IN DEFENSE OF TRAIL HORSES

During the Klondike gold rush of 1898 horses were employed to pack supplies from Skagway through rugged and hostile mountains to the Yukon. It was a tough life and a short life for these unfortunate horses. Feed was sparse, the terrain rough, and loads came heavy and often. More than three thousand horses died in this brief quest for gold, many of them in the wintering draw aptly named ‘Dead Horse Gulch’, several miles from Skagway. These poor horses, sore and already thin, starved pawing through snow for wisps of grass and a few willow twigs.
Since these harsh times North American society has become far more humane in how it treats horses and animals in general. Most people would agree that this is a good thing. However, has the pendulum swung too far in the opposite direction? These days, Poodles wear pink coats, and so do some horses. And that’s fine, but is it all good? Our personal attention makes for a softer life for our pets, or livestock. As individuals and as a group are we guilty of breeding less hardy, less durable horses?
Pleasure and performance horse riders may feel that it is a none issue as horses can be bred to suit the needs of riders and various disciplines, but what qualities are these horses being bred for? Backcountry riders have little or no say or control over the expectations and goals of breeders.
Most horses do not spend their entire life with one owner. In the distant or not so distant future that horse bred for western pleasure or as a running quarter horse may very well find itself on a two-week trail ride or on a ranch pawing through prairie snow for part of its winter living.
For several years we were a large breeder of Morgan horses. I fell in love with their proud look and liked the fact that there were still Morgans around that were structurally very sound and strong. At that time the breed had not been specialized to suit disciplines and fancies as much as some other breeds. In short, we strove to breed good looking horses that could be solid, dependable, trail horses. But as life goes on in general, it was easier said then done. Part of me wanted that beautiful swan neck and the finely chiseled body that went with it. On the other hand, my more practical side demanded a calm nature and sturdy build. Unfortunately, the beautiful horses that we loved to look at often did not have the qualities that we needed as trail riders, namely calm dispositions and the sturdy builds that could take various weights under tough trail conditions and be easy keepers through a winter and a season of use.
I finally tired of the internal struggle that had been pulling me in the opposite directions for several years. The practical side won. This was encouraged by the fact that buyers would offer us more, sometimes double, for a calm, reliable, trail horse with as much breeding heritage as Eylmer Fudd as opposed to a classy, papered, but less reliable horse. These were smart people, often having the sense literally knocked into them by falls, bumps, and bruises from unreliable horses. I will never forget taking a sturdy, pony-sized horse through a sales ring and getting what I believe to be the highest price of the sale, above other good riding and registered horses. The grandparent who bought the horse wanted a friendly, reliable, disciplined horse for their grandchild, and they were prepared to pay for it. Good choice. Horse breeders need to breed for these qualities, not primarily for color, beauty, movement, or because we want a great grandchild of Poco Chocolate Bar XXX.
I know of six horses that died on the trail this year, three on private pack trips and five with an outfitter. On the private trail rides one horse broke a leg after breaking through the ice on a river, on another ride a horse took a tumble down a slope or a bank. I am not sure what happened to the third horse.
The outfitters horses perished by quitting while trailing out or quitting during the late fall season, the result of long days, inadequate nutrition, and snow while trailing out. Some of these horses were shot as they could not be cared for. I realize that these are tragedies you did not need to know about, and that most trail riders enjoy far less stressful and demanding rides, but the point is that calm minded, well built, easy keeping trail horses are much less likely to break down on the trail from foot and leg problems, gastro-intestinal problems, hunger, navigating obstacles, and losing nutrition. Sturdy horses generally get riders through tight spots and are less likely to slip, stumble, or fall. Your safety and possibly your life may depend on the limitations of your trail horse’s mind and body – are you comfortable with your choice?
Do you really want a horse that needs cozy comforts and hotter feeds just to keep some weight on? At this moment many thousands of horses across Europe and urban areas of North America spend much of their life in small paddocks, as small as 8x10 feet. This is commonplace across Europe and many of these horses spend day after day without release. Many people in our concerned society consider this acceptable. These same people consider it cruel when a healthy, robust horse paws for winter feed (there needs to be good grass under the snow) with salt and minerals present. They would say they are being treated with cruelty, even though horses have lived this way since the beginning of time – at least until poodles began wearing pink coats.
Last spring we purchased a horse as part of a package deal. I did not want the skinny sorrel gelding but had to take him with the others. He was vet checked for EIA (swamp fever) and did not have this wasting disease. His teeth were fine. I thought perhaps he was starving and put him on good grass for the summer. He gained only a little weight. This horse was simply not an easy keeper. He was not a hardy animal. His breeding was shy on hardiness and a steady mind as well. You and I should promise to stay far away from horses like this, a mile or two will do.
Most riders do provide the necessary feed and comforts for their pleasure, performance or trail horses. Most riders enjoy hourly or day rides. Their equine partners may never know the stressful circumstances described in this article, however weaknesses can show up in day rides as well. Horses that break down from normal use or horses that lack common sense show up in horse sales regularly. Meat buyers depend on them.
There is a horse sale within seven hours drive from our farm once or twice every week during the spring, summer, and fall. From each of these sales about forty to one hundred and fifty horses will be shipped to the slaughterhouse. That is a few thousand horses each year. Some of these horses are old or fattened horses purchased for the meat industry. However, many horses are there for a variety of problems and faults. Maybe they dumped someone once too often. Maybe they are hard to catch. Possibly their foot or leg has broken down. They could be poor keepers that no one wants to deal with, or the nice person who polished their hooves last year went off to college and now the feet are in bad shape and they can use the money. It is not that I am against horse meat. I do find it sad that our poor choices put horses in these situations.
We are more civilized than those sourdoughs from the Yukon who left their cayuses to starve in Dead Horse Gulch. But there is no question that we breed what ‘we’ choose to breed and often the choice is based on performance, bloodlines, color, and money, and not the intrinsic health, stamina, vigor, or structure suitable for trail conditions. Trail riders understand this. Kudos to those of you who are willing to pass on a beautiful horse with questionable bone, health, disposition, and continue the search for the right trail horse.
How many of you have come off a scary trail ride saying – geez that horse is nervous, spooky, acts like a race-horse – I really don’t want to ride that horse again. How many of you come off a great trail ride saying - geez that horse is awesome, calm, friendly, easy to catch, solid as a tank – I don’t really wat to ride it anymore - because it’s ugly!
We have owned and bred some excellent trail horses that really did have it all, including stunning and proud looks. But I have had enough flings with beauty that when I see a gorgeous horse I get nervous, spooky, tense, and ready to bolt!