07/30/2024
Trail Riding Tips from a Pro
By Kim McCarrell
Iāve been a trail rider for a long time, and Iāve experienced my fair share of trail emergencies. Iāve seen injured riders, injured horses, and damaged tack. Iāve fallen off and been hurt, been cold and hungry, and run out of water on a hot day. And Iāve taken a wrong turn and gotten lost.
Iāve learned from those experiences that having the right equipment with you and being prepared can make the difference between a mild misadventure and a disaster.
Experts advise hikers to carry the ā10 Essentials for Survival,ā including waterproof matches, a flashlight, extra food and water, and a mirror for signaling rescuers. These are important items for horseback riders to carry, too. But we also need a few other things hikers donāt, so hereās my version of the 10 essentials for horseback riders (some might be good for hikers, too):
1. Riding Buddy. The No. 1 most important thing you can have with you is another rider. Riding with a buddy is not only more fun but also safer; your riding partner is also your first line of defense in an emergency. If you get hurt, he or she can administer first aid, get help, manage your horse, and even drive you to the hospital.
2. Helmet. Your brain is arguably your most important organ, and you need to protect it. Todayās helmets are far more comfortable and attractive than they used to be, so do your head a favor and wear one.
3. Navigation. Always carry a map of the area youāll be riding, even if you know the trail. I refer to my map at trail junctions and major landmarks to keep myself oriented. I also carry a compass, a GPS, and extra batteries on every ride. A GPS app on your cell phone is a convenient tool, but itās useless if your battery goes dead, so please donāt rely on it alone.
4. Water. You can survive for weeks without food, but only a few days without water. In addition to bringing extra water, I carry a small water purifier in case I need to refill my water bottles from a stream.
5. Clothing. Always bring one more layer than you think youāll need. In addition to a jacket, I carry hand warmers, a fold-up rain poncho, and an emergency space blanket. They take up little room in my saddlebag, but Iām glad to have them if the weather turns bad.
6. First aid. Youāll need two first-aid kitsāone for you and one for your horse. My personal first-aid kit includes Band-Aids, insect repellent, insect bite cream, antibiotic ointment, gauze pads, adhesive tape, needle for removing splinters, Ace bandage, sunscreen, and pain-relief tablets. For my horse, I have Vetrap, gauze pads, antiseptic scrub, an equine thermometer, and Banamine (flunixin meglumine; always use under the supervision of a veterinarian).
7. Tools. A good knife is essential because it can be used in fire-building, first aid, and food preparation. I carry a Leatherman-type tool that includes a knife and other helpful gadgets like a saw, tweezers, screwdriver, scissors, can opener, etc. I also carry shoelaces or baling twine for emergency tack.
8. Food. Bring food for one more meal than you think youāll need. I carry trail mix, energy bars, nuts, or dried fruit. I also carry a can of tunaāIām not tempted to snack on it during a normal ride, so I know it will be there in an emergency.
9. Light. If the sun goes down, youāll want a flashlight or a hands-free headlamp. I carry the batteries separately, so the device wonāt drain the batteries if I accidentally switch it on.
10. Fire. Waterproof matches and a fire starter, such as a candle stub, can make a night stranded in the mountains a lot more comfortable. I carry a few cotton balls and a small tube of Vaseline, because smearing the Vaseline all over the cotton balls produces a long-burning fire starter that doesnāt take up much room in my saddlebag.
Keep in mind that if you and your horse get separated, all that great emergency equipment in your saddlebag wonāt do you any good. Be sure to keep the most important items on your person. Your cell phone, waterproof matches, and a knife are probably the bare minimum. If your riding clothes are short on pockets, use a f***y pack or a Cashel ankle safe trail pouch to carry critical items. And be sure to put your contact information in your saddlebag in case your horse runs off.
Finally, always tell someone where you are going and when youāll be returning, then stick with your plan. That way if something goes wrong, theyāll know where to start looking for you.
Be prepared, ride safely, and have fun!
Here are some trail etiquette reminders:
Bring negative Coggins/health papers if traveling
out of state.
Wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet.
Check cinch/girth before mounting and during your ride.
Keep kickers in back; identify them.
Riders should not pass at a different speed than gait you are traveling.
Let others know when passing and what side you will pass on; choose a clearing.
Keep at least a horse length back.
If passing a branch, do not let it swing back into next riderās/next riderās mounts face ā can lift it straight up.
Do not hold onto a branch until you fall off!!
If you hear a strange noise, turn your horse to face it when you hear it which will help the horse identify it and may prevent it from running off.
Hikers and bikers and vehicles should yield to you but may not: be prepared!
Put riders with less experience in the middle of the group.
If you need an equipment adjustment, let lead rider know and stop the horses to fix it.
Never tie a horse with the bridle reins and tie only to safe/secure items on trail.
Lead horse should be well-trained.
Lead rider should be experienced and know where they are going.
Lead rider should block the trail with mount if in a safety situation or for tack adjustment while backup rider attends to situation.
Lead rider should alert other riders to gait transition, stops, wildlife, and hazards on the trail.
Stallions, if allowed along, should be ridden in front and by person experienced in riding/handling stallions.
Advice for crossing a road:
If riding on road, ride facing traffic
Wear clothing that is visible
Consider a reflective vest
Have horse acclimated to traffic
If riding in a group, have last rider come to front and stand on yellow line, blocking road and stopping traffic for others
Have everyone else walk directly across the road
Be prepared for honking, stones flying, etc.
Advice for crossing streams:
Have horse negotiate water in arena prior to going on the trail.
Sandwich effect ā put the horse unfamiliar with water behind a horse that is familiar with water and in front of one that is familiar with water.
Look straight ahead.
Allow horse to touch water with hoof, take a drink, and encourage it to go forward.
Advice for riding uphill:
Traveling uphill changes the horseās center of gravity, therefore lean forward slightly to center your weight over the horse.
Stay out of horseās way.
May need to use a breast collar to keep
saddle in place.
Advice for riding downhill:
When going downhill the horseās center of gravity will change, the rider should lean slightly back to center your weight over the horse.
Trust your horse.
Look up and ahead.
Advice for encountering wildlife/other trail users:
Sudden emergence of wildlife/other users may cause a horse to spook.
Horses are prey animals therefore they have a flight instinct.
Keep a bold horse at the lead of the ride.
Teach horse to recover rapidly through ground handling and exercises.
Turn horse toward a noise if you hear it.
ABOUT KIM MCCARREL
Kim is an avid trail rider who has ridden the horse trails in Oregon and Southwest Washington for more than 25 years. Her trail guidebooks are "must-haves" for Pacific Northwest trail riders.
Kim has been writing about and mapping trails and horse camps since 2002. Her newest books are revised and updated editions of Riding Central Oregon Horse Trails and Riding Northwest Oregon Horse Trails.
