Pony Soldier
WKR
I tie up often in lodgepole jungles, chase the elk on foot and then return to my horse and continue on. I got to thinking what do I use to succeed in finding my horse again.
An item not ever mentioned is an altimeter. I use one to establish where the horse is elevationwise. I just setvit to zero when I leave the horse. I also use it to decide how far below the horse I wish to push.
I have a gps as it will tell me where the horse is and how far. In a dense forest this can be not only a planning tool for finding but a limiting tool so you don't get too far from your horse given the topography and time of day.
I also carry a compass for a reference to north and my general direction. You might say my phone will do all those things. In my career as an engineer and geologist, I have had all of these tools fail at one time or another. By having tools to check tools I remove much of the risk.
I have had horses that untied knots, lead rope latches that fell off. How? - I have no idea. I have had horses rub their bridles off.
To elimonate the apprehension I started making my own lead ropes. I use 1" to 2" cotton rope. I braid a loop into the rope about 6" in diameter. That way I can attach to trees and still have them there. I have found them wet and slimey after the horse spent hours trying to untie it. For a latch I like a brass latch that has to be turned to be released. Over the years I have experienced a rope in a tree followed by a horse search. I have had a couple of houdinis that I had to use two lead ropes tied to two trees. Remember these jungles are usually trees every three feet for miles or closer.
Just a thought for you to ponder.
An item not ever mentioned is an altimeter. I use one to establish where the horse is elevationwise. I just setvit to zero when I leave the horse. I also use it to decide how far below the horse I wish to push.
I have a gps as it will tell me where the horse is and how far. In a dense forest this can be not only a planning tool for finding but a limiting tool so you don't get too far from your horse given the topography and time of day.
I also carry a compass for a reference to north and my general direction. You might say my phone will do all those things. In my career as an engineer and geologist, I have had all of these tools fail at one time or another. By having tools to check tools I remove much of the risk.
I have had horses that untied knots, lead rope latches that fell off. How? - I have no idea. I have had horses rub their bridles off.
To elimonate the apprehension I started making my own lead ropes. I use 1" to 2" cotton rope. I braid a loop into the rope about 6" in diameter. That way I can attach to trees and still have them there. I have found them wet and slimey after the horse spent hours trying to untie it. For a latch I like a brass latch that has to be turned to be released. Over the years I have experienced a rope in a tree followed by a horse search. I have had a couple of houdinis that I had to use two lead ropes tied to two trees. Remember these jungles are usually trees every three feet for miles or closer.
Just a thought for you to ponder.
