For those who enjoy the companionship of their horses, there is no other way they would prefer to spend time off than with their horses in the high county in the fall. Truly, there is no more beautiful place to be on a warm September morning than on a high country trail with your riding and pack horses. While it is often nice to invite company along, it is sometimes mind-clearing and refreshing to go by yourself and spend time taking in nature in peaceful solitude.
Whether you are planning a solo camping trip with your horse or you are going together with other horse lovers, here are a few ideas and tips for camping with your horses in the high country; an adventure that will bring the two loves of your life together for a superlative experience.
Understand What Lies Ahead!
Understanding how your horses think and react to situations is very important to the success of your trip. You must prepare your horses both mentally and physically in order to climb up and down the steep trails often encountered in higher elevation areas. Remember, there is no trail maintenance in many areas so your horses may encounter downed trees in the trail or brush that has overgrown the trail; they may have to jump over obstacles, slide off boulders and ford streams. It is simply not reasonable to expect that they can accomplish such a journey without preparation. Expose them to everything you can think of before hand to get them ready.
Prepare your Horse for the Adventure
Beginning as early as possible in the riding season, prepare your horses for the trip. Start your pack horse with empty packs. As summer wears on, add items to the pack that are bulky and noisy to prepare them for carrying the real load. As you condition your pack horse, lead them with your riding horse. By taking them both you are assured they will be used to each other as a pack team. Your riding horse will be used to the lead rope attached to the pack horse behind and your pack horse will be accustomed to following the riding horse. During the summer, include a couple of over-night camp practice trips. It is critical to have them ready for the trip; not merely for the success of your trip but for their safety and health.
Where will you Tie your Horse for the Night?
Make the least impact on the terrain possible as you trail camp. Do not count on tying your horses to trees; it is illegal in some areas. During the summer, buy an electric fence set-up and keep your horses contained with it to get them used to the idea of the light wire on lightweight posts carrying a large charge. When it comes time for your trip, pack the fence system and take it with you. The advantages of this sort of fence system are that it is highly portable and you can fence adequate area for graze with little effort.
When planning on camping with horses, the most important thing is to understand what lies ahead and then condition and prepare your horse to face this terrain, especially if this is your horse’s first foray into the wild. Happy Camping!
