Heather Latter
Katelyn Stromgren was taking an extended break here this past week during her cross-Canada adventure with her horse, “Whiskey.”
The 21-year-old started her ride near Montreal on April 30 and is heading to Kelowna, B.C., where she’s originally from.
Stromgren is hoping to make it there by the end of October, but that will be a challenge since she’s falling behind schedule due to unforeseen circumstances.
When the 16-year-old mixed breed horse came up lame near Atikokan last week, Stromgren took up an offer for a trailer ride to Fort Frances to be closer to feed stores and access to a vet, if required.
And she’ll be staying put until Whiskey’s lameness resolves or until she feels she’s worn out her welcome.
Stromgren is being put up by Kim Tarrant while Whiskey is staying at Mike Anderson’s ranch.
“I put the invitation out to her,” Tarrant said.
“I knew she’d need to host somewhere because she’s basically camping in a tent on the side of the highway.”
Tarrant heard about Stromgren’s adventure from Thunder Bay farrier Luke Farmer, who made some specialty shoes for Whiskey.
“I thought it was pretty cool that she is riding across Canada,” said Tarrant, noting Farmer suggested she “like” Stromgren’s Facebook page.
And since Tarrant also is a horseback rider, she instantly was inspired by the story.
Stromgren said she didn’t set out on the adventure to be an inspiration, though.
“Life is short—that’s basically the reason I decided to do this,” she remarked.
“I saw the chance to go and I wanted to do something fun and exciting and spectacular, so I saddled up my horse and away we went.”
Stromgren admitted she’s had lots of people say her trip has been very inspiring.
“If people are getting that out of it, I’m glad to be doing it,” she said.
Stromgren added she’s having quite an experience out on the road, just her and Whiskey.
“I don’t have stops planned,” she explained. “I don’t have a chance car—that sucks all the adventure right out of it.
“I’m relying on my own wit, my horse’s good mind, and the generosity of the Canadian public.”
One of the biggest pests she’s encountered so far are no-see-ums, which started bothering her when she left Thunder Bay when she was camped out near Sunshine.
“They can climb right through the screen of my tent and the screen of my bug jacket,” she noted.
“I have not been bothered by black flies, horse flies, deer flies, bull flies—even the mosquitoes don’t bother us all that much,” she added.
“But the no-see-ums have tried to kill us.”
Stromgren has spotted a number of bears, moose, and deer along the way but luckily Whiskey alerts to any wildlife nearby.
She also had some equipment problems.
For instance, Stromgren had to make and modify some of her equipment because you can’t buy what she needed and so she needed to make some repairs along the way.
She also has run into all kinds of weather—from snow and rain to lightning.
“Those are terrifying on horseback,” she said of the thunderstorms.
“I have nowhere to go so all I can do is hope it [the lightning] doesn’t hit me.”
Everything Stromgren has is packed on her horse—right down to her food and his—and that’s not an easy task.
“My horse lost a little bit of weight [though] not any scary amount,” she remarked.
“But I decided that instead of picking feed up along the way at whatever farms I stayed at, I wanted to get him on a better quality performance feed because he needed that extra boost.
“I can only carry a week’s worth at a time, which is about a quarter of a bag of feed,” she added.
“[But] I can’t buy a bag of feed, use a quarter, and [leave it behind],” she stressed. “That would kill my budget entirely.
“So I got put in touch with Gardewine Transport and they are willing to bring my little bags of feed to anywhere I specify along the way,” Stromgren said.
“They’ve been super awesome and it’s been very helpful for me.”
Stromgren said she doesn’t get lonely on the road.
“So many people stop to talk to me,” she noted. “I’m never really at a loss for company if I want to have it.”
And for the most part, the trip has been going very well.
“Overall, people have been way more accommodating than I ever expected,” Stromgren enthused.
“It’s been a very surreal experience.
“Who rides their horse across the country? It doesn’t even feel like it’s happen to me,” she admitted.
“Even though I’m the one out there doing it, it doesn’t seem like it.”
Once Whiskey has recovered from his lameness, Stromgren plans to head out again up Highway 71 to Kenora.
She came through Rainy River District to avoid the traffic on the Trans-Canada Highway.
“So people out that way might want to keep their eyes open for her,” Tarrant said.
“If you see me on the side of the road, offer me water because it’s always something that is constantly being depleted and replenished,” Stromgren said.
“But beyond that, we’re doing pretty good.”
Stromgren added she’s always appreciative of hospitality from people, especially from those who are enthusiastic about what she’s doing.
Her adventure is being chronicled through a blog and on Facebook.
Check them out at “One Girl, One Horse, One Country.”
