We do a lot of "camp and trail" riding.   In my horn bag you will find Chicago screws, a multi-tool knife, bug spray, sunscreen, wet wipes, a disposable rain slicker, a lighter, a first aid kit, some sweet tea and snacks for me and my horse.

Of course my horse always wears her halter under her bridle and my trail rope has snaps on both ends in case of a broken rein.

RIDE ON!

I have not really figured out what makes the best first aid kit, yet.  But I do know that the cheap little pre-packaged first aid kits are usually useless for anything more than a paper cut or a broken fingernail.  Seriously, what good are 2 inch square gauze pads going to do you?  And 3/4 inch wide band-aids?  If the wound is that minor, do you even stop to put a band-aid on?

I pack a 4 inch wide roll of gauze, some medical tape, and maybe some anti-bacterial stuff.  Like Too L Ranch said, a bandana can come in handy, and I figure I could always tear a piece off my shirt if I needed to, also.

Knowing what to pack for first-aid can be kind of a crap shoot.  I had a horse accident a couple years ago.  The horse and I fell/rolled down a hill, and the horse kicked, stepped, and stood on my legs.  I also had a perfect hoofprint right in the middle of my back.  One leg was especially bad.  Luckily, the horse was alright, and we happened to be within 15 minutes of the trailer, so we rode back.  Some people we were riding with had cut-up pieces of a mattress pad.  I used a 12" x 12" piece as gauze and used an Ace bandage to hold it on.  Those people also had some Equine Pain Formula (I think that is what it's called) that they used to put on a mare that had nerve damage in her face.  It numbed my leg quite nicely.  But, as a result, am I going to start packing a mattress pad in my saddle bags?  Probably not.  If the accident would have been a few hours later, we could have been 10 miles from the trailer.  In that case, we would have made a bandana, torn shirt sleeve, or something else work.

As someone else said, what to carry can be a crap shoot - especially if one doesn't use a saddle; I have done my share of making my horse sit on his butt and "walk it" down a powerline, then having to dig up the other side

I carry a knapsack on my back and a fanny pack around my waist.

The fanny pack holds a hoof pick, my cell phone, lip gloss, excedrin and my Brothers Smith & Wesson (I often ride alone in remote areas).

The knapsack holds, a throw-away camera or two, several pieces of paper towel folded and in a sandwich bag, two water bottles, a can of OFF!, a can of Furall spray, a tube of diaper rash cream (any of which can be used on me or my horse), a spare set of reins made out of nylon hay twine and two 10" pieces of 1/2 inch water hose that are slathered in vaseline and in a zip lock bag.

Before I give the answer, I know someone has to know why I carry those pieces of garden hose ---- riding in remote areas being a hint.

The diaper rash cream is good for aiding in reducing pain and itching, plus it is very thick so won't come off in the river and helps small, bleeding wounds, coagulate a little faster.

I've been trail riding well over 40 years, and while I've never ridden the Calgary Stampede, I've done some h***acious down hill and up hill riding in my youth.  I am very fortunate that I've never had an injury that required the horse be bandaged up.  I believe in carrying only essential basics that would suffice for both horse and rider until we can get back to base camp

Before I give the answer, I know someone has to know why I carry those pieces of garden hose ---- riding in remote areas being a hint.

Ok, I give.  What's the answer?

PAWALKER, are you saying that you trail ride bareback?  Yes, I always have and still do.   BUT, these days, those butt sliding and knee digging hills better not be any more that 50' or I'm likely to slide ride off one end or the other.  This old gray mare certainly can't ride as well as I used to

I don't know what the vaseline-covered water hose would be for, but remember this is a family site. Ha ha.

I carry those pieces of garden hose in case my horse would get bitten by a viper snake.  Horses can't breath through their mouth.   I could put those pieces of hose up the nostrils (leaving two inches OUTSIDE the nostrils) if the air passages were to start swelling and keep the air way open for the horse to breath.  

Then I would pray a whole lot that I could walk the horse out to help before he might collapse anyway.

I grew up in rattlesnake country, so the garden hose trick was something I learned as a teenager.   I moved south of the Mason-Dixon and still live in rattlesnake country, but cottonmouths and copperheads are now added to pot.   I have been one lucky person to have never had a horse bitten by a  viper snake.

I think this is a really great thread...I know some places do not allow firearms of any kind, permit or not. So, it would be important to check the places you are going. That said, I like to carry a small bottle of fly spray with me. It may not keep them away entirely but they definitely stay away more when I have it than when I don't!

Ran

It is a small can.  It is the pressure, not the heat that makes them tough to unwrap.  I live in Southern Arizona so we get plenty of heat.  I just went out and checked, just to be sure and it unwraps easily.  That vet-wrap roll has been in my pack at least two years.

It is a small can.  It is the pressure, not the heat that makes them tough to unwrap.  I live in Southern Arizona so we get plenty of heat.  I just went out and checked, just to be sure and it unwraps easily.  That vet-wrap roll has been in my pack at least two years.

Okay, I now know what you are talking about. Might have to try it.