Where to put my cell phone while on the trail?

[bird4416]

I have one of these that I run my belt through. It also has a spring clip to hook on your belt but I don’t trust that. There is room for my phone plus my ID and some cash just in case. http://www.duluthtrading.com/searches/97755.aspx?feature=Product_10

I also carry a small can of pepper spray on my belt and wear a loud whistle around my neck. There was a serial killer in the area and one of his victims was dumped in the woods where I like to ride. :eek: Fortunately, he has been caught. Hubby tries to get me to carry my pistol but so far, I can’t think of a comfortable way to carry it.

[sfreshoff]

Thanks!

Wow, thanks for all of the great comments! I’ll probably buy the little cell phone case that goes around the arm…and if I do go on a really long trail ride, i’ll just wear a backpack. I was thinking about putting my cell phone in my bra, but I wear a Tipperary riding vest that keeps my upper body VERY SNUG, :sadsmile: so that really wouldn’t feel comfortable on long trail rides. I’m surprised that people actaully bring guns out on trail rides, it sounds like a smart thing if you’ve had people following you, but I’d always be worried that it would “go off” and shoot me or the horse…:eek:

[Jaegermonster]

Guns don’t “go off” unless a) the trigger is pulled, or B) they are handled carelessly or incorrectly.
Once you know how to use it etc, the most important things about carrying one on horseback are:
a) carry it in such a way that you can get to it quick if you need it, preferably with one hand still on the reins, and
b) wear it in such a way that you won’t break youself if you fall on it
and most importantly

c)aim off to one side or the other of your horse (at 45 deg angles to his body) or over his rear end, never ever ever ever try to go all Dirty Harry or pull some cowboy crap and aim between his ears because I gar-on-tee every single time you will shoot your horse square in the head.

[bird4416]

What does one’s horse do when you shoot off its back? Mine would spin and bolt and I would probably end up on the ground as fair game for whatever I was shooting at.:lol: This is the main reason I don’t carry when I’m trail riding.

[Auventera_Two]

@bird4416;3130970

What does one’s horse do when you shoot off its back? Mine would spin and bolt and I would probably end up on the ground as fair game for whatever I was shooting at.:lol: This is the main reason I don’t carry when I’m trail riding.

Last week at our work day for the mounted search and rescue/patrol group, we had a cavalry rider shooting in the woods with us. His horse jumped a little each time but it wasn’t a spook. I imagine you train for it just like anything else. Maybe they start with smaller noises like a popper of some kind, a balloon, a bb gun, etc. and work up.

[Xanthoria]

[QUOTE=Jaegermonster;3130582]
Guns don’t “go off” unless a) the trigger is pulled, or B) they are handled carelessly or incorrectly.
Once you know how to use it etc, the most important things about carrying one on horseback are:
a) carry it in such a way that you can get to it quick if you need it, preferably with one hand still on the reins, and
b) wear it in such a way that you won’t break youself if you fall on it …[/QUOTE]

So there is a risk of a gun going off and hurting you/horse or at least causing a stampede if you drop it or fall off with it?

At the very least I’d imagine the chances of you falling off and getting a nice bruise/broken ribs from your gun are far, far greater than your chances of being attacked on horseback, no?

[CoopsZippo]

I ride with a sjambok… or my riding crop that has two small thowing knives in the base for protection.

[gabz]

Please keep these thoughts in mind when locating a place for a cell phone. Since we are all talking about keeping the phone with us in the event of a fall … or separation from the horse (the reason NOT to put it in a saddle/horn pack).

Do NOT place it at the small of your back. put it to either side so that if you fall ON your back, you don’t cause spinal damage.

My friend recently had a horse suddenly drop to the ground and roll on her leg. She was glad she did NOT have the leg strap for her cell phone because she would have had MORE injury.

Another friend was hurt badly with her cellphone on her belt at her hip.

I injured myself terribly - a MONSTER hematoma - in my groin when I had a pocket knife in my jeans pocket and I was tossed against the pommel of my western saddle when my horse jumped over a small creek. (the hematoma was about 4 inches long and about 2 inches high in the center… took months for it to go away and I still have a hard lump there).

If you wear it under your arm, you risk breaking ribs.

I have decided that since I have a “fleshy” middle, to wear it as close to my belly as I can and NOT against anyplace bony.

I know that some of these are freak instances… (I have since relocated the knife that I carry)… but that’s exactly what we have to expect when out “hacking” …

[birdsong]

I was taught to shoot the gun toward the rear of the horse so he can jump forward if he feels like he needs to escape…rather than spinning. I have found the first shot on a spooky horse just causes them to flinch…its the repetitive shooting that will unnerve a horse thats intolerant.

[Dalriada]

Make sure the cell phone is on YOU not the horse in case both of you get separated.

[system]

I use a mp3 player arm band case… it holds tight to your arm with velco… it does not bounce around at all. I keep baggie in the bottom so if it looks like it is going to rain that day I just put it in the bag… l like it on my arm since if do get hurt I hope I can reach with my other arm that far to retrieve the phone…

[Jaegermonster]

[QUOTE=bird4416;3130970]
What does one’s horse do when you shoot off its back? Mine would spin and bolt and I would probably end up on the ground as fair game for whatever I was shooting at.:lol: This is the main reason I don’t carry when I’m trail riding.[/QUOTE]

It’s called training. Mine don’t do anything, but I have worked with them on it.

Get a cap gun or pop gun, and carry it while you ride or are working around your horse. Pop it off A LOT until it is no big deal. Then go somewhere where you can shoot, if your area has a mounted unit they can help you, and shoot maybe 3 or 4 rounds off your horse.
You don’t want to shoot a lot of live ammo off a horse because they can hear the small noise the gun makes right before it goes off and they will begin to anticipate it. It doesn’t matter which direction you shoot off of him, just don’t try to shoot over or near his head, because it never ends well.

Of course, I am assuming that you are already comfortable with a firearm and fairly proficient with it on the ground before you try to use it on horseback.

[Jaegermonster]

[QUOTE=Xanthoria;3131659]
So there is a risk of a gun going off and hurting you/horse or at least causing a stampede if you drop it or fall off with it?

At the very least I’d imagine the chances of you falling off and getting a nice bruise/broken ribs from your gun are far, far greater than your chances of being attacked on horseback, no? [/QUOTE]

No, guns don’t “go off” by themselves. YOu can get hurt if you fall on it as I stated before, if you have it right on your hip, but if you carry it more to the rear you might end up with a bruise. Hopefully if you do fall, it will be in your hand and not an issue.

No one is saying you have to carry one if you are not comfortable with it or you don’t want to, if you’re worried about carrying it then don’t. It just came up in the conversation.
Just like any other weapon, people need to make intelligent informed decisions based on their abilities, the area in which they ride and what they are comfortable with.

[Shadow14]

[QUOTE=Belplosh;3128680]

When you ride, have you carried your pistol with you? What do you carry when you do have it? I have a mid size Glock .9mm.

:)[/QUOTE]

Things are getting pretty bad when you have to start carrying a gun on a ride. You already have the advantage of having a horse that will carry you swiftly away from danger.
Do you really think you could pull that gun, control the horse and use it?? At the first shot you would be on your butt in the dirt in worst shape then if you had simply run away.
As for a cell phone holder any place that sells workmans tool belts have phone holders that either clip to the belt or have a loop that passes through it.
Hope you don’t get dumped some day and land on that gun.

[Jetiki]

I got a nifty cell phone holder at walmart

I have a small phone but they have some for the slightly larger phones, it hooks over the belt area of your pants and has a magnetic latch on the front to hold the phone in. Was only about $13. I went out and cleaned stalls in it last night and it wasn’t in my way and it didn’t move on the waist of my pants.

Similar to these http://www.cellphoneshop.net/celphonleatc.html

karen

[Xanthoria]

[QUOTE=Shadow14;3141153]
Things are getting pretty bad when you have to start carrying a gun on a ride. [/QUOTE]

I know right? Where on earth do people live that they feel the need to carry a gun around on horseback, ready to kill people!?

[Shadow14]

[QUOTE=Xanthoria;3141311]
I know right? Where on earth do people live that they feel the need to carry a gun around on horseback, ready to kill people!?[/QUOTE]

My horse will outrun any person on earth, anyone. Give me 10 foot head start and no human being has a chance.
Now try sneaking up on a horse?? Impossible. Deer that stay quiet in the bush are picked up by my horse and pointed out. A small squirrel moves and he sees it. How is a man going to suddenly jump up and pull you from the saddle? If he stayed perfectly still and waited even till you were 5 feet away the instant he appeared the horse who spook and be gone and he wouldn’t stand a chance.
As for guns I shot combat for years, shot on a precision shooting team, shot bench rest, hunted, owned every caliper going so guns are not new to me, I keep a few at home but as for carrying one out riding?? That is rediculous.
Learn to be a better rider, the best protection is flight.

[kookicat]

I have a nice thin flat phone and shove it into the top of my boot, on the outside of my leg. I can’t do it with all of my boots (Most are too snug!) but my old mountain horse boots that I wear out hacking are just loose enough to fit.

If I don’t want put it there, I have a holder for it that goes around my forearm. I damaged my knee by falling onto a phone when I had it on my leg. Big ouch (especially as the phone was pretty expensive, and it was pretty smushed.)

[Diamond_Jake]

It is starting to sound like the safest place for my phone is up my arse…I mean, that has the most cushion, and I never fall on that…:lol:

I still ride with my phone clipped to my breeches at the small of my back. if I fall, no matter where my phone is, my chances of getting hurt are all equal. If I have anything tight on my arms my hands will fall asleep, on my legs and it will come off in the woods.

Now that I think about it- I do not care for my phone at all. Verizon EnV- Huge and bulky. Maybe time to go back to the phone store…

Depending on where people ride, I do not think riding with a gun is not such a bad idea. There is even a clinician now who teaches safety on the trail, but not for riding one’s horse, but for those who may be attacked in the woods.

If I ever had to ride out a great deal and farther distances on my own, I would want a gun. Either to protect myself from wildlife or people, or possibly even make the ultimate decision to end my horse’s life if something awful happens and I cannot reach help and do not want him to suffer…
Just my $.02

[Rachel_L]

[QUOTE=bird4416;3130970]
What does one’s horse do when you shoot off its back? [/QUOTE]

I went to a desensitizing-to-gunshots demo given by a mounted shooting guy at the Backcountry Horsemen of California Rendezvous a few weeks ago. The clinician would shoot the guns while the people with horses led or rode their horses around him. I was interested to see that most of the horses were far more upset by the SMOKE than the sound of the shots.