Riley Mickelsen set out on a 500-mile journey on horseback last month that will take him from his home in Roberts to the Canadian border.

During a phone conversation with EastIdahoNews.com on Monday afternoon, Mickelsen said he and his horse, Dasher, have traveled 325 miles so far. They were in Seeley Lake, an unincorporated community in Missoula County, Montana. Hes still got 180 miles to go and hopes to reach his final destination the Roosville border crossing, which connects Montana and British Columbia in about two weeks.

He and his wife, Ashtyn, have been documenting the entire trip through their YouTube channel, Dasher: The Outlaw Mustang.

When asked why hes doing this, Mickelsen said, Its just a dream.

I just wanted to do it! Mickelsen explains. The ultimate dream is to ride from Canada to Mexico. This is just the first leg of it.

Next spring, his goal is to ride from Roberts to Utah and then later in the year, begin in Utah and ride through Arizona.

Mickelsen began the trip on July 27 and says he averages about 60-80 miles a week. A 12-mile day is a light day and a 20-mile day is a strenuous pace. Mickelsen says he tries to keep it between 12-15 miles a day.

My horses welfare comes before anybody elses, says Mickelsen. Sometimes, well go for a day or two and I can just feel that my horse is tired. Then well take a day off and let his legs recover. A lot of times, Ill hop off and lead him for a while just to take the weight off his back.

Dasher is one of 12 mustangs Mickelsen and his wife adopted last year. Dasher was a breeding stallion running wild in Murderers Creek, Oregon and he was a crazy animal. Taming Dasher over the last year has been quite the ordeal, according to Mickelsen. He says hes been in the hospital three times to get him to this point.

Mickelsen says hes never had the right horse for a cross-country journey, until now.

Dasher was the meanest and the craziest and I thought,

Hes perfect for this ride!

Mickelsen says, laughing.

Mickelsens love of horses stems back to childhood. He and his wife opened a horseshoeing school in Roberts in 2020, which has allowed them to work with students and horses across the country.

During the journey to Canada, Mickelsen says hes seen a lot of pretty countryside. On day 11, he met Diana Morris. She and her husband, Bill, own the Morris Ranch, which is featured in Taylor Sheridans 1923.

Mickelsen says the ride from Kilgore to the Montana border has been his favorite stretch so far.

It was really secluded. Everything was green and it was cool (referring to temperature), he says.

In contrast, he says dropping into Dillon, Montana, was difficult.

As of Monday, Mickelsen says hes making his way through Flathead National Forest in Swan Lake, Montana, which he also describes as a beautiful ride.

When youre moving at the pace of the horse, you sure get to look at things for a long time, he says.

Challenges and lessons learned

Along the way, Mickelsen says its been eye-opening to discover the challenges of taking a cross-country trip on horseback. Secluded trails ultimately lead back to civilization, and he says the United States isnt built for horse travel anymore.

Mickelsen says the No. 1 thing hes learned on the trip is getting around with my horse in the modern world.

Ive ridden my horse under overpasses, around roundabouts, through gas stations and Walmart parking lots just trying to find the best way to get through places, he says.

The hardest part, he says, has been dealing with passing vehicles and finding camping spots.

You cant just tie your horse to a tree at a public park and pitch a tent, he says. Unless Im in national forest or U.S. Bureau of Land Management ground, its really hard (to find a place to camp).

Mickelsen says his wife has done all the heavy lifting for this trip and he couldnt have done it without her. She and the kids are making the journey with him in a pickup and horse trailer. The trailer has a 250-gallon water tank and she catches up with him every 10-15 miles to water the horse.

She also helps plan his route and keep him out of harms way.

When he arrives at the border, Mickelsen says his wife will be there waiting with the pickup and horse trailer so they can load up the horse and drive back to Roberts.

If I wouldve done this alone, it wouldve been miserable, says Mickelsen. Having my wife and kids along the way has made it a lot of fun.

This article was originally published by Rett Nelson.

Idaho News 6

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