What Is Equestrian Camping? Believe it or not, it’s camping with your horse. For horse owners, this is a dream come true. It can be traditional tent camping or more of luxury glamping, depending on your preference.
What is Equestrian Camping?
It’s a great way to travel to the places you’ve wanted to see, explore and enjoy the beautiful scenery and get training sessions if you’d like. Most people are unaware of the possibilities of camping with horses; you can travel to faraway locations or a place nearby your home. Make this camping trip whatever you want it to be.
This article will cover the essential tips you need to know about equestrian camping. Get ready to bond with your horse like never before.
What You’ll Need
Your essentials for equestrian camping will slightly differ from that of traditional tent camping and glamping, as it will now include your riding gear. This list of essentials can vary depending upon your needs:
Horse riding helmet
Horse riding gloves
Camping sleeping bed
Water bottle
Bug repellent
How Do You Camp with Horses?
The key factor to take into consideration is whether your horse has the right temperament. How does your horse usually react when they see a new place, this will help you identify whether they’ll be sad, happy, or overwhelmed.
You must keep in mind the age and health of your horse. If your horse is of age, you might want to consider staying nearby and not exploring too much in case something goes wrong. You won’t have your usual veterinary practice.
Along with details of local vets and any other support you may need, you should take a vet first aid kit with you. Make sure your horse’s health is good. Proper vaccination should be done, and there should be documents to prove it just in case something happens.
Take a good look at your horse, think about their daily routine, and ask yourself if this will work out or it will be too big of a change for your horse? If your horse is not of age and active, it’s the best decision you’ll ever make. If not, then you might want to consider an alternative.
Wherever you choose to go, keep in mind the climate and terrain and how it differs from what your horse is used to here at home.
Considerations While Planning an Equestrian Camping Trip
There are many things to consider when planning an equestrian camping trip or if you decide to camp overnight with your horse.
Here are a few inspirational ideas and critical factors to consider:
- Are you considering traveling in your home region, or do you wish to stay in a different geographical area or even country?
- Are you willing to invest time in some tuition, or do you just want to ride out? You can participate in special events such as local show jumps, which will allow you and your horse to enjoy and bond.
- Do you want to ride every day, or will you be up for exploring new sites on foot so your horse can get some time off?
- Do you plan on returning to base camp each night, or you’re thinking of taking a ride from one site to another?
- Do you want to stay at an equine to be offered a stable and a groom if needed, or are you more of a traditional campsite person with a particular area for people with horses?
- Many riding centers will provide a memorable camping experience and a great mount if you can’t bring your horse due to health and age.
- Many of you who have a horsebox with living accommodations can use it as their hotel for the night and transport. The one thing you need is an electronic hookup.
Tips for Beginner Equestrian Campers
If you’ve recently heard of equestrian camping and are starting your journey, here are a few tips to consider:
Make Your Trip Short
For first-timers, it is best to keep your trip as short as possible such as a one-night stay at a campsite. It will give you a great awareness of what to expect the next time and how to better manage and see how your horse reacts to such locations.
Get Your Water And Food
It is an excellent practice to get your own supplied for your horse. It will make you and your horse comfortable as some horses don’t eat and drink from other supplies if they get used to one. It’ll save you all the stress.
Make sure to adopt the same feeding rules that you do back home not to disturb your horse’s routine or cause any digestive issues.
Don’t Overpack
Make sure your horse is comfortable carrying your weight. Don’t put too much weight and pressure on your horse, which can affect the entire equestrian camping experience.
How Much Does An Equestrian Camping Cost?
The charges will depend highly on how much luxury you want and whether you want this camping time to include additional tuition or not.
If you choose to stay at a center and not at a campsite, the lessons or facility you hire will increase the cost. However, you can still control your budget based on what activity or lesson you select.
Our Final Thoughts
Now that you know what is equestrian camping, you can plan a camping trip with your horse accordingly. It is a great way to travel and bond with your mane. Happy camping!
