VAL MARIE — After conquering long-distance rides across Australia and eastern Canada, Australian adventurer Stef Gabbie is now crossing Western Canada on horseback, relying on careful planning, a sense of adventure and the kindness of strangers.
Travelling with her horses, Gaucho and Wilson, Gabbie began her journey at Buffalo Point, Man., on May 20 and is making her way west to British Columbia. Along the way, she has passed through Saskatchewan's grasslands, including in Val Marie , where she camped near the historic Frenchman River.
Originally from Tasmania, Gabbie grew up on a small farm and developed a passion for horses at a young age.
"As a young teenager, I took my horse on camping trips and always wanted to do the National Trail in Australia," she said. "That was really the first idea for long-distance horse travel."
She later worked as an outdoor guide, leading people on multi-day hiking trips, before embarking on her own extended adventures.
Before starting her current trek, Gabbie rode on horseback across parts of eastern Canada and also completed a kayaking journey from Manitoulin Island to the Manitoba border.
"I thought, let's ride somewhere else, and Canada seemed like a good next step up," she said with a laugh. "It's a bit bigger. The weather is a bit more crazy. Culturally speaking, it's not too intimidating."
The approximately 3,500-kilometre journey takes her through Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. She documents her travels through her blog, Roadhorse.
The weather has provided some of the biggest challenges so far.
"We had some pretty storms coming through Manitoba and a little bit into Saskatchewan as well, in June," she said.
Camping in a one-person tent has occasionally led to sleepless nights.
"The other night there was a big cell. It came right over the top and it was pretty wet and pretty loud. I didn't get much sleep," she said. "Luckily there has been no hail."
When severe weather threatens, Gabbie said she has not been afraid to seek assistance.
"If there's been a bigger storm, I've been lucky enough to be in a good place or be able to knock on someone's door."
During one recent storm, a local farmer provided shelter for her and the horses under a feed and watering structure.
Despite the occasional storm, she said conditions have generally been favourable.
"It's been so wet and cool and there's lots of grass," she said.
On hot days, Gabbie starts early, often waking at 3 a.m. and getting on the trail before 5 a.m.
Wildlife encounters have been another memorable aspect of the journey.
She has seen moose and bears in Manitoba, as well as plenty of Canada geese, which she jokingly refers to, as Canadians sometimes do, as "cobra chickens."
Near Val Marie, she has been keeping an eye out for rattlesnakes.
"I'm excited," she said. "I'm from Australia, so I'm not too worried."
One particularly memorable encounter involved a badger.
"The badger literally jumped out right under Gaucho's feet and he absolutely freaked out," she said, laughing.
She also recently travelled through the Big Muddy region, an area known for its history and connections to famous outlaws.
Gabbie is travelling south of Cypress Hills toward Consul before crossing into Alberta. Her future route includes Pincher Creek, crossing the Rockies and travelling through the Kootenays. She avoids major highways whenever possible.
"I don't want to take the horses on highways. There's too much traffic and it's too dangerous."
Gabbie rents the horses from Alberta owners and arranged transportation to Manitoba before the trip began. She said transporting them home afterward should be relatively straightforward because of the number of horse haulers operating throughout Western Canada.
While Gaucho is making his first major trip, Wilson has accompanied her on previous adventures. The pair took some time to adjust to travelling together, but now share the journey.
Wilson, she said, has a bit of an attitude. "He gets annoyed with the flies, then gets annoyed with Gaucho and likes to push him around. She likes when they “just hang out in the shade and relax."
Both horses sometimes wear fly masks to protect their eyes and ears. "They look like little bandits," she said.
The long days have also strengthened her bond with the animals.
"The thing I enjoy most about being on the road with them is spending so much time together and getting to know them," she said. "If you have horses at home, you're not spending 24 hours a day with them."
For Gabbie, horseback travel offers a connection to both the landscape and the people she meets along the way.
"I think it's really an old-fashioned way to travel," she said. "These days, people are pretty self-contained. They have accommodation booked and know exactly where they're going.
"For me, it's like throwing myself to the world. I have to connect with a lot of people to get what I need, whether it's water or a place to shelter from a storm.
"That's how people used to travel. If you were going on a pilgrimage, you would knock on a farmer's door."
She added that most people are curious rather than suspicious.
"I do think people aren't suspicious of a horseback rider. They might be curious. Even if you're hiking with a backpack, people wonder what you're doing."
The journey is a balance between planning and improvisation. Gabbie studies satellite imagery to locate campsites and plans major route decisions well in advance, while leaving room for flexibility.
"For any expedition, you can control the planning and preparation," she said. "But a very large factor is luck."
So far, that mix of planning, perseverance and good fortune has carried her across hundreds of kilometres of prairie. With Alberta ahead and British Columbia still on the horizon, Gabbie and her horses continue their westward adventure one day at a time.
To follow along on her journey, visit Roadhorse online or follow her on social media.
