The environment of the Cattle Drive is different than your everyday trail ride, and there are some skills that your horse needs to know beforehand.
- Your horse needs to be comfortable and controllable riding in large groups and in close contact with other horses
- Your horse needs to know “camping”, that is, being high-line tied overnight, hobbled, ground tethered, or otherwise restrained. Because not every campsite will have good places to highline tie from, we recommend you have taught two different ways that you can restrain your horse at night.
- Your horse needs to not be afraid of loud noises (whips cracking), flapping things (flags, rain slickers or an escaped lunch bag), not spooky around palmettos, and willing to cross water
- Your horse needs to be gradually switched over to Bahia grass hay and Seminole 12% feed before the drive so that they are already used to it to avoid colics. If they require a special diet, the only way we can accommodate that is if you bring it in your 60 pound gear allotment.
- If your horse needs daily medication, you need to be sure and bring it with you.
- If your horse is a picky water drinker, then a product like “Whinny Water” or some Kool-aid added to their water will often help.
- If your horse has not been around wagons or mules, it would be good to expose them to these before the ride. Many horses have an initial concern about these.
- If your horse has not been around cattle, it would be good to expose your horse to them before the Drive. They don’t need to know how to “work” cattle but know enough to not be frightened by them.
- You should get your horse accustomed to wearing saddle bags with items bouncing around in them before the drive.
- If you are going to use a metal water canteen attached to your saddle, this too makes an unusual noise as the water sloshes. You need to get your horse prepared before the Drive.
- Your horse (and you!) should be in good enough shape to ride 10-15 miles per day.
There will be a veterinarian and farriers available. If you need their services, their payment is your responsibility.