Day by Day Journal of what to expect at the Rocky Mountain School
Monday May 14, 8 AM
The day begins with setting down at the cook table for an orientation of how the school is run and what is expected of the students.
We're off to the corrals to learn about one of the most important aspects of back country guiding, horsemanship. We start with simple things, such as: learning colors and markings, sex, (gelding, mares, molleys, and Johns). The manger Knott so we can tie stock up properly, so we're not left walking for miles because our horses came untied.
You learn how to catch, halter, brush ,saddle bridle, mount, hold reins, set a horse, dismount properly. Taking these necessary steps in the beginning builds a good foundation to becoming a horseman. It seems challenging, but in a week all are doing well.
We break for a lunch of soup, sandwiches, desert. Plenty of homemade food. Back to more horsemanship. Working on the basics until all understand. Practice riding, control of your mount, (starting, stopping, neck reining, etc.)
Mid afternoon we unsaddle, turn horses loose, move to the shop and break out the two man crosscut saw. Students learn to run the two man saw smoothly, which is harder than it looks, as usual soon all are doing well and getting in to cutting wood for the cook and sleep tents. We have a quick course on starting fires in wood stoves and regulating them, also lighting and maintaining a coleman lantern.
It's time, 6 PM for supper, tonight pork roast, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, homemade rolls and apple pie. After supper two students are assigned to help clean up, pack water, fill lanterns, then it's time to move belongings into the sleep tent and get a good nights sleep.
May 15 Day 2, Tuesday
Up at 5:30 AM to start the day. A quick cup of coffee before we wrangle the stock into the catch pen. After horses and mules are caught, nose bag them. Then we set down to breakfast today it's bacon, eggs, hash browns, french toast, and Juice.
Now we're ready to saddle up and ride out in the hills to spot deer and antelope. Put our first day basics to work in the field.
After we break for lunch we learn how to saddle mules with pack saddles, (the decker and sawbuck). How to adjust them to fit each individual animal. Learning all the parts of both kinds of pack saddles and the kinds of packs put on them.
We move to learning how to handle the feet on the horses and mules. From this point on this will be a daily occurrence as students need to be able to start shoeing all the stock by the second week.
May 16 Day 3, Wednesday
Up at 5:30, wrangle the stock, breakfast, saddle the stock. Students must become efficient at saddling horses and mules, as you'll want to hold up your end of this aspect when you go to work for an outfitter.
Today students learn to lead a pack horse while riding. Continue in progressive horsemanship, saddling, fitting pack saddles and riding saddles, horse anatomy and terminology.
After lunch we start learning to manty loads, tying knots and skillful packing techniques. This seems difficult at first but with concentration and practice becomes easy. The next step is packing the dummy horse to learn the do's and don'ts of loading a pack on a live mule. The packing dummy works great to learn the numerous hitches and different types of loads. It also gives everyone the opportunity to practice any time after class to tie hitches.
After supper some of the students go fishing on the Big Hole and Beaverhead Rivers or stream fishing on Grasshopper Creek, blue ribbon trout streams.
May 17 Day 4, Thursday
5:30- wrangle, saddle, ride, pack up gear, continuing in our packing and riding skills. Everyone is making good progress. It is a huge advantage limiting the class to six students as it gives everyone the opportunity to succeed as we work individually with each student. Today we worked on animal restraints, such as; throwing a cuff strap for tying up a hind leg, hobbling front feet and tying up a front foot. All training techniques to make your job easier and safer for you and (Continued)....