Horse riding tips

[M.T. Pockets]

I've rode horseback many times on pack in trips over the years. I'm a long ways from a cowboy, but I'm all right in a saddle. I've never rode more than about 3 hours at once though, this year I got myself involved in a 32 mile, 12-13 mile pack in trip.

Any suggestions on how to prevent saddle sores ?

I've learned a long time ago not to sit on your wallet. I've also worn cut-off sweat pants under my jeans and that seemed to help quite a bit. I know a guy that wears bicycle shorts under his jeans on the pack in days and he says that helps.

I have a buddy with some horses close by that I can ride anytime, but I don't know how it is possible to train yourself for a 13 hour ride.

Anyone have any ideas for anything that might help ?

[grayghost]

I once found myself on an unplanned 13 hour ride, and I haven't forgotten it to this day. We were scouting/hunting Bears in Idaho (first day of the hunt) and wound up going a lot further than planned. All of the snow hadn't melted, so sometimes we were on solid ground or mud; other times we were in 2-3 feet of snow. My biggest problem wasn't saddle sores, it was my knee's. On occasion we would dismount for a rest and I could barely walk for the first 5 minutes. I had my stirrups adjusted too short. Only after that first day did I realize that my knee's wouldn't hurt so bad if I adjusted them to full length for my legs. The front half of my foot kept good contact with the stirrups, and I could raise up in the saddle on my tip toes. Damn my knee's hurt just thinking about it. Since it was still chilly, I was wearing my light, insulated underwear, and did not suffer any saddle sores, although my ass got numb on several occasions, thus the dismounting for short breaks. Hopefully, some of the Horsemen that visit this forum will give both of us some savvy advice. Good luck on your trip. Sounds like it's going to be a great hunt. Good hunting, grayghost

[royinidaho]

As greyghost mentioned stirrups should be sent longenough so that you can just take the weight off your butt.

Keep your toes pointed up and out. The best boots are 'packers'. Shove 'em in the stirrup clear to the instep/arch. The heal keeps the boot from going through the stirrup. But never the less, whatever kind of footwear, toes up and out.

Ride the horse, just don't sit there like a bump on a stump. It makes your butt and knees sore and ticks off the horse.

With your toes up and out your knees won't get sore but you'll walk a bit bow legged and kind of waddle a bit for a while leaving funny tracks in the snow.

Also it helps if the stirrups are a bit to the front but that's not too big a deal.

13 miles isn't that long, maybe a couple of hours. You'll do us proud.

oh yea, BTW, leave the spurs @ home


ANd good huntin'

[M.T. Pockets]

Thanks Roy. Don't worry about me using spurs, most of the time I'm trying to slow down my ride, not speed it up.

By the way, it's going to be a 13 hour pack, I wish it was 13 miles instead, but I'll do what we've got to do and smile no matter if it hurts or not.

I know it beats walking and every step the horse takes I think to myself "that's two steps I don't have to take".

[Dan Morris]

Trying to remember high school days in ranch country, all I can recall is stirrup length and staying in saddle....dang, thats a long time back!
It never bothered me....guess I was a lot tougher then...LOL
Dan