4 Ways to Feed Horses when Camping
No matter where you go, here are 4 methods you can use to feed horses on your next camping trip.
Growing up with horses on camping trips was a unique experience, and one I appreciate more the older I get. Thinking back about high-country wildernesses, lakes, and glaciers provides me with some of my fondest memories. However, I also remember these trips weren’t all sunsets and wildflowers. I remember the bugs, the soreness, and the work. I also remember the inconvenience of having to select camping spots based on available grass instead of scenery. What I didn’t understand in my youth, was the age-old understanding that if you want your horses to take care of you, you’ve got to take care of your horses. Knowing how to properly feed your horses in the outdoors is an essential part of camping with horses.
If you take the time to read accounts left by historical horsemen, one thing that stands out is their attention to their horse’s condition. In his book Log of a Cowboy, veteran cowboy of the 1800’s Andy Adams touched on the subject. Early in the book, he writes about the foreman of a cattle drive addressing his crew. Adams recorded the foreman instructing his young cowboys:
“…it’s long, tiresome hours to the men; but the condition of the herd and saddle stock demands sacrifices on our part…there is such a thing as having ten horses in your string, and at the same time being afoot. You area all well mounted, and on the condition of the remuda depends the success and safety of the herd. Accidents will happen to horses, but don’t let it be your fault; keep your saddle blankets dry and clean, for no better word can be spoken of a man than that he is careful of his horses.”
A few lines later, Adams recalls:
“…before the trip ended there were men in our outfit who were as good as afoot, while others had their original mounts, every one fit for the saddle.”
Adams’ writing helps us to understand how seriously trail drive cowboys took to tending their horses. Many other historical horsemen pass along similar advice. Oftentimes, their survival was directly linked to the condition of their horses. Although today it’s a rare case where a person’s survival is linked to their horse, it still is important to take good care of your horses. If you are a trail rider, knowing how to feed horses when camping is an essential piece of information. Although there are many methods to keep your horse fed, here are a few of the methods most commonly used.
Picket Line
Personally, my favorite method to feed horses when camping is the picket line. Picketing is a technique that has been used for centuries. One reason picketing is so popular is that it offers a good balance between allowing movement for grazing and control of your horse. When it comes to picketing your horse, here are a few helpful things to know.
First, picketing requires only a few basic tools. Your horse will need to be wearing a good halter, you’ll need a long lead (maybe 30 feet) of soft rope (we use cotton), and you’ll need an anchor of some kind. At our place, we’ve designed a stake with a swivel top that works well, but you don’t have to make one. You can also buy them from outfitter suppliers. It’s also worth noting that you don’t necessarily even need a picket pin. In fact, some backcountry horsemen advocate for using heavy drags instead. Drags offer the advantage of eliminating the picket pin, and, if chosen correctly, they also offer some give to the horse. This is helpful if your horse is new to picketing and gets itself in a bad situation. It’s worth noting that since drags can move, your horse may be able to actually leave the area. If there is adequate vegetation, odds are that they’ll get hung up on something.
It is important to make sure your horse has been trained to picket before your camping trip. One good way to help your horse figure out how to picket is by starting with a heavy drag. If you’ve ever read Smokey the Cowhorse by Will James, you may remember the author describing Smokey’s experience with this. As stated above, drags are a good training tool because they can move. As your horse learns to feed on a picket, they are going to get tangled in the rope. An appropriately sized drag will hold them from running off, but also give so they don’t hurt themselves. Once your horse figures it out, it will be able to graze contentedly without getting tangled. In fact, a good picket horse will start at the outside and graze toward the middle in a large circle. Oftentimes, the rope may become knotted around the pin and you’ll have a mess to untangle in the morning. Still, it’s better to untangle a mess of rope rather than a mess of rope and horse.
Although picketing is a good approach, it does have a few downfalls. First, requires that you bring along extra gear. Depending on your situation, this may or may not be an issue. Secondly, your horse will need to spend time “training” on the picket before you leave. However, once they figure it out, you shouldn’t have any issues.
If you’re interested in watching how to train a horse to picket, you may find this video helpful.
Hobbles
Most horsemen are familiar with hobbles. Like pickets, hobbles have been used for a long, long time. If I had to wager, I’d bet that more horses today know how to hobble rather than picket. Hobbles are easy to carry on your saddle, offer your horse good mobility, and are a safe way to restrict your horse. Before you use hobbles to feed your horses when camping, here are a few things to know.
First, hobbles come in many different styles. The style you choose may reflect the level of hobble training your horse has had. Horses that are just learning may benefit from having hobbles with a wide and soft surface area. Some young horses will fight the hobbles at first, so using a pair that will not injure them is important. You’ll also need to decide whether you hobble around the cannon bone or around the pastern. Either way works well. Some people claim there is an increased risk of bowing a tendon if you hobble on the cannon bone. Personally, we generally hobble on the pastern. However, there are plenty of people who hobble on the cannon bone and have never had a problem with bowed tendons.
Although hobbles have many positives, they have a few drawbacks as well. The main drawback is that hobbles can give your horse too much freedom. In fact, horses that are well broken to hobbles almost don’t even have to slow down. Depending on your horse, this might be a major factor in deciding how you feed them on a camping trip.
Horses also need to be trained to hobble. This is best done in an enclosed area like a round pen or similar corral. My experience has been that some horses take to it in just the first few minutes, and some horses take a few hours to relax. The biggest things to remember are A) make sure your horse can’t get hurt on anything, and B)the horse can’t run off. Set aside a few hours so you can watch them and help them relax. When you’re in the pen with them, remember that horses can react unpredictably when first hobbled. Make sure you keep yourself safe.
Generally, when we go camping, we will picket the lead horses, and hobble the submissive horses. The submissive horses generally won’t wander too far from the leaders. This approach decreases the amount of gear you need to pack and gives you the best of both worlds. If you take this approach, be sure you know your herd hierarchy.
If you are interested in hobble training your horse, you might find this article helpful.
Temporary Fencing
One option that has recently become a reality is the use of temporary fencing. Today, advances in technology has made the use of a solar charger to run an electric fence a viable option. For this type of fencing, you’ll need a roller of high tensile wire, a few insulated posts, a charger, and a grounding rod. We use a fair amount of electric fencing at our place to manage the grazing. Horses certainly respect it, but they need to be educated to it in a safe and secure area. You can either buy a kit or buy your components separately. While on the subject, a few years ago I purchased this Gallagher geared reel for use at our pasture and love it. You may also benefit from a testing probe to ensure the fence is functioning.
Hay/Bought Feed
In some areas, allowing your horse to graze is not an option. Either there is a lack of feed, or there are too many people around for it to be an appropriate option. If that is the case, you’ll have to bring feed along with you. In this situation, there are two main options.
First, you can feed your own hay in a net feeder. This is a good option, especially if you are already feeding your horses the same hay. If you decide to bring hay, remember that some areas require all hay to be certified weed-free. Depending on where you live, this might be a challenge.
If you don’t have hay, or can’t find weed-free hay, you can always buy pellets or cubes. Pellets offer the advantage of being pre-approved for feed use by the federal government. If you choose to bring some along, be sure to read the dietary requirements on the package and feed your horse appropriately.
These four methods for feeding your horses when camping all are good options. However, you’ll probably find one that works best for you, your horse, and your area. Whatever you pick, make sure your horse is familiar with the associated tools and equipment. Like anything when it comes to horses, it’s best to prepare them so you can set them up for success.