Have any of you encountered a group of hikers leading llamas while on the trail? Most horses are really afraid of llamas for some reason.  My friend's "will go anywhere you point him" horse was really afraid and ready to bolt. I had never seen him rect to anything like that.   What's the problem with llamas anyway?  Is it their odd demeanor or their smell, or their long neck?  I wonder what the horses are so scared of.

I've heard stories of horses reacting to Llamas  But my horses have not when I've run into them. They are curious and they throughly check them out, but no big deal. Of course different circumstances could have different results.

I've heard lots of horror stories about packing wild game on horses, and none of mine have cared about packing deer or elk. The wild game smell has never bothered them, They have gotten a little excited when I have them on a steep sidehill and I'll struggling to lift a elk quarter up on their back.  But I guess they would fidget just as much if I was trying to load a couple of 80lbs bags of hay cubes on a steep hillside. So I suspect a lot of it has to do with the horses temperment and his trust in you.

We were in the wilderness of Wyoming last summer.  We crossed a river that was running high and came upon a family with 4 Llamas. They were between two water crossing. The river had split.  This family was on an island surrounded by rushing water. They said they about drowned in the first crossing and the one ahead looked even worse. The water was high, ( half way up the fenders of saddles) But the horses weighed enough that we forded them with out any trouble. The Llamas with shorter legs  couldn't.  So we hooked the lead ropes on and towed them back across. So here are my horses being urged across deep rushing water dragging a Llama behind. It mights as well have been another packhorse as far as my horses cared.

Sounds like you have some nice horses that have a lot of trust in you.

  Where in Wyoming? There's some gorgeous country out there.   I've done quite a few week long rides out there and even ended up working several of them.  We rode out of Lander and covered alot of the historical areas near Atlantic City, Oregon Buttes, out law trail, oregon trail, but my favorite was up in the Dunoir (hence my username)    I sure liked riding out there, though it's been awhile.

I usually make a trip into the West side of the Wind Rivers at least once a summer. Lots of weekend trips to the Uinta Wilderness along the Utah/Wyoming border. With a lot of those coming in from the Wyoming side.

But the Llamas I spoke of were in the Popo Agie Wilderness between Lander and South Pass.

Look Familiar?

yes - looks like the Wind Rivers - I have many pics of the trails, valleys, mts, etc.  I'm jealous that you get to ride them all the time.  The last time I was there was back in Aug. '94.  Doesn't seem like its been that long.  I have tons of memories of riding those trails, loading up the packhorses, incrediable views of such beauty it takes your breath away.  I will get back again someday.

Are you in any of the shots? 

Nope, I was talking pictures not posing. Here is a picture of Red Castle on the North slope of the Uinta Wilderness in Utah.  Notice the difference between the Grey Granite of Wyoming and the Red Shale of Northeastern Utah.

I did a ride in southern Utah - rode out of Bluff, Utah.  It was very dessert like - lots of sand, but alot of rocks that we climbed, and rode on the Comb Ridge which the guide called petrified sand.  Very unique area.  We would ride down a narrow canyon and find an Anasazi dwelling there to explore on foot.  The guide was a retired History proffessor from the University of Colorado. We rode Arabs that were fantastic climbing the rocks seemed like they were half mountain goat. We also had a Navajo guide who told the best stories and would take his horse to incrediable places and just appear above us as if my magic. Really neat country.

I ride in that area 2-3 times a year. I have a good friend who lives in Montecello UT. The desert is a good place to ride in the spring and fall. Too hot int he summer months. Exploring the indian ruins is lots of fun.  There is lots of Pinon Pine, Juniper and Mountain Mahogony. It's usually pretty rocky, so you need shoes on your horses. In fact the red sand stone is pretty slipper to barefoot horses. The steel shoes help bit in for more traction.

The 1st picture is the opening to the Sheep Creek Narrows The 2nd picture is looking up at the sky from in the narrows. Note: you are riding in the creek. If a flash flood comes, this canyons will fill with water and drown you, so you have to watch the weather forecast. There have been places in these slot canyons where i have had to get off my horse because my knees on the sides where too wide. Or maybe I should say the canyon was so narrow, the horse with out a rider barely fit.

Wow - love those pictures.  Have you ridden in Mule Canyon?  That was a really neat place to ride.  After the ride, I drove around Colorado and Utah visiting Moab (Arches Nat Pk), Canyonlands, and then Mesa Verde.  I wish I had gone to Mesa Verde first cause after riding through the canyons, etc, walking down a paved path, climbing ladders, etc I was disappointed.  I much preferred riding down a narrow canyon finding a ruin to explore.  I'm very jealous that you get to ride this area so much.  Keep sending pictures. 

Thanks again