This summer I'm hoping to plan some long-ish rides. Not like 100 miles sort of long, but 'leaving the yard in the morning & getting back in the evening with a picnic and a pub stop along the way' sort of rides
Now, I ride pretty lightly - I'm doing well if I remember my car keys in all honesty & have to make an effort to remember my phone
So probably need to get vaguely organised and purchase a few bits & pieces if I plan to be out for more than a few hours.
For those that do longer hacks, what do you use for:
• Water bottles - I've seen in canping stores water bottles wirh carabiner (?!) clips. Would they need some sort of case or can I literally clip them onto my saddle? Do they bounce and annoy the horse in anything but walk?!
• Saddle bags? Is over the front best? Or behind the cantle?! Which brand .... ?
• Rider bags? I'm assuming a bum bag style might be best?
Anything else I've not even thought about ....?! Probably lots
Water bottles I would avoid the bottles with just a clip at the top, they bounce like crazy unless you get them really well tied down.
Saddle bags I prefer pommel bags for day rides, as sometimes if you are fiddling about trying to get something and you need two hands, if they are behind you have to put your rein down and twist around, where as my front bags I can loop the rein over my arm and at least have half an eye on what's coming up ahead
Even if I have both front and back packs on I put all the stuff I might want throughout the day in my front pack.
I have a few types of saddle bags, Shire's panniers which come with 2 water bottles and fit behind the saddle, I do find they can bounce a bit if there isn't much in them. I have Easycare Stowaway duelux bags (these are my go to bags for most of my rides) they also have 2 water bottles, and you can either fit loads in and all the straps on them means you can generally get them pretty well secured either full or empty and with or without drinks on board. I also had a zilco pommel saddle bag, it fitted quite a lot in it (much more than you'd expect) but no drinks on that one. For my bulky/soft items I just use a dry-bag which I tie on the back of my saddle, I have a huge 80l one which was less than a tenner off ebay and a couple of Velcro suit case straps (also only a couple of quid off ebay) which I put my bedding, tent, coats/clothes in as I found cantle/banana bags were just too small. I also have an A5 size envelope bag which just fits to one side behind my leg, this is great for a map and just a few bits on a day ride.
This is my full set up when camping
Rider bags - I can't stick riding with a bumbag or a rucksack, the bouncing and jiggling of it or the stuff in it annoys me, I have a runners belt which is like a mini bumbag but designed to hold items securely without bouncing and my all time favorite is a cashel ankle safe, I ride with it just below my knee, its just the right size to stick my phone, money, chap stick and a few other little bits into and its easy to access and I forget I have it on but it stays with you should you part company with your steed.
As for other things, my list if I am going out for a full day;
Lip balm (helps you not to lick your lips which makes dehydration worse),
First aid kit,
Poncho (I am the coldest person ever),
Folding bucket (as there is rarely horse access to water where we ride but I can often dip my bucket into a trough the other side of a fence for Jess),
Food and drinks,
Phone,
Map & GPS
I do also have other bits and bobs that just live in my saddle bags now, things like cable ties, paracord, carabiner, a mini multi tool/pen knife, a gigli wire saw, break away ties, lights, reflective belt and random bits like that.
I have a 2 part bridle so my head collar is always underneath and I have added clips to my reins so they can be easily used as a lead rope.