Where There’s A Will, There’s A Way, Joey’s Story Part II

Where there is a will, there’s a way. This past season was truly the definition of what it means to be a team player in all aspects of guiding and outfitting. We had crews get hurt before they even made it to the area, we had some fall ill in the field, and some juggled roles just to make the season come together and we all were successful. Heck, we even had a colt join the ranks on the list of unexpected scenarios. But, when we all ‘Do What It Takes’, we are already succeeding.

Over the last two weeks, we have shared the miraculous story of Joey, the accidental colt who was born in October and made his way out of the mountains, one day at a time. If you didn’t catch the second part of Joey’s story, head on over to YouTube and give it a watch.

This isn’t something that typically happens, so there was no way to prepare ahead of time for what having a colt in the mountains would mean logistics wise. Without many options for either the colt or the crew, they decided to get him through the trail out as simply and without as much stress as they could. The fact is that a young foal needs the colostrum that a mother’s milk provides within the first twenty four hours of birth. Their digestive tract is able to absorb the readily available fluid before it starts building up resistance, so missing this window is a non-negotiable. It is dense with nutrients and antibodies and crucial step in a foals internal development. Due to the remote and northern reaches of the area, separating the colt from his dam and trying to source colostrum from a veterinarian would be a costly and unfavourable choice for a young foal. With those odds weighing against them, Dustin, Dan and Owen banded together to get Joey rigged up in a harness. The harness would allow Dan to carry him while riding another saddle horse and be able to keep Princess packed and in tow so that the two were never far from each other.

You have to be able to improvise. Whether that’s for a game plan during your hunt, or building a makeshift horse harness out of a Stone Glacier Xcurve pack frame, some latigos and a breast collar. A creative ability to see a problem and find a solution or make a solution is what helped the guys get Joey out of the mountains.

Trailing out at the end of the season is never easy. Carrying a foal in your arms and bearing the wait of Joey’s young body was something Dan never once complained about. Trailing was done at a slower pace, allowing the stops and starts when the young colt needed to be let down to feed, or heavy arms needed a break. Navigating through half frozen bogs, frigid temperatures and but Hell or high water, rain or snow, the crew made it out and safely to the highway. We couldn’t have asked for a better team that truly came together and turned a crazy and unforeseen circumstance into a happy ending for Princess and Joey.

For everyone that has sent in messages, asking about young Joey- he has been growing into a spunky young colt at home in his winter pasture with his mother. With an entrance to the world like he had, we are sure he will grow into a hardy horse that will find his place in a mountain string in the years to come.

A very special thank you to David Frame and his collection of photographs from the epic adventure and the story of a colt named Joey.