Frequently Asked Questions

• How did you get started with long riding?
• Where are you going and how long will it take?
• What kind of training did you and Honor do in preparation?
• What do you pack in your saddlebags?
• What do you do in camp?
• What is the biggest challenge during the first week or two on the trail?
• What do you miss most when you are out on the trail?
• What do you miss most about the trail when you finally arrive home?
• Did you have any trouble with wild animals last year?

How did you get started with long riding?

I always knew I would do a long ride. When I started thinking about last year’s trip, it was just a perfect time in my life. I had sold my dance studio and I had no other responsibilities. I was training horses for the McCurry’s when the idea popped into my head. And it would just not go away. I kept trying to talk myself out of it and couldn’t. I just didn’t believe the doubts I would try and convince myself I should have. I finally told some friends that I was going to do it and that committed me. It was all planning from there on out.

Where are you going and how long will it take?

I have planned an 18-month, 5,000-mile round trip journey from Trego, Montana via Minnesota, New Mexico, Arizona and Washington. I've planned breaks of 2-3 weeks along the way, but have also set deadlines to reach certain destinations.

Route:
East Glacier, MT to Waconia, MN
Waconia, MN to Las Vegas, NM
Las Vegas, NM to Tucson, AZ
Tucson, AZ to CA and the Pacific Crest Trail
Pacific Crest Trail, then north to the mouth of the Columbia River in Naselle, WA
Naselle, WA to Trego, MT

How did you and Honor train in preparation for the trip?

We worked a lot on “desensitization”. I exposed her to cars, trucks, semis, logging trucks, school buses, ATV’s, bicycles, llamas, hikers, anything and everything that we could find. Kids and dogs running at her from a house as we pass on the street. And every time, I turned her to face what was coming to make her braver. It also helps develop the trust bond that we need out there.
I also used my dressage training to work on her responsiveness, flexibility and aids as well as fitness and muscle building. We worked with and without a saddle and with and without packs. Ultimately she has to be able to do anything I ask of her loaded with the saddle, the saddlebags and me.
And we trained for endurance. We worked on walking, trotting, running, climbing, trail work, hill work and road work. We varied our schedule. Some days we would ride 8 miles and some days we would ride 20 miles.

What do you pack in your saddlebags?

Since I am riding with just one horse, I need to pack everything I needs for myself, Honor and Claire in just my TrailMax Saddlebags and horn bags. I pack the following:

What do you do in camp?

The first thing is to attend to the horse and the dog. Both animals need to be brushed, rubbed down and have their feet checked out. Once they are taken care of and eating, I will cook myself something as well. Then I like to sit, look, listen and observe. I will often check my maps and think about the next day or the next week or where we have been.
Many times it isn’t all that quiet because something makes the horse nervous. She fills up on grass and now she is ready to go. Or maybe there is a creature out there in the dark or whatever. Claire, however, just passes out.

What is the biggest challenge during the first week or two on the trail?

Getting the routine down and getting everyone accustomed to the routine and accepting that this is it, we are out here and always going forward.

What do you miss most when you are out on the trail?

Not much really. Sometimes food, sometimes a hot shower. I was so happy out there last year. I really feel like I belong out there.

What do you miss most about the trail when you finally arrive home?

Time and freedom. When you are out there, it’s like another world, another time. Life takes on a different flow. Regular cycles as we know them do not exist. There are no gaps, no regular routines. The rest of the world seems bigger because my world out there is so small. And not having so many things out there makes me really appreciate having them when I am home. We have so much.

Did you have any trouble with wild animals last year?

There was something there just about every night. They come and check you out. I would know they were there because the horse would stamp and snort. He wasn’t bothered by deer or elk, so I knew it was a bear or a coyote or mountain lion. My usual reaction was to talk to it in a really loud voice for a minute or so. Then they would usually wander away. By dawn, they would stop visiting and the horse could relax, eat and rest. Their presence basically became part of our routine. I would purposely ride late, so I could set up camp late.