Enhance your trail riding experience with adventurous trips in the back or front country surrounded by nature.
Planning a pack trip with your horse can be a rewarding experience to disconnect from the daily grind, explore nature, and strengthen your bond with your horse. However, it’s essential to approach this activity with caution, especially if you are new to horse packing. Packing involves multi-day journeys into the wilderness where you rely solely on yourself and your horse for transportation and survival. Unlike regular trail riding or car camping, packing requires additional skills and preparation to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
Trail experts Thomas Clover and Allison Parker from Wilderness Trails Outfitters share their expertise as horse owners, showmen, outfitters, and wilderness medics to guide novice riders in horse packing and camping. They provide expert advice on preparing your horse for the journey, packing essentials, and handling emergencies.
Before embarking on your trip, it’s crucial to ensure that both you and your horse have the necessary skills. Your horse should be comfortable on the trail, able to carry weight, and unfazed by obstacles. Training your horse with stock-retention skills, such as hobbles and picketing, is essential for ensuring safety during the journey.
Once you’ve mastered these basics, you can progress from day trips to overnight camping in the backcountry. Learning to set up your horse’s living area, pack feed, and manage your horse outside common camp areas are essential steps in advancing your horse packing skills.
Now You’re On Your Way!
After acquiring the necessary skills, you can begin trail riding or trailer camping with your horse, preparing for more extended trips into the wilderness. Practicing the “leave no trace” principle is crucial to minimize your environmental impact and maintain the natural beauty of the surroundings.
Stock Retention
Stock retention involves containing and keeping your herd together during camping trips. Whether in the front country or backcountry, it’s essential to understand herd dynamics and ensure that your horses are well-behaved and respectful of the environment.
Front country:
In the front country, camping near the trailer or designated campsites simplifies the process as there are usually facilities for horses. Cleaning up the area before leaving is essential to minimize your impact on the environment.
Backcountry:
In the backcountry, selecting a suitable campsite involves considering the needs of your animals. Ensuring access to forage, water, and minimizing environmental impact are essential factors to keep in mind. Free grazing is preferred in the wilderness, allowing horses to roam and forage naturally.
Free Grazing vs. Tying:
Unlike the front country, free grazing is the ideal choice in the backcountry to allow horses to graze and move freely in their natural environment.
Pre-packing preparation is essential to ensure that your animal is familiar with hobbles or pickets for grazing before heading into the wilderness. Picketing can be done in various ways, such as using a stake in the ground or attaching a rope to a tree. Make sure the rope is long enough for your horse to graze without over-treading or overgrazing the area.
When setting up camp, choose a sturdy tree for attaching the picket to avoid damaging or uprooting a green tree. Check your animals regularly, including the picket, to prevent any mishaps. In front-country campsites, keep your core campsite away from horses to reduce flies and odors. In the backcountry, prioritize your animals’ needs and camp within hearing distance of their grazing area.
Having a well-stocked first-aid kit is crucial for wilderness trips, and it’s essential to practice using it before setting out. Gear for the trail should include quality items for your animals, such as pack saddles, hobbles, picket pins, and more. For riders, pack light and bring spare clothing for longer trips, prioritizing comfort and hygiene.
Before heading out, research the rules and regulations of the wilderness area you’ll be visiting. Contact local administration offices for guidance and resources. When managing the load, consider having at least one pack animal and one riding animal to distribute the weight and ensure the safety and well-being of your animals on the trail. The weight you pack on your animal should be determined by their hardiness and experience, with a target range of 70 to 150 pounds per animal, excluding the saddle.
When it comes to packing, it is important to secure your gear tightly and quietly. Loose and large items can shift during travel, causing discomfort for your horse. To prevent this, divide your load into smaller bags that can fit into a larger pannier attached to the pack saddle.
Before setting out, weigh your bags to ensure even distribution of weight on your animal. Pack your gear in a way that maintains a relatively even shape to avoid imbalance. Avoid noisy items that can disturb your outdoor experience and potentially spook your or other animals.
If you lack enough animals for packing, consider teaming up with a buddy or group until you and your horse gain more experience. It is recommended to have at least one pack animal per one or two riding animals for a smoother journey. Additionally, adventures are more enjoyable with friends by your side. following sentence to make it more concise:
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