Early Mustang Pictures----

[mustang]

My friend spooked these three back around the ridge. I got so excite I couldn't run the shutter button and the zoom lenses at the same time. They were at seventeen feet when they turned off the trail.

c

My mustang hunting partner. The lead rope worked better for me than hobbles. I didn't think to ask Ol Blue what he thought.

As long as they had their heads down, I'd keep sneaking closer.

A different day. "Buchwhacked"

This old boy took exception to my being around.

"You would think a guy my age would have enough sense to bring a slicker."

Headed for Water.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Great pictures, I sure enjoy them.

 

[katrina]

All I can say is WOW!!

 

[Bruce]

Thank's for sharing!!

 

[Soapweed]

Very nice photographs. Thanks for sharing your hard-earned efforts with us.

 

[HAY MAKER]

what is that apparatus you have on ole blues rearend and whats the purpose ?
good luck

 

[gcreekrch]

what is that apparatus you have on ole blues rearend and whats the purpose ?
good luck

Aw C'mon Hay Maker, ain't ya ever seen a genuine, bona-fide packrat de-flector before? :lol:

Steep country sometimes calls for britchin to be used. Never used one for a saddle horse myself but most pack saddes are equiped with them here.

Thanks Mustang, I don't comment much but I enjoy all your photos. Likely the only way I'll ever see that country.

 

[Soapweed]

what is that apparatus you have on ole blues rearend and whats the purpose ?
good luck

Aw C'mon Hay Maker, ain't ya ever seen a genuine, bona-fide packrat de-flector before? :lol:

Steep country sometimes calls for britchin to be used. Never used one for a saddle horse myself but most pack saddes are equiped with them here.

Thanks Mustang, I don't comment much but I enjoy all your photos. Likely the only way I'll ever see that country.

When we rode mules to the bottom of the Grand Canyon in 1997, britchin was used on every saddle. What surprised me though, was that they didn't use breast collars for the trip back up the next day. As there is nearly a mile difference in altitude from the South Rim (where we started the ride), to the Phantom Ranch near the Colorado River (where we had supper and stayed the night), the trails are very steep. I asked why they didn't use breast collars. The wranglers stated that a good tight cinch was all that seemed to be necessary. In fact, for the steep ride back out, going up, they didn't use the britchin. It was just tied up out of the way to the back saddle strings. Their thought process was that extra straps just gave more opportunity for saddle sores to develop on the mules.

 

[HAY MAKER]

That don't look like no rat deflector to me, be my luck a damn rat get caught under one of them straps.
I have seen horses and mules tacked like that toting pack saddles,but like Gck stated never a saddle horse, makes sense tho in that steep country with narrow trails
Good luck

 

[mustang]

what is that apparatus you have on ole blues rearend and whats the purpose ?
good luck

My theory was that anything I could do to make life easier on my horse was something i'd do, to get him to carry me further at the end of the day. If the britchin was good enough for a pack saddle, I figured it couldn't hurt using on my horse. I found I could ride with a looser cinch and that made Ol Blue smile a little on hot days.