Remember to keep the essentials on your person in case you separate from your riding animal.
Equine Needs
Riding Saddle Make sure that they fit well and that you have good saddle pads as well.
Pack Saddle The two main types of pack saddles are the Sawbuck and the Decker. Each type has its own strengths and weaknesses. More important than which type of pack saddle is that you have the knowledge to use it. An excellent tutorial manual is The Packers Guidebook by Ed Haefliger (http://www.mtcanaryco.com).
Panniers Unless you’re going to be wrapping your load in mantis (and if you’re reading this you most likely won’t be) you’ll need some type of bag, box, or container to hold your camp. Options include hard boxes that can deter a hungry bear or soft bags that are more flexible on your pack animals. Regardless of the type, balance is everything, so be sure to load them with the same weight on each side. Panniers are easy to learn and work well.
Saddle Bags There are many different types of saddle bags available. Use them sparingly and only for lightweight items, It is entirely too easy to place to put too much weight behind the saddle and over your riding animal’s kidneys. Be careful when using saddle bags, you don’t want them to interfere with mounting and dismounting.
Horn Bags Indispensible for holding the camera for calendar worthy trip photos!
Containment Options There are several good options for keeping your animals in one place during your trip. I use all of three. Before using any of these techniques in the backcountry make sure to get your horses used to them at home first.
Most of what you end up carrying will be determined by your destination and the weather you’ll most likely encounter.
The key is to pick an area that is inspiring, matches your skill sets, and fits within your time and budget constraints