Photo of the Day – I can’t seem to keep out of the saddle.
Horsing around on Bill and Nancy Sluys' carousel horse. I can't seem to forget I used to be a steeplechase jockey. - 30 pounds and 30 years ago.... (Cripple Creek, VA)
Learn the Trust Technique With Equine Practitioner Julia Carpenter
I’m excited to join my wife Julia Carpenter this weekend in Cripple Creek, Virginia, as she gives individual sessions of the Trust Technique. The Trust Technique is a method of reducing thinking levels to promote connection, trust and confidence between an animal and their caregiver.
Update: Sold Out
Julia’s Trust Technique sessions are being hosted by Nancy and Bill Sluys at their Triple C Ranch. I had the great pleasure of… Continue reading
Ride a Mule Across the Second Oldest River in the World
Howdy Sunday. I hope you’ve having a good weekend. I’ve been posting the last few weeks about my mule ramble up the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail, which runs from Elk Garden to Ivanhoe on the New River. Most of those posts and videos showed my mules Brick, Cracker and me traveling through the forest, from old growth white pine groves to controlled burns.
How Do Hoof Boots Work on Mules in the Mud?
Mules Brick and Cracker Grooming Each Other While I Ride Them up the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail
While riding my mules Brick and Cracker up the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail, they had to get used to being away from their pasture mates. They groomed each other with their teeth more than usual, and I was happy to let them stop and tend to each other a little.
Let me Give You a Heads-up When my New Book “Two Mules to Triumph” is Published
I’d love to give you a heads-up when my new book, Two Mules to… Continue reading
Listen How to Take Big Trips in a Small Way on The Offbeat Life Podcast
I love taking big trips in small steps: pedaling an old bicycle long distances, walking through the woods for hours or traveling by mule (like my latest ramble). What’s even more exciting is sharing what I’ve learned about traveling this way with folks who dream of taking an adventure of their own.
This week, I had the pleasure of being a guest Off Beat Life, a website dedicated to online jobs and location-independent work.
My Ride up the Virginia Highland Horse Trail Ends but the Journey Continues
The other day, I accompanied my wife Julia to film one of her Trust Technique sessions. The husband and wife she was working with met us at their barn, and the husband gave me a confused look. “Hey, I’ve been following your mule ramble on your website,” he said. “I thought you were still on the trail.”
Watch Two Mules Walk up the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail in Hoof Boots
I recently wrote a post on how my Renegade hoof boots were performing on the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail is rough in places, littered with rocks, logs, mud, puddles, boulders and yes, the occasional horse shoe that was ripped of a horse or mule’s hoof. My hoof boots did great. Here’s a short video of how they performed on a flat but rocky section of the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail.
I’m proud to report that after 80 miles of sometimes… Continue reading
Recapturing Mule Cracker After He Got Away From me on the Virginia HIghlands Horse Trail
Okay, that was sorta sneaky how I left you hanging after my mule Cracker got away from me while we were riding the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail. Here’s how that little drama played out.
Losing my Mule Cracker While Riding the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail
I recently committed a major blunder. I let go of Cracker, one of the mules I was riding up the Virginia Highland Horse Trail. Here’s what happened next…
To be continued tomorrow.
How to Navigate Mules by Mud and Fallen Tree on the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail
The Virginia Highland Highland Horse Trail runs 83 miles from Elk Garden, Virginia to Ivanhoe. Though a lot of the trail is wide enough you could ride two horses side by side, many stretches are rocky, muddy and feature fallen trees. I recently shot some video of how my mules navigated one of these rough spots. Enjoy!
