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Camping With Your Horse
There are few things in life that are more enjoyable than horse camping. To get away from work, the city, the noise and traffic, to escape to a world of big, blue skies, wide open spaces, tall trees and mountains, fresh air and endless trails … spending hours with your favorite horse (and friends and family, so long as they are good company, too!). Life just doesn’t get much better than this.
On the other hand, a weekend camp-out with your favorite equine friend can also be a recipe for disaster if you are unprepared or unsure of how to handle a wilderness adventure. Camping with horses is fun, but does require advance preparation and planning.
There are different options for the trail rider who wants to camp. In some parts of the country, you can find fancy stables that rent stalls for the night where your horse can safely sleep, contained in a barn while you “rough it” at the local hotel or a bed and breakfast. There are equestrian campgrounds at some state parks that have corrals and hitching rails for the horses, water, and showers and bathrooms for people, and even electricity for campers. But the most common camping areas for trail riders are pretty basic – a place to park your rig, pitch a tent, maybe run a tie line for your horse.
This article will discuss camping, starting with just the basics.
Preparation: Your Horse
The most important element for a pleasurable camping trip is your horse. Your horse should be trained well enough so that you are able to handle him in new and different settings. He should know how to stand tied without fussing.
Before setting out on a long trail ride weekend, if you plan to spend many hours in the saddle riding a lot of miles, be sure you have ridden and conditioned your horse sufficiently. He should be sound, healthy, have proper hoof protection (shod, if appropriate for the terrain where you will be riding), and have tack that fits well and will not cause discomfort. This part of the preparation is done in the weeks prior to your first campout.
It’s a good idea to feed your horse some hay regularly prior to the campout if he normally is on pasture, but is going to be fed hay during the campout. Reduce the number of hours on pasture a little, and feed a flake of hay also each day for a couple weeks prior to your campout. It’s important that you don’t change the horse’s normal diet abruptly to avoid chance of colic when you’re away from home.
It’s also a good idea to get your horse used to drinking from a water bucket if he normally drinks only from a large tank of water or stream.
Horse items to pack for a camp-out (in order of importance, from the horse’s point of view!):
Feed: Hay and grain (if he normally is fed grain). Keep the diet as close to what he eats at home, and pack enough to last for your camp-out. Hay bags or hay nets are handy to feed hay when camping or traveling. Don’t forget the bucket for grain.
Water: Find out ahead of time if you need to take water for your horse. If there is not water available where you are camping, take plenty. A cheap and easy way to take water is to get a big plastic trash barrel, put a large trash can liner inside, set it in the back of your truck, fill it up almost to the top with water, tie the trash can liner tightly, and snap the lid securely. You can carry a good amount of water like this, with little spillage (if you drive carefully!). You can also carry water in five-gallon plastic containers, but you will need several of these. It’s always a good idea to take extra water from home even if there is water at the campsite, because sometimes horses just don’t like the taste of strange water and will not drink it as readily as they will their own water.
Tack and equipment: Pack your gear carefully, taking care to look for worn or faulty equipment that may cause problems on the trail. Replace worn cinches or straps. Take an extra saddle blanket, extra halter, extra lead rope, and don’t forget the bridle! If you don’t have a grooming box, get a plastic tote box and pack it with brushes, hoof picks, curry comb, sweat scraper, sponge, fly spray. If it’s going to be chilly at night, pack a blanket or sheet for your horse. Even if he normally is not blanketed, it’s a good idea to have a sheet, and also a rain sheet, to put on him at night. When camping, the horse will be tied or confined to a small area and is more likely to become chilled after a long day on the trails, compared to when at home where he can move about freely.
Preparation: Rider
Here’s where a check-list really comes in handy. It’s important to take clothes for all weather conditions, including a rain coat or slicker. Take whatever toiletries you’ll need – toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, sunscreen. Take enough food to last you. Eating on the trail and in camp is a wonderfully fun experience in itself. You’ll soon learn all about the joys of food cooked over a fire and drinks cooled in an icy stream. Food always tastes better when you work up an appetite in the fresh air. Be sure to take lots of water for both drinking and washing.
Pack your favorite magazines, a good book or two, music to listen to, and your guitar or flute if you are so inclined. Take maps of the trails if possible. Read up on the area in which you will be riding and camping. Knowing the history of an area and being able to recognize and identify birds, flowers and wildlife makes the ride more interesting. Be aware of possible dangers and how to avoid them (snakes, bears, etc.). Have respect for native wildlife and Mother Nature. Take precautions and use common sense, but don’t obsess over “what-ifs”.
Other essentials include flashlights and warm sleeping bag, tent or other shelter. Gooseneck trailers with a comfy bed up front are wonderful, but many people enjoy sleeping under the stars, or they clean their horse trailer out real well when they arrive in camp and sleep inside it.
Setting up camp:
Safety is the primary concern for horse camping. When you arrive at your destination, choose a level parking spot, with plenty of space for tying your horse and moving around. Shade is great. When tying your horse to the trailer or a tree or a post, the ideal tie spot height should be at least the level of the horse’s withers or above. Be sure to tie your horse to something sturdy, using a quick-release knot. The length of the tie rope should not quite reach the ground when unsnapped from the halter. This length allows the horse to move about some and lie down, but is not long enough so that he will get a foot over it. If you are tying two or more horses in an area, tie them far enough apart so that they cannot fight with each other.
Hang the hay bag or hay net high enough up so that the horse cannot put his foot in it – at least shoulder high up on the horse. Hay nets tend to get lower and lower to the ground as the hay is eaten down, so always pull the tie string through the bottom ring of the hay net, bringing it up through the top of the net, to avoid this. One of the most frequent horse disasters you see at trail outings are when horses put a foot through a hay net that is hanging chest level or below, and they panic when they get tangled up in it.
Secure small water buckets with a rope to the trailer (if you are tying to the trailer). Larger plastic tubs or small muck buckets are great for horse water at campouts. They’re not as easy for the horse to knock over, and once filled, your horse has plenty of drinking water. The horse should always have fresh, clean drinking water available.
When setting up your camp, be sure to not leave anything within the horse’s range of movement – lawn chairs, tack, etc.
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Finally, check your horse’s area for any sharp objects – trailer door latches, sharp bumpers or license plate holders, big rocks, sharp tree branches, etc. Cover or move these things! Horses are great at finding ways to hurt themselves – if it’s there, they’ll get into it.
And if you take your dog, follow the rules for the park or camping area that you are in. Tie him if necessary, but don’t tie him where he and the horse can get tangled up together!
Fun and adventures
Camping out in areas without electricity can be a challenge, as well as great fun. Use your imagination. You can buy battery lamps, solar lamps, citronella candles and torches to help ward off mosquitoes, and other great camping gear.
Most important of all, get out and ride, explore new trails and enjoy the great outdoors. When you return to camp, take care of your horse. Allow sufficient time to pack up before heading for home; clean up your campsite area. Be respectful of the area in which you have ridden – do not litter, “leave no trace” is the motto of a good trail rider. Do not expect park rangers or forestry officials to clean up after you and your horse. If you leave a good impression, you will be welcomed back.
There are numerous resources available if you want to learn more about trail riding, conditioning, camping and wilderness adventures. The more you learn and the more comfortable you become, the easier it is and the more you will want to get out and go camping and trail riding. You might even want to consider competitive distant rides – endurance or competitive trail.
Camping with your horse is a great way to really get to know him, as you spend hours together. Enjoy!
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