Rocky’s Web

Archive for April, 2008

New Mustang!!

 (It’s not me riding)                     

Well…a little over 11 weeks left before I start the ride.  I thought I’d better give another update.  After waiting for almost a year, I finally am purchasing another Mustang from the BLM and the Colorado Department of Corrections.  I’ve been going to the facility near Canon City, Colorado (just about 54 miles from the Pueblo Chemical Depot) looking at their “saddle broke” horses for quite some time.  There just didn’t seem to be anything that really jumped out and said…”take me”.  This past week, SFC Alan Sedam and I took another visit.  They were suppose to show me what they thought was an exceptional horse.  I had talked to the inmate that trained some of the horses a few times and had asked him if he was working on any horse that he thought was a little exceptional.  He said he had one named Smokey, so, this past week, I got a call from Lona Kossnar (the BLM representative) and she indicated they were showing Smokey and one other for purchase.  The BLM has their adoption sales at the Canon City facility at least twice a month.  She said they were showing 2 horses.  One was Smokey and the other named Charger.  When Alan and I got there and they brought out the horses (the inmates were riding them), I immediately “eyeballed” Charger over Smokey.  They worked them out in the ring, roping off them, pulling items, opening gates, side-stepping, etc, and although Smokey had an easier gate, Charger had the conformation and attitude.  Charger is a 5 yr old gelding, standing 14.1 hands tall and was geathered from the Salt Wells Creek Management Area of Wyoming on April 9th, 2005 (he was just a 2 yr old at the time).  They’ve been working with him for about 90-100 days of saddle training.  They try to teach the basics (loading, shoeing, roping, gates, pulling objects, etc.) but they are still considered “green broke”.  Most still don’t know how to neck reign.  Anyway, I should be getting “Charger” (name will probably change) by end of April to first of May.  They will deliver it to Mark (my son-in-law) and he will take him to his house in Clayton, New Mexico untill I can get him.  Charger is considered a “grey” gelding.  I’ll now have 4 horses to work with.  I’ll probably need them!!

Other preparations include working, seems constantly, on my maps.  I’ve changed my routes about 3 times, now.  My estimated mileage is: 565 miles in New Mexico with about 23 legs; 485 miles in Colorado with about 18 legs; and I’m still working on Wyoming and Montana.  I have the route planned for Wyoming and Montana, but am working on my nightly planned stops.  Kathy (of New York) is working on the food and supply lists and Larry (Minnesota) is trying to workout getting his 3 horses to Antelope Wells and being able to store his trailer till he finishes the ride.  He knows a woman in Silver City, New Mexico (will probably be our 5th night stop) and she will assist him.  I guess that’s all that’s current…..HAPPY TRAILS!!

Rocky

Danny Woolman’s Birthday