Cowgirl to the Core
I've gone camping with horses many times, but never with my own trailer and without the experience of another horseman. This weekend was the first time I was in charge of my own horses, trailer and food for the weekend.
I recently purchased a trailer of my own, and I didn't realize how much I took for granted having a fully loaded living quarter filled with almost every camping need. To make things even more interesting, our friends, my husband and I decided to go on a last-minute camping trip over Memorial Day weekend.
We were originally planning on going for just the day and coming back home. My friend and I weren't sure if our husbands would be able to get away from the farm, so we waited until Friday night to make the decision. After loading everything I would need for just one day, we thought it would be more fun to stay one night as well.
My friend and I frantically texted each other food ideas for supper and breakfast. I hadn't had time to go shopping all week, so I had to piece some things together. The guys asked us why we didn't just pack hot dogs and ham sandwiches, but that's not how we do camping.
One of my favorite camp meals is chicken, black beans, sweet corn and salsa. All you need to do is dump the ingredients in some aluminum foil, wrap it up and set it over the fire. Of course, we can't go without classic S'mores and pudgie pies for dessert.
Pudgie pie makers hold so many possibilities. We filled them with pizza sauce and toppings, every kind of pie filling, and even mini marshmallows with chocolate and peanut butter. These are a must for any camping trip. I also make sure I have snacks that are easy to carry in saddle bags and plenty of water.
Staying overnight means I had to pack extra food for the horses and dog as well. I always pack filled hay bags for a day ride, but I had to throw in an extra bale of hay and some grain. Feed bags need to be added to my wish list, because they are great to have for camping. I borrowed some from my dad so I could slip the strap over the horses' noses so they couldn't spill any feed while they ate their breakfast.
A couple other things to have on hand are extra halters or ropes, and bridles. I had one horse break a halter when another tried to pick a fight, but luckily I thought to pack an extra halter just in case. I also have vet wrap, duct tape and banamine on hand in case something goes wrong.
It may seem like we were prepared for anything, but we forgot one of the most important things, matches. When we discovered what we had forgotten, we were the only crew left in the campground. Luckily, there were still some logs smoking from some campers that had left that morning and we were able to restart the fire.
Paying attention to your horses during long trail rides is important. Know their limits and make sure they get enough breaks. Even if you think your horse is in shape, the hills, longer rides and new terrain can wear them out quickly. I have seen people run their horses up and down steep, muddy hills, only to have a horse with a belly ache when they get back to camp. If you know horses, you know you need to avoid stomach aches at all costs.
I have had horses get a bit of stomach pain just from getting anxious and prancing for the first day of the trip. When horses do cramp up, it's important to hand walk them instead of tying them up and leaving them for the rest of the night. I was pleased that all my horses, even my young mare, did great on this trip.
Camping with horses can be exciting but also daunting if you don't have the experience. There are many things that can go wrong, but being overprepared will set you up for a successful, peaceful weekend.