# English saddle trail riding?



## musicalmarie1 (Dec 8, 2010)

Two years ago, me, my mom, and a couple friends went on a girls only trail ride for a weekend. That year I took my mare Ginger-- she did fantastic! 

Mom is planning another trip for sometime this year, and instead of Ginger, I want to take my new horse Mellow. Ginger is my Western horse, and Mellow is my English horse. I'm planning on doing the trail ride with my English saddle, but my problem comes down to packing. Last time I used a saddle bag that goes over the horn of my saddle, but I obviously won't have a horn with this saddle. What options are there for English riders who need to carry bottles of water and a small lunch with them on the trail? I was thinking about a back pack, but I wondered what others had done.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

They make saddle bags for English saddles. Look at Action Rider Tack.


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## grayshell38 (Mar 9, 2009)

They make saddle bags for english saddles. 

Otherwise I know someone that had a water bottle holder for a western saddle and used string and a clip to attach it to the rings on the right side of the saddle. 

If you don't want to buy anything, then you'll just have to improvise. I tried riding with a backpack. Super uncomfortable to have things bumping and shifting around your back.


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

Small saddle bag that straps on to the D rings like this one

'Foxy' Saddle Bag | Foxy Attire

Sorry, this one's in the UK but it gives you the gist.

I'd be happy to wear a backpack if I knew I was just going to be plodding along all day, but I don't think I would want that weight imbalance if it was a more energetic ride.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

grayshell38 said:


> I tried riding with a backpack. Super uncomfortable to have things bumping and shifting around your back.


This made me chuckle a bit, isn't that exactly what we are doing to our horses?


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## grayshell38 (Mar 9, 2009)

Darrin said:


> This made me chuckle a bit, isn't that exactly what we are doing to our horses?


I had a similar thought at the time! :lol: I hope not. That was down-right unpleasant! I should have been more clear. Super uncomfortable to have things bumping and shifting on your back while also trying not to bump and shift on your horse's.


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## TheOtherHorse (Aug 5, 2012)

There are a lot of options out there now for saddle bags designed for use on english saddles. There's several options here: 
Search results for: Snug Pax,saddle packs and bags,horse,english saddle bag,english pommel bag.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

musicalmarie1 said:


> I'm planning on doing the trail ride with my English saddle, but my problem comes down to packing. Last time I used a saddle bag that goes over the horn of my saddle, but I obviously won't have a horn with this saddle. What options are there for English riders who need to carry bottles of water and a small lunch with them on the trail?


There are also a good many non-English saddles that don't have horns, as for instance the Abetta Endurance ones. AFAIK, the only real use for a horn (besides something to hang a horn bag on) is if you're planning to rope something.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

or hang on, or drop the reins on, or lots of other things.


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## callidorre (Dec 7, 2011)

Another option no one mentioned so far is to buy an english trail pad. They come with pockets stitched on the sides. I trail ride in my english saddle all the time these days, and that's what I use. Mine has pockets on both sides with buckles to close them.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## nikyplushbreyer (Dec 4, 2012)

well what i do is just carry a light backpack


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## gablehaus (Feb 24, 2012)

If your saddle has little tie downs on it (sorry dont know what to call them... but like like d rings) then just attach string and tie saddle bags to the back, is what I do.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

This pad has pockets. If I had seen one of these, I might have never bought a western saddle.

All Purpose Trail Endurance Pad - Statelinetack.com


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## OutOfTheLoop (Apr 1, 2012)

What about a granny pack? I mean fanny pack?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

I love my Stowaway saddle packs - they make them for all types of saddles. I have a cantle bag, but wish I had a pommel bag because it's a pain to ben around backward for everything!


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## Jolly Badger (Oct 26, 2009)

jillybean19 said:


> I love my Stowaway saddle packs - they make them for all types of saddles. I have a cantle bag, but wish I had a pommel bag because it's a pain to ben around backward for everything!


I have a couple of the Stowaway bags, too. . .they have all different styles, including ones with built in water bottle holders, and a TON of pockets. 

Check out longridersgear.com - they cater to a lot of endurance riders who use English-style saddles, so they could advise you on what packs would work best for you.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

I ride with a small fanny pack. I don't carry a lot of stuff but this keeps emergency items on me just in case of a "ground landing"...ID, med card, emergency locator, leatherman, leather shoelace, tissue, energy bar, small amount of vetwrap and a tiny sanitary pad for a bandage. And I always have a whistle and compass on a cord as a necklace.


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## Sunny (Mar 26, 2010)

Dustbunny said:


> ID, med card, emergency locator, *leatherman*, leather shoelace, tissue, energy bar, small amount of vetwrap


I don't know what kind of leatherman you're talking about, but it made me think of this. (I hope someone else watched old SNL so I don't look stupid.)


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

: ) Sunny...a Leatherman is a multipurpose tool (with more gadgets attached than a Swiss Army Knife). It folds up into a relatively small contained form so it is easily carried for just about any emergency other than brain surgery...and it might work for that if need be.


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## Sunny (Mar 26, 2010)

Aha! I had heard of those before. Thanks for the info.


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## Jolly Badger (Oct 26, 2009)

Dustbunny said:


> : ) Sunny...a Leatherman is a multipurpose tool (with more gadgets attached than a Swiss Army Knife). It folds up into a relatively small contained form so it is easily carried for just about any emergency other than brain surgery...and it might work for that if need be.


They are fantastic tools - I've had one for about 15 years now and it really, really comes in handy! Very good investment!


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