Snake after 45 days in the desert with my saddle on his back. My two young boys there to greet him.

While I was at the Gamble Ranch, I took my seven year old son up in the mountains to retrieve a stalled piece of machinery. I was riding a two-rein horse that I was going to show a couple weeks later. When we got there to assess the situation, I figured my son could lead my horse back down while I drove the machine. I took the bridle off my horse so my son could lead him with his rope around his neck, I was driving the machine along behind them. Now my horse was known to be a little broncy and my son may have been a little too inexperienced ~ by the time I seen what was happening, it was too late. My horse ducked back behind my son on the opposite side of some tall sagebrush while looking back at me;  he began crashing through the sagebrush and pulled away.

My horse was now loose in an area that was 200,000 acres of mountains and lots of trees. We were 35 miles from headquarters, with no fences in between. I looked for my horse,  with the assistance of several buckaroos (I think there were at least 10), we  combed through the trees and rode along the foothills.  After returning to the ranch, I began taking my airplane up most everyday to look for him, but I never did see a trace of him.

45 days later a hunter reported seeing a horse in a completely different area, closer to the Salt Lake Desert, then from where he’d left me. Within a few hours we were able to get to that area and found him. His mane and tail were full of cockleburs from the meadow he’d found to reside in, my saddle was still intact, even though he’d rolled many times and had mud from the rainstorms up underneath the skirts of the saddle. But he was still in good condition in spite of it all.

I pulled the saddle off, there were no sores nor any harm done to the horse or saddle. I had a custom-made JT Hanks pad, and a Dale Harwood saddle. When they heard about the incident, both men wanted my testimony for what their gear contributed to the success of the soundness of my horses back for that extended period of time. There’s no question that the quality gear made a difference; the half thoroughbred horse, LeRoy Horn bred, with a good back was is a contributing factor also.~ Martin Black