Trail Horses Of Colorado Tennessee Walking Horses for sale

Cheyenne Canyon Ride

Sometimes it seems appealing to travel a long distance to experience a good trail. It is always fun to see a new place to ride but with fuel prices being what they are today it make a person want to start looking for good trails closer to home. For folks living along the front range here is a spectacular ride right out of the city of Colorado Springs. Here are the directions: get off I-25 at Tejon and go west about five blocks or so. The street will turn into Cheyenne Blvd. Continue west until you come to North Cheyenne Canon Park. It is exactly three miles to the entrance of the park from I-25. As you pass through the gates go about a 1/4 to 1/2 mile and on the right is the Mid-Columbine Trail. There is enough parking space for about two trucks & trailers. The trail goes right out the parking area. The trail climbs rather quickly and has a number of switchbacks. Towards the top of the mountain you will see a sign that says, "Gold Camp Road." You can take this trail to the road and the tunnels as we did on this day or continue on well marked wide trails. As beautiful as any country you will ever find and in the backyard to many of us. Try it! It is what real trail riding is all about!

Sign at entrance of park. StarsMore Discovery Center	Just down the road and on the right is the trailhead.	This is one of three tunnels on the Gold Camp Road off Mid-Columbine Trail.

Another tunnel.	Lunch on trail.	Gorgeous views in every direction---beautiful even when it is snowing!

San Juan Mountains

The lofty San Juan Mountains have been on my list to ride since the early 90's when singer Dan Fogelberg sang about them in his album entitled "Wild Places." Oh, I have driven all around the San Juans but you really don't see a mountain range unless you are in them on the back of a good horse or in a pair of comfortable hiking boots. Being an Ol' Wyoming boy, I didn't think a mountain range could measure up the Wyoming's Wind River range but the San Juans did. Even though this ride only gave my friend and I a glimpse of this massive area, we left with our hearts aching to return. As we started our trip back home my mind was singing "It's a Hell of a road when you are leaving Heaven behind.


	"Vallecito Creek Trail in the Weminuche Wilderness of San Juan Mountains."	"Straight down to the Vallecito Creek below."	"Horse Royal T. surveys the solid rock trail."	"One step to the left and it is all over!"


	"Plenty of bridges to cross."	"Just wide enough to get through."	"Pine Creek Trail and horse Homer."	"Sure, why not cool off? Horse RP."


	"Had to put up with views like this everyday."	"Make sure you bring a horse that will cross a high bridge."	"Crossing Pine Creek in the Weminuche Wilderness. The trails were well marked and maintained as was this sturdy bridge."	"Breathtaking scenery everywhere you looked!"


"Heading for the cabin toward the end of the day."	"Cabin we rented for only $125.00 per night. Sleeps eight and fully furnished. Creek ran right through the property."	"Beautiful Vallecito Lake and horse Goldylocks."	"There's a heaven on earth that so few ever find Though the map's in your soul and the trails in your mind."	"An enormous fire struck this area in 2002. The fire created a tornado and jumped the lake that is several miles wide. The area was not totally burned and it is still beautiful. This trail lead out directly from the place where we moteled our horses."

Mt. Herman ~ August 07

For those of you riders who live in Colorado or maybe visiting with your horses near the Colorado Springs area, this Mt. Herman maybe an ideal day ride for you. We got the information from "Riding Colorado" by Margi Evans. A right handy little book for folks close to the front range looking for a day ride location. The riders on the is day were customers and their horses and my staff members Darlene and Becky. The horses were: Pablo, Buckshot, Blackjack, Silver Duke, Cheyenne, Troy Rohan and Tulsa.

As you can see from the photos this August 2007 ride was enjoyed by all.

Click on each imagines for a larger view.

Bienvenidos al Estado Encantado

Welcome to the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico. On February 27, 2007 four riders from Colorado headed to the beautiful State of New Mexico for a week. We started our trail riding adventure just north of Tularosa at the Three Rivers Trailhead and the White Mountain Wilderness Area. Later in week we rode the lower portion of Oliver Lee State Park and Dog Canyon. The following two days we rode in Alamo Canyon just on the city limits of Alamagordo. We then headed north to Santa Fe and rode in and around the village of Tesuque. On the last day of our trip we were invited to ride with a group of locals down a pretty canyon where the shooting of the movie 3:10 to Yuma, was recently completed. 58 degrees and lunch on the shores of the Rio Grande with new friends. How could life be any better? The photos below can explain our great riding vacation in more detail than I can. Adios!

~Fred C. Mau

Click on each imagine for a larger view

White Mountain Wilderness Area. Horses Bodacious, Suggy and Smoke (sold).

We rode right up to the top of the mountains and got into snow just like we left at home.

Oliver Lee State Park and Dog Canyon. ......this one was steeeeeep! Horses Gunner (sold) Silver Duke (sold) Suggy and Buck.

We had to ride right on the sidewalk to get to the Dog Canyon trailhead. Tourist were amused!

Dog Canyon Trailhead with four year old Buck leading the way!

Alamo Canyon. Horses Smoke (sold) Bodacious, Suggy with guest rider and Dalton

A nice peaceful ride around the pretty Village of Tesuque. Horses Silver Duke (sold) Buck, Dalton and Gunner (sold).

Nuevo amigos al Estado Encantado. (New friends in Land of Enchantment)

A popular landmark and gathering place in the Santa Fe area is the Tesuque Village Market. My personal favorite for breakfast! Most folks getting to the restaurant come by automobile. Our way doesn't effect the ozone layer.Horses Buck, Dalton, Gunner and Silver Duke.

This trail ride keeps running through my mind, like the Rio Grande River winds.

South Platte Trail and Aspen Grove Shopping Center

The photos were recently taken at South Platte Trail and Aspen Grove Shopping Center in Greater Denver area. This is the typical exposure our horses get before being offered for sale. On this ride we experienced joggers, cyclist, barking dogs and heavy traffic. A great day followed by tying our horses to a light pole and enjoying a fine Italian dinner.

Click image for a larger view.

In early August 2006, I had the distinct pleasure of joining some friends on a high mountain trail ride from Crested Butte to Aspen, Colorado and back. (Please click on ASPEN) This was a two day ride with a memorable stay over night in the beautiful village of Aspen. We took the West Maroon Trail over and the East Maroon Trail back. The pass on the West Maroon Trail was 12,490 feet high and as rugged as you would want to deal with. Other than that the trail was rocky but in good condition. As pretty as any country I have ever seen!

Horse "Gold Mine" on East Maroon Trail

GARDEN OF THE GODS

For many of us riders that live in the West, beautiful places like the Garden of the Gods are just minutes away. On March 31, 2007, two friends and I rode Copper, Lightening and Silver Duke on the trails within the Garden of the Gods. Clear blue sky with the sun brightly shining on the red rocks oddly sticking out of the earth made for an unforgettable day. Not only did we riders have fun but our horses were exposed to joggers, hikers, deer and automobile traffic. All horses handled these situations like they have done it every day of their life's. I was very proud of the horses and frankly didn't think they'd tolerate mule deer within 20 feet of them, but they did. If you do not live close to Colorado Springs you really should make this a stop when in the area. The Garden of the Gods can be enjoyed from automobile, foot or horseback. Adjacent to the Garden of the Gods is Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs. Both of these small towns offer a vacation atmosphere, lodging, good restaurants and shops.

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Superstition Mountains, Arizona

A better place to trail ride, enjoy and train horses in the winter months is the beautiful Superstition Mountain located just east of Phoenix, Arizona. On this trail riding adventure we took horses Ryder, Del Rio, Meadow and Silver Duke. Trailer up your horse and head to Arizona! I'd be plum tickled to share with you all the information you need to go enjoy. Stabling, motels, restaurants all nearby.

Click image for a larger view.

Ryder

Silver Duke

Meadow

Silver Duke & DelRio

Del Rio

2/26/07 Article to: Spotted Saddle Horse News

Few readers of the Spotted Saddle Horse News would be surprised to learn about the qualities of the breed for trail riding. In our family’s world, trail riding is mostly in the Rocky Mountains States. We have found that the real ways to experience the breath taking sights of the Rockies is to do multiple day pack trips and never back track. We accomplish our no back tracking policy by either utilizing trails that make a loop or hire some help to move our trucks and trailers to a different location than our starting point. Usually our destination are on the other side of the mountain. Not only do we not want to see the same scenery twice but we can get to places you simply can’t get to on a one day ride. These wonderful rides are made possible by utilizing pack horses. Do we have special horses to pack on? The answer is no. We use our fine gaited, surefooted Spotted Saddle Horses. Now, it may come to ones mind that it is a waste of a good gaited horse to pack on but we have found the experience only enhances the horse. Besides, where else would you see beautiful spotted horses with packs on them? Little comforts of life are lost using pack horses. We pack fresh meat, salads and all the fixings and sleep well on mattresses and sleeping bags underneath small lightweight tents. Cool mountain stream water helps one wake up and provides the essential for a good cup of cowboy coffee. After a hardy breakfast of juice, ham, eggs (yes, we pack fresh eggs, thanks to the smooth gentle gait of the pack horses) and pancakes, we are off for another day of riding and new mountain scenery.

We select a campsite by finding a relatively flat spot near a stream. Grass, of course, is an absolute must for the horses, as is water for all participants, human and horse. We high line our horses using Knot Eliminators to space them apart from one another. As for feeding our horses, we turn out no more than half of our horses for an hour or so then catch those turned out and rotate with horses previously tied to high line. High elevation mountain grass is high in protein and horses going into the multi day trip healthy and in shape have no problems maintaining adequate energy levels.
The remarkable thing about our Western States is that nearly half of the land is public and open to anyone! No reservations or permits are required in most State or National Forests. Nearly all marked trailheads within a National Forest request participants to voluntarily sign a guest book and ask mode of transportation on the trail. (Hiking, horse?) It is wise, in my opinion, to sign this guest book and let our government know that equine enthusiast are utilizing our public lands.

Most of the National Forest land we chose to ride is designated Wilderness. Government designated Wilderness land can be accessed by foot or horseback only. The worry of encountering noisy ATV’s and motor bikes is eliminated and seldom do we ever encounter others. It is like we have the whole place to ourselves.

On a recent trip into and over the Sangre De Cristo Mountain Range of Colorado, we had seven saddle horses and three pack horses (all gaited and several Spotted Saddle Horses). Our trip took us through and over Music Pass then down a seldom used trail and into “The Great Sand Dunes National Monument”. Having been blessed with wonderful trail rides on both sides of the Mississippi River and parts of Canada , we can honestly say this ride ranked right at the top! The sand dunes make for a unique adventure just by themselves. Wonderful horses, great food, unbelievable scenery, mixed with good friends, make for lasting memories. The world never looks better than from the back of a good horse!

Fred C. Mau
Owner of Trail Horses of Colorado

10-10-06 Friends and Clients

It is always a pleasure to show friends and clients the Rocky Mountains. Especially from the back of THOC's horses. On September 25, 26 and 27 five friends from Kentucky came to see what Rocky Mountain trail riding is all about. They rode, Bodacious, Lincoln, Ryder, Royal, Violet and I rode Lakhota. As I have mentioned on my website before, snow can and does occur above 12,000 feet twelve months of the year in the Rocky Mountains. Here is proof of what 13,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies looks like in September. On good horses like we rode that day we got as close to heaven as some of us might get. Couldn't buy this experience for a million dollars! Click image for a larger view.