A Great Farrier is a Horse Owner’s Best Friend My mule Ellie kicked my farrier, Alex. It was a stark reminder of my oversight as I hadn’t upheld my end of the bargain and had neglected to train her appropriately. That was a few years ago, and I’ve learned a ... Read More The post Trail Savvy: Five Ways to be a Better Client for Your Farrier appeared first on The Northwest Horse Source ..read more

Volunteer Efforts are Needed to Restore Burned Trails Unfortunately, wildfire racing across the landscape is a story that repeats itself every year. As forests burn, they take a toll on popular recreation areas and natural resources; wildfire recovery is becoming the norm for trail maintainers across the U.S.  The devastation ... Read More The post Trail Savvy: Caring for Trails after a Wildfire appeared first on The Northwest Horse Source ..read more

Find Horse Training Success in Less-than-ideal Situations A round pen is one of those items that has been on my wish list for a while. Everywhere you look, it seems that a round pen is a “must-have” piece of equipment if you’re going to be serious about your horsemanship; I ... Read More The post Trail Savvy: No Round Pen? No Problem! appeared first on The Northwest Horse Source ..read more

Embracing Nature’s Clock Most people experience time as a linear construct with every second tracked by our devices, rushing through life until nature demands that we stop. But I feel a shift when I’m on the trail, slowly making my way into the wilderness; time slows down and stretches in ... Read More The post Trail Savvy: The Timeless Joy of Horse Camping appeared first on The Northwest Horse Source ..read more

Tips for Staying Motivated in the Off-Season Don’t let snow and cold temperatures deter you from pursuing your riding goals. When the wind is howling, the snow is knee-deep, and you can no longer feel your face while gathering your horses from the other side of the pasture, it’s easy ... Read More The post Trail Savvy: Winter Riding Goals appeared first on The Northwest Horse Source ..read more

Responsible Options for Happy Horses and Healthy Trails You’ve probably come across terms like “weed-free feed” or “certified weed-free forage” when feeding your horses and mules. Whether it’s a requirement or only recommended in the areas where you ride, it’s essential to understand what these feeds are, and which ones ... Read More The post Trail Savvy: Weed-Free Feed appeared first on The Northwest Horse Source ..read more

Unveiling the Truth Behind Equine Footwear Hoof boots—we’ve all heard of them, and it’s a love-or-hate relationship for most. I tried boots from four manufacturers a few years ago and promptly returned to traditional steel shoes.  Steel has worked for me for years. Other than a few sprung shoes, failures ... Read More The post Trail Savvy: Why Use Hoof Boots? appeared first on The Northwest Horse Source ..read more

A Tool for the Wilderness You’ve seen the old lumberjack photographs—two men in plaid holding opposite ends of a huge, long saw steadily working on a tree trunk of colossal diameter. The tool these men used is the crosscut saw. Today you can find these vintage tools displayed as décor ... Read More The post Trail Savvy: Ode to the Crosscut Saw appeared first on The Northwest Horse Source ..read more

Avoid Waterborne Disease in Remote Areas This isn’t the stone age, and we’re civilized. We shouldn’t drink out of ponds, puddles, or streams anymore. When we extend our adventures and visit remote areas that don’t have reliable, clean water sources, we need a dependable way to ensure that our drinking ... Read More The post Trail Savvy: How to Purify Water appeared first on The Northwest Horse Source ..read more

(Photo Caption: Leading a short string under the Chinese Wall in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness. Not shown are the years of preparation to learn the skills required for such a trek; the months of planning and several long days in the saddle to get here. The trip was worth every ... Read More The post Trail Savvy: Back Country Packing appeared first on The Northwest Horse Source ..read more