Horseback Trips

[maine canoe guide]

Eastern dude wants to know which boots would be best to take out on a horse pack trip? I can't see hunting in cowboy boots but I know they are best on the trail. Is it best to take two pairs of boots? that's what I am leaning towards. It would be early season elk pretty high up. Looking for help from some wranglers. Thanks

 

[sneakypete]

I did a horseback moose hunt last year, I wore my Kenetrek mountain extremes without issue!

 

[hoshour]

Wear your regular hunting boots, but you don't want your boots too far into the stirrups. I have to keep backing mine out a little from time to time. You don't want to get them caught 'cause having your foot caught in the stirrup when for some reason you exit the horse is not a good thing.

 

[gypsumreaper]

Our clients wear their hunting boots, just let the guide or wrangler know that you need some bigger stirrups to fit your boots. As said above keep just the balls of ur foot in the stirrup. Keeping a little weight in ur stirrup will also help keep them from sliding in deeper. I always suggest heels down it puts that weight you need in the stirrup and will help ur ride seem a bit more comfortable. If it's an early season hunt regular stirrups should be alright for you, it's when we get into later seasons that our clients start wearing the huge bulky boots and we have stirrup problems


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[Colorado Cowboy]

I've done over 25 horseback backcountry trips and the advice is spot on. If you have never done one, I suggest you do a little riding before the trip. You probably have a stable near you, rent a horse and have someone take you riding for a few hours, several times before you go. Wear your hiking boots, so you can get used to them on horseback.

 

[gypsumreaper]

Yes even 2-3 hours in the saddle will help you out a ton for when it comes time to pack in. Wear ur boots as well as maybe ur pack that you may be carrying, we sometimes have clients that wear their packs into camp. And if at all possible put a rifle scabbard on the saddle and stuff it with something that will make it like there's a rifle in there. Having a rifle scabbard under the fender can make it a little more uncomfortable. And make sure whatever side you put the scabbard on make that stirrup roughly 1 hole longer than the other side. It will help ur knee a ton


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[maine canoe guide]

Yeah I'm looking at doing that here. There is not much as far as trail rides close to me lots of indoor English riding rinks. but I'm working on it .I'd like to find someone who had Western gear but i don't suppose my tuckus will care either way. I'm sure any outfitter would TELL you the heels down feet in halfway but DOING it is the hard part. Nothing like practice to get in the good habit. Thanks guy's

 

[gypsumreaper]

Yes it is tougher to do than say, English riding will teach you the balls of your feet only. Western riding is a full foot in the stirrup type of riding. I personally ride with feet all the way in the stirrup to the heel of my boot, but my heel also stops my foot from going all the way through. With hiking boots there is no heel to stop your foot from going all the way through. There isn't a lot of western riding in the eastern US anymore and I will say an english saddle is more comfortable than a western saddle.


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[crazyaboutland]

I found this on a website:

"Few things are worse for hunting than cowboy boots, and few boots are less suitable for riding than hunting boots. Cowboy boots have defined heels that prevent your foot from slipping through a stirrup and getting stuck; hunting boots have bulky, flat-bottomed soles that seem engineered to enhance their ability to stick in a stirrup. Getting thrown and having a boot hang up in a stirrup as you go off is absolutely life-threatening.

Since carrying two pairs of boots and switching back and forth isn’t practical, the solution is to loosen the laces of your hunting boots before mounting so that even if your boot hangs up (if you fall off) your foot will pull out of the boot. It’s better that your panicked horse races frantically away with one of your boots than for you to go bouncing along with it."


Read more: http://www.petersenshunting.com/how-to/dummies-guide-to-diy-horseback-hunting/#ixzz4RdRmFG2V

 

[crazyaboutland]

Let me know what you guys think, never tried this before, not sure if it's good advice

 

[gypsumreaper]

Here's my advice as a horseman having loose boots may help, saddle bronc riders where boots that are to big for this reason they come off. Although hunting boots are usually snug even when unlaced it may help but may also cause blisters even when ur riding. If you ever do fall off and get hung up the best thing to do is belly down even with cowboy boots I have personally gotten hung up and turning belly down helps with getting ur foot out although it's not always perfect it has worked and hasn't worked. Most saddles have stirrups that will not allow your entire foot to go through. Whenever dismounting always slip your foot out of the side ur getting off on so just your toes are in, this way getting off there's less chance of getting stuck. Ask to test ur boots in the stirrup first if you can before hand slip the boot in the stirrup when it's not on your foot and see how the boot fits in the stirrup.


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[missjordan]

Riding in an English saddle will still get you comfortable riding horses. There still are tons of performance horse trainers on the eastern side of the states that focus on reining or cutting horses. I'd be searching for any of those types of people to help you out. You can also get on AQHA website and look up their list of professional horsemen in each state. You will find one somewhere just have to dig a little deeper


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[Slugz]

1. Large stirrup
2. Heel down
3. Balls only
4. Go ride in a English saddle. You will be a rock star in a western then.
5. You are paying for the ride. The animals should be taking care of you. Not fresh and experienced.

Wear your hunting boots.