What should YOU carry in your trail bag? Here's some great advice from a few of our members!
• #1 Most Needed Item: Wire Cutter/Fencing Pliers
Alicia Herbaugh Once, my mare got wrapped up in an unseen, buried strand of barbed wire. She spun and wrapped it around her back legs and in her tail. Luckily I was able to bail off quickly and get her to stand still, and a second friend cut her hands up getting the wire off of her. This was a friend’s field we've been riding in for years and never had a bit of trouble. Ever since I've carried wire cutters.
• Tied for # 1: Multi-Tool (Leatherman)
Carolyn Lee Leatherman Pulled a nail from the hoof, cut and repaired a fence across a national trail, and pried a rock out of a foot..... And, one time a 3yr old accidentally pushed me down onto a 4' staghorn cactus... 4 ladies had a Leatherman and graciously helped pick cactus out of my private places.
• Tampons/Sanitary Napkin
Cindy O'Daniel Vied Sanitary pad and vet wrap. We were in Utah trail riding and our guide’s horse tripped and nicked a major vessel in his leg. After a long time of pressure and wrapped securely we slowly made our way out. * And: Sally Mathews Parrish Clark Used a tampon to stop a bad bloody nose on a fella whose horse bumped into his head! He got some looks coming into camp!
• Clotting Needs
Tammis Pennington EMT gel. Kathy Shaffer Brannon, I carry Wonder Dust blood stop. Also mentioned: Debra Wiggins Stephens Cayenne can help stop bleeding and shock (humans and animals) I take aspirin when needed. I have used it directly on the wound to stop bleeding.
• Banamine & Electrolytes
Rhonda Layne & Peggy Conger mine clicked on the trail. Left Banamine at home. Dumb mistake. Now I carry Banamine and electrolytes. Peggy Conger & Rhonda Layne I learned the same lesson the same way. Luckily one of the gals I was with had Banamine paste. It saved the day but that takes half an hour to kick in. My vet showed me how to administer liquid Banamine orally under the tongue, which works almost immediately.
• Hoof pick/Small Hammer
Missy Starkey Stone lodged - this happened to me, twice. Two different horses. My mare had a HUGE rock, we might never have gotten out.
• A Comb/ Tweezers/ Multi-Tool for cactus needles!
Katheryn Raine Edward In AZ you need a metal comb to get the Cholla off your horse and you!
• Benadryl
Dana White, I was stung 12 times by yellow jackets many miles from camp. I wish I'd had Benadryl. My throat was swelling, I prayed a lot, and made it back to camp ok. I always carry Benadryl now, pills and liquid.
• Emergency Blanket, (wool, mylar, or plastic)
Barbara Schuyler, I was bucked off on the trail in a wilderness area. One friend stayed with me, one went for help. I had a small solar blanket. The ground was pretty damp (I couldn't get up) and I felt myself going into shock... that little " blanket " really helped me. Margaret Maier Fortier One note on mylar blankets: If it gets old, they will stick together and be impossible to open and use!
• Saw
Carol Crawford Our packhorse stepped off the trail, in a wilderness area, and fell end over end about 70' down. Was stopped by getting tangled in brush. Used a handsaw to cut him loose from the bush he was stuck in, then built rock steps to get him up onto the trail. After inspection, I saw only 5 small scratches.
• A Whistle!
Hope Wunder I wear a whistle when I ride now. I was kicked by my 3-year-old and lay in a field for hours with a compound fracture of my Tibia. I couldn’t move. I yelled and screamed for help until my throat hurt. * Also: Barbara Conner A whistle, (use) the ones that football refs use, because otherwise, they won't be powerful enough to be heard in the woods, probably because of no acoustics. Carry on your person.
• Garden Hose
Holly Allen-Good We keep (2) - 6-inch pieces of garden hose in case a horse is snake bit on the nose, you can insert them carefully into the nostrils before they swell so the horse can breathe.
Rachael Balcomb Nelson Don't forget lube; noses bleed and you want it to go in smooth and easy.
• Zip ties, Hay Twine, Leather strips for bridle/other repairs.
• Duct Tape for everything else!
And, if all else fails Kathleen Landeen says "My favorite is to bring a well-prepared friend who carries all the stuff that I don't."