It may be blustery and cold outside with ice rings sitting atop water buckets, but it’s none too early to begin the planning phase for your 2006 riding season. Do you plan on staying with the ‘tried and true’ trails that you have come to know and love, or is this the year you will venture out and visit other campgrounds and trails you have heard about? If you’re like me, you plan to spend as many possible hours in the saddle that you can muster. Over the years I have found it helpful to research and plan ahead for the upcoming riding season’s destinations, particularly when a visit to a new venue is involved.
Your first step in researching new camping/riding venues is easy, and the vehicle you need is right under your fingertips – your computer. One of the most informative websites that I’ve run across is http://www.horseandmuletrails.com . This website contains information about horse campgrounds, trails, and overnight hosts throughout the United States. You can access the websites of individual campgrounds and read testimonials from those who have visited and ridden them. Contact information is available if you would wish to speak with camp/trail operators. Whenever I plan to visit a new horse camp, I always call and speak with someone at the business just so I can personally get a feel to how the camp is operated and to find out information about the trails. Important questions I ask are: What kind of testing confirmation do you require (i.e., Coggins, health certification, etc?) What are your camping fees? Are there trail use fees? How many campsites do you have? What are your reservation requirements? Do you have stalls, hitching rails, or picket lines for the horses? Do you allow dogs? Do you have electric and/or primitive sites? Is there potable water on site or nearby? Do you have shower facilities? Will my horse be on or near my site? Do you provide stall bedding or wheelbarrows, rakes, and shovels for manure removal? Are your stalls in good repair? Do you have an on-site farrier? Is there an on-call vet available? What is the level of difficulty of your trails? What kind of terrain encompasses them? How many trail miles are available from how many trailheads? Are the trailheads accessible from your camp? Are the trails well-marked? Do you have a printed trail-map available? What types of other trail users may be on the trails (hikers, bikers, four-wheelers, etc.) Are there any particular geographical dangers along your trails (i.e., unmarked cave openings, quicksand, wild animals, etc?)
I will also speak with someone who has actually visited and ridden the trails I’m interested in, just to get a feel for what they experienced during their time there. I try to balance out the positive and negative statements of their recounting with how they might fit what I like when I camp and ride. For instance, if they relay that the trails are more rugged than what I’d like to ride, I’ll mark this particular place off of my list. If they relay that the campsites are comfortable for man and horse alike with spacious, flat, shaded areas, I’ll consider that a positive attraction.
Part of the important research in planning a trip to a new riding venue, particularly for those located out of state, is to find out what pre-requisites that particular state may have for transporting out-of-state equines. By utilizing the following website, http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/sregs/ , you can determine what is required for each state you are traveling through or visiting in. Keep in mind that if you plan to take the gamble and not have the proper testing certifications/documentations, you run the risk of not being allowed entry into that state (whereby you are told to turn around and leave); being fined for not having the appropriate documentation; having the state veterinarian summoned to test your horse(s) on site (very expensive and time consuming); or having your horse(s) quarantined (again, very expensive and time consuming). In my opinion, it is better to play it safe and have all required health documents in order prior to the trip. Speak with your veterinarian about your planned trip and he/she can conduct the required tests and provide you with the necessary documentation. They will also be able to send the documentation in advance to those states that require it.
If you are planning an out-of-state trip, it is very important that you research and have available veterinarian contact information for the areas through which you will be traveling or visiting. Again, I utilize my computer for this and will print out the information that I find and keep it in my truck for easy emergency access. My general rule of thumb is to locate a horse veterinarian within 50 mile vectors. I know this may seem like a daunting task; however, I feel it is better to have this information available at hand than to be trying to locate one in an emergency.
Equally important, you should also research and locate ‘people’ hospitals using the same criteria and action. I have had two experiences where someone within my riding group needed to find a local hospital. It was a terrible and scary ordeal the first time because none of us knew where the hospital was located. The second time we were better prepared, and we were able to get our injured friend to the hospital quickly.
If your trip is going to be one that encompasses hundreds of miles of travel, it is imperative that you find locations that will allow you to overnight your horse(s) to give them a break in travel. Again, you can utilize http://www.horseandmuletrails.com to locate people/businesses that can accommodate you in the areas you are. I do recommend that you phone them to personally get a feel for them and their operations.
Also, talk to your vet about his/her recommendations for transporting your horse(s) over many miles. As a general rule, whenever I transport my horse over distances greater than 200 miles, I will taper off the amount of grain I feed to zero intake two days prior and one day following travel. I will also have my vet come out and ‘oil’ my horse one day prior to the trip. These precautions help guard against travel-induced colic. Contact your vet to see what is recommended for your trip.
I will also research driving routes to my chosen destination by utilizing one or more of the many online map sites like http://www.mapquest.com , http://www.yahoo.com , or http://www.randmcnally.com ) If you are a member of AAA or some other travel organization, you can have them develop a couple of different travel plans for you. I do this just in case there are unexpected travel delays due to accidents or road construction (I’m always thinking about limiting the amount of time my horse is in the trailer). Keep these maps in the glove box as well for easy access when needed.
As you can see, a lot of thought and process goes into finding and making arrangements to visit a new horsecamp. Following the above suggestions will assist you in making the best decision and being better prepared for the trip.
Happy trails!
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