Arrowhead Ranch: Horse Camping at Fort Stanton, NM

I recently organized a horse camping weekend for a bunch of my friends down between Capitan and Lincoln, NM, at Ft. Stanton Equestrian Campground. This region is BIlly The Kid’s old stomping grounds and home of the true Wild West.

My friend Paula, who rides a handsome mule named Tecumseh, came over and picked me up so we could share a ride down there and share gas expenses.

Apache has ridden with Tecumseh several times in the past and really seems to like him.

We met up with three other friends and convoyed down together.

On the way down there, just north of Carrizozo, we saw several large storm clouds. This one even hid the Capitan Mountains behind them.

We felt a few raindrops as we unloaded our equines, so we hurried up and set up our corrals and campsites.

I placed my tent beside Paula’s gooseneck trailer, within sight of my Apache mare. And Apache was very content to be back inside her Shady Shack Portable Corral.

This was my first time horse camping with my tent with it’s integrated poles, which make for an easy 5 minute set-up. And I was pretty impressed that Apache didn’t have any concerns as I was popping it up and moving it all around, before I finally chose a location I felt was perfect.

Perfect views from my front door, too!

I learned that Wally World’s 99 cent solar lights and a headlamp are #1 on my list of camping items to bring. The extra light is very convenient, especially when it’s pitch black at night or during a wicked thunderstorm, or when you just want to check on your horse.

I also learned that I love camping and sleeping near my horse, and she made me smile every time she’d nicker at me when she saw me or would hear me move around inside my tent.

The ladies in our group ran the gamut in horse containment systems. Some, used portable corrals, while some used a trailer hi-tie, and some used an electric corral, and another set up an overhead high-line between two trailers.

My friend Kendra set up a borrowed portable corral for her boy Bailey.

This is our group campsite area. There were 9 of us in all. But two more friends, who live locally, showed up about dinner time with their horses.

Barb and Donna set up a nice shelter which served as our group’s meeting and eating place.

(From left to right: Cheryl, Kendra, Me, and Donna)

Before we sat down to dinner, a few ladies decided to enjoy a little ride around camp.

(From left to right: Barb and Kendra)

(Cheryl on her gorgeous gaited horse Koda)

A couple ladies decided to do a bareback ride.

(Kendra and Karen)

But they paid the price…..

Everyone was still in good spirits at dinner time. And after dinner, we had a great time laughing and sharing stories.

(Kendra)

These two ladies are a heck of a lot of fun. They came up to ride with us back in April at San Lorenzo Canyon, and they were excited to show us some of their favorite local trails at Ft. Stanton.

(Annette and Marsha)

Barb’s friend Donna was visiting from the East Coast and hadn’t ridden since she was a young girl. Donna was a lot of fun, too.

(Donna and Barb)

I’ve only ridden with Cheryl once before, but she is also a fun lady.

And I always enjoy having my buddy Karen join me for a trail ride. She is lots of fun and very sweet.

And although I’ve ridden with Paula a few time already, I didn’t really know her that well, because she tends to be rather quiet. But during this trip, she was very relaxed and I got to know her a lot better and we had a great time together.

Before the night was over and it was Quiet Time, there was cowgirl dancing………

And there was a heck of a lot of silliness!

(From left to right: Me, Donna and Barb)

And then it was Quiet Time and we all crawled into our Sleeping Arrangements for the night.

But around midnight a huge storm moved in with pounding thunder and cracking lightning, followed by a torrential monsoon rain storm!

It was pretty terrifying being inside of a tent during such chaos. I was mostly worried about my horse and if she was ok and I talked to her throughout the storm and she nickered back, and she and the other equines whinnied to one another as if checking to make sure everyone was alright.

But I stayed safe and dry, even though beneath the tent, it felt like I was sleeping on a water bed. I was grateful to have my 10’x8’ tarp lining the bottom inside of my tent.

When the storm began to slow down, I heard giggling outside my tent and my friends asking me if I had floated away. No, but I was thankful for strong metal tent stakes!

(Marsha was having too much fun outside my tent wading in the flood water)

My friend Kendra who was sleeping inside her tack room, tried to convince me to join her, but I was cozy, warm and dry inside my tent….and well, The Captain doesn’t jump ship! haha!

But I also didn’t want to leave my Apache mare either.

(A soaking wet, Kendra outside in the rain and flood waters, with my mare, trying to convince me to leave my tent)