items you’ll know what works and be able to quickly protect yourself in the face of a fast-moving storm. Make sure you size your clothing appropriately so that snugger fi t ing
items are closer to your body. T at way you will still be able to bend and move around, let alone mount your horse when you have all of your layers on. I like to use a close-fi t ing fl eece jacket, followed by a fl eece vest and then my waterproof outer shell jacket with a hood. Fleece neck gaiters or balaclavas are also good to pre-fi t and prac-
tice layering ahead of time. T ey may be too warm to wear in some circumstances but can really save the day and increase your comfort level should the weather turn bit er or windy. So be sure to know how to get them on quickly and in what order. Instant hand warmers are easy to carry in your saddle pack or jacket
pocket. T ey can be purchased from nearly any sporting-goods store or the sporting-goods section of most “big box” stores. Aſt er my recent trip to the Grand Canyon, I will always carry two pairs of warmers on any trip where the weather can change drastically or may turn bit er cold. I used one pair of hand warmers stuff ed into the top of my socks and another pair stuff ed into the palm of my hand under my gloves. I wore riding boots with laces that let me loosen them up in order for the warmers to fi t. It was sure a welcome feeling having warm feet and hands heading out on the trailat 7 a.m. in 12-degree temperatures! When my furnace quit working in my trailer’s living quarters near
the end of my Grand Canyon trip, I used the instant hand warmers to keep toasty warm at night under the covers, placing them in my socks, my hands and under my pajamas. Aſt er several days of cloudy and stormy weather, my solar panels were no longer charging my bat eries enough to run my furnace and my generator had run out of gas. T ose hand warmers saved the day! Another consideration is to have more than one type of footwear that
will allow you to change should your fi rst pair of boots or shoes become wet or covered in mud. Using good quality thick socks will also go a long ways toward keeping your feet comfortable. Sometimes I use two pair of socks while riding in cold weather. Of course, that works only if there is enough room to do that without cramping your feet. If you fi nd your feet are get ing wet no mat er what, try this tip
before heading onto the trail: Gather up two gallon-sized baggies, a roll of duct tape, dry socks and your boots. Put your socks on followed by the large baggie. Use the duct tape to tape the baggie around your ankle. Now put your shoe or boot on over the baggie. Pull your pants leg down over the top of your boot or shoe and now you should be good
Bo is covered with his fl eece blanket while it contin- ues to snow. I have his rump rug on underneath the fl eece blanket. T is way Bo stays warm, and my tack stays dry while I fi nish get ing ready to head out on the trail.
to go for several hours in super wet conditions and be able to keep your feet dry. T is works best when it is cooler as your feet may heat up and sweat if you were to do it during a warm weather storm.
FIND YOUR WAY BACK TO CAMP I
Most horses quickly learn
to break holes in their water
buckets as they freeze. Each
morning I would fi nish breaking
up the ice on Bo’s water, then re-
move it and refi ll with warm water.
f you’ve got a GPS be sure to mark a waypoint for your camp location before heading out onto the trail with your horse. T is way you can fi nd your way back to camp in the event of a storm. A storm
with heavy clouds, fog or rain can make it extremely diffi cult to fi nd landmarks and can complicate fi nding the correct direction to go. Most GPS units are waterproof and will work in all conditions. T e newer ones should still be able to pick up a signal during heavy cloud cover, though you may have to hold them out in the open (versus underneath your layers of clothing and raingear). If you carry extra bat eries in your saddle pack be sure they are fresh.
Bat eries leſt in a saddle pack even for a few weeks may not work if they have been exposed to high heat or freezing cold temperatures. Be sure to bring any electronic-type gadgets such as phones, cameras and GPS units indoors at night along with your spare bat eries. Today’s cell phones can do amazing
things. One thing most of them can’t do, however, is keep working when they get wet in a heavy rainstorm. Many cameras are also not waterproof. If you are riding with your phone or camera, invest ahead of time in a waterproof case or use a baggie for added protection. Keep in mind that aſt er spending several hours in high humidity, items inside a baggie can still become water-damaged. T is is why I recommend using a standalone GPS unit since they are generally waterproof and not relying on a cell phone that might have an application that allows it to work like a GPS. Start your vehicle every day or two while
22 | December 2011 •
WWW.TRAILBLAZERMAGAZINE.US
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100