The Things We Carry

A few months ago I wrote about all the packing and organizing I do before each CTR or Endurance ride. It’s equally important that you have some necessary items on your person….or on your horse…..when you compete or even if you are  just planning a long training ride.

Several weekends ago it was hot and I mean HOT.  My friend and I set off on a training ride through some trails we hadn’t been on for a while.  We’d already been out over two hours and were headed home. However, we found a ton of tree limbs blocking our route back. Luckily I had my handy dandy folding saw which I bought at Eastern Mountain Sports many years ago! I hopped off Reilly and went to work. In about 20 minutes a path was cleared and we were headed home.  I would never expect that to happen on a Competitive ride…..but it made me very grateful for the saw and other things I always carry in my Snug Pack. It was a great learning experience for Reilly to stand next to me while I sawed branches and dragged them out of the way. He was a very good sport about it!

My folding saw and a good “all in one” tool never leave my pack. I also carry a small lead rope, a plastic poncho and a hoof pick.  My sponge is always hanging from my front D ring and on really smart days I have my cell phone on my person. A carabiner and some of those plastic ties can work in a pinch to repair almost any piece of tack. I never leave home without a water bottle, and on buggy training day I take my fly wisk.

The day of a competition I truly look like a gypsy.  In addition to the above items in my Snug Pack I also have some “Gu” or other “people” electrolytes, a energy bar, a tube of electrolytes for Reilly, chap stick, a Baggie with cut up carrots and a small bottle of fly spray and two bottles of water mixed with energy drink which in a pinch I share with Reilly.  In another pack I carry my EZ boot for an emergency shoe loss. (I also give an old set of shoes to the farrier working the ride. That way if Reilly looses a shoe the farrier can simple nail on an already shaped shoe. MUCH faster than having the poor hardworking farrier shape a new shoe!) If it’s an Endurance ride I also have a small waterproof time card carrier hanging from a D ring.  Ah! and don’t forget the on-board heart monitor. Some riders also carry a scoop made out of a cut down detergent bottle. Personally, the clanging of the scoop makes me crazy…..so I just use my sponge.  I did find a very cool small collapsible bucket that I can fit in my Snug Pack. It can be used to offer water to Reilly or pour water on his body.

In cooler weather or if it’s raining very hard I may start out the day with a rump rug, either fleece lined or not depending on the temperature. They can easily be rolled up and attached to your Snug Pack or saddle with strings. If find it’s always best to keep their hind ends warm on those cool fall mornings until their own body heat kicks in.

It may seem like a ton of stuff and it is! Through trial and error I’ve figured out the most efficient way to attach things.

Always Always let your horse walk around a bit and maybe even lunge him with all this new stuff hanging from his saddle! It could be quite a surprise for any horse to catch a bouncing sponge or flying rump rung out of the corner of his eye!

Enjoy every day you are fortunate enough to ride…….and remember how lucky we are to know the love of a horse.

Nancy