Hi,
I am new to hunting. Going on my second hunt this week-end. I noticed that several folks hauled to the last hunt tacked. It did make it much quicker for them.
Do you haul tacked? I assume you bridle once there. Is that correct? How long is your trip if you haul tacked?
Thanks!
Hauling tacked
Yes, I haul completely tacked up, put a leather halter over the bridle, make sure halter nose piece won’t interfere with the bit, put the reins through the throatlatch of the halter, throw on a sheet and toss him on the trailer. He’s pretty amped when we get there and I go with a young child, so it makes life much easier.
Everyone in our Hunt travels tacked up, but one person who’s horse stands very politely tied to the trailer tacks upon arrival.
The farthest I’ve travelled tacked up is 45 minutes.
I never haul tacked. My mare is quiet to work around on the ground, so I see no benefit of tacking her up at home, when I could have her travel more comfortably and tack when we arrive.
If I had a more fidgety horse, I may consider it though. 
Yes if >30 minutes shipping. Fully tacked. Bridle and all (make sure a standing martingale isn’t ‘done up’ though.)
If 30-45 minutes, I might not bridle. And if closer to an hour+ I just leave extra time. But I have a stock trailer and usually ship 1-2 so I have ‘box stalls’ to use instead of tying up.
Always tack if you can. Easy.
about an hour drive
saddle but no bridle and a light sheet to keep the dust off.
but he is easily bridled.
my last horse [photo in my profile] I had to bridle in the trailer
out side he could put his head higher than my reach.
We (and most of the rest of the people I see at the local hunts) travel tacked (at least with the saddle). I usually don’t bridle, although I have on short trips. I always put the bridle on in the trailer before unloading. I once had an large, experienced and very excited fox hunter get away from me (when I was a small, inexperienced junior) trying to bridle after unloading.
It depends. If my tack is in the trailer, then I tack up at the hunt. If my tack is in the barn then I tack up at home.
Saddled but not bridled. The older guy I bridle when I take him off the trailer. The 5 yrold I bridle on the trailer and then put the halter on over the top before taking him off.
I’ve always done it so that I know I’m getting the saddle in the right place. Also, that way I know I haven’t forgotten the girth.
Yes. Have hauled as far as three hours tacked. Usually don’t put the bridle on til I get there.
I’d say less than half of the people at my hunt travel tacked. I don’t, but like some others here, my horse is very behaved and quiet (at least until we actually move out). If he was uppity, I might do it differently.
Thanks so much for your responses!
The fixture this week is about 45 minutes away so I figure I will tack with saddle and sheet over it, and bridle when I get there. I am short, but he is only 15.2.
We travel tacked and the farthest fixture is about a 45 minute drive. Typically we just have their saddles on, but if we’re running late or we’re hunting a green horse we’ll have them travel with their bridle on. It just makes life a lot easier!
I was always so against hauling tacked but since I have started hunting I have changed my mind. When I haul in my friends 2 horse box stall stock I always haul with saddle on, put bridle on in trailer when we arrive. It really is so much easier. The only time I have not done that was when we hauled to a hunter pace 2 + hrs. away.
When I am shipping my horse alone or with another horse that ships very well I will haul tacked if we aren’t going more than 1.5 hours or so. Like others have mentioned I throw the cooler on top of the saddle (w/ it’s dust cover on). I never haul with the bridle on.
The fixture I went to last weekend I didn’t haul tacked because we were traveling in a friends straightload trailer and her horse can sometimes be unpredicatable. We got to the fixture 40 minutes early and had plenty of time to tack and warm up.
I travel fully tacked to the meet because its just one less thing to do once I get there, and it ensures that I haven’t left anything vital behind ;). I’m lucky that the farthest fixture is at most 20 minutes trailer from my house, but its still more convenient to tack up. Have fun out hunting!
Less than an hour, I haul tacked. Including bridled.
More than an hour, I generally tack when I get there.
I like tacking before I go because then I’m ready and know that I have everything I need!
I don’t have a hunt horse now, but, like Bogie, if you go tacked up you can’t forget your girth (she says with feeling.) It rains a lot here - can just unload and mount up at the last minute without getting a wet bum.
We have one fixture that is close and we meet at one spot and then haul to a new spot chosen by the huntman depending on wind direction etc. So hauling tacked means it won’t take me long once we get to our final spot. Usually I just tack up once I get there and leave plenty of time. I’ve got a tack room on the trailer so its no problem. In the olden days before tack compartments it was the easiest way and it made sure you had all your stuff.
I haul 110 miles, or 2 hours 20 minutes, to get to our hunt. I tack up when I get there. I pack the truck the night before and make sure I have everything. In my mind I run through the saddle-ing process. “Brushes, hoof boots, pad, saddle, girth, MY headgear; HIS headgear, whip, gloves.”
I hope that Santa brings me tack bags (garment bag, helmet bag, saddle carrier and misc duffel bag) for Christmas so it’s easier. Right now since I have a stock trailer I have to put everything in the back of the cab of the truck. So far I’ve not forgotten anything!
I haul tacked to hunt and lessons – saddle and breastplate, bridle goes on when I arrive. I rarely go anywhere further than 45 minutes, so lucky!! My horse would stand tied happily to the trailer for years but I am neurotic about being late so it just makes me feel ready and unrushed.
Distances are 50 and 100 miles away. I haul with a saddle on but no bridle. My horse stays perfectly still and calm… until I get on. I’m quite an airhead and have also been known to forget neccessary tack :uhoh: when going to shows or hunting.
I bought this amazing gear bag on e-bay that travels everywhere with me. It rolls up and buckles and has a shoulder strap, so it’s like a bulky tote bag. It has a compartment for my clothing, boots, helmet, accessories, and even a place to velcro strap a hunt whip in. I know they have similar ones for sale nowadays that aren’t quite as nice, but I love mine!
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