Page 23 - AEF-AlbertaBits_Summer-2025

A trail-riding guide
leads the way
By Caitlin Hart
Images Supplied
A Day in the Life
ROBERT MACLAINE WAS born for this
job. He’s spent his whole life around horses
and his father’s trail-riding business, Moose
Mountain Horseback Adventures, in Foothills
County south of Bragg Creek.
“It’s an occupation that you pursue for the
lifestyle, not the paycheque,” says MacLaine,
lead backcountry guide for the company. Each
guest is paired with one of their more than 30
resident horses, based on the rider’s skill level.
Trying to capture the average day in the
life of a trail-riding guide isn’t easy. Some trail
rides take guests through the foothills on their
property; others are longer, taking guests into
the backcountry for up to ten days of trail riding
and camping in the Rockies and foothills.
“Every day is a little different, from peak
season in the summer to winter-fall shoulder
season is vastly different but the focus is always
caring for the horses,” MacLaine explains.
On the trail, guides feed horses alfalfa
cubes for some portable protein and nutrients
at 6 a.m., before setting them off to graze.
MacLaine then starts the campfire.
Breakfast and coffee are prepared over the
fire, and served around 7 a.m., so riders are in
the saddle by 9 a.m.
“We like to cover a lot of ground. Horses
get almost hourly grazing breaks along the
trail,” MacLaine says. Of course, there are
stops for riders to enjoy a snack, too.
In his saddlebags, MacLaine always
carries a first aid kit, distilled water and a
couple emergency granola bars. Satellite
communication is also critical in the
backcountry, so MacLaine keeps a Garmin
Inreach in his bag. He also stows a tarp (for
emergency shelter), a brush saw and a rain
slicker for unexpected weather changes —
which, as Albertans know, can happen at
any time.
MacLaine was reminded of this himself
last season on a backcountry trip. Having just
re-waterproofed his rain slicker and seeing no
rain in the forecast, he left the slicker behind.
But on the second day of the trip, just after
lunch in a meadow, the sky turned black and
began pouring. After drying off under a tarp
with some coffee, MacLaine left the group to
run an errand.
“I needed to go to an Alberta Parks-
provided storage unit with a pack horse,” he
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