Chocka was bounding ahead and then coming back again. As some riders approached us, Chocka did not know what to do with all the strange horses. I stopped my horse to speak to her and reassure her everything was OK but as I was speaking she crawled under my horse. Chocka stood there until all the other horses passed by. T ey took care of each other and I was so proud of them.
Q
KELLI YOUNGBLOOD-EVANS My trail dog was Baby Girl, an adopted Border Collie-Lab mix. She passed away about a month ago from cancer. Everywhere I went so did she—lake, barn, store, kids’ house, friends’ houses—and trails, lots of trails! She always took the short cuts through the brush and met me ahead on the trail. When I saw her up there she would wag and smile like hey, what took you so long? Even if I couldn’t see her, SHE could ALWAYS see me! I miss her a lot.
Q
ROBIN LOUISE MCCR E T e fi rst Aussie dog I ever saw was Blue. Blue came along the trails with us all summer long in a camp in Colorado many years ago. T at dog had a sense of humor! She’d hide in a brushy creek bed and leap at my horse’s nose with a teasing snap! She never tormented the campers’ mounts! Funny!
Q
CARLY MARIE MCELROY I have an English Pointer mix who had just started going on trail rides with me. One of the fi rst times we were out, we came up to the neighbor’s electric fence that holds their cows. He sprinted straight into it and it dropped him to the ground. He was afraid of playing aſt er that, not wanting to go any- where. So I set him in the saddle and then rode behind him on my horse’s rump. It’s his favorite way to trail ride now whenever I take him out! He loves to be the “pilot”!
Q
MARY LUPI My best trail dog Riggi, a beagle mix, was deaf and the horse I rode was blind. We had the best of times, and she taught my Boxer puppy to trail ride. Riggi was 18 when she was called to heav-
en...as she got older, the time on the trail got shorter. She would walk back to the barn and just wait for us all to return. I loved her with all my heart. I hope your dog gives you as much as mine gave to me.
Q
JESSICA MARY I have an amazing 9-year-old Border Collie mix who is 90 lbs. I tied him to a fence post in a harness to ride in the arena the fi rst day he came out to the farm with me. He wiggled himself right out and fell in behind my mare. T at was the start of 7 years of a trail dog who led or followed depending on the situa- tion and who protected his horses almost as much as he did me. He yelled at them if they got naughty and herded them when he thought they were wrong. He’s been a trail dog in 5 diff erent states and only recently he’s had to slow down from hip issues. He even jumped jumps for awhile!
Q
NICOLE TALIA COSGROVE I used to guide trails at a ranch and I was always accompanied by an Australian Shepherd named Cinnamon Sarah of the Breeze (Sarah). T ey were wonderful days,
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but eventually my parents moved, and my family and I had to leave it all behind. When things had got en near unbearable in my high school life I was reaching into my past for good memories. I talked to someone from my old ranch and they said Sarah had recently had puppies. I was there asap and picked out a lit le red and copper Aussie girl who looked just like her mama. Her name is Sasperilla Breeze (Sassy) and she’s now my closest companion and always accompanies me on adventures.
Q
EVELYN STOKES HUNTER My favorite trail dog was Topsy, a Chow/Collie cross who accidently came with my Morgan mare Ollie. She would follow us on the horses wherever we went and crouch down and hide in the ditches and tear out and bowl over any dog who dared to chase us. She only weighed about 35 lbs but they were all scared of her and would never go aſt er us again. She was also an excellent herding dog and once helped a Collie with a lit er whose pup got in a herd of cows who surrounded the pup. T e momma was frantic. She came into our yard, touched noses with Topsy and they ran out. Topsy rounded up the cows and allowed the other dog to pick up her puppy and escape.
Q
LAUR HARK-PLUMLEY Gideon, my German Shepherd, rode the trails with me for 10 years. He put countless trail miles on his paws. He knew when to lead if my horse was unsure of something on the trail. He would chase bear, coyote and bobcats away if he saw them and came right back to our side. My horse was as confi dent with Gideon along as he would have been had another horse been there. Once Gideon even got caught in a snare trap across the path and just stood there, patiently, had he not got stuck, my horse could have got en tangled up and broke his leg the way it was stretched across our trail. Gideon passed away in March 2011, but I know his spirit still rides the trails with me.
Q
SCOT MCCULLOUGH My Red Lacy game dog is my partner most everywhere I go on horseback. He calms my green horse while we ride, and keeps scary things at bay. He guards the pasture so they always feel safer when he’s along. His high energy and constant dart- ing in and out of the trail desensitizes as well. He helps with cat le when needed, and never tires of scouting the trail for varmints. He’s generally reserved with strangers, but warms quickly to welcoming people. However, he has never met a horse or calf he didn’t like. I do have to stay aſt er him in the barn. He is always happy to help them with any sweet feed anyone will share, and it’s funny all my horses will welcome him right in.
Q
MARCIE JOHNSON My Australian Shepherd Cheyenne is 14 now and has been the best trail dog ever. She always sat at the top of each hill, then follows along and watches as each one makes it up and over each hill. I taught her to “heel” my horse along roads or other dangerous areas. She always waits to be released then runs up and down the line of horses as if herding them on the trail. She never leſt the line of horses, even when the other dogs went exploring. I know I will never fi nd a happier dog to work the trails.
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