Saddle Setup for Trail Riding
Here are some ideas for how to set up your trail-riding saddle.
If you’ve browsed this website much, you’ll realize that we try to keep things simple. We also look to the past for ideas on how to do things in the present. This comes to training our horses as well as selecting and making gear. In fact, one of the big benefits of making your own gear is that you can create whatever component you think you need. If you take some time to visit the crafting section, you might come across some good ideas of things to make. Another place to look for gear ideas is the past.
One reason it is a good idea to look to past horsemen for ideas is that they spent an extraordinary amount of time in the saddle. As a result, they learned a thing or two. Personally, I like to look at groups like the mountain men, cowboys, and other frontiersmen for ideas on how to do things better. Another good group to look to is the cavalry. All of these groups did essentially the same thing; travel long distances on horseback in a variety of landscapes and situations. By looking at their gear, we might be able to learn a thing or two about using our saddle space effectively. We may also learn something about what to take, and what to leave behind.
First, let’s take a look at what we might consider taking on a saddle horse while trail riding.
Gear
It’s worth paying close attention to what gear we bring along on our trail ride. Now, this is certainly going to depend on where you are going. If you want to take a three-mile loop with some friends around a state park, you probably can go easy on the gear. However, if you want to get a little farther off the beaten path, you may be wise to bring some extra gear. This type of wilderness situation is what this article aims at.
Here is a short list of things I try to bring along. This is just basic equipment that I always want to have easy access to.
Knife
Fire Kit
Compass/GPS/Map
Water/Filtration
Coat
Raingear
Delorme InReach
Phone
Food
First Aid
Cordage/Rope/Lariat
Bear Spray/Firearm (In bear country)
Saw
Halter/lead rope
Hobbles/picket
These are the items that seem to be the most helpful and important to have easy access to. Your list might be different. Once you’ve got your list of “possibles,” the next question is where to store them.
Location
On a trail riding saddle, there are basically four locations to store things. On the pommel, behind the cantle, tied to the saddle, or on the rider. With this in mind, here are some ideas on where to keep what.
On the Rider
This primary source image shows a trapper’s possible bag.
Most historians know that Rocky Mountain trappers, the mountain men, carried a possibles bag. This satchel carried everything the trapper could “possibly” need. As a result, it was very important and almost never left the trapper’s side.
Even today, it is a good idea to think about your possibles kit. These are the items that are absolutely essential for you to have. Imagine you get separated from your horse. What are the items you absolutely need?
Personally, I only need a few simple items on me at all times in most situations. They include my knife, fire starter, Delorme InReach, and some basic first aid. Also, if I’m in bear country, I would also include my firearm or bear spray. I carry my knife on my belt, fire starter in my pocket, InReach on a lanyard (cell phone in a shirt pocket if I don’t have my InReach), and my silk scarf is my basic first aid. If I really wanted to emulate the trappers, I could actually carry a satchel like them. However, another group of horsemen we can borrow an idea from is the cowboy.
Of course, cowboys spent long hours in the saddle. They also realized that digging in a pair of pants pockets wasn’t always convenient while riding. So, instead of carrying their items in their pants pockets, they often packed items in a vest. It’s one reason vests were so commonly worn by cowboys. Obviously, this is still an idea we can incorporate today. Vest pockets create many easy-access compartments to store useful items.
On the Pommel
The pommel is another location to carry your necessary items for a trail ride. At the time of this writing, I’ve carried pommel items in a horn bag. Horn bags are great because they carry all sorts of items you want easy access to, but don’t necessarily have to have on you at all times. This is where I keep my cell phone, snacks, and navigation tools.
Recently, I came across this interesting video about how cavalry used to pack their saddles. It is a good video, and full of useful tips. One concept I would incorporate is the carrying of rain gear and my coat on the pommel. When it comes to traveling long distances on horseback, the cavalry rode as much as anybody. The fact they carried these items on the pommel should tell us it might not be a bad way to go. This idea would not be popular amongst a cowboy crowd, where access to the saddle horn is important. However, if you don’t have to dally often, it might be a good idea. It keeps these items close at hand and keeps you from having to swing a leg over when you mount. The important thing is to keep it off the horse’s neck.
On the Back Housing
Another location to carry things on your trail saddle is behind the cantle on the back housing. This is the part of the saddle where cantle bags, or saddle bags, usually ride. Saddle bags are a good piece of equipment to carry on your trail saddle. They are also a great place to keep all the things you want access to but don’t necessarily need to constantly grab. They are a good place to keep your main first aid kit, extra food, and water filtration system. However, it’s important not to overload your saddlebags. They rest on the horse’s kidneys and can cause discomfort if they are too heavy.
If you store your rain gear and coat on the pommel, you can also keep a tarp or bedroll over your saddle bags. Tarps can come in very handy when a storm comes rolling in unexpectedly and you want to create some cover quickly. However, you could just consider keeping the space open or tying your coat and slicker there.
Tied On
The final location to store things is tied on your saddle. If you take a lariat, this is usually tied on the right side of the saddle or attached to the horn. Hobbles can be hung from either the horse’s neck or on a rear D ring. Our saddle water bottle holders also offer a convenient option for carrying water on a rear D ring.
Coiled lead rope. Notice the saddle strings going through the bull snap.
When it comes to the halter and lead rope, there are a few things you can do. Personally, I like to keep the halter on (a mortal sin in some circles) and remove the lead rope. Then I coil the lead rope and tie it to my saddle string on the left side. When tying it, it’s not a bad idea to insert the saddle string through the snap and then tie the coils. This keeps the heavy snap from falling and messing up your coils. By removing it from the halter, you keep the snap from swinging below the horse’s jaw (aggravating them) and keep the lead rope off the neck. The downside is that you have to hook the snap on and uncoil the rope in order to lead the horse. You can avoid all of this if you teach your lead and stand tied using a get down rope. Since most people don’t do that, the halter/lead rope idea seems most helpful.
Finally, if you are riding in a heavily timbered area, you might appreciate having a saw scabbard tied on. These generally tie under the stirrup fender on the left side.
Other Trail Saddle Features
At this point, hopefully, you have some ideas about where you can carry items on your trail riding saddle. It might also be helpful to think about some components of a good trail riding saddle.
Construction
A good trail riding saddle should be well made but doesn’t necessarily need to be as robust as a ranching saddle. Trail riding saddles tend to be stripped down much more than a ranch saddle, although they can often be interchangeable. If you want to see how stripped down a saddle can get, take a look at this McCleallen saddle the US cavalry used.
Since you’ll be asking your horse for endurance, you want to keep it comfortable. This means keeping the weight down and making sure it fits well. A few years ago I bought a very stripped-down saddle that I really like for trail riding. It has a lightweight tree, cantle cut outs, limited skirting, and small stirrup fenders. All these features really decrease the overall weight. It also has only one cinch.
Extras
Part of the reason I like the stripped-down saddle is the fact that it keeps the saddle from getting too heavy when I begin to add other necessary items. Riding in rough country, I like to ride with a breast collar and crupper. This keeps the saddle secure on steep up and down hill climbs. Tapaderos are also a good piece of gear. They are simple items that can keep you safe in two main ways. First, they prevent things like sticks from getting caught in your stirrup as you ride. Secondly, they decrease the odds of your foot getting hung up in the stirrup. However, keep them small or you’ll be adding unnecessary weight.
At the end of the day, this setup for a trail riding saddle has served our family well. It keeps handy all of the items we need for a backcountry ride and tries to keep the weight down for the horse’s sake. It incorporates elements of traditional horsemen, yet also includes some modern technology that makes life in the woods easier. Hopefully, it can help you enjoy the outdoors while keeping the gear to a minimum.