WESTERN TRAIL RIDE IN THE LANGUEDOC, SOUTHERN FRANCE. by Kevin Tennant

Photos:  Kevin Willats and Ashley G Watts Photography

This story appeared in the Winter Issue of the AQHA UK Journal

On Wednesday evening 3rd October, I received a call from Chris Kent informing me that someone had unfortunately had to drop out of the organised Trail Ride to Languedoc, Southern France and as reserve could I fill the slot at short notice i.e. fly out the following Tuesday. The next day I organised my travel insurance, booked the flight, confirmed with the Agents and then Chris my availability and then finally I thought it prudent to book some time off work!

Tuesday 9th October

The party of eleven intrepid western riders left a very wet Stansted Airport on Tuesday morning and after an hour twenty minutes bumped down at Carcassonne in Southern France where we were picked up by two of our Dutch hosts Jacqueline and Erwin. To get to the ranch we journeyed over the Black Mountains at the southern end of the Massif Central and along the dividing valley through the picturesque towns of Mazamet and St. Pons and then drove up the steep switch back route to the Haut Languedoc, 1000 metres above sea level and into the Languedoc National Park where we met Yank the proprietor of the Ranch who unfortunately had a plaster cast on his left leg having broken it two weeks before.

The Vergne Ranch turned out to be a 300 year old traditional stone built structure with outbuilding (with lizards sunning themselves and hunting insects across the outside walls) set within 120 hectares of its own grounds with corral and pen, paddocks and beech woodland and with views overlooking surrounding forestry.

Wednesday 10th October

Having enquired as to our experience Yank briefed us about trail riding and our horses. I was then introduced to a four and half year old home bred black and white paint called Flash who was to be my horse for the rest of the week. 

Unfortunately, on the first day it was pouring cats and dogs but we did get a reasonable misty, drizzly spell so Jacqueline on Yank’s appaloosa Saschem took those game enough out for a two hour ride, accompanied by the ranch dogs Bandit and Buck. Luckily for us this was the only wet day, as once the early mountain mist burnt off, the subsequent days were bright and clear.

Thursday 11th October

The second day was spent on a five hour ride through beautiful and varied woodland of the Forest Du Somail, past remote abandoned moss covered stone ruins and the small hamlets of Lignieres Basse and Lignieres Haut. Following a particularly steep climb up a screed slope, we emerged on a boulder strewn, heather covered plateau with stands of stunted autumnal yellow, orange and gold coloured beech interspersed with pine. The plateau stopped us short for photos as it was particularly breathtaking with spectacular views across distant wooded valleys and the Black Mountains and tantalising glimpses of the Mediterranean and Pyrenees beyond. A pleasant lunch was spent sitting on the shore of the Lac De Vesoles before setting off past French mushroom pickers with their wicker baskets out picking the local fungi, which we were told was selling at 40 euro a kilo.

Friday 12th October

After the first full days ride where we got to know our horses, it was decided that the time had come to work the cattle. The ranch has two herds one of black Galloway’s and one comprising eleven cows of the ancient French breed Aubrac. The Aubrac were on the ranch and we were sent out to find and drive them down to the corral. Once, in the corral we were given instruction by Jacqueline and then spilt into two groups and likewise we were told to split the cows and then drive them around the farm on an agreed route and through obstacles.

I was in the second group with five head of cattle and we started off through the paddocks dotted with wild autumn crocus. Our cows galloped briefly off down the field before we hemmed them in. However, our growing confidence was misplaced as less than half way round the course our cows made a second successful break for freedom and disappeared into the woods and out of sight. We suspect these cows were led by a renegade cow which everyone code named “Fluffy” who was believed to be an infiltrator planted into the herd by our ranch hosts to give us a hard time. When we eventually tracked down the beasties, they were found enjoying their breakfast of hay, which had been deposited at the top of the wooded ridge. We gathered them in and completed the course by driving them through a gate and back into the post and rail corral in the lower paddock. We then individually practiced cutting out a cow from the herd, which was to lead to our next objective, which was Timed Team Penning where we were split into three teams of three. I was in team one with Chris Kent on Excalibur and Sue Evans on Buck.

After instruction on team cutting, driving and pen blocking, team one set off and sauntered down to the waiting cows, cut out three at leisure, drove them up at leisure, past the timer mark on the corral fence and then hurried a little bit to drive them into the pen, blocking and driving as instructed and raised our hands confidently show our completion of the task. We were then told that we were timed from the first moment we crossed the mark on the way out and that the record was 39 seconds – ooops! Our total time was one minute forty plus seconds. Each group had three attempts and happily team one finished the day top at 55 seconds.

Saturday 13th October

The next morning was spent again with the cattle over seen by Jacqueline with her five year old daughter Amber. We split into two groups again for the course drive and our merry band felt quite proud as we got the cattle around the course without mishap or so we thought (perhaps Fluffy was with the others and giving them a hard time). Unfortunately, just before completing the drive through the last gate on the approach to the corral, the nasty, fiendish rascals from group one who had herded their cows back into the corral and who shall remain nameless, charged in, hollering like Comanche’s and russled our stock from under our noses and galloped off with the lot to the corral.

It was then back to Team Penning with each group determined to be top team. Despite Fluffy’s determined and underhand actions to bamboozle us by attempting not to get penned all three teams rode with much gusto and got respectable times. Team two with Amanda on Sundance, Jayne on speedy Dana and John on cow biting Buster gave us all a run for our money, but on the day team three with Kevin on Rimrock, “Rambo” Ashley [who hand risen from his sick bed] on Cheyenne and Mike on a very windy Chirka energetically won the day with a very respectable 45 seconds.

Following lunch we all split up to do our own thing. Kit and Chuck on Paco and Soul Mate went out with Erwin into the forest to the distance forestry fire watch-tower. Amanda, Ashley, Jayne and Mike formed a group and I rode out with Chris Kent, Sue Roberts and “Big” John in a separate group on the orienteering golden horseshoe trail ride to locate treasure boxes in the ruins of the local legendary killer blacksmith! The trail was a challenging route on the slopes of La Barthassade passing through autumn coloured beech woodland and open pasture with it’s tall fungi and fantastic views across forested valleys. The only fright being caused by a tawny owl launching itself into flight next to me as we rode through some high bracken. We followed the route to the ruins, but the treasure was denied us as we had missed a clue at the hang mans noose, but we all had a great time.

Sunday 14th October

The group packed early, said our farewells and were dropped off outside the 13th Century Medieval towered walls of the ancient fortified city of Carcassonne. A pleasant time was spent walking round the narrow and tourist crowded streets, before setting off for the airport and the flight home.

A warm thanks to Chris Kent AQHA UK Trail Ride Organiser for making the arrangements to a very successful trip and our hard working hosts in France for such a welcome and hospitable time.