[birds chirping] ♪
MALE NARRATOR: Traveling with stock in the backcountry...
it is an opportunity to go back in time.
Feel a wilder place.
And that, to me,
is the most incredible thing in the world.
FEMALE NARRATOR: Traveling with stock through the wild landscape of Sequoia-Kings Canyon
is such an unforgettable experience.
But if we’re not careful,
it may lead to the spread of invasive species
and can have other negative impacts.
The seeds from invasive plants are transported on the animal’s bodies
or in their food and manure.
If the seeds are deposited in a habitat they like
they can outcompete the native species
that the ecosystem and the local wildlife depend on.
As stock users, it’s up to us to make sure we aren’t contributing
to the spread of these invasive species.
MALE NARRATOR: As we prepare for our trip, we take precautions to make sure that
we’re not carrying non-native plant seeds into the wilderness with us.
♪
For at least three days before we start our trip,
we feed our animals California and Nevada-certified weed free hay,
which is free of the most invasive of species.
But even though this hay is certified,
it still contains seeds,
so we make sure not to bring any sort of hay or cubes
into the wilderness with us.
Grazing is only allowed in certain areas and at certain times,
so we pack feed for the animals when we can’t graze them.
We pack pellets, processed grains and bagged silage.
These have been made with heat
so it kills any of the, uh, noxious weeds that could have been in there.
MALE NARRATOR: Before we head out, we brush down our stock.
I make sure to brush not just the saddle area,
but the face and the leg areas too.
Not only does it give me a chance to check for injuries and other issues,
but it also helps me to get rid of any seed heads that may have attached themselves.
♪
We check the horse’s tail in case they picked up any weeds
usually from rolling.
I see a lot of cheat grass in here.
FEMALE NARRATOR: Before loading up, we stage our gear on a tarp
where it can’t pick up any new seeds
that would spread invasive plants to other areas of the park.
[paper rustling] ♪
The low level lands here have some really nice hardy meadows.
FEMALE NARRATOR: We have to plan ahead on trips like these
based on what areas allow grazing at any given time.
Meadows may not be dried out enough yet for use for the season.
FEMALE: If the river floods it, we’re not going to be able to graze there,
so it’s good to have a couple other plans.
♪
MALE NARRATOR: When I’m with stock, I’m really immersed in it.
When I’m in the saddle,
I can really soak in what’s going on around me.
♪
FEMALE NARRATOR: When traveling through wilderness,
we’re careful to keep all the animals on the trail.
We want to prevent double trails from forming.
♪
MALE NARRATOR: If we have to cross a creek or stream with the animals,
we make sure to pause before crossing.
This gives the stock time to take care of business
before they get into the water.
FEMALE NARRATOR: We try to water our horses on the trail before getting to camp.
MALE NARRATOR: We choose a spot to water the horses
where they’ll have the least impact on shoreline vegetation.
♪
[singing]
FEMALE: Let's pull up here and look at the map a minute.
MALE: Okay.
FEMALE: Yeah I’d say anywhere in here…this is the spot.
MALE: Yeah.
FEMALE: What do you think for the campsite?
MALE: I think we could put it over there.
FEMALE: That’s nice and flat over there.
♪
FEMALE NARRATOR: We tie up our stock before unloading.
We usually avoid tying our stock to trees because of the damage it can do
but if we need to unpack the stock,
we can tie temporarily to a larger tree while we unload.
♪
When there isn’t already a highline or hitchrail at camp,
we’ll just make one ourselves.
We’re looking for distance between trees.
Then we’re looking for distance from camp
which should be at least a hundred feet.
MALE NARRATOR: A highline is a rope that we can tie our stock to.
It keeps the animals from getting too close to the trees.
By putting these in place,
we’re gonna be able to keep our stock away from
the root systems of the trees.
MALE NARRATOR: We set up camp on an unvegetated surface
that won’t be impacted by all the activity.
FEMALE NARRATOR: We always plan ahead and bring nosebags for the stock.
Nosebags are especially helpful if you’re not able to graze.
Just like human food, animal feed needs to be stored properly.
We don’t want any bears in our camp.
♪
MALE NARRATOR: In areas where grazing is allowed,
we try to minimize the impact
that our stock have on the natural surroundings.
It’s really spongy,
so it’s, it’s not a good time to bring horses on this meadow.
Let’s see if it gets drier over here.
♪
MALE NARRATOR: We avoid wet areas. We stay away from areas that have been heavily grazed.
And we also also avoid other people’s camps.
Letting our animals graze freely
is the best way to naturally disperse their impact.
[laughing] ♪
FEMALE NARRATOR: When morning arrives, we’re ready for a new day.
♪
MALE NARRATOR: We brush down our stock before heading out.
Any seeds that we find,
we pack out with our trash or we burn them in the fire.
Can you give me that trash bag...
FEMALE NARRATOR: Before we leave, we scatter any manure piles so they'll dry out more quickly.
And we fill in any pawed up areas.
We try our best to put the campsite back the way we found it.
MALE NARRATOR: Working with stock in the backcountry is like everything in life.
In order to do it well,
in a way that leaves it sustainably for people to do in the future,
is a lot of work.
But if you’re willing to ante up,
it’s the coolest thing in the world.
It’s really special.
[laughing] Ow ow...
[man makes crowing noise]