If you”re a camping enthusiast as well as a horse lover, overnight horse camping could be the perfect combination of your interests. If you”re interest in events such as endurance riding or competitive trail riding, horse camping is often part of the experience.
No matter why you”re hitching up and camping out, the key to having a good time is making sure that both you and your horse are prepared.
One of the ways to be prepared is to make lists.
“I have a camp list for horses and a people camp list that I use,” says Bonnie Davis, consulting editor for The Trail Rider.
Horses
This is my basic camp list for horses. As I load an item in trailer or towing vehicle I check it off list. Before leaving, items are reviewed to make sure everything has been checked off and loaded! Add your own items too!
- Highline ropes
- Lead ropes
- Highline lead ropes
- Extra ropes
- Hammer
- Insect spray
- Bickmore
- Grain bags
- Rags
- Nails (various sizes)
- Saddles
- Saddle pads
- Gloves
- Water cans
- First-aid kit
- Bridle(s)
- Extra head stalls, reins
- Saddle bags
- Hay nets
- Knot eliminators
- Water tubs
- Pails
- Horse blankets (summer & winter)
- Manure rake
- Feed (weed free when required)
- Extra set of shoes
- Horse shoe nails
- EZ-boot
- Salt blocks (Mineral & plain)
- Broom
- Funnel
- Hooflex
- Spurs
- Halter(s)
- Extra halter Grain
- Horse’s medication
- Grain tubs
- Coffee can (for measuring)
- Baling wire or string
- Burlap bag(s)
- Hay hooks
- Tree savers
- Hoof cleaning tools
- Brushes Folding rake
- Duct tape Flashlight (extra batteries)
- Garbage bags Shovel
- Papers (ownership, vet, etc.)
- Leather sewing kit
- Water
Emergency road equipment-road flares or stands, spare tires for both trailer and towing vehicle checked to make sure they have air in them, jacks, lug wrenches to fit lug nuts on both trailer and towing vehicle tire nuts, chocks, large piece of canvas or folded lug tarp to put on ground when wet or snowy.
For People
Add to this list other items you feel are necessary, wanted, needed or just to take along if there’s room:
- Clothes (dress in layers)
- Prescriptions
- Food for meals (keep it simple)
- Medications
- Rain gear (boots, coat, hat)
- Foot wear
- Camera & film
- Extra film
- Bedding
- Pillows
- Blankets (to spread on ground for a picnic)
- Fire wood
- Charcoal
- Barbeque
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Reading glasses
- Books, magazines
- Hats & caps
- Back pack
- Saddle water bottle(s)
- Watch
- Gloves
- Coats (heavy and light)
- Swim suit(s)
- Insect repellent
- Socks (extras)
- Soap & towels
- Dish soap
- Radio
- Chairs
- Cooking wares
- Fire Cloth
- Emergency blanket
- Water proof matches
- Ice chest
- Clothes pins
- Clothes line
- Water (for drinking)
- First-aid kit (people)
- Fishing gear (including worms, they can never be found when you want one!)
Food can be what you want, but keep it simple. If you want to bring meats, freeze them at home, wrap in layers of newspapers and stack in an ice chest WITHOUT ice. Or add the sealed freeze packs one buys at sporting good stores that can be refrozen if you’ve got an LQ rig with a freezer.
The newspaper will insult anything frozen and keep it frozen for two or three days. Use the newspaper to start a camp fire. If bringing items in tin cans, remember to rinse out and crush the cans as they take less garbage storage space that way. Just be sure to rinse cans AWAY from camp in case there are bears in the area. They can be unwelcomed ?camp guests”!
For more of Bonnie”s tips, visit .
