The Hoof Boot Review: 3 Hoof Boots, 32 Days on the Trail
What’s the best kind of hoof boot for your horse or mule? My wife Julia and I rode from North Carolina to Virginia and back with three brands of hoof boots. This hoof boot review is what we… Continue reading
Lessons from Bogging Hodge the Horse in New Zealand
Many years ago (2001) I was helping Allan Crawford muster cattle on the North Island of New Zealand. The cattle were scattered through a low range of mountains covered in tea tree scrub and crisscrossed by murky creeks. Allan and I split up to circle a mob of cattle scattered across a mountainside a half an hour’s ride away. Allan was riding his horse Dancer and I was riding Hodge, a fleabitten… Continue reading
How Adeline Hallot Went From Cart Traveler to Horse Traveler: Part 2/2
What’s it like to spend three years traveling from France to Spain with two dogs, two horses, a mule, a cat and a chicken? You should ask Adeline Hallot, because that’s exactly what she did. My wife Julia and I visited with Adeline this summer and got her story. This is Part 2 of the two-part series I’m writing about her. You can read Part 1 here.
What it’s Like to Ride a Mule Through Casper, Wyoming
I’d been riding my mule Cracker and leading my pack mule Brick across Wyoming for days, heading from North Carolina to Idaho, where my wife Julia’s brother Nick and his wife Carolyn live.
Some days, I stuck to the gravel roads and went for hours without seeing any cars.
Others, I led the mules through wind-swept plains that stretched for miles in all directions.
Casper
One morning, I crested a hill. The valley on the other… Continue reading
Queen Valley Mule Ranch Saddle Review
This is a review of how my Queen Valley Mule Ranch (QVM) Trail Lite saddle performed after I rode it 7 months and 2,300 miles from North Carolina to Idaho.
I may be calling… Continue reading
Filipe Masetti Leiti Rode a Horse 16,000 Miles. This is What he Learned.
“I’d never ridden more than 3 kilometers.” That’s what author, filmmaker, and Long Rider Filipe Masetti told me after riding 16,000 miles across North and South America. That quote will give you hope you can do whatever you’re dreaming of doing.
Interview With Filipe… Continue reading
How Much Can a Horse or Mule Pull?
“bernie, you’re violating the 1:1 rule”
Why a mule, not a miniature pony, pulls the Lost Sea wagon
Ever wondered how much a horse or mule can pull?
Listen to Trust Technique Practitioner Julia Carpenter on “Today’s Horsewoman”
My wife Julia Carpenter recently gave a great description of the Trust Technique, along with lots of great examples, on the “Today’s Horsewoman” podcast.
The Trust Technique is a way of quieting the minds of people and their animals, whether they be equines, canines or other. This helps both to form a stronger bond and learn from each other. Click on the audio player below to listen.
Some More Links… Continue reading
Listen to “A Long Walk Home” on Atlas Obscura
I recently sat down (via Zoom) with Johanna Mayer of the Atlas Obscura Podcast (#1 Apple travel podcast / 17 million listeners) to talk about riding my mules Brick and Cracker from North Carolina to Idaho. We talked about saddle travel and the loneliness of solo travel. I also described what it’s like to ride a mule across the Ohio River, the… Continue reading
Long Distance Barefoot Travel on The Humble Hoof Podcast
How far can a horse or mule walk in hoof boots? This week, I was a guest on Alicia Harlov’s podcast The Humble Hoof. The episode is called “Riding Mules Cross Country”. We discussed what it’s like to travel long distances (thousands of miles) with hoof boots on a horse or mule. Just click on this link.
As you may know, I don’t shoe our mules or horses with steel shoes. When their feet need extra protection, like when… Continue reading