Horse Camping

Horse back riding is a popular pastime, filled with great opportunities for pioneer experiences. An RV can make a good base camp for horse back riding just as it does for motorized OHV activities. I have a little plaque with a statue of a mule on it and sign that says "The original 4x4!" Loaded horse trailers are very heavy, so be sure to check the Combined Vehicle Weight Rating for your RV or other tow vehicle before trying to tow a horse trailer.  Horses typically weight around 1000-1200 # each.  If you plan your rides around staying in a single base camp, an RV can be a welcome home away from home to come back to at the end of each day and enjoy a hot shower and a good night's rest. For most of us, who aren't used to the rigors of sitting in a saddle all day, a hot shower and that comfortable RV bed will be pure heaven come nightfall. Sleeping out under the stars in a cowboy bedroll may appeal to the adventurous among us, but I'd venture most of us technology pampered people would welcome a hot shower and a comfortable mattress after a day in the saddle. If you don't have an RV, you can setup a good tent base camp.  If you plan to spend the night out on the trail somewhere, you'll need a cowboy bedroll or a tent and sleeping bag.  A cowboy bedroll is much easier to carry on your saddle.  If you have a pack horse you could bring along a sturdy tent and a comfortable sleeping bag.

Combination trailers. Just like there are toy haulers for OHVs there are trailers that are a combination of living space and horse transport space. Many have self contained human facilities in the forward portion of the trailer and accommodations for horses and tack in the rear. They are available in bumper pull, gooseneck, and fifth wheel models. They are not cheap, but they may be less expensive (and more convenient) than buying an RV AND a horse trailer.

Horse trails, like OHV trails, may be somewhat remote.  Getting there may involve traveling on narrow roads with size and weight limitations so be sure to check your route beforehand and pay attention to warning signs along the way.  The last thing you need is to get into a situation where you have to back your horse trailer a long way to get out of a bad situation.  

Horse camping supplies. If you're going horse back riding, you will need to bring along "fuel" for your horses: hay and oats and plenty of water. Since you'll be working them harder than they normally experience in the corral or pasture, plan on extra rations to keep them healthy and supply enough energy to perform well for you. Many places you go will require certified weed-free fodder.  Consider what kind of emergency veterinary supplies you might need on the trip. Check your riding gear (tack, boots, hats, chaps, spurs, gloves, etc.) and make sure everything you need is on board and in good condition. Very little a cowboy wore was for decoration only. His hat, kerchief, boots, spurs, and chaps all served valuable purposes on the trail. You would do well to equip yourself in a similar style. Cowboys usually carried a large canteen. Today you might substitute a Camelbak-style hydration pack and/or water bottles that hang on the saddle horn, but do make sure you bring along an adequate supply of water. Keep in mind your horses need water too, and plan your rides to either include water sources along the way or return to base camp often enough to meet their needs. Of course you need to consider how to transport, organize, and store your tack. A good horse trailer usually has a small "tack room" to take care of things on the road and in camp. On the trail you'll need to provide proper protection of your gear when its not in use. In Western movies the cowboys often use their saddles as a pillow. Laying a saddle flat on the ground like that is not the best practice, it is better to put it over a log or rock that will support it without splaying. Try to keep your tack dry. Water leaches oils out of leather and causes it to get stiff and crack. Always place your saddle on a saddle rack for transport. If you must lay it in the back of a pickup or SUV, lay it on its side. Laying it flat can crack the frame.  Using your saddle for a pillow in the rain is a pretty good way to make all the leather stiff and it won't be comfortable for you or your horse.  Personally, I have found saddles a little too hard to make good pillows anyway.

A cowboy bedroll provides a place to sleep that is sheltered from the weather without having to carry and set up a tent.  It consists of a piece of canvas wide enough to wrap all the way around you and your bedding and and long enough to fold over your head in case it rains.  You can buy them ready made or make your own.  A traditional cowboy bedroll used wool blankets but you could use a modern sleeping bag instead.  Check out these instructions for making your own cowboy bedroll.

Feeding your horses in camp. For the most part, you'll have to bring your own hay and grain to feed your horses. There are very few places with sufficient pasture to sustain them. When camping on US Forest Service lands and some other regulated areas you must have certified weed free hay. I've seen horse trailers with hay racks on top, but you can only transport a few small bales of hay. For any long outings you may have to pre-stage hay at your destination or along the trail, bringing it in by ATV or 4x4.

Remote camp sites give you an opportunity to experience something akin to what pioneer ancestors might have gone through during exploring or immigrating or during hunting trips or just visiting family. If you're going to be spending most of your nights on the trail you may not need a permanent base camp, but it still might be a comfortable retreat at the end of the ride. Today you might use the same tent and sleeping bag you would for tent camping but for fun you might want to try an authentic cowboy bedroll. They take up less room on your saddle. They are usually made of sturdy canvas and are about 3' wide when assembled and slightly more than twice as long as you are all -- long enough to provide a little canopy over your head as well as cover your entire body front and back. The raw canvas is about 9' wide, allowing it to be folded over from both sides to make a waterproof and well insulated top as well as a ground cloth to preserve your body heat. Add wool blankets for warmth and padding. If you find wool too scratchy, include a flannel or cotton blanket or sheet between you and the wool blanket. Or you can use a sleeping bag inside your canvas bedroll. Properly constructed and assembled, a bedroll will keep you warm, protect you from ground moisture and insects, and keep the rain off. A bedroll will take up less room and require less setup and take down time than a tent, but you won't have the interior space or dressing area of a tent. It will keep you cozy for sleeping but you'll have to dress outdoors and you'll have to tarp your gear to protect it from bad weather.

Cowboy cuisine. To round out your trip, plan on eating authentic cowboy trail food.  A little online research will net you a ton of recipes you can choose from.  Bacon, beans, and ash cakes or corn dodgers were common menu items.  Coffee was often brewed in a speckle-ware pot by just throwing a handful of coffee inside, filling it with water, and boiling it directly on the campfire.  Probably not nearly as smooth as Starbucks or even what you get out of the percolator at home, but hot and full-bodied and "real men" learned to strain the grounds through their teeth.  Basic supplies should always include flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder.  Dutch ovens and cast iron fry pans are a little heavy to carry unless you have pack animals or wagons to help out, but are excellent for authentic pioneer style campfire cooking.   Cowboys on a cattle drive usually didn't have to worry about hauling their own cooking gear around. The camp cook kept everything on board the chuck wagon. I enjoyed the comment of the cook for the cattle drive in the movie, City Slickers when he told them they wouldn't be getting any "fancy nouveau cuisine" and their food would be "hot and brown and plenty of it".  That pretty well  describes traditional cowboy trail food.   Plenty of beans and bacon.

Planning your schedule.   If the drive to and from your planned location is long you'll need to plan stops along the way to give your horses food and water and get them out of the trailer for a little exercise.   In camp you'll need to take care of their needs as well.  You probably don't want to feed them right before beginning a ride, so plan to get up early to make sure they are taken care of properly each day and have time for their breakfast to settle before you saddle up.   Allow time to walk them a bit before riding after you reach camp.

Camp security for your animals.  Fortunately horse-stealing isn't as prevalent as it was when horses were our primary means of transportation, but it can still happen.  In the Old West, horse thieves were hanged.   A more common problem is animals wandering off if not properly secured.   Some equestrian camps include corrals where you can "park" your horses.  In primitive camping areas you'll have to provide your own restraints.   Portable corrals are heavy and bulky to transport, handy to have in base camps, but not practical at all on a trail ride.  Lacking a corral you'll need to use ropes. A common solution is called a picket line or high line.   It is attached between two uprights like trees or fence posts with spaced loops to attach leads for multiple horses so maintain safe spacing.  Properly done, a picket line allows a horse to lie down when it wants to.  You can tie your horse to your trailer for short periods of time, like tacking, but it is not recommended for longer periods.  Keep the lead short -- so the horse cannot get its head lower than its knees.  A long lead may seem to give the horse more freedom but it is an invitation to injury.  They may get tangled in the lead or roll part way under the trailer and get severely injured.   I've seen spooked horses drag a trailer several feet connected only by a lead attached to their halter, which has to put a strain on their necks and could cause serious injuries.   Hobbles may restrict how fast a horse can get away, but they also present their own safety hazard.   In all cases, your horses should be restrained within eye and ear shot of your camp so you can monitor their safety at all times and be able to respond quickly if there is an emergency.  A battery powered portable electric fence is also an option for setting up a temporary coral if you have room to carry it.

Handling your animals in camp.  Unless you do a LOT of horse camping, your animals are probably going to be somewhat uneasy, at least for your first few outings.   Be careful when you lead them around.   Don't wrap the lead around your hand or allow it to wrap around your body.   If the horse bolts, you may lose a hand or get dragged.  Horses are naturally gregarious and will want to group together.  Until you KNOW the temperament of other horses in the group, keep yours away from other animals, especially when they are not supervised.  Make sure your horses have access to food and water when you tie them up.   Be sure to rub them down after riding to remove excess sweat before they become chilled.  Brush them carefully before putting on tack each morning.  Brushing makes sure there is no debris that may cause injury or discomfort and helps calm them before the day's ride.

Giddy up!