Tuesday, January 15, 2013

What's in your saddle bag?

I brought my cantle bag home to run through its contents and make certain everything was in order/see if I needed to add anything/see if I needed to throw anything out. Lessons from my backcountry pack course in June taught me to put everything in ziplock bags since horse sweat will destroy nigh near everything in existence. I pulled everything out of their respective bags and found things in working order and only had to throw out a few tiny things.

The following is in my cantle bag (this does not include the water bottles I usually have on there):



  1. Poncho
  2. Horse treats
  3. Vet wrap and athletic tape
  4. Scissor/multitool
  5. 12 feet of paracord
  6. Flashlight
  7. Dog leash
  8. Girly products
  9. Renegade boot parts
  10. Bug spray/sunscreen
  11. Bee sting relief
  12. Cravats (for slinging/swathing injuries of the human or equine kind)
  13. A lighter
  14. Matches in a waterproof casing
  15. Various granola bars/fruit leather
  16. Toilet paper
  17. Sunscreen
  18. Gloves
  19. Hoofpick

I'm surprised I fit all of that into that bag...with room to spare! A lot of the items have multi uses for humans and equines alike. That was a key lesson during my pack course: Try to pack things that can be used multiple ways/many times. (The challenge still stands on how to use a full keg that will trend toward empty in a day or two in more than one way... Yes, I learned how to pack a keg into the backcountry ,and its totally a practical thing to know! ...okay, it isn't. But its FUN.)

Other ideas suggestions for things to have along for lengthy rides in the middle of nowhere?
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4 comments:

  1. Jordan PriceJanuary 15, 2013 at 5:46 PM

    I really have no experience doing any sort of truly lengthy ride. Probably the longest that I took a saddle bag for was riding up the road to the 4-H arena twice, which I think was about an hour and a half. I didn't need all of that kind of stuff...I took it more to store food and first aid kit stuff. The one thing I don't see on this list that I did have though, was a spare lead rope. I was paranoid some freak accident would happen and someone wouldn't have a lead rope...really probably the least of my worries, but hey. I like to be prepared. lol

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  2. Country GirlJanuary 15, 2013 at 8:50 PM

    *snicker* I don't even carry a saddle bag. Lucky if I have my cell. Even luckier if there's reception.

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  3. DomJanuary 15, 2013 at 9:52 PM

    By saddle bag, do you mean chaps? LOL

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  4. Nicole AJanuary 16, 2013 at 11:12 AM

    Love this! This is how my dad would make us pack our bags whenever we went on our 16-mile hikes into the wilderness in Wyoming and California. This came at just the right time too-I've been meaning to get a saddle bag for longer rides, and was going to look into what I'd need to carry. Agree on the lead rope, unless you have reins with clips. My thing is-God forbid,what happens if you get separated from your horse? All of these things would go with your horse...I've debated the idea of a small, compact backpack instead just because of that. I'd add 2 extra batteries for the flashlight and a space blanket. My dad always made us carry those. We sold one at the tack shop in Tampa that was super compact but when unfolded was large enough to cover a horse!

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