Llama Trekking~Part 1

Over the last two months I've been spending a lot of time working with my two llamas, Cataleya and Catlinite. I trained Cataleya to wear the pack and I also desensitized her legs, belly, face, and backside using the Tellington Touch techniques and a few of my own. Now I'm able to lift up her legs, trim her feet, rub her belly, and give her great big llama hugs. I've started doing the same with Catlinite, too.
One of the biggest benefits of working with my llamas is that it's easier now to halter them because they stand still to be haltered, even in the pasture or paddock.

One of my favorite things to do is take them for walks. It's great to get out there in our gorgeous mountains and hike with them because they are always curious, yet calm, and usually attract much attention. And I also enjoy sharing my llamas with others and showing them off. In addition it's great to have the opportunity to debunk many of the weird myths surrounded llamas, too.

We usually hike around the valley and mountains behind our house, in what my neighbor, Val calls our 'Back 40'. We can spend a few hours back there trekking and exploring. But one of my goals is to trailer our llamas so we can take them on other trails in New Mexico, and use their packs for not only day trips, but for overnights, too.

My llamas love to go on treks as much as I do. Cataleya, my female llama, loves to eat the grass.Catlinite, my gelding llama, who is also Cataleya's half-brother, is more interested in watching and smelling all of his new surroundings.But he doesn't mind snagging a mouthful of grass (or two, or three) while out on our treks, either.Our neighbor who owns a big chunk of the area we like to hike on has a No Trespassing sign at the edge of her property, but this doesn't apply to her neighbors. She permits us all to hike, walk our dogs, llamas or ride horses on her land. She just doesn't like ATV's or dirtbikes back there, which I don't blame her. She's very nice letting us use her land. Catlinite rolled his eyes and snorted at the thought of this part of the trail being a coyote crossing. He has no tolerance for them and as an excellent guard llama, he would have no hesitation in killing a few if they bothered his goats or sheep.Oh No! What's got these horses all worked up?Cataleya and Catlinite can't seem to figure out why these two equine are so upset.These two horses belong to one of our neighbors. White horse: "What do you think they are?!", Brown horse: "I'm not sure, but they don't look normal. They don't smell normal, either"Brown horse: "I'm outta here!""Run for your lives!! They're going to eat us!!"Catlinite: "I just don't get horses. Such big creatures, yet afraid of everything. How lame"Cataleya: "How could any horse not find me attractive? I'm not much different than a horse and I have much prettier hair"
(Cataleya actually does have an equine boyfriend. My neighbor's Appy/Paint gelding is in love with her. He nibbles her neck and they both whisper sweet nothings in each other's ears)