Responsibility & Re: Horses

Re:  Horses...

~Recently, I had a few responses to a comment I made about horses, “I teach them to be a horse”. I don’t get on a horse that might throw himself over backwards, been there, done that, had my back broke for the trouble. I am so completely not interested in doing take 2 on that one. I don’t break them; bucking, rearing, wheeling, side swiping, these I can, will and do handle. Teaching him to be a horse- well, I don’t know how many of you have horses and how many of you have alien-half-brained-mutant-chickens-disguised as horses, but I’ve met more than a couple. I need to be able to rely on these horses. Many of our guests and clients have little to no experience at all on a horse. We are not riding around pretty manicured state lands on nicely groomed trails. We are deep in the wilderness, only accessible by small aircraft with no cell phone reception to say, “hey I’ll be late” or “well, shoot, the horses ran off” with. Most places have spotty satelite reception. I’ve said much on professional guiding. Now, on horses. Their heart and strength. Carrying us over icy waters, unending bogs, through brush so thick it's terrifying. Carrying unbelievable weights for us, so that we can have all the comforts. Tents, stoves, real dishes, real food; no backpackers food, just boil water and eat it in a bag. Packing the heavy weight of comforts so that we don't have to do without.  Climbing higher and higher to save us the steps.  Fighting through and over endless bogs.  Bulldozing, pushing past, squeezing through, breaking thick walls of willows and brush taller than a man seated in the saddle. Bringing us safely, without fail or delay, home in the black of night without moon or stars, through the shadows, the wind, the rain and snow.



Pioneer Outfitters has been my home from the first moment I woke here in Chisana. I knew, even so young, that I had found my place. I am often asked certain, key questions. I will answer them for you here:  “What is involved with or does it take to be a guide? A female guide? The Manager of Pioneer Outfitters, a girl, and one of the guides?” Hmm, I most often respond with humor or sarcasm, or a little of both, because it is rarely possible that an outsider can truly understand.  A guide, whether a hunting or horse pack trip guide, has more to do with the client than anyone else. Being a professional guide has little to nothing to do with hunting. This means, as I have realized through learning, watching and training others myself; that a guide has to be a leader.  Guides, as a rule, are as different of individuals as you and I, of course, but they (we) all do share many of the same characteristics. Some of these character traits include: highly competitive, agressive, multi-tasking “stress-junkies”.... and these are the most positive points!





New pictures coming soon ...
The crew decided, after much laughter and teasing, Newbie #1 is now forever to be known as "Ruger". Ruger pointed out that this means he now shares a name with his brother's dog. We are getting to know each other and letting the new family dynamic settle into it's path. Ruger has slid pretty easily into his place, although I don't see how he'll stay there. The "potential" doesn't radiate off him, as it did with my most recent trainee, it is more of a gentle flow with this one. He is a very polite, well spoken, hard working young man. I'll have to see what I can do about taking him outta the compound, check some traps, get a little more of the lay of the land, showing him a little of his new world.



Newbie #2 is in Tok, waiting to be flown in and we are ready for him! A California boy, 21 years old and about to freeze his butt off! He tod me he thinks that he was born in the wrong century, and is excited. We are all looking forward to meeting this joker- he reminds me of Skrizzle, our pet squirrel!
~All wound up and ready to break loose!

What a person needs to realize is that a guide is responsible, not only for being a companion and advisor on the trail, not only to find and judge the game he (or she) encounters--if this is the type of excursion the client is on--but the well being and safety of the client and the horses. This must come first, and it isn’t generally an up-front and in-your-face issue, shit does happen, and the guide has to be able to react quickily, desisively, calmly and autocratically. If you throw in being a female, and a small one at that, the hurdles grow! A female trainee must also posses thick skin and either a really good sense of humor or a really strong sense of self worth. “Why stay here, out in the mountains, isolated and away from any chance of a life, husband, anything..?” Is another favorite question of some folks who have come and stayed for a few short days up to a couple weeks. A professional guide must also be an athlete. Strong and fit, of mind and body a guide can endure nature, accidents, climb after climb, the heartache of failure (an unsuccessfull hunt) and start over with 110% every 10 days. I stay and always have stayed because of the beauty of the land, the isolation (as I do and feel better around those I know), the true goodness, generosity and wisdom and knowledge given so freely by Terry Overly, the family I have made here and the wonder of the fact that I can sit back and say this is what I do.

"STAND!"

We use the airplanes and the snow-machines to track and find the horses. It only takes once, each winter, to find them on snow-machines and give them a bite to eat and drive away. After that, when they hear the snow-machines coming, they come running. We never go anywhere without a bag of grain tied on, just in case we happen to cross paths.