# What do you carry on the trail?



## fly123 (Jul 24, 2012)

What do you usually pack for trail rides? For shorter or for long rides(but not overnight rides).


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

My saddle bags are generally paked with the same things, but maybe in differant quantities, for short or long rides.

Water,
Gatorade,
Jerky & Licorice (Jerky is mine, licorice is for the horse)
Sandwiches (On rides where I plan on stopping for lunch, generally not short rides)
Bailing Twine (In case something needs to get tied back together) 
Pocket knife,
Pistol (Generally not on short rides along the creek but always on longer rides)

On a seperate note I always ride my horses with a noseband under the bridle in case I need to tie up or lead them, but this way I don't need to bulk of the halter. Also an extra set of short reins or a leadrope in my bag if there's room, just in case.


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Short rides - hoof pick, multi use tool, something to drink (pop or water usually), cell phone, spare leather strips or twine, and lighter and cigarettes. I only use pommel bags for short trips. 

Long trips - the same as the short trips, lead rope (have a rope halter under the bridle), and saddle bags with sandwiches and more beverages. I might have a wire cutter and a sharp knife too.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Oh, I forgot about the cell phone. Definitely have one of those. :lol:

Every now and then I'll take some sort of pepper spray or noise maker (Airhorn), but both of those are pretty much irrelevent to me if I have my boomstick :lol: The gun makes noise and will deter most animals...Or (God forbid) my horse gets hurt and I have to put it down....


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Map, Compass, Topo maps, GPS, Katadyn Hiker pro water filter, Halter and lead rope, headlamp and led flashlight, deep woods off, sun screen, water proof matches and waxed paper, rain coat.....just to name a few.


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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

A cell phone, some horse treats, water in hot weather, hand/feet warmers in cold weather, a knife, a hoof pick. I don't go on extremely long rides and I know the area and the terrain fairly well, so I don't really need anything else.


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

I've only gone on ~4 hour trail rides, so I'm not sure if that's considered short or long..lol.
Anyway..I generally just carry a sharp knife, cell phone, cigarettes, lighter I don't mind losing, and a halter under my bridle.
Lately though, I've been carrying all the "must-haves" for my trail partners since my horse is the only reliable one and I'm the least likely to come off and lose my horse. This usually includes Benadryl, Epi-pen, small first aid kit, and a few small items which are carried in a horn-bag. When carrying the horn-bag, I usually toss a water or two in the other "pouch", even though I rarely drink it..lol
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

I ride with the equivalent of everything but the kitchen sink, after my mare severed an artery on trail during a ride a few years ago. I know the chances of that ever happening again are small, but they were pretty small for it to have happened the first time!

In my saddle bags at all times:
easy boot, 2 rolls of vet wrap, 1 roll of elastikon, 2 diapers, wad of roll cotton, bandana, pair of mosquito hemostats, pair of nitrile gloves, twine, duct tape, multi-use tool, people drugs (tylenol, advil, etc), chapstick, rain poncho, camera, cell phone, granola bars, 2 water bottles, and heartrate monitor.


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## Horsnaround64 (Dec 31, 2011)

Cell phone. Water,camera, halter under the bridle. Toilet paper extra rope


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Hoof pick 
Halter/lead rope (I don't like halter/bridle combos:-|

Small can of Deep Woods OFF! for the horse and myself.

Cell phone, which was non-existant In The Old Days.

Enough water that my horse has a bottle in case I can't find clean water for him. I love him to pieces but, I'm not drinking after him

One hard salami sandwich/muenster cheese on rye bread.

Spare reins (made from binder twine) with quick release snaps. I don't cry about giving them away if someone else has a rein emergency

A few dollars just in case I come out on a road with a general store.

Pistol if I am by myself.

I count myself very lucky that, in more than 50 years of trail riding I have never needed any first aid for the horse or myself while out on the trail. We've done some pretty rough riding. I know there have been some scrapes and bruises but nothing stands out in my memory as life-threatening that I should have been carrying wraps and meds.


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## wetrain17 (May 25, 2011)

Hoof pick, knife, water, cell phone, GPS, lighter, and of course my chapstick.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

I went for a very short ride yesterday on a circular trail - I went 4 miles. I had 2 bottles of water, a hoof pick, a pocket knife, cell phone, camera. I was taking my GPS but let the dang batteries. 

I was never further than 3/4 of mile from the vehicle on this particular ride as it is a ride on a loop. If I am riding up at Ebenezer I would have

Heart Monitor on Biscuit
GPS WITH the batteries
toilet paper (which is funny - I rarely get off on the trail but have it just in case!)
knife
hoof pick
little first aid kit
water
Camera
compass
hoof boots 
vet wrap
snack of some kind


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## Jolly Badger (Oct 26, 2009)

If I know it's going to be a longer/full-day ride, I will pack something for lunch/snack, a couple of bottles of water, knife, cell phone, camera, some little first-aid and anti-bug items for myself and the horse, extra bits of leather in case I need to make an emergency tack repair. I may or may not bring the horse-collar and lead rope with me. It's nice to have along if we take some extended breaks. I can just put the collar on my horse when I tie him and take the bridle off entirely, so he is free to scratch his head without the worry of him rubbing the bridle on a tree or tie-post and breaking it.

Otherwise, I like to pack light.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Oh yeah...and I had a pump spray bottle of Deep Woods Off!!! and had to use it too!


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## Trails (Jan 28, 2009)

Pretty much what's already been listed above.
Here's another list as well.


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## soileddove (Jul 27, 2010)

I'm one of those "everything but the kitchen sink" types.. ha I've really never had to use some the stuff I drag along, but I've been in situations where others who were not as prepared needed something.

Tied on top of my bags

Sweatshirt or rain slicker
Rope halter and leadrope
In the "dry" side

Hoofpick
Loop reins
Shoelace/twine/strips of leather
Duct tape (small roll)
Camera (when I remember it..)
Handcrank flashlight
Granola bars
Mini first-aid kit (QuikClot, Vetwrap, gauze roll, alcohol, antibiotic ointment)
In the "wet" side

Sandwhich(s)-- Depending on who is with or carrying bags)
Apples (for the horses.. Usually.. ha)
Ice pack(s) (also available for emergency use)
Water (however much I can bring to balance out the bags)
On me

Knife/multi-tool
Cell phone
Insurance and identification
Trail pass


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## lsdrider (Jun 27, 2012)

carrots, water and snacks / food, pocket knife, TP, wallet and cell phone in waterproof box, pistol


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## WesternJake (Jan 29, 2011)

I am loving this thread! Such great ideas!  

I haven't gone out on any rides that are longer than 3 or 4 hours, and have usually just brought along water for me, my cell phone and had my horses' halter on underneath the headstall w/ lead rope attached. 

I want to buy some saddle bags though and pack it with some stuff that will always remain in there - first aid kit, hoof pick, extra pair of reins, etc. I don't get out and trail ride a lot, but you never know when you might need something. 

Emily


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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

Halter and lead rope, Leatherman, GPS and a compass, cell, flask....sometimes, jerky, depending on weather a flymask and sweatshirt or jacket in my cantle.


Isrider, I like the idea of carrying a gun.


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## Hawksnest Farm (Dec 31, 2011)

I feel so inadequate all of a sudden. I ride in shorts and a tee with sneakers and I bring my cell phone (5-6 mile trail rides 2-3 times a week)


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Hawksnest Farm said:


> I feel so inadequate all of a sudden. I ride in shorts and a tee with sneakers and I bring my cell phone (5-6 mile trail rides 2-3 times a week)


Where do you ride?


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## NHCavalry (Mar 1, 2010)

Leatherman, leather straps for repair, semi-auto, lighter, and cigars.


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## Hawksnest Farm (Dec 31, 2011)

gunslinger said:


> Where do you ride?


I live on Cape Cod, MA. I have a small farm on the edge of a State Park - tha'ts where I ride.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Smokes & beer.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

I go for the less is more concept :lol:.

Most of these list look almost like what I take for long distance rides :lol:. With the exception of Hawksnest, but I wear long pants and usually a long sleeve shirt.

For short day rides as the op stated (not distance riding).
Water, pancho tied on, wide brim hat, good knife and rarely my coach gun (although I'm thinking of switching to a pellet pistol) depending on where I'm riding.


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## karebear444 (Feb 3, 2012)

Umm lets see longer rides I pack my cell phone, Purell, toilet paper, rain poncho, water, lunch, lead rope, halter, horse treats, first aid kit, vet wrap and a fly mask if it's not already on


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Hawksnest Farm said:


> I live on Cape Cod, MA. I have a small farm on the edge of a State Park - tha'ts where I ride.


Okay, consider yourself invited to come ride in the Cohutta Wilderness Area of North Georgia, we'll go an hour off the black top to park the trailer and several miles off the forest roads on the trail. 

Don't bother bringing your cell phone, it won't work in most places but you might get a very weak signal on some of the taller mountains.

Wear your shorts. The Black flies are hungry. Everything that bites lives there.

My point is bring what you need depending on where you're going to ride.

Of course you don't need a GPS, map and compass if your riding at home.


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## PunksTank (Jul 8, 2012)

Something better might be to say what NOT to bring:
-Spurs
-whips of any kinda
-a friend who is somewhere relatively close who knows what time you will be back and who will go save you if you aren't.
Do not bring with you anything that can be used against you or your horse. If your horse needs either of those tools to be ridden confront those issues in the ring until they can be ridden without them. 

Bring:
-a whistle, if anything happens you WANT to be heard, if it panicks your horse - well at least that got more attention (assuming the horse is uninjured)
-a cell phone (but signal may be an issue)
-light reflecting tack, so you stand out!
-bells if your horse can be used to it so hunters and others hear you from a great distance
-reflective vest for yourself. 

And everything else mentioned


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## Janna (Apr 19, 2012)

Just my phone. I have trails all around where I live but they don't get too far away..I normally could walk home of needed. Id carry a hoof pick of I hadn't discovered I could use a strong stick. if I'm going further away I'll take some water. 

I've never actually got to go on a trail ride far enough away to take anything extra


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## AdrianoVell (Sep 5, 2012)

Just take the safety things that can protect me...


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

When I was 12 (which was quite a long time ago) & living in the UK I used to head off on my own for the entire day on my pony. I would tell my mother where I was going but frequently changed my mind minutes later. I would have a few dry crackers, some chocolate and a drink in a little backpack, some baler twine and a boy scout type hoofpick/knife thing in my pocket.
No cell phones in those day, I frequently get lost exploring some woodland trail and often rode for miles along canal banks
I survived!!!!


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