This past month has been hunting season around here. Big game in our parts are most active at Sunrise and sunset. So we have to get to where we want to hunt prior to the sun coming up and come back to camp after the sun sets. So I have had the opportunity to ride in the mountains a lot in the dark.

Thursday I was late getting away from work. A friend of mine had rode into the hunting area earlier in the day, and I had promised to meet him. By time I got to the trailhead, saddled the horses and loaded the pack saddles, it was an hour or so after dark. It is about a 7 mile ride into the area where we had camp set up. The trail leads up a very narrow canyon. Only a little light came in from the stars. There was enough snow on the ground, The trail was kinda visable as a contrast of the packed snow and unpacked snow. Any way, 7 miles is a good hour ride on my horses. I enjoyed the ride and found my self talking to the horses a lot as we rode along and thinking that this was a way of life for folks a hundred years ago.

As I rode in, I though about why I only ride in the dark during hunting season. I remember seeing a fellow one summer evening pulling into a trail head as I was unsaddling. He told me that he enjoys night rides.

So question for others:  How many others trail ride at night? For me trail riding is about seeing and enjoying the mountains. Since I can't see much at night, my only purpose to night riding is to get someplace, usually because I am late getting started.  I use a small LED light that I put on my hat to give off a small red glow.  Just enough to let me see branches before they knock my hat off. But hopefully not enough to night blind my horses.

I have ridden in the dark too while going hunting or getting to a spot.I used a red led head lamp that worked pretty good too.They say once your horse has gone on a trail they remember it.I think there is something to that.My paint seemed to know where he was going better than I did !

It is amazing how you can get used to the star lite and see pretty good,especialy in the snow.When I bring My horse back home He stands around and mopes.I think he gets as much enjoyment out of it as I do.Maybe it is mecause We have a tendancy to talk to them more when we are in the dark and alone.It makes for a bonding experience.

You also have to trust your horse with your life.

Good trails!

I find myself talking out loud to my horse more when I ride alone at night. Not so much that I think he understands me. But more because I know there are cougars and bears in the area and I don't want to surprise one.

It's a neat experience, I get a kick out of seeing the sparks come off the horses shoes.  Which reminds me of a neat Halloween  get I saw a couple years ago.

One of my neighbors got dressed up like the headless Horseman. Big black cape etc.  He got on his black stallon and rode through the neighborhood at a good clip. Here comes this Big Black horse with what looked like a Huge Man with no head and big cape blowing out behind him and sparks flying of the shoes as his Foxtrotter trotted down the street. The kids all got a kick out of that.

I went to the Equine Affaire the other day, and when i came home, was soooo jazzed, I went and tacked up and rode at 10O'Clock at nite!  The nite was perfect, and with an almost full moon, we rode till way past 2A.M.  Saw lots of owls, some coyotes, and a lot of peoples durn dogs digging in the trash. Nice ride altogther..

She rode tall in the saddle till her blister busted!! LOL...

Steve on the Grey Arab