Sierra Nevada Clinic 8-14-11

The fourth and final day of a Jerry Tindell Horsemanship Clinic in the Sierra Nevada mountains above Fresno, California. We said our goodbyes and left our second campsite and headed out. That's when we kinda got lost. Dag nabbit, we followed a guy who said "Take this short cut!" and then, endurance rider that he is, took off! That led to my companion and I getting discombobulated and riding the complete loop we'd been riding the last few days, coming back to the ranch for an unexpected pleasant last lunch with the cook, and THEN following the road out to the rigs. No loss, we got an extra ride in!

Length: 8 miles
Duration: 3.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate. Trails largely roads with steady, steep climbs, beautiful forest and high altitude vistas.

Altitude gain: 1070 ft 

Grade: II

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 The beautiful ranch where we camped for 2 days, Cowboy Shangri-La, a land that time has touched but little.

 I worked real hard to come up with a gift for Jerry Tindell that would be appropriate. Since he is always teaching Tobe and I things, I thought of challenging him to learn something he didn't know how to do ... YET! I brought an ostrich egg for a one-egg omelette for a dozen people! I read the instructions while he used his knife to open a hole in the end and then blow out the scrambled contents!

 Always a good sport, JT rose to the occasion and breakfast was served. The cook was so skeptical that it would be edible that she scrambled up two dozen chicken eggs, which made an equal amount of scramble.... so it turned out that we could have a taste test. Quite surprisingly none of us could taste ANY difference. It was a first for all.

 Then we all said our thanks and goodbyes and headed out. The red in this tree is poison oak, which will become more obvious as the season turns.

 THIS is where we made the error of taking the advice of the guy on the Arabian who said "This way to the short-cut" and whizzed off ahead of us. So, my riding companion and I followed, never suspecting that it would be hours later that we would realize we'd gone a bit off in the wrong direction. My pal said it wasn't the first time he'd been led astray by a woman, and had the good humor to say it was a welcome opportunity for an enjoyable extra ride before hitting the road home.

 I started recognizing the views and thinking surely the "short cut" road to take us back to the rigs would appear at any time......

But no, we strolled along the miles of trails and roads we'd gone on the last couple of days, recognizing landmarks, and prolonging our vacation. At some point my iPhone lost battery power so then we were back to primitive reconnoitering, and eventually I had to admit I knew we were on our way back to the ranch. Where we strolled back in to find the cook and her husband relaxing, had a last nice chat and some watermelon, and THEN followed the road back to the place where the vehicles were parked, packed up, loaded up the animals, and made a vow to attend another Jerry Tindell clinic again next summer and have another educational adventure.

Sierra Nevada Clinic 8-13-11

The third day of a Jerry Tindell Horsemanship Clinic in the Sierra Nevada mountains above Fresno, California. We left our initial campsite and walked a 6.5 mile loop that we'd covered the day before, but this time working hard on riding skills as we went.

Length: 6.5 miles
Duration: 2.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate. Trails largely roads with steady, steep climbs, several water crossings and high altitude vistas.

Altitude gain: 1070 ft 

Grade: II



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 Starting out at the old ranch we marveled at the 140 year old buildings still standing. Built from timber harvested from these forests, sawn into planks at the mill that stood where we camped the first two nights.

 The stock tanked up gratefully at an old bath tub, ready for the long walk ahead.

 The old ranch buildings have seen generations of kids spend their summers here, learning to ride and rope, and countless cowboys stayed here when moving cattle through the area to winter or summer pasturing.

 Today Jerry had us focusing on getting the animals supple, bending their necks and directing their movement without resistance.

 We walked out into the forest, and saw the way the periodic controlled burning opens up the land for multiple habitat zones.

 This was a road decades ago, and the National Parks Service is coming through now and bulldozing the roads open again as fire breaks,

 The pile on the left is manzanita, pushed oout of the roadbed and will be burned in the winter when it is not a fire hazard to do so.

 This splendid horsewoman does packing with her Morgan horses, and brought two of them as loaners for the gals who flew in from Alaska. Why, she does things with these horses that others only do with mules! She takes them on challenging back country adventures and then finds grateful owners to buy them. She gave us talks throughout the clinic on the principles of "Gentle Use" and "Leave No Trace" that represent the tenets of responsible stewardship of the land that are espoused and embodied by the BackCountry HorseMen of America.

 We played a "game" that involved the first rider pulling off to the side and asking their equine to stand still and let all the rest of the group ride on past. We leap-frogged in this fashion, and it was astonishing how very difficult it was to ask for a stand stay from an animal that is very interested in maintaining its place with the safety of the herd.

 Tobe was doing all the hard work, and the only time we'd have a tussle was when I'd insist on a stop and stay so I could get his ears lined up just right for the photo. And he'd insist a stop meant an opportunity to snack.

 I have tried to make a video of the bobbing ears that are such a pleasurable part of riding on a mule. But the result is just too wobbly and would make a viewer seasick. As we proceed down a quiet path Tobe gets into a gaited rhythm that sets his ears to a loose floppy bounce. Then if something alerts him he is instantly pointing them both at it, like a dog on point, a strikingly different posture that is quite obvious.

 But on these walks if we were out in front setting the pace we were utterly relaxed. If we walked in the middle of the crowd we'd watch as some of the horses had issues, and their riders took advice from Jerry Tindell in how to "support" them and "not let them fail." Taking animals out of their "comfort zone" and into a far-away environment like this trip shows the owners the holes in their training, and is very inspiring.

But it is the sheer beauty of the land that is the calming and nourishing lasting memory. Traveling at the speed of a walking mule through a timeless forest gives space for the mind to soar. 

Sierra Nevada Clinic 8-12-11

The second day of a Jerry Tindell Horsemanship Clinic in the Sierra Nevada mountains above Fresno, California. We left our initial campsite and walked a 6.4 mile loop that moved us to the homestead of a gracious rancher who allowed us to set up a campsite on his land.

Length: 6.4 miles
Duration: 3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate. Trails largely roads with steady, steep climbs, several water crossings and high altitude vistas.

Altitude gain: 1190 ft 

Grade: II

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The vehicles were left behind parked at Blue Canyon, except the cook's massive living-quarters trailer stocked with our camp kitchen and food. She drove on ahead while we adventurous equestrians prepared to head out in style on our trusty mounts. Tobe was the only mule, I am sorry to say, but he represented the mule team with enthusiasm.

 A veterinarian came to give us lectures on animal first aid and care, and Tobe always likes vets so he was attentive and respectful to her. Ya think he can tell she owns 4 mules?

 The Belgians waited with stoic grace in a shady spot, knowing another hot day of pulling the wagon was about to begin.

 With any group of a dozen riders there are always last-minute panics, and it is always instructive for me to watch people handle their stock.

 Finally it was time to head 'em out, and through the gate and away we went.

 Once again the roads were pretty much clear of any cars, a good thing, but almost eerie, in a "Land that Time Forgot" kind of way. Just a few miles away there would be legions of tourists gearing up for a beer-fueled weekend. Judging by the trash that filled the campsite ground when we got there they'd be a loud and rowdy bunch, so we were leaving the public campground area before their predictable arrival.

 Back out into the forest, and already since we were passing through some of the same areas some of the more memorable trees or rock formations are starting to be familiar.

 This recent rock slide, for instance, that we went past yesterday. When the rocks came crashing down to the roadway they brought a tree with them.

 Coming up out of canyons is always a reward, with vistas stretching to the horizon across the valley floor.

 I started out in front of the group of a dozen but eventually I decided I wanted to keep up with this gal who is a professional packer and breeder and trainer of Morgan horses. Astonishingly enough by keeping up with her Tobe and I went 4.3mph, which is double his usual mule gear 2.2mph. I really didn't know he had it in him! After a while we realized the rest of the group was NOT behind us..... we forged on at speed!
We later learned that the Belgians had started having a rough time of it, so the vet had the whole group stop and count their respirations. A normal horse breathes 16-10 times a minute. The Belgians were getting up to 60-80, dangerous, so they'd stop and time them and count, and when they got down to a safe measure they'd proceed.

 A massive ball of mistletoe hanging in a tree, low enough for me to snag some for Druid good luck by positioning Tobe beneath it.

 Here we are arriving at the ranch where we'll spend the next 2 nights. The buildings date to 1860, and the apple orchard was planted in 1870. We didn't know that the main body of students were so far behind up, so we strolled in and had some watermelon, got the animals watered and de-tacked and fed and high-lined for the night. We were quite cosy by the time everyone else came in.

I pitched my tiny green tent underneath one of the apple trees, whose unusual tasting blush pink fruit was a treat for both Tobe and I. We saw the mule deer who come into this meadow to eat the apples, simply amazing that trees that old can still be producing fruit. A bit of a Cowboy Shangri-La. 

We were welcomed by the owner with Old West grace, he made us feel completely at home and the 96 year old woman whose family has run cattle in these valleys for generations came and told us stories about the settling of the area. What a treat to see such a private and unique special place.
Cue up the swelling music for the Western Saga!

Sierra Nevada Clinic 8-11-11

The first day of a Jerry Tindell Horsemanship Clinic in the Sierra Nevada mountains above Fresno, California. A diverse group of a dozen people came, from as far away as Texas and the Yukon in  Canada, and everyone learned new skills and BackCountry HorseManship principles in a hands-on environment high in the mountains.

Length: 12.8 miles
Duration: 6 hours
Difficulty: Moderate. Trails largely roads with steady, steep climbs, several water crossings and high altitude vistas.

Altitude gain: 1300 ft 

Grade: II

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Our first campsite was nestled in a beautiful place called Blue Canyon, formerly the site of a timber mill used to harvest the adjacent forest. We drove the rigs into a staging area, and then had our individual campsites in the woods, surrounding the camp cook kitchen and fire.

Home sweet home. This is the very first time I have ever bought a tent and set it up all by myself in the woods. It was quite cosy and comfortable. A whole new world of adventure opens up for me.

And this is the front yard view.............. the sounds of the stream rushing by to lull me to sleep, kinda like some country song.

Here's Jerry giving us the day's instructions and plan. Tobe listens carefully, he knows when JT talks he isn't foolin' around, he has information to impart and expects to be given the respect due a teacher and role model.

We take off down the road, following a wagon pulled by two Belgians. JT is ponying two horses, leading them along, and Tobe is making his altitude and attitude adjustments.

The wagon led the way ahead, and it took a while for Tobe to be willing to get closer to it. It set the pace, inspiring thoughts of what a SLOW event crossing the continent in covered wagon days was. And this is on a road, not a trail!

The sign says Dinkey Creek one way, and the Pine Flat Reservation the other. Either way this feels like the middle of nowhere, and there are no cars on any of the roads.

Here's the team of Belgians, half-sisters, making their slow and steady progress.

Tobe is actually used to being one of the bigger animals on trail rides, but these gals had him beat. I am very fond of the calm and steady demeanor of draft horses, and this is a very beautiful team.

Crossing a stream and stopping for a drink, easy to believe that theres gold in these here hills. Over the decades timber and mining have brought influxes of immigrants to this land, and cattle people have settled in for the long term.

Nothing like a cool drink on a hot summer day.

Unless it is a snack. Tobe always thinks of water-crossings as an opportunity for an especially tasty lunch buffet.

I don't even know what a lot of the plants are in this area, I leave it to Tobe to decide what he wants to munch on. He seems to have a donkey dietary disposition, which is second only to a goat's.

Then oh my gosh, the gal with the cart decided to drive off the trail and take them down INTO the stream to water them. Sure didn't look like it was possible, but what do I know.

Well, somehow the team turned just a bit too far to the left and the back left tire snagged up on some rocks. The cart started to tip up and one of the riders jumped up on the off side to weight it down.

The Belgians were stuck, standing on river rocks, slipping and unable to move forward, and the wagon was wedged in place. This was like the big drama moment in a Disney movie about the Pioneers!

JT calmly organized the rescue effort. The Belgian team was unhitched and led away to be checked for injuries and to calm down. JT took his horse and tied a rope to the cart and pulled, asking the horse to back up steadily like holding a cow. Several people got down into the water and pushed, and finally with the aid of a second horseback rope-puller they were able to extricate the wagon and get it turned around. At that point the Belgians were put back into harness and they took the wagon back up to the road.

We rode on a distance until we came to this creek crossing and stopped to eat our lunches. I sat and watched dragonflies and thought about focusing on the positive, on the moment, and on beauty in nature.

The Belgians seemed none the worse for wear, but glad for the rest stop.

This cement bridge led from one side of the river to the other. It has cattle-guard grates on either side and a cement walkway down the middle. Almost everyone took their horses around it, though the water, and there was much commotion as the horses in metal shoes slipped on the mossy granite stones. It was a bit of a panic, and I said to JT I was not at all enthusiastic about going that route, and he told me to just walk up the middle of the bridge. It was not narrower than many trails Tobe goes on regularly, we did it perfectly.

Back up out of the stream area we came out to ridge tops where the canyon vista opened up. Rugged and beautiful, this range is not too far from Yosemite and King's Canyon, both well known National Parks. Both likely to have been crowded full on such a lovely summer day.

This illustrates the way that without maintenance the manzanita and other underbrush fills in any open spaces.

Tobe models the latest in gnat-proofing ear wear. I found that if I soaked the cotton with bug spray we were able to move with impunity through the hordes of small tormentors. The one thing I am most concerned with is keeping flying insects from going down into his long ears. He might dance a tarantella trying to shake them out, and I might get shook OFF.

In valleys where selective burning has taken place the first plants to cover the ground are the low bear's clover and other wildflowers. It is beautiful to travel through the forest slowly and see the plant communities changing.

And very nice to be in the shade on a hot summer day. We did a very long ride but none of us were especially tired out, and it gave the animals a chance to get used to the altitude. Tobe went from zero elevation, seaside, to 5,000 feet and didn't bat an eye. This meant we didn't battle physical problems, and could concentrate fully on the principles Jerry wanted us to be studying and working with our animals on.