget anything.

My mothers father, mother, and uncle came from a horse, farming hunting culture where Northern Europe and Asia met. They immigrated here just before WW1.



My mother was taught old ways.



After a few days of my warm watering her like this, my mustang mare quickly began to follow me around and was much more attentive to my cues and body language.



Today she and I worked on glassing together. I walked her out on my land and cued her to be still.



Then I leaned into her shoulder, put the back of my forearms against her neck and used by binoculars just over the high point of the nape of her neck, close to her ears



I ‘coo” to her when doing that and when I want her to move forward I make that click lip sound.



I have been getting her used to me walking along her front shoulder kinda hunched over as I would be if she and I we moving into position to a big game animal.




And speaking of that that. I sprinkled some hay around her barn for deer.



In the bright moon-lite I can look out and see anywhere from two or three to a dozen deer. She just looks at them now with no concern.



Last thought. I kept her right next to her barn then in it while I was shingling the roof with a real noisy nail gun. Many hundreds of times loud, sharp bang, bang, bang”. After an hour she did not care one bit anymore.



I would never shoot right off her, but nipping any gun-shy-ness in the bud is the smart thing to do.


MR

 

[F250]

Is it cold! Minus 11 degrees F yesterday morning. Then a howling wind coming off the prairie



I can tell when the wind chill factor is high by looking at my mustang mare. I built her horse barn right out my window.



An old habit of mine,,,done it over and over for decades in different places, I like to hear whinnies out my window.



Mustangs are about as cold proof as any four legged critter can be. Their stubby thick ears have so much dense hair on them and in them, they look like a pointy birds nest.



I would not be surprised if a flicker flew out of one of her ears



Amazing how often even in way below zero she stays out but when the wind howls like now she tucks her butt to the inside of her barn and stays in there looking out.



Today was an inside day for me too, great time to sit by the wood stove and write



I have not broken the ice off her watering trough for a week so she cannot drink from it. Following my mothers rules, four times a day and in the evening just before I go to bed, I bring a bucket of warm water out to my mare. It has been just her and I for three months. No other horses.



My very first memory was looking at our families work horses in their stalls. I was maybe two years old as I stared up at those mountains of hair looking at one looking down at me,,,then I felt my mothers hand on my shoulder gently moving me away from their huge hind legs.



When she was a child she used to ride bareback on work horses bringing them both in from the pasture.



She would walk up, raise her hand and just touch the horse she wanted to ride on it’s jaw, opposite the direction she wanted it to go,



With no halter or lead rope, guided by just her finger pressure, she brought the huge horse to a big rock where she hopped on.



Horses, especially mustangs, often have this evolutionary safe guard by preferring cold water. For sure to avoid parasites and bacteria.



When the water is bitterly cold they could under drink and be a risk of deadly compaction colic, especially if they have any sensitive teeth.



As per my Mom’s instructions, during real cold, I only have my mare drink from me. I hold the big bucket against my lower belly, not on the ground and let her drink,,,, from me.



Horses crave smelling a persons breath, they are really doing a hormone check. In between drinks she smells my breath. When all is well horses love to share breath with a person, just be face to face as they often do with each other.



My mother told me that giving a horse warm water like this when it was cold would trigger old nursing feelings . Horses never forget anything.

My mothers father, mother, and uncle came from a horse, farming hunting culture where Northern Europe and Asia met. They immigrated here just before WW1.



My mother was taught old ways.



After a few days of my warm watering her like this, my mustang mare quickly began to follow me around and was much more attentive to my cues and body language.



Today she and I worked on glassing together. I walked her out on my land and cued her to be still.



Then I leaned into her shoulder, put the back of my forearms against her neck and used by binoculars just over the high point of the nape of her neck, close to her ears



I ‘coo” to her when doing that and when I want her to move forward I make that click lip sound.



I have been getting her used to me walking along her front shoulder kinda hunched over as I would be if she and I we moving into position to a big game animal.




And speaking of that that. I sprinkled some hay around her barn for deer.



In the bright moon-lite I can look out and see anywhere from two or three to a dozen deer. She just looks at them now with no concern.



Last thought. I kept her right next to her barn then in it while I was shingling the roof with a real noisy nail gun. Many hundreds of times loud, sharp bang, bang, bang”. After an hour she did not care one bit anymore.



I would never shoot right off her, but nipping any gun-shy-ness in the bud is the smart thing to do.


MR

Lots of life time information and experience in that post. Thanks for sharing. We have a couple hay burners. Interesting !