‘She’ll Find Her Feet’

Here in Northern Colorado, I spend most of my time in the saddle in a wellgroomed arena, working on perfect circles, collection, softness, and a good stop. I do my best to get out of the arena as much as I can, but for the most part, that’s relegated to long-trotting around some sandy pastures and listening to podcasts or audiobooks just to keep my horses fit and my mind sharp.

But each fall, I get an escape from the day-to-day grind of magazine production and barrel racer land, and I get a chance to remind myself exactly what it is this horse life is all about.

I married into a ranching family five years ago, and the Shaffers are lucky enough to summer their cattle in the Wind River Mountains outside of Lander, Wyoming. The first time I went, we were at dinner the night before the fall gathering with friends, and I told those friends where we’d be riding. “Oh man rattlesnake country!” my friend said, and I instantly dreaded the next day’s ride.

Well, thankfully, I’ve been lucky enough to skip the rattlesnakes (maybe the near-freezing mountain air has spared me), and, each October, I’ve gotten to enjoy the best round-about 10 miles that I could ever imagine in the saddle and out of cell service. The views, ranging from rocky cliffs to redrock canyons to irrigated hay meadows, are hard to beat, and the company, the real-deal, dyed-in-the-wool cowboys riding ranch-raised colts with names like Blue Valentine and Hancock on their papers, is the best help a rancher could ask for.

It’s the kind of ride that takes a prancing, super-fit barrel horse and turns her back into the home-bred ranch horse she started out as. And it’s the kind of ride that can resecure a girl’s bravery and trust for a horse, when the advice, “Give her, her head, she’ll find her feet,” is life or death business.

Our readership surveys tell me that a whole lot of you reading this do, in fact, get your horses out of the arena, probably more often than I do. I’m grateful that we’re able to bring you content that helps you no matter where you’re riding—and I’m sure glad you’re looking between two ears, wherever that may be.

Before I go, I want to mention something you might not have seen yet. Every month, we put together a digital magazine for those of you who like to do some outside riding. Horse&Rider’s Trail Riding Monthly is a free digital publication our team puts together, using our longtime partners Kent and Charlene Krone as well as other trusted Horse&Rider experts, offering up trail riding insights as well as ideas on the best places in the world to ride. You can sign up to receive it on HorseandRider .com, and while you’re there, you can check out the other offerings we’re busting our tails on: our video training platform, Horse&Rider OnDemand, our other digital magazine, Horse&Rider Monthly, and The Ride podcast, the only place to find the conversations we’re having about this Western horse life.

Until next time, I hope you’re finding your feet.