Horseback Riding Across America Gear List

specs: Serial #15541600010, 2000 model, regular tree (SQHB), 4 inch cantle, 16 inch seat, round skirt, dark oil antique color, 25lbs, professionally fitted

notes: I added extra d rings for securing gear and two nylon latigos to this saddle after purchasing it.
Despite having semi-quarter horse bars, it is slightly wider than Circle Y’s newest Flex-2 model of the same name and size.
This saddle has a comfortable, secure fit. My butt has never felt sore in it, and when Finley has spooked under saddle, I have rarely felt unseated despite my penchant for poor balance.
In Ashland, OH, a lace from one of my latigos broke. I used a piece of baler twine in its place to secure my cinch until NE. Ha.
Near New Castle, WY, a mouse chewed on my saddle’s horn, teaching me to keep it inside my tent at night for the remainder of the trip.

 specs: 3 inch, high density, white upholstery foam cut to 32″ L x 30″ W with a compression rating of 44lbs (meaning it will compress to 1.25 inches with 140 lbs of pressure)

notes: Really, foam? Again?

Yes.

The stage was set in Huntington, IN. My impact gel pad needed to be replaced. I had to consider: do I buy a Five Star wool pad that is highly rated but costs a whopping $350-400?

OR do I give foam another chance since Filipe Leite said, “It’s miraculous, it works so well … It made my ride 80 per cent easier.”

I dug through Filipe’s Instagram to find photos of his setup(s), bolstering my courage to try it again.

As of writing this, I have been using foam for just one week, and it has been wonderful. Finley’s sweat marks have been consistently event at the end of each day. No hot spots, bumps, sore muscles, etc. No signs of irritation when mounted from the ground. In fact, most incredibly, the quarter sized bald spot Finley sustained from his rain rot has been able to heal with the saddle on, despite the fact that I have not cut a hole into the foam and we are actively travelling 10-20 miles a day!

Downsides: Because of the extra padding, the saddle “perches” more, making an appropriately tight girth critical to avoid slippage.

I was uncertain whether to get 3 or 4 inch foam (mind you, I had to base my decision on what I could gauge from photos of Filipe.) 3 inches was the right call. 4 inches would have been too thick.

I would one day like to add a thin wool blanket underneath the foam for its moisture wicking capabilities.

A week is not enough time to know whether a saddle pad will work in the long run. I will update this when I know more!

update 1: as of central IA, I have officially been using this foam pad for 6 weeks and my opinion remains the same. It has been a game changer! Finley’s back always looks great at the end of the day. His bald spot has healed completely. The foam is beginning to retain a crease down the middle, making it “sit” on his back easier when tacking up. It has not torn whatsoever.

update 2: I found a woman in central Nebraska who was willing to nit us a wool cover out of an 100% old virgin wool blanket! It functions like a pillow case, adding cushion and a washable, natural surface against Finley’s hide.

The downside to this foam pad is that, after a few weeks, it begins to compress too much and necessitates a replacement. At least that has been our experience.

Finding the right saddle pad is tricky. If foam fails me, I would try:

• a 5 Star Pad, as I know both Ben Masters, who rode the Continental Divide, and Samantha Szesciorka, who traverses her home state of Nevada on horseback, use them. I would specifically get “The Rancher” 
• a Skito pad, as it was Bernice Ende’s pad of choice. She rode 30,000+ miles on horseback around North America. (Peculiarly, I emailed the company in 2023 to ask for the model/specifications of her pad, and they seemed clueless as to who I was referring to! Apparently, the company sold 3 years ago and records weren’t maintained.)
• a Supracor pad, as Jodie from “Green, Gold, and Blues” seems to use them based on the recommendation of Gillian Larson
• Here is a link to the Long Riders Guild’s page on saddle/pad recommendations (It illustrates the saying: “if you put 12 horsemen in a room together and ask them something, you will get 13 opinions!”

specs: four knot, 1/4th stiff polyester rope halter, horse sized, beige

notes: I love rope halters. I won’t use anything else. They’re light weight with no hardware.

Often, I add fleece covers to this for Finley’s sensitive skin. With the exception of using a snaffle bit two to three times at the onset of our journey, I have exclusively ridden Finley in his rope halter across the country! I couldn’t imagine doing things any differently.

specs: 30 in, roper style, 100% mohair, stainless steel hardware, 27-strand

update: I added weaver cinch guards to this girth at the Silver Stirrup Tack Shop in Duncansville, PA. While it has served my purposes well, if I were to buy another girth, I would consider another pure mohair one that had a higher strand count and no hard leather piece in the middle. Perhaps a 5 Star , Professional Choice , or Dennis Moreland mohair cinch. I would also be curious to try other cinch guards that utilize merino wool or neoprene.

specs: leather, 3″ inch wide body, 1 3/4″ billets, roller buckle

notes: I had to punch additional holes in this to fit Finley. I also oiled it prior to departure. It worked just fine for the entirety of our trip, no chafing or sores ever!

update: One day, perhaps, I will try a mohair back cinch. I am intrigued by the concept of front and back cinch combos 

specs:  1/2th x 50 ft, multi-filament polypropylene, red, solid braid, no snaps

notes: Previously, I used a 5/8th x 50 ft rope and loved it. However, now that Finley is more experienced with picketing, it is time to transition to a 1/2th x 50′ rope. This is the SMALLEST diameter rope I will ever use, and I do not recommend starting out with one. I have worked my way down from 3/4th to 5/8th to 1/2th. This newest rope is lighter, cheaper and more compact than the 5/8th. It has a “Working Load Limit” of 330 lbs and a Break Strength of 1650 lbs so that, in an emergency, it still has the potential to break. I am considering adding a panic snap or carabiner to the end that I tie around a solid object.

Here is a photo illustrating the various diameter ropes I have used: Click Here 

specs: 1.5 inch, western style, gold color, white stitching, horse size, nickel plated hardware

notes: I had to punch additional holes in this to fit Finley. I added a wither strap to my setup at the Silver Stirrup. The snaps on one side of the wither strap broke after a few weeks; I’ve ziptied it to my breast collar.

update: I wish this breast collar had a leather protector around the front ring! I have noticed random, slight chafing at that point of contact.

update: When I eventually replace this, it will be with a mohair breast collar. This “Mustang” brand 100% alpaca/mohair cinch or a 5 Star mohair cinch would be my first choice. I have also heard that Zilco beta biothane breast collars are wildly popular with endurance riders and would consider one of them as well.

specs: 2.75″ neoprene pad attached to 2″ webbing with a buckle closure and 2.5″ diameter nickel-plated steel ring

notes: This hobble is awesome! Whenever Finley has pulled back when picketed, it has never broken. His rope has snapped instead.

update: In western Nebraska, I replaced the neoprene pad of this hobble for the first and only time. Curiously, I see that Outfitters Supply is no longer selling this hobble by itself as of 2023. It can only be found as part of their picketing kit, so the above link is defunct.

specs: double-stitched, 600 denier PVC coated poly with heavy-duty No. 10 zippers, reinforced with webbing at all stress points.

horn bags: 11″H x 8.5″W x 4″D

cantle bags: 22″L x 10″H x 10″D

notes: I have had to use metal quick links purchased separately to hold the cantle bags in place. My saddle strings have also been necessary to keep my bedroll from shifting.

update 1: In Ashland, OH, I had an Amish leather worker add fleece to the undersides of my cantle bag. He also reattached a broken zipper and repaired a rip in the side of one of my bags from when Finley nicked a mailbox. If not for this fix, I would have had to purchase new cantle bags.

update 2: In Mingo, IA, I tried to lead Finley through a doorway that was too narrow and his cantle bag caught, ripping it again. I kept this break sealed with duct tape until we could get it properly sewn in Wood Lake, NE.

update 3: By the end of our journey, all of my saddle bags were incredibly sun-bleached and one of my cantle bags had a permanently broken zipper so it could no longer be fastened shut. Another rip sustained in Idaho was so severe that it required duct tape to hold my gear in from that point on. (I never could locate another seamstress.) Despite these flaws, this one saddle bag set lasted the entire way!

specs: 140×135, 140×130, BLEM(ished) discount model, arizona copper color

notes:Expensive boots, but I love mine! My original pair is still going strong after 600 miles, being worn sporadically. There is a great article on the Long Rider Guild’s website comparing hoof boots (renegade, easy boot, and cavallo).

update 1: A dog belonging to the owner of a boarding stable I overnighted at in Wharton, OH, chewed the heel captivator of one of my hoof boots, necessitating a replacement piece. Other than this mishap, the boots are holding up beautifully!

update 2: I must not have tightened my replacement heel captivator enough, because when Finley clipped it with a rear hoof while walking in western IN, it broke away from the boot shell. One of the pulley buttons (which fastens the boot shell to the heel captivator) was lost during this. I managed to make the boot functional by fastening its cable lace under the screw as a temporary fix. (This won’t make any sense unless you’re familiar with the mechanics of a Renegade hoof boot.)

update 3: In Grinnell, IA, I purchased additional pulley buttons and a set of rear hoof boots for the first time since all the back roads in Iowa are gravel as opposed to the pavement we have been accustomed to! Once, I did not tighten Finley’s rear boots properly and one became dislodged. It were still attached to his pastern but backwards and upside down with the full force of his body actively, unnaturally stepping on it. Despite this, it was integrally unscathed!

update 4: Final summary. I used Renegade Hoof Boots for the entirety of my ride and I HIGHLY recommend them! With boots, Finley has been able to gallop freely over mixed terrain as well as sink hock deep into mud without any undue rubbing, friction, or misplacement (provided I didn’t install them incorrectly)! 

From New Jersey through Illinois, Finley wore front boots only 5-10% of the time as we mostly rode on grass, dirt, or pavement which Finley does well with barefoot.

In Iowa and Nebraska, the majority of back roads are gravel, so Finley wore front AND rear boots 90% of the time. This remained the case from South Dakota through Oregon, sometimes for practical reasons, sometimes for convenience (boots are easier to carry on Finely’s feet than in my saddle bags!).

Though I understand that the opposite practice is standard; the further a horse goes, the less they might need their boots.

I found that the TOE of each boot shell always wore first for us. I had to replace each set once because of this. Remarkably, still, each shell lasted nearly 1,000 miles of steady use, with the tread hardly degrading.

See an example of the toe wearing here

See an example of the tread intact here

 specs: 2″, 4.5″ foot bed depth, 5″foot bed width, lightweight, nylon

notes: These are one of the most popular endurance stirrups on the market. For my novice butt, they are harder for me to keep at speed than other stirrups with their wide foot bed but shallow cage.

update: They are very comfortable for long distance travel. I never suffer foot pain while wearing them and it’s relieving to know that in a fall my feet can’t get caught in the stirrups. After putting some mileage under my belt, I no longer struggle with maintaining them while trotting or cantering.

Finley the Hippopotamus has totally crushed them multiple times while attempting to roll while saddled (grrrr) and they have never broken. My only complaint is that I wish they were wrapped in cow hide or a similar synthetic covering to have a wind blocker. In that way, they would essentially serve as lightweight tapaderos.

specs: 15 foot, 5/8th inch polypropylene yacht rope with a leather popper

notes: This is both my lead rope and reins. I do not use the bolt snap it came equipped with. While being extraordinarily long for reins, they have served my dual purposes wonderfully!

notes: It’s important to save weight and space while traveling. I also have an innate desire to be as minimalist as possible. Thus, I knew I wanted to try and get away with having only one brush on this journey, not a curry comb and a soft bristle, so I gave this one a whirl. It has worked well and is easy to decontaminate by soaking it in disinfectant.

update: I unfortunately lost this brush in New Castle, WY, and replaced it with a simple $2 hair brush from Dollar General that lasted the rest of the trip!

specs: stainless steel, 12 x 0.6 in

notes: Commercial tethering stakes are expensive and heavy. I bought this as a potential alternate.

Ideally, it should be a few inches longer. It’s not as reliable as tying my tether rope around the base of a tree or post. It is light weight enough to be worth throwing in my saddle bags anyway. I attached a carabiner and an o-ring to its top to ensure it swivels properly.

update 1: I lost my original stake in a field near Hoagland, IN. I then lost its identical replacement in a cornfield near Chebanese, IL.

update 2: As of South Dakota, I am no longer carrying this stake nor any other. There have been times where I’ve cursed myself while standing in the middle of a lush field, wishing I could readily contain Finley there. However, this problem hasn’t become persistent enough to warrant me purchasing another stake. It’s been nice to forgo the added bulk and weight of a stake for the slight inconvenience of going without.

I have decided to keep this item in my current gear list rather than the wastebasket because it served me well for the majority of my trip from New Jersey to South Dakota. That and I would consider using this stake or a similar one in the future.

notes: This helmet has a nice glossy look. I only wish it were equipped with a removable visor and MIPS technology. I appreciate the adjustable dial it has in the back to fit a wide variety of heads.

update: Virginia Tech released their  awaited equestrian helmet ratings study in 2023! Their 5th (once 2nd) highest rated helmet, and only one of two to gain five stars, is the $60 TuffRider Carbon Fiber helmet. If I were to purchase another helmet, I would go with that one. (As you will see on the list, most equestrian helmets are criminally overpriced compared to cycling helmets.) The MIPS brand has expressed some words of caution about the study, however.

specs: pigskin leather and mesh upper, rubber sole, size 9

notes: I used this shoe, albeit a waterproof version, on my walk across America. Good stuff! It is one of the highest recommended trail runners in the backpacking world for a reason. I only wish I had gone with the waterproof version again as this pair will become soaking wet by simply walking through dewy grass in the morning! My mom’s boyfriend, Ricky, gifted me this pair. I wore them from Custer, SD, to the coast of OR.

specs: 4.8 oz with a measuring capacity up to 110 lbs

notes: I picked up this luggage scale in New Castle, WY, and have used it every day since. Though this scale is slightly bulkier than my last one, it is more accurate, only fluctuating by 2-3 ounces at a time. Once it weighs my bags, it will lock the measurement in place on the screen to read afterwards which is a feature I appreciate. It can also gauge the temperature! I never had to replace its battery in the 3 months that I used it.

specs: operating temperature -22F to 140F, 5 oz, waterproof

notes: After Finley was lost in Wind Cave National Park for a week, my mom and grandmother both chipped in to gift us this satellite tracker.

I kept it permanently braided in Finley’s mane, day and night. Set to track his location in 10 minute intervals. At this setting, the triple A batteries its equipped with last 3-4 weeks.

I learned that it needs to be near the top of Finley’s mane to avoid being crushed by his weight when he lies down to roll. It also needs to be braided high on a strand of hair to avoid it swinging excessively with every stride.

Despite my efforts to keep it intact, the first tracker my family bought for Finley broke in Grand Teton National Park, WY. Since it was covered under warranty, I got a free replacement that lasted the rest of our way.

A few times, Finley has managed to rip the tracker, along with a sizable chunk of his hair, out. Finley also has an uncanny ability to turn his tracker OFF at random, prompting me to check (and correct) its status daily.

Regardless of its limitations, I believe this tracker was a worthy investment that gave me peace of mind throughout the last third of our travels. In fact, when I lost Finley again in Oregon it was THE key to success in recovering him safely, quickly and efficiently! That time along made it worth carrying.

notes: I made these emergency ID tags in a Google Doc file and printed them out at the library in Chadron, NE, where I then had them laminated and hole-punched.

I kept one braided in Finley’s mane at all times while travelling in case he were to get lost and found by a stranger. They included our names and my contact information.

There is a similar, official product on the market called a ManeStay.

specs: a large green polyester dog collar

notes: My co-workers at Ace Hardware bought me this dog collar as a parting gift when I left Chadron, NE! They personalized it with a custom, metal dog tag with Finley’s name!

I kept this dog collar strapped around my saddle’s pommel as a poor man’s night latch strap. Also called a chicken strap or an oh s*** strap, it is meant as an emergency hold against a bucking horse. Finley has never bucked under saddle with a rider on his back, and I’m not worried about the prospect of that. I must admit that I held onto this purely as a good luck charm. Partly in the hopes that having it would manifest the stray dog of my dreams who could then wear it himself.

That fantasy never came to be … but this night latch strap still came in handy to hold onto sometimes! 

specs: green tie-dye synthetic sponge, 8.75 in x 4.75 in x 2.5 in

notes: I have read online that endurance riders often carry sponges to drop in water to refresh their horses on the go when its hot and humid, so I added one to our gear during a heat wave in July, 2023. Easily found for $2 at Walmart and weighing no more than a few ounces, it was a worthy investment! I used a piece of paracord inserted through the sponge to attach it to my saddle.

specs: blue, form fitting lycra shell with a forelock opening and mesh eye & ear pieces

notes: In central Idaho, biting gnats and stable flies became vicious, so I bought Finley this fly mask. He loved every moment of wearing it! It could easily fit under his rope halter to ride in seamlessly.

specs: 15 in seat, fiberglass covered wood tree, 7/8th rigging, round skirt, nylon fenders, “2 ralide stirrups, ~18 lbs, 4in cantle

notes: When Finley first got rain rot, he needed to be saddle-less for weeks to heal. I knew I wanted a better fitting and higher quality saddle, so I resold this Big Horn and carried on walking with Finley bareback, that way we didn’t have to postpone traveling altogether.

Resold.

specs: 1.5 gel infused memory foam, cut to the size of a saddle pad ~32 x 32

notes: I read on the Long Riders Guild website that Filipe Leite, who has ridden 16,000+ miles across the three Americas, recommended foam as a saddle pad.

Subsequently, I found this article by another long rider who specified using 1.5 inch memory foam.  I tried this at the onset of my journey, but it ended up ripping too easily, within a few uses, rendering it unusable! I also question its cushioning capabilities with how easily it compresses.

But my foray with foam may not be over … the door there is still open, and it has a draw …

specs: 6×2 in reflective patches

notes: I set a very strict “no petting” policy when we began in New Jersey while Finley became more acclimated to domestic life, and I stand by that call. I glued these patches onto my front and rear saddle bags.

By eastern PA, just 2-3 weeks into our journey, they became unnecessary.

update: if I could sew them onto my bags, I would add them again. I’m not entirely comfortable with strangers approaching Finley when he’s unattended; these could be nice to ward people off, especially since they can be taken on & off with ease, so I could have them visible only when I’m in stores.

notes: Draft Pony is the name I gave the backpack I temporarily carried while Finley’s back healed from his rain rot in Pennsylvania. I hated Draft Pony. It was perpetually threatening to burst at the seams!

specs: leather body, real sheep fleece booties, no pinch biothane stirrup leathers, 15 in seat, ~20lbs

notes: Orthoflex saddles are known for having two flexible panels on their underside rather than a solid tree to conform more closely to a horses build. The design was originally patented by a long rider himself. I was optimistic about this saddle, but it didn’t end up being a good fit for Finley.

Resold.

specs: cotton, brass snap, 3/4th x 22 ft., white

notes: This rope was advertised as 30ft. I measured it and got 22 ft. When I brought this to the seller’s attention, they refunded my money.

Regardless, I carried this as my primary picket rope until central PA when it became too worn to continue with. It has a loose, undesirable weave that contributed to its poor wear after a few weeks.

specs: gold beta biothane, horse sized, no neoprene padding, white stitching, brass hardware

notes: I chose this bridle because it was the cheapest biothane bridle I could find. Beta biothane is known for being easier to maintain than leather, and stronger, with a greater breaking point. Endurance riders rave about the stuff.

I also liked that it could function as a halter with its removable bit hanger. This feature is wonderful for a long rider who needs to stop and graze their mount every hour.

However, I once left this on overnight, and by morning, Finley had a massive bald spot above his brow where he had rubbed his haltered head against a tree! This made it clear that the halter could not be left on overnight, rendering it useless. It’s also clunky and doesn’t fold up neatly when packed, so I ditched it with a host in western PA.

specs: cotton, brass snap, 3/4th x 25 ft., 3 lbs, navy blue

notes: I got this 25ft lunge line to replace my last one in central PA. It has a great weave and general feel and served me well until central OH.

I ultimately replaced it when I found out that Outfitters Supply sells a 5/8th diameter picketing rope. This made me recognize that Finley was ready for a thinner rope.

specs: 100% new zealand wool, 1/4th thick, 5+lbs,  36″ x 34″

notes: I got this saddle blanket at the Silver Stirrup Tack Store in central PA at the same time I got my Impact Gel pad as I wanted the additional padding it would provide. I liked that it would provide a pure wool surface against Finley’s back.

Within a few days of use, it became clear that this blanket would not work as it would slip out the back of his saddle. I then switched to using it on TOP of the Impact Gel solely to maintain the extra padding before throwing it away entirely in Van Wert, OH.

specs: 3/4th in thick, 32″ L x 30″ W. Wool blend with gel bladder and wear leather. Cutouts at both the withers to allow for free range of motion and at the billet to fit for rigging.

notes: For a while, the verdict was out on this pad. I was curious to see how it held up over time, and whether the gel would overheat in summer or freeze in winter. It didn’t shift and Finley seemed comfortable with it on.

However, it ultimately did not provide the support I was looking for. Rain rot would repeatedly appear on Finley’s withers with this pad. After a certain point, this no longer felt coincidental. I had to face the possibility that the rain rot was, effectively, attacking a point of weakness.

notes: These boots were gifted by my grandmother. Thank you, Marmee!! They are a popular model. The waterproof feature is wonderful, and they are comfortable to walk in, but I have a sneaking concern about their longevity.

1st update: The heel is not necessary with my caged stirrups, and I fear the leather is digging into my toes, causing them to sore. Originally, I chalked this up to my body needing to adjust to life on the road-blisters are part of that transition!-but now, 600 miles in, my toes are continuing to suffer.

They’re being rubbed raw, on and off, which is odd.  It happens often enough for me to threaten to get rid of them, but rarely enough that I don’t follow through on that threat.

Really, most of the time they’re fine. Maybe a square toe would have prevented the problem. The tread has held up remarkably well after 600 miles.

In Iowa, they became too worn to continue with. This is totally normal and expected! Even the best trail runners rarely last more than one thousand miles.

Interestingly, rather than the treads being worn to nubs, leaving holes in the soles, the main body of the boot began to split apart from the rubber base instead.

While this boot served me well, I would not purchase it for a long distance trek and would rather go with a more traditional trail runner.

specs:  5/8th x 50 ‘, multi-filament polypropylene, black, no snaps

notes: This rope is longer, lighter, and cheaper than my last one! I love it. However, in Chadron, NE, I decided to trade it in for a 1/2th x 50′ polypropylene rope. I still highly recommend this one.

specs: neoprene, 5 oz

notes: I have terrible posture, and it is difficult to correct by myself after an hour or two of riding. This brace helps alleviate the strain, though after a few weeks of using it, it may not be as reliable at reminding me to sit straight. I picked it up in Ashland, OH.

update: By mid Illinois, I began using this back brace less frequently. I finally discarded it in Chadron, NE.

I believe my posture improved enough that I no longer thought to use it. However, I would still like to try another one in the future.

specs: suede leather-and-mesh, rubber sole, size 9

update: These shoes lasted me from Grinnell, IA, to Custer, SD, before needing to be switched out for my final pair of the trip.

specs: Up to 110lb measurement capacity, the deviation no more than 0.1lb, compact and lightweight (only 90 g)

notes: In long riding, it’s critical that your packs are evenly weighted, so I acquired this scale in Huntington, IN, to ensure that.

update: This is a good tool in theory; however, in practice, it often failed to perform, jumping in between digits. I used it sporadically until it was finally lost in eastern Wyoming.

specs:  1/2th x 50 ‘, multi-filament polypropylene, camoflauge, diamond braid, no snaps

notes: Finley broke this rope repeatedly in Wyoming — too seamlessly if you ask me — so I decided it must be inadequate with its working load limit of 244 lb. Sure enough, when I cut into the rope to view its midsection, there appeared to be a cheap fibrous material, almost paper like, making up the interior!