Basic Tack for Camping with Horses
A few thoughts on basic tack to bring on your next camping trip.
Horses are enjoyable to own and use for many reasons. Some people use them for competition, some for pleasure, and some simply because the animals make them feel better. Whatever pursuit you choose to engage in, you probably realize that having the right tack is important. Just like anything, horse tack is created to serve a purpose. English, western, and endurance saddles are all built differently because they all have different functions. As you pursue your favorite horse activity, you’ll need to make many tack decisions along the way. Your tack should help you and your horse have the best possible experience. Having the right tack when camping with horses is no different.
Like anything else these days, consumers today have a wide variety of products to choose from when selecting camping tack. For all the benefits this variety offers, it can be a little overwhelming at times. It’s doubly confounding when you realize that although lots of gear is great and useful, plenty of the stuff is plain worthless. The purpose of this article is to point out some items you may want to consider before taking your horses camping. Hopefully, this list can help you create your own list of things to take. Rather than a list for backcountry camping, this article is aimed at people who plan on visiting a local campground and will have a vehicle nearby. Camping in the backcountry adds a whole other layer of gear and complexity. Rather than starting there, it might be wise to start off taking your horse on a few overnights to a local campground. If this sounds like something you’d like to do, then this article is for you.
Preparation
You may have heard the old saying that, “failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” When it comes to camping with horses, this old folk saying proves true. Unless you are riding a barefooted horse bareback and bridleless, you’ve got to bring along the proper tack. At our place, we’ve been taught that it helps to tack-up our horses before leaving. That way, we can be dead certain we won’t forget anything in the tack shed. The same goes for camping gear. We take the time to set our tent up, make sure the stove works, unpack our first aid kit, and check all the other little details. It’s much better to do this at the house than try and make do on the road.
Horse Tack
When it comes to the tack, you essentially just need good trail riding gear. Bring a bridle that your horse is comfortable in that also provides you control. Saddles can be whatever style you find comfortable for riding. Depending on the terrain, you may benefit from rigging up a breast collar and crupper. As with all riding activities, make sure you have enough blanketing to protect your horse’s back while you are riding. Having a set of saddlebags or a horn bag to take some basic things like snacks, maps, GPS, first aid, or keys to your vehicle is also probably worthwhile. It’s also a good idea to bring along a rain slicker and/or a coat depending on the season. With all of this gear, make sure your horse is familiar with it before leaving. Introducing your horse to a rain slicker as a thunderstorm rolls in is not a recipe for success.
Halter
One important piece of tack for camping with horses is the halter. Oftentimes, when we take our horses on a trip, they will wear their halter from the time we leave until we arrive back at the house. There is simply no need or advantage to removing it. While people’s opinions differ on what type of halter is best, a good rope halter with a good lead rope is hard to beat. In our opinion, rope halters provide better pressure than web halters. They can also be easily cut if the situation arises. Finally, make sure your halter fits the horse correctly so it will not slide off and is not too tight.
Hoof Care
One important responsibility you will have to manage when camping with your horse is hoof care. Depending on your horse and the terrain you are riding in, this may be easy or complicated. If you plan on going to an area with few rocks and your horse has healthy and hard feet, you can probably get by without much special tack. If you are the cautious type, your horse’s feet are brittle, or you are traveling far from home, you might want to throw in a set of hoof boots or a glue-on shoe. That being said, if you know how to shoe you can always put metal shoes on. If your horse is shod, you’ll need to bring along some basic shoeing equipment. At a minimum, having a hammer, nippers, nails, clinchers, and spare shoes along can get you out of a bad situation.
Feed and water
Wherever you go, you’ll have to make sure your horse gets enough to eat. This can be very different depending on where you go. If you are in a campground setting, and your horses must be tied up, you will need to bring feed along with you. Fortunately, it’s never been easier to plan for this. One option is to bring along small square bales and feed your horse using a net feeder. On the other hand, you might opt for some bags of feed instead. These can be purchased in 40 or 50-pound sacks and can be either alfalfa or an alfalfa mix. In terms of ease, it doesn’t get much easier than that.
If you happen to visit a campground that allows your horse to graze, you’ve got a few options. First, you can choose to hobble your horses. This works ok in some situations. However, hobbles have some drawbacks. First, while hobbles slow your horse down, they can still move around. This freedom might let them wander into a neighboring campsite or into another group of horses, neither of which is acceptable. Horses can also quickly learn to move almost too effortlessly in hobbles. For these horses, you may be advised to use a picket pin. Picketing is a good way to offer your horse plenty of graze while still ensuring they cannot run off. Before picketing your horse at the campsite, make sure you train them at your house. Once they figure it out, it’s about the best way to let a horse graze.
If feeding grain, you may want a feed sack your horse can eat out of.
When it comes to water, you’ll have to know what the situation is. You may have access to water in a natural body of water, or you may have to bring along a container to water out of. Today, there are many easily portable options for this. Throw in some sort of bucket or tub if you are unsure of what to expect.
Miscellaneous
In addition to this basic tack for camping with horses, there are always the odds and ends you might have to contend with. It isn’t a bad idea to bring along some basic first aid for your horses including wrap, iodine, gall salve, and something for minor wounds like wound kote. Combs and brushes are also a good idea. Depending on the time of year and location, you might also need to bring along fly spray or a fly mask of some sort. Depending on your situation, the list of miscellaneous tack might grow or shrink.
Leave the Kitchen Sink
In this day and age, we are in the habit of always having the exact right tool for each and every job. We take it all, including the kitchen sink. As great gear can be, it also can also overwhelm us. There are two big problems with taking everything. The first is that you may end up investing far more money than you need to in order to go camping. I mean, it’s camping; it doesn’t have to be expensive. Secondly, bringing too much gear can also deflate your enthusiasm for leaving in the first place. Thinking of all the stuff you need to pack, and the hassle of moving it has certainly deterred more than one person away from a camping trip. Don’t let your stuff become so obtrusive that it stops you from wanting to get out and enjoy the outdoors.
Camping with horses is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and your horse. Horses can unlock many places most people would never travel to, and can add an element to the outdoors that is rich and absorbing. Like most things, it’s probably a good idea to start with small trips and learn as you go. Knowing a little about the basic tack for camping with horses can help you prepare for a successful trip.