FRONT COUNTRY HORSE CAMPING
Robert Eversole; Trail Meister
What to know before you go
Good horse camping is easy. Great Horse Camping requires a little more preparation. Let’s discuss how to get the most out of your adventures. From what to look for in a campground, safe trailering to camp, and even why Love Letters are an important part of every camping trip! Planning for a Horse Camping Adventure in the Front Country (or anywhere!) 1 - Do your Homework - What type of adventure are you up for? In any camping environment, all you need is food, water, and shelter for horses and humans. Three things. That’s it. How complicated you make fulfilling those needs is up to you. You can keep it simple by heading to a fully equipped resort or you can decide to rule the wilderness. There’s a world of difference between setting up camp at a guest ranch with reserved stalls and parking complete with water and electric hookups for your truck and trailer, verses an outing that requires you to ride deep into a wilderness area with everything you need for survival on the back of your horse. Types of horse camps • Guest Ranch, Resort, or B&B- Glamping with all the bells and whistles • Established Campgrounds – Corrals are common, usually have restroom facilities, sometimes even shower houses. State Parks, etc. • Primitive Camp – Dispersed camping USFS / BLM areas • Wilderness Camping – Packing in – We’ll visit that topic another time. The amount of preparation depends on the type of camp you plan on visiting. Guest ranches take care of everything from corrals to dining facilities. Dispersed camping in a National Forest means you’ll need to be proficient with not only horse containment, but water, shelter, and everything else you’ll need. It’s best to start slow and work up to more involved adventures. With every trip keep notes on what you forgot and what you had but didn’t need. With each trip, you’ll become more organized and find out what little things helped you feel more comfortable in camp and on the trail. Using a printable checklist helps. (https://www. trailmeister.com/trail-rider-check-list/ ) 2 - After you’ve decided what type of adventure you want, now is the time to start asking questions. • What amenities are available? Corrals – restrooms – showers – water, etc. • What is the parking like? Will my rig fit • How many miles of trails? -What types of trails (out and back or loops) -Terrain and footing • Are reservations required? Where to make them • Best times to visit? 16
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• What are the rules & restrictions for the area? -Coggins Test - Brand Inspection – Health Certs -Is weed free feed required? If certified weed-free feed is required, ask for a list of where to buy it. -Are portable corrals allowed -Are dogs allowed -Fire restrictions -Bear restrictions • Is it a multi-use area? Who will I meet on the trails and in camp • Driving distance and quality of the roads? How long will it take to get there and can my truck and trailer make it 3 - Once you’ve settled on your destination point it’s time to start making sure that you AND your horses are ready for the trip. It’s all good as long as nothing goes wrong. Are you preparing? Or you just surviving? Food Meal planningThe average equine eats about 2% of body weight per day. If an average horse weighs 1,000 lbs that foots out to about 20lbs of hay per horse per day. How are you going to carry it? • Pack your horse’s usual rations. You may be tempted to “treat” your horse to prepare him for a rigorous day of riding. Resist that urge. Keep your horse’s feed as close to normal as possible. Giving your horse foods that he’s not used to can cause digestive troubles. If a specific type of feed (i.e. weed free) is required and it’s different from what you normally feed at home, you’ll want to change your horse’s diet gradually prior to your trip. For example, if changing from grain and hay to a complete pelleted feed, or even from one kind of hay to another, do it well in advance so you don’t put your horse at risk of colic or other potential health problems. Also, as much as they’ll want to don’t allow horses to graze on green meadow grass if your horse is not accustomed to eating fresh forage at home. Colic is one thing you want to avoid especially when horse-camping, where the nearest Vet may be far away! Water Dihydrogen Monoxide. Water is the most vital of requirements. For our animals as well as us. On average horses drink 10-15 gallons of water a day. That’s a lot. HorseNRanchMag.com
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