A Ranger's Best Friend

If you've been a listener to Ranger Bill for any length of time, then you will be familiar with the following names: King, Bess, Maude, Matilda, and of course Storm. These are the names of the Big Pine National Forest's ranger horses. As in this week's story, Stumpy Gets 30 Days, ranger horses contribute an important part of the work and daily activities of our rangers - riding trail, herding animals, searching for missing hikers and campers, security and crowd control, carrying food and equipment, even marching in parades, and so much more.
I was curious what rangers look for in a horse. Do rangers use thoroughbred horses? How is a ranger horse trained? I asked Tennessee park ranger Marty Silver those questions. And Marty directed my questions to long-time horseman and park ranger Thurman Mullins. The following is an email Thurman sent me recently:

Our friend Marty Silvers forwarded your e-mail to me and asked me to respond. I love all breeds of horses and I guess at one time or the other have owned or worked the majority of breeds. At present I manage a Ranch in my other life and we raise American Quarter Horses and American Paint Horses which are extremely versatile and are used in some areas of the country for any and all Ranger type duties. The US Park Service primarily uses Thoroughbreds or at least they were when I attended their Training program in the early 1970's.
I was asked in 1973 to put together a Horse Mounted Program for Tennessee State Parks. We were fortunate that we had a versatile animal named after the State being The Tennessee Walking Horse. Although all animals are individuals, typically, the Tennessee Walking Horse breed is noted for a great temperament, an easy ride and easily trained for Patrol duties. In Tennessee State Parks they also provided a great opportunity for a living history program. We purchased the original horses but soon received quality donation horses and equipment from the Walking Horse Owners Association and the Tennessee Walking Horse Owners, Breeders and Exhibitors Association. The Carolyn Cross Family, the John Dunn Family, the Red Epps Family, The Bob Womack Family, Bob Cherry and others saw the advertising advantages of seeing their breed on display in Tennessee's State Parks and this was a big help in the initial years. Author and Artist Jack Knox (now deceased) spoke at our first training sessions and Rangers were furnished with his book on the Tennessee Walking Horse.
The primary reason it seemed to me that the US Park Police liked the Thoroughbreds was the consistent height more than any other factor. Many of the agencies across the Nation will argue the advantages of the American Paint, the American Quarter Horse or whatever breed they may be using and they are great versatile horses. Depending on the part of the country I was in, would have a great deal to do with my selection of a mount. I ranched 3500 acres in Tamulipas, Mexico several years ago and the terrain would go from desert to Jungle and our mount of choice were small mules.
Hope this helps and feel free to contact me if I may provide further information,
Thurman Mullins, Long Hunter State Park

Thurman also sent me several photos and newspaper and magazine articles about ranger horses. I will post some of that information in blogs over the next few weeks on the subject of A Ranger's Best Friend.

RB-040 Stumpy Gets 30 Days

If you love Stumpy then this show is one you can't miss! This Ranger Bill episode is a fan favorite, and you'll see why in Stumpy Gets 30 Days!
It's winter and the snows are deep. The rangers are moving a herd of buffalo to good grazing land. A young bull in the herd gets upset with Stumpy and his horse Maude. Bill and Henry see the bull too late. It gores both Stumpy and Maude, then prceeds to roll on Stumpy crushing his chest!!! Stumpy is rushed to the emergency room with little life or will to live in him. If the Old Timer lives will he have the strength and the will to go on? What can Bill and his rangers do to keep their dear friend alive? They begin with prayer.

Saturday Music Fest at River Races

Knotty Pine will host another of its popular Music Fests this Saturday evening following the River Races. Several area bands and singing groups are on the roster for the evening. But the highlight of the evening will be the amateur jug band competition. The GAZETTE has learned the local favorites the Knotty Pine Rangers headed by long-time ranger Stumpy Jenkins, will be competing in the jug band competition. There will be a number of opportunities for the public to sing along to old and new music.
The Knotty Pine town square will serve as a food court for this weekend's River Races. A picnic area with picnic tables will surround the green. All sorts of family activities are there for a fun time for the entire family. So stop by for a great weekend of boat racing, food, family fun, and great music and singing.

RB039 Mrs. Kane Wins the War

Mrs. Kane is a widow who lives alone in her home on the outskirts of Knotty Pine. Two gangs, the River gang and the Hill gang, are both hanging out on Mrs. Kane's ten acres of woods. The gangs are fighting one another for control of Mrs. Kane's land. Mrs. Kane calls the sheriff one evening when the gangs battle. Both gangs decide to scare or even hurt the widow to get their own way. Mrs. Kane is hurt when the gangs both show up at the same time to vandalize her home. She prefers to give the boys tea and cookies rather than have the boys arrested. What are Bill and the sheriff going to do to protect Mrs. Kane and end the gang violence? Why won't Mrs. Kane teach these boys a lesson?

GAZETTE - Boat Races on Shady River

Residents of Knotty Pine and others up and down the Shady River are in for a real treat this summer. Knotty Pine will host riverboat races on the Shady River. These races will pit the River Queen, owned by Andy Coogan, against the Mountain Streak, owned by Jim Gunderson. Stern-wheel boatmen Coogan and Gunderson have been long-time competitors and bitter rivals until recent events nearly destroyed Coogan's ship.
Both Gunderson and Coogan have taken freight and passengers from Knotty Pine to Mirror Lake and the King's Islands. Chief Ranger Bill Jefferson refused Coogan's passenger license earlier this year for poor maintenance (see RB032 Floating Death Trap). Not long after, Coogan's boat caught fire moving freight on Mirror Lake.
Mr. Coogan tells the GAZETTE that the boat fire along with much support from Ranger Bill and his rangers made a major change in Coogan's life. "I was not satisfied with cutting corners to make a profit," stated Coogan. "My attitude about God and my relationship with the Almighty changed for the better. I decided to quit cutting corners and live a God-pleasin' life. Me and Jim Gunderson patched things up between us, and now we're good friends. And I didn't just get the River Queen repaired. I got her fixed up good. Now she looks and works like a brand new boat."
Andy's River Queen is now one of the most powerful and fastest ships on the Shady River.
The new and improved River Queen got Jim Gunderson to make a few changes of his own. "I decided the Mountain Streak needed some improvements like the River Queen if I was gunna stay in competition with Coogan," commented Gunderson. "So I got my engine fixed up like Andy did, so I could keep up with the River Queen."
Soon the two friendly competitors were having fun racing their ships. Folks along the Shady River started rooting on the two ships as they raced (with Ranger Bill's written permission) from Knotty Pine to Mirror Lake. There will be one race each weekend for at least the next four weeks between the two ships. Other ship owners along the river have gotten word of the Ranger Races, as they are unofficially called, and want to add races of their own. Ranger Bill says that permission for the races should be no problem.
City officials say that radio and TV stations from around the state have been flooding city hall with requests for further information on the Ranger Races. The mayor expects a large increase in visitor traffic for the races.