One of the unique things about being a trail rider is that sometimes you have to ride alone. Unlike someone riding in an arena who is more likely to have help close by, if something happens while you’re out riding, then you’ll need be prepared to get out of a bad situation. The best way to help yourself is to prepare properly before you leave by being sure to take a few select items with you.
Protection – Helmet
The most important item you can have is a helmet. It’s also the simplest and easiest thing you can take with you. How do you take one along on your ride? By WEARING it! Most trail riders don’t wear helmets, and I used to be among them. I’ve never been seriously injured coming off of a horse, so I’m not some “it happened to me, so now everyone needs to wear one” proponent. But given the statistics for head injuries in our sport, and some of the injuries I have personally seen or been told about, I think it’s important that we all consider it.
You don’t have to be going fast to sustain a significant head injury. I know a woman who was simply sitting on her horse at the edge of a dirt driveway when a car came down the driveway and flipped a rock under the horse. You guessed it -- the horse spooked and she fell off, striking her head on the ground. She was lucky. She only ended up with a lingering headache for several days (if you call that lucky).
If you won’t wear a helmet for yourself, then wear one for your family. Personally, I never want to look one of my children in the eye and say “I can’t run with you anymore, or play ball with you again, because I was too proud (or vain) to wear a helmet.”
What type of helmet should you buy? How much should you spend? Buy a helmet that is certified, and spend what you think your head is worth. Most certified helmets can be had for between $39-69. Buy one that’s comfortable so that you’ll wear it.
Communication -- Cell Phone
One of the most important things you can take with you is your cell phone. It’s important that the phone be on YOU and not attached to something on your horse. Placing the phone in a saddle bag or in a cell phone holder attached to your horse is asking for big trouble. The most important reason for having the cell phone is to summon help in the event you’re injured. And to be honest, I’ve seen few people injured while riding actually still sitting on their horse. They’re usually on the ground after being unloaded by their horse. If your phone is on the horse, it may well be on its way back to the barn without you when you need it most.
Also, make sure that you check your cell phone to see where on the trail it’s going to work and where it won’t. Even in an area where cell phones don’t work well, there are often breaks in the trees or the canyons that actually allow signals to come through. Don’t rely on the “signal bar” to indicate whether your cell will work.
Staying aboard -- Western Nightlatch™
One of the least understood and best pieces of equipment to have is a Western Nightlatch™ or an English Grab Strap. Most people aren’t even aware of what they are, why you need one, and how they’re used.
A Western Nightlatch™ is a piece of braided leather that fits through the pommel area of a western saddle and is designed to give you a better grip to stay aboard your horse in the event of a bad spook or a bucking spree. An English Grab Strap is designed to do the same thing and fits from one “D” ring to another at the pommel area of an English saddle.
Why are they so important? If you can stay aboard your horse, you have less chance of being injured. When you grab hold of the saddle horn or the pommel of an English saddle, you’re using what’s known as an “open” grip. The object you’re grabbing doesn’t let your fingers close around it tightly enough to let your thumb wrap over your fingers like they would around a suitcase handle, which would be a “closed” grip. An open grip is easy to break loose and is very weak. But a closed grip is very tight and difficult to break free -- just ask anyone who’s tried to get a jellybean away from a two year old.
Having a nightlatch can be the difference between staying on the horse and visiting the ground. While some people refer to them by other names such as sissy strap, hail Mary strap, or bucking strap, they’re designed to help you stay aboard. I chuckle when I hear someone say they won’t use one because their friends would make fun of them. Ironically, most of the professional cowboys who break colts for a living use them. So ask yourself how come it’s okay for the pros but a sign of weakness for the amateurs.
Directing your horse -- Spare Reins
Do you carry anything with you to replace or repair a broken rein? This can happen when the horse steps on a dropped rein. Or the equipment simply fails due to wear or because it was faulty. I’ve also heard of riders tethering a horse with a rein, having the horse pull back, and the rein snapped. (By the way, you should never tie your horse by the reins. He can be seriously injured if he spooks and pulls back.)
Having a spare set of Emergency Reins™ is like having a spare tire in the trunk of your car. And like the cell phone, make sure that you carry them on YOU and not on your horse. Whether you use Emergency Reins™ or a piece of leather or rope, they can come in handy. They can be used to catch your horse if he gets away, tie a splint around a broken limb, or as a sling.
Cutting your way to freedom – Knife
A knife is one of those indispensable tools that is one-of-a-kind – there is no substitute. You can use rope, string or leather to make a new set of reins. But if you need to cut something on the trail, there isn’t anything else that will solve the problem except a good quality knife. Make sure that you can open it and close it with one hand in case you need to hold onto your horse with the other. Trying to cut a horse free from some tangle (a briar, rope, bridle, hay net, etc.) is a little hard to do if you can’t control the animal.
Make sure the open blade locks in place so that it can’t accidentally close on your fingers while you’re using it. Most importantly, make sure that you carry it somewhere on your person so that you can access it easily and quickly. Keeping a knife buried in your pocket or saddle bag is almost useless in an emergency.
All about you – Identification
Be sure to have at least two pieces of identification. Keep one piece with you, and put one on your horse somewhere. Include your name, phone number, emergency contact information, and any medical conditions or allergies at a minimum. Should you be injured and unable to communicate, rescuers need to know who you are and how to contact on your behalf. Make sure that you have something on your horse, too. If your mount becomes separated from you and is located by someone else, it will be easier to get him back home to you.
Make sure the identification is clearly visible and easy for others to find. Medical bracelets on wrists are good, as are those that go around the neck in a pouch. If you use the ones that go around your neck make sure that it is tucked under a shirt to prevent it from snagging on something or getting caught on your saddle horn when you dismount.
Hydration -- Water and Fruit
Many trail riders carry water with them on the trail, and that’s always a good idea. But carrying water poses problems, too. Finding a place to strap the container, listening to it slosh around while you ride, and carrying enough all pose challenges. You can find a number of containers that function effectively. But you also need to know that the body can only absorb so much water at a time. And if you consume too much too quickly, you’ll soon be dismounting to relieve yourself the excess.
However, taking fruit with you will supply not only some energy but also a surprising amount of liquid for your system. Because the liquid is contained in a food, it takes much more time for it to pass through your system, allowing your body to absorb it more effectively. If you do take water, make sure that you sip often rather than drink a lot at once. And remember that fruit is also more fun to share with your horse!
Other Items
Of course, there are many other items you can take with you. People often mention a first aid kit, triangular bandages, halters, reflective clothing, emergency blankets, whistles, etc. And they’re all very important, too. But realistically I also know that people will only take “so much” with them for a short to medium trail ride. The list provided here includes items that are most important for your safety, relatively lightweight and easily carried on you or attached to your horse. But the list of opportunities is endless! Safe Rides.
Sidebar: 7 Items for a Safe Ride
• Always wear a helmet.
• Carry a cell phone – and know where it works.
• Stay in your saddle – use a grab strap.
• Bring spare reins.
• Take a good quality knife.
• Carry identification on you and your horse.
• Stay hydrated – take water and fruit.
Copyright © 2009 The NW Horse Source, LLC
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