What to wear when camping with horses
Here are a few tips to decide what to wear when camping with horses.
If you read our Survival 101 article, you’ll know that we consider clothing to be your first layer of shelter. Prior to the last half century or so, clothing was always more about function than fashion. Although for many people that mindset has flipped, it has pretty much stayed true for outdoorsmen. As a group, outdoorsmen have always demanded a lot from their clothes. In fact, one outdoor clothing company’s slogan is “Turning Clothing into Gear.” Since the first time I heard it, I’ve never really bought into that idea. Clothing has always been gear. However, many people buy this important piece of gear with a mindset that places a low priority on function. It shouldn’t surprise us then, that a company can convince people their clothing actually gear. Choosing the right clothes is important in many outdoor activities, and deciding what to wear when camping with horses is no different.
In my observation, western horsemen as a group do pretty good in this department. That is because of the culture of western horsemanship. Out West, the predominant horsemen have until recently (if even yet) have always been working cowboys. Working cowboys are part of a great tradition that spans more than a century. During that time, the cowboy culture has developed a distinct style that reflects its blue-collar roots. Leather, denim, and wide-brimmed hats are part of everyday life, not because of a new fashion trend, but because they all help hard-working cowboys put in a day’s work. If you’re deciding what to wear when camping with horses, it might not be a bad idea to learn from the last of the bow-legged men left on this continent. They spend their lives outdoors, and although not always camping, their basic attire is a good place to start
Although this article will focus mainly on what to wear when camping with horses, there are a few basic principles that can apply to any situation outdoors.
Long Sleeves
This image of William H. Jackson shows how one man who spent a great deal of time in the saddle dressed. Via: wikicommons.
First off, no matter what season, it’s not a bad idea to have the ability to cover your skin. Old cowboys always “buttoned out the sun” with long sleeve shirts buttoned to the collar and long pants. There are plenty of folks in my part of the country that could buy a tank of gas if you gave them a dollar for every year their legs went without seeing daylight. People may laugh at it, but in reality this is not a bad approach when you’re outside all the time. Horse people are pretty much long pants people, but long sleeves is a different story.
In the cooler months, wearing long pants and sleeves is not a problem. When it warms up is when people these days switch over to shorts and t-shirts. Although people differ in opinion, many people believe that wearing long sleeves even in summer keeps them cooler. Personally, I do wear long sleeves almost every day of the year. In my experience, it seems like I may get a little warmer during the day, but my skin cools off more at night. If I want to cool down, all I have to do is take my shirt off. If your skin has been exposed to the sun all day, you’ve about got to go swimming to cool down. For me, short sleeves are for the perfect days of fall and spring when the sun is not as harsh.
Long sleeves and pants also help guard your skin against all of the things that will poke, prod, or scratch you when you’re camping. At a bare minimum, no matter the season, it’s a good idea to at least take a light long sleeve.
Material
Another consideration you’ll need to make when deciding what to wear when camping with your horses is the material. There are a few different considerations to make.
First, natural materials are traditionally good choices, with cotton being a favorite choice. Although cotton is soft, it can be woven in a particluar way that creates a strong durable fabric like denim. In fact, denim became popular in America due to its reputation as a durable material suitable for outside work. I probably don’t have to tell you that cowboys are known to wear denim for the same reason. Denim has withstood the test of time, and today it is still the tried and true choice for many outdoorsmen. Another option that was used in the past, but not so much today, is canvas. You might be surprised to learn that on the American frontier people often wore canvas pants. When it comes to natural materials, wool is another choice that people historically used. Wool is a good choice because it has better insulating properties than the other materials mentioned. Also, although wool has a reputation for being uncomfortable to wear, modern companies are using merino wool which is reported to be much more comfortable. Although I have not worn any merino wool, I have several traditional wool garments that I routinely wear and do believe in.
As good as natural materials are, they all have a tendency to soak up water. This tendency can make them uncomfortable, and depending on the weather, even dangerous to wear. If you’ve ever been soaked to the bone wearing denim jeans and a cotton shirt, you know how these materials can stick to your body. When the temperature drops, that is exactly what you don’t want to happen. Fortunately, there are a few modern materials out there you can use to your advantage.
Today, most outdoor clothing companies offer an array of synthetic materials to choose from. Most of these synthetic materials share a few common properties. One, they are typically lighter than natural materials. Personally, I’ve got a few shirts made by the company Habit that I like to wear. These shirts are light, vented, comfortable, and dry faster than shirts with natural materials. However, there is one drawback that horse people need to be aware of.
The biggest drawback I’ve noticed is when I’m riding colts on windy days. Just the other day, I was riding a green colt with one of these shirts and the wind came up. Of course, most colts get watchy on windy days, and the colt I was riding was no different. Unfortunately for him, the shirt on my back became like a plastic bag blowing in the wind. He’s a pretty gentle colt, but the fluttering and rustling was almost too much for him. I was able to talk him off the edge, and he’s better for it, but it’s something to consider before wearing these shirts on your horse. If you’ve got a watchy one, you might need to desensitize them before swinging a leg over.
Layers
Layers are another matter to consider when deciding what to wear when camping with your horses. Layering is a very common practice with almost all groups who spend time outdoors. When it comes to layering, many people separate clothing into the base, mid, and outer layers.
The base layer is the layer closest to your skin. At this layer, clothing should be comfortable and ideally will be fast drying. Given these two standards, synthetic materials are often a good choice for your base layer. Whether it is a synthetic t-shirt or long sleeve, these garments’ ability to dry quickly makes them ideal. Of course, being damp isn’t a big problem when it is warm, rather, this is most important if the temperature drops. Being wet and cold is much worse than being dry and cold. As a result, we don’t want wet clothing sticking to our bodies when the temperature drops. Synthetic materials do a better job at wicking away moisture than traditional materials such as cotton do.
Mid layer is the clothing layer that is worn over your base layer. This layer of clothing should protect you from the elements and be comfortable to wear. For most people, a good mid layer is a long sleeve and jeans. Again, for this layer I personally use a long sleeve and denim jeans. Although synthetic jeans would be better at wicking moisture, I personally find that denim is the best material that stands up to the abuse that jeans go through.
Your outer layer is the layer you wear over the mid layer. For most of us, this is the sweatshirt, jacket, or coat we take along. Outer layers are the first defence we have to keep us warm, dry, and protected. When camping, it’s usually a good idea to take a good outer layer even in the summer. Depending on where you are camping, these layers come in handy at night even in the summer months. In winter, most of us realize this layer is very important. A good coat will stop wind, rain, or snow, and will help insulate us from the weather.
When it comes to layering your clothing, it’s also important to take any special considerations into account. It’s never a bad idea to think about where specifically you are going. Does it get hot, cold, or rainy? Deciding what you’ll wear when camping with your horses should reflect the specific area you are going to. If you plan on doing a long trip through a variety of seasons or climates, you’ll want your clothing to be diverse enough to handle the diverse situations you’ll face.
Traditional Gear
Additionally, when deciding what to wear when camping with your horses, it might not be a bad idea to look at what traditional horsemen wore in your area. Horsemen have always had specialized gear suited for riding, and the articles we remember have withstood the test of time. However, just what that gear looks like probably depends on your area. Each region had different hats, chaps, boots, and other articles. Horsemen of the past needed functional gear that helped them A) do their job, and B) allow them to overcome their geographic challenges. Even today, you may find that wearing chaps, chinks, a vest, or a wide-brimmed hat is still the best option.
Dress for the Location
Finally, it’s important to remember to dress for the specific location. Are you camping in summer or winter? Are you in a humid or arid area? Mountains or plains? Grassland or forest? Each one of these variables may impact what you wear on your horse camping trip. For a weekend trip, you can pack precisely what you’ll need. If you plan on being gone for an extended time, or over a variety of areas, your gear needs to be more versatile. People have always dressed differently in different areas, partly because they had different geographic elements to overcome.
Hopefully, this article can help you better understand what to wear when camping with horses. Clothing really is your body’s first form of shelter. By wearing the right clothing, you can help protect yourself and stay comfortable in a variety of situations. Although it is a catchy slogan, clothing has always been gear. If you start looking at it that way, you may find yourself better prepared on your next camping trip.