Dreamin'
Smart idea hiring the outfitter for a new area, short cuts the learning curve and gives you better odds of getting one -- beautiful country, should be great regardless. Smart again of the use of the GPS/Map set up -- after this year you should " own " enough nagivation information to hunt the area on your own in the future if you so decide.

Horses! Could write a book on that one and still leave something out and be cajoled for " missing" the obvious!

Regarding soreness, I' d say it comes in two forms (1) muscle/bone/joint pain and (2) skin pain. Maybe advil/aleve or your favorite concoction for #1. But for #2 there is an easy trick that can help a lot with skin pain, i.e. " saddle sores" the inside of your thighs and a silver dollar size patch inside each knee can drive you wild. Even an ole cowboy if he hasn' t been riding much through the winter will get saddle sores as he starts riding heavy in the spring -- the solution? Wear thick long underwear bottoms -- I don' t care if it is 85 degrees put' em on and sweat -- you' ll be ahead of the game!

Otherwise, your outfitter should be watching out for you -- I assume he will have gentle stock. Be honest with him regarding your experience level, better to be put on the gentlest and slowest horse in the string than to have a bronc on your hands and not be up to handling it. Aside from trusting the guide make sure you know the following: what and how is the proper tightness of the cinch (belt), make sure your stirrups are adjusted to where if you " stand up" on the balls of your feet that your crotch clears the saddle by 1 to 1.5 inches, make sure your stirrups fit your boots (not too loose [wide] not too tight [narrow], and explain the rules if you are using rifle scabbards on your horse.

Horses in general? You might have a wonderful horse and get along just great but watch out when you are on foot and close by other horses -- they are not gentle with each other and if you are in the way -- too bad. If someone else is having a rodeo or trouble then just get your rear out of the way and let the guide handle it -- no good deed goes unpunished! Also don' t get too casual with your horse too early until you' ve had enough time for some " things" to happen. A plum gentle horse in some cases gets real excited when a blue sage grouse " blows up" from beside the trail or if some item tied on your saddle rubs a tree in a narrow spot in the trail -- for your first day on the trail keep one hand on the saddle and be aware that each moment you are rubbing your nose or whatever so that you have no hand on the saddle that you are at risk for an easy " dump off" .

If you are walking around behind your horse (saddling up, checking your rifle, flipping a stirrup right side up -- whatever), the let him know you are moving on around him by saying something, touch him, keep your hand on his rear end and... -- WALK CLOSE (4" - 6" ) to him as you go around his butt; worst case scenario - he might kick you [not likely if you don' t surprise him], but it won' t be a full haymaker punch because you' ll be too close for him to get fully wound up. Be honest with your guide and let him know you are willing to be taught, talked to, cajoled, corrected and if need be -- scolded.

If you haven' t ridden at all, then the advice of visiting a stable isn' t a bad idea -- I don' t care how " duded up" it might feel -- there is nothing like gaining some actual experience prior to " show time" when your trip and your money are on the line. Horses have the ability to make it a wonderful trip (likely in a guided situation) and they have a dark side that can be the ruination of a trip. Think " risk management" each time you' re doing something with a horse --- or if you are a young fella, just throw caution to the wind and go for it and let the chips fall where they may (not my recommended choice) -- your call.

Go get' em and
Never Go Undergunned,
EKM