Never Underestimate A Dude Wrangler
Never underestimate a dude wrangler! I’m Susan Allen and when Open Range returns how an outfitter and her brave big horse saved a little boy from a grizzly attack. Erin Bolster’s summer as a dude wrangler near Glacier Park was about over, rides and guests had been routine, that is until an Illinois man booked a short excursion for his family so his eight year old son could ride a horse for the first time. Being a good wrangler she put the little boy on Scout, a trusty mount and kept them behind her huge 18 hand quarter/ draft horse called Tonk. All was well on the short ride until Tonk simply refused to move forward, then a spike white tail leaped out of the under brush banging into the big horse, Before Erin could bring Tonk back on the trail a grizzly chasing the deer came charging at the deer, horses and riders. Horses broke and ran every direction and the boy and Scout were isolated, Grizzly prey. As the bear bore down on the horse and boy, Erin’s years of riding came into play as she maneuvered her frightened big white horse’s massive body between the grizzly and the boy. She was yelling trying to draw the bear her direciton, but it was growling focused intently only on the boy. Then she did the unthinkable she charged the white horse into the grizzly who refused to back down! Three times she ran the horse towards the bear until it left finally the scene. A prey animal charging a preditor is unheard of. The boy was safe but in shock, and the father gave Erin the biggest tip she had had all season. Moral of the story , forget pepper spray ride a big big horse when in grizzly country.
