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Blue Sky Sage Horseback Adventures
Wow, what a season it's been . . .
The 2011 ride season wrapped up on October 1, with the departure of our final three ladies on a fine, fall day along the Green River. It was a season of surprises and challenges, to say the least; we came through it all intact, and excited to start the cycle over again in preparation of the 2012 season. Our deepest gratitude and appreciation goes out to all of our guests, who braved numerous wild enounters, to experience what Wyoming truly can dish up every few years! From super-record snow depths in the high country that kept us out of the Little Sandy camp; the cancelation of the June 17 trip due to extreme weather delays; 3 weeks worth of flooding over a mile-long stretch of the gravel road leading to the ranch camp; these challenges, and a few more (remember the Ford truck losing all the water out of the engine block heater drain and leaving us stranded with 8 head of horses in the trailer halfway up the big, steep hill? Now THAT was an adventure!), it all added up to be a summer of excitement that everyone got a piece of!
We want to give some special recognition to some VIP's and VIH's who gave 110% of themselves to Blue Sky Sage this season:
Eric Schneider: All-around hand, camp cook, trail guide and great guy. Eric came to work for us the first of June and was invaluable in helping us through a very trying time with the ever-changing conditions surrounding the camp relocation/setup. He was just there to help with everything; cooking for all of us so Mike and I could work on logistics, bookings, shopping, etc.; the "heavy lifting" with Mike that I'm just not very good at anymore, i.e. hauling hay, moving and relocating an entire set of corral panels when the threat of floods forced a complete move of the ranch corral. Once the season was underway, Eric was "camp cook extraordinaire", with the wonderful meals he prepared, his jovial and easy-going personality, and genuine care and concern for the guests. His presence out on the trail was invaluable on several of the rides too, when we split a group occasionally.
Linda Zager: Our neighbor and friend from "across the river", Linda came to our rescue when Mike had to leave for a couple weeks early in the season. She is a true outdoorswoman, skilled in many pursuits, and one of the most self-sufficient women I've ever known. After helping us ride horses for a few days in the pre-season, she was invaluable in taking the position of assistant trail wrangler and support person in camp, on the road, and out on the rides. On the day the truck broke down, she stepped in and offered use of her little pickup to get people out to the trailhead for the days' ride. She generously loaned us an entire corral's worth of portable fence panels when the extreme weather forced our camp relocation, so we would have a functional and safe horse corral. Linda is always ready to step in and contribute to whatever needs to be done, and she always does it enthusiastically and cheerfully. A wonderful neighbor and a true friend.
Tia Leo: On a recommendation from another good friend who has cooked for our guests in the past, we hired Tia for four rides this season around the times that Eric was unavailable. Tia is a professionally trained culinary artist, with her specialty being baking (she owned her own bakery for seven years). She introduced us to many new and delicious meals, making the simplest ingredients into fabulous treats, and it all looked so effortless! As a professional chef, Tia has honed her skills all over the world and we feel very fortunate to have had her in our camp for some of the trips this year. Several people every week tried to "steal" her away to go home and cook for them! Tia was a fun and engaging person to be around and was very supportive and lively with the guests; she had great stories of her experiences, and in October, came and took some riding refresher instruction with us for a few days with some ladies, in preparation for a cooking stint in a Colorado wilderness hunting camp.
The other big thank you goes to our super string of quality saddle Horses. All of the weather extremes affected them early on too, with a delay in fresh grass coming on in the pastures, and our concerns about hoof issues and potential for founder when the lush feed finally did take off. Our long-time herd again was the solid foundation we built a safe and fun riding season around, and the addition of several new Horses that filled in the "holes" carried everyone through. We had plenty of Horses to rotate into the cycle as needed, and every person had opportunity to ride at least two horses during their trip. While some credit is due to the "management" and the hard work that goes into caring for these animals all year 'round, the proof in the pudding is that when Horses have their basic needs well met, are expected to have respect and manners, and are ridden by people who are engaged, fit, and serious about horsemanship, they can perform safely and confidently for their people. These Horses have our upmost respect and love.
One of the fun additions this year were "the puppies." Lucky and Jasper came to live here on July 23 and certainly were a big hit with everyone. There was some mischief to be sure, but for the most part they have been very well mannered and a lot of fun. Who would have thought after Emily and her 24 sled dogs left that we would be in the dog business again! Oh, and while this is not a good photo of him, everyone also met "Skimpy" the horse statue we are standing in front of; Mike created this piece just for fun, and to practice his horse roping on :)
I think that will be enough ruminating on the season just completed. It's already time to start the process all over again for the 2012 season. We are very grateful to everyone that we encountered this summer; you have all contributed to our lives most generously and we appreciate you all very much. I'll be writing more here in the next few days, so come back, relax and visit.
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Thinking About, Preparing To, Get Ready . . . TO RIDE THE OPEN RANGE IN WYOMING
As winter drags on across the entire United States, sometimes it's difficult to believe that warm weather and summer will ever come around. But, it always does and especially for those of us in the northern climates, it makes us even more anxious to get horseback and ride outside of a ring or indoor arena. There is always anticipation for that day when the sun stays out, the ground thaws out and we can actually ride safely and actively.
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While we are anticipating and awaiting that day however, we need to be preparing for it, in many ways. Of course it is important that we care for our horses and make sure they winter well, but we also need to prepare ourselves. We especially encourage our guests to really start thinking about their own physical and mental conditioning program and initiating it several months in advance of their horseback riding vacation week here in Wyoming. There is nothing extraordinary about riding out here that doesn't occur in many other places around the world but there are some considerations to take into account. First of all, we are riding actively at a relatively high altitude compared to most places. Our campsite is about 7900' in elevation, so we are riding predominantly at that level and higher. It does take a little adjusting for most folks, which is why we recommend coming into Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which is our airport location, at least the day before we pick you up, so you can start acclimating. Secondly, because these are active rides and we try to move out at faster gaits when and where appropriate, riders need to be physically fit, active and especially, have good core strength.
Core strength, that fitness of those muscles that connect the upper and lower torso together, is essential to correctly engage and maintain an independent seat while riding. Lack of core strength seems to be the number one physical challenge many of our riders deal with. While folks are relatively fit, not overweight and generally healthy, weak core muscles inhibit the ability to properly sit on and ride a horse; this lack of core strength becomes magnified whenever the slightest increase in riding speed is added. Therefore, in preparation for active riding, it is imperative that we build up core strength to help us maintain safe and proper posture on the horse, to enable and enhance both our own and the horse's physical abilities.
From our observations, it seems that the physically fit riders who engage in regular exercise such as yoga and Pilates are a step ahead in the core strength game. There are many, many excellent resources online regarding these practices and we highly recommend that our guests work on core strength well in advance of their Blue Sky Sage horseback adventure ride. Last season, I discovered an outstanding book that simply and clearly describes the core muscles and how to build them up, and how they relate to horseback riding. This little, spiral-bound reading gem is titled "Zen & Horseback Riding: Applying the Principles of Posture, Breath and Awareness to Riding Horses", second edition, by Tom Nagel (Forward by Sally Swift). If you can get your hands on this book, it is a priceless primer on the importance of core strength and how to achieve it.
So, keep your spirits up, summer isn't too far off, yet you still have time to get ready to ride, and even better, to ride safely, securely and in a fashion that allows your horse to maximize his natural athletic abilities. And, you'll have an even better experience on your Blue Sky Sage horseback adventure week.
"Holiday Hangover: The Cause and the Cure"
Most years, there seems to be a time period after the rush and glut of the holiday season when everything comes almost to a standstill. We call it "holiday hangover".jpg)
, those sluggish days when the credit card bills for that plastic that was maxxed out from Christmas purchasing arrive in the mail, and the heady bliss of traveling to some seasonal destination to carry out the requisite winter vacation break from school and work is but a blur of sweet memories. People find it a bit difficult to get back into their groove of work, school and home life after the distractions and pleasures of the winter holidays, but eventually the routine kicks in and we are once more productive and comfortable with our day-in, day-out routines.
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Soon however, something starts to tickle people's thoughts, barely perceptible at first, but soon it nags at the mind and becomes too persistent to ignore. We start thinking about sunny, warm days and getting outside without having to wear snow boots and parkas. And for those horsewomen and horsemen who live in the more wintery climates, dreams of getting out and riding a saddle horse somewhere, plagues both our day and night dreams. What to do about this, how do I cope?!
This is the time of year to decide that you need something to look forward to and that something is SUMMER VACATION. Not just any run-of-the-mill trip on a big boat in the ocean or a cross-country tour on a diesel-guzzling bus with 100+ of your "closest friends"; no, what you need and want is to go West, to Wyoming where the real wide-open spaces still exist and there are good horses that can carry you free and fast across that wilderness. You dream of a quiet stream and a good nights' sleep under the stars, with home-cooked meals and fun people to share the experience with. That is where Blue Sky Sage Horseback Adventures can take over for you. We have it all, everything you want and need for that summer vacation of your dreams.
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Currently, bookings are ahead of what they usually are for this time of year, and several dates are nearly booked full already. The Schedule page will show you the current availability for every ride week. There are still openings on every itinerary; for you experienced riders, choose from the four weeks of Mustang Horse Adventure; one of several weeks of Girls Ride Out! women only rides; the Special ride which will be a Mixed Group week; or join us for a Three Dimensional Horsemanship field clinic week, a hands-on, in-depth learning vacation experience. And, we can accommodate intermediate and novice riders as long as we can get everyone at that skill level into the same trip, so do consider riding with us if you are beyond beginner and want to learn at more than a "nose to tail" venue.
Bobbi or Mike are available by phone to talk with you about any of the horseback adventures and can assist you with any of your plans. In addition, Bobbi will be attending the Equine Affaire event at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA on Thursday, February 3-6, 2011, so if you are considering riding with us and can attend the California event, let Bobbi know and you can get together out there. She will be in the booth with a company that will be representing our rides as a new associate of Blue Sky Sage, Active Riding Trips, Inc. Bobbi will also be available outside of the show hours to meet privately with current customers and friends, so if you can make it to Pomona, please do let Bobbi know as she would love to meet up with you.
So there you are, the Blue Sky Sage "cure to the Holiday Hangover"; choose your itinerary, make your reservation and dream your dream until summer 2011 arrives!
Call us at 307-260-7990 for more information or email us at ridehorses@blueskysage.com
What Do You Guys Do All Winter?
December 9, 2010
Thank you for following the Blue Sky Sage Blog over to the website, which is probably where I should have set it up in the first place! To read and enjoy previous posts, go to Ride the Wide Open Spaces , which will remain up. We also use social media extensively now, particularly in the off-season, so you can follow us on Facebook under Blue Sky Sage Horseback Adventures or on Twitter as well. And, I've entered the world of slide shows and video, which you can view here.
Our winters are spent here on a small ranch that we caretake along the Green River in western Wyoming, where we run our horse herd on open-range, native grass pasture all winter. We start feeding native grass hay that we purchase locally whenever the snow is too deep and crusted for the horses to graze efficiently and the temperatures are consistently in the range of 0° F or colder. Part of the horse maintenance requires that we keep the ice chopped open on the water ponds; sometimes that ices gets over a foot thick, so it can be a job keeping water available every day. Mike also works constantly with keeping every horses' feet in top condition with his natural balance hoof trimming. Usually he will go out with just a neck rope, catch the horse he wants to work on while they are on the feed line and trim him right out in the pasture without tying him up or restraining him in any way. Every horse in our herd is taken care of in this manner. Mike does all this work every day and I manage to get out and hang out with the herd regularly also. We don't ride often in the winter, mainly because we feel that these horses work really hard mentally and physically during the ride season and they deserve to have the winter off; secondly, because our winters can be so extreme, it takes a lot of energy for each horse to maintain themselves and stay healthy without the extra work in cold temperatures. And of course, there is the never-ending maintenance and repair of vehicles, trailers and equipment to be addressed and any infrastructure improvements are developed in the winter as well. There is plenty of opportunity to work on making this company and how it operates better!
For my part, I spend much of each day in the office working on the marketing and advertising for the company, which entails maximizing the effectiveness of the website, utilizing the social media sites I've set up for Blue Sky Sage, bookkeeping and the other general requirements of running a small business. And, after a couple years of jokingly talking about getting my saddle set up as an office chair, Mike built the "Cowgirl Computer Center" for me to work from. My McCall saddle, which is built on a Wade tree, is the most comfortable seat I use, bar none; better than a recliner or any expensive office chair, I just don't get stiff or sore in my saddle ever, even when I have ridden for over 8 hours or many, many miles. So, it made sense to use the best seat I've ever had in the office too! And this year, we are considering attending another equine trade show or two, after the positive outcome of the booth effort at the Massachusetts venue of Equine Affaire in November.
It's rather difficult for both of us to leave the ranch at the same time with all the chores to be done, but occasionally we try to get away for a few days to a warmer climate, usually in late February or March. With many guests who are also close friends in southern California, that is our usual destination for R&R. We also take a day or two here and there to spend time in our own backyard of Jackson Hole, attending the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race in the various communities along the route (which is the race Emily is training for in 2012); renting a snowmobile for a couple days of trail riding or visiting friends and family that we don't get to see during the busy summer season.
That's it in a nutshell, as of this writing the snow in the high country is above average, down here in the valley we don't have much yet, but winter is barely gettting started. Mike is on his way to the equine dentist with Rooster, Laramie Bill and John, the "ol' boys", to have their teeth worked on today in the final project of winterizing horses. Every horse has their shaggy winter coat grown out and they are in excellent shape from the nutrition in the hard, cured native feed they've been on since they came home from camp. The firewood is laid in on the porch, the pantry and freezer are stocked and we're secure and warm at the horse ranch on the Green. In my next blog posting, I will get back to the series I started with "Riding Boots: They Ain't Made for Walking" with the next installment to be entitled "Boots in the Stirrup: Safe, Yet Sensitive".
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I am leaving you with a photo of wild horses taken this past summer that was just sent to me by one of our guests. This is part of a band of young stallions that had formed their own band and their curiousity got the better of them. There were 6 or 8 total in the band and they came within about 30 yards of us as we slipped out with cameras and one saddle horse for cover. They really gave us a show, trotting and posturing back and forth before they finally decided we weren't worthy of their time any more. Rae had a brand new, high-end digital camera and got some fabulous hi-res photos of these handsome fellows. We aren't one hundred percent certain, but we believe the white horse on the right may be an albino, though we couldn't quite see his eyes to confirm. At any rate, they are in excellent condition and they have the world by the tail!
Until next time, happy holidays and keep up with us at the many Blue Sky Sage media outlets!
From the Wide Open Spaces,
Bobbi & Mike Wade
To read other articles and posts, go to the Blue Sky Sage Blogspot page here.