Horse & Rider
Q: How should I train my horse in preparation for ride?
A: Don’t even consider going on the St. James Way with your horse or donkey before you have ensured that:
1. He/she is one hundred percent traffic proof
2. He/she is familiar with crowds and generally noisy places
3. He/she can be tethered for a full night
4. He/she can deal with a variety of different feeds
Some people say your horse should be racing fit or at least extremely fit, for a trip like this. I tend to disagree. For me the most important aspect is that the horse/pony/donkey is carrying enough weight for it to be able to lose at least a quarter without looking too thin. If not, you will either be forced to take a long break until the weight goes back on, or give up. Both horse and rider will become fitter by the day and as long as you can manage about 30 kilometres at the outset, you will do fine.
Q: What type of bags should I use?
A: Rucksacks are a bad idea. Always opt for saddlebags, or better still if you can find someone to do it, organise a back-up team to carry your gear. This would also be a great help for finding and carrying food.
Throw out fifty percent of what you put in, preferably before you go. You will definitely find that you don’t need it. You will meet difficult terrain. Make sure all of your equipment will stay in place in both steep climbs and descents. Be sure to test it all before you leave.
Despite all of your best endeavours your equipment will be lost, stolen or worn out by the time you return home, so be sure that what you take you will be happy to lose.
Q: What should I have in my veterinary kit?
A: Don’t carry a huge veterinary kit. A can of antiseptic spray, an anti-inflammatory gel or something similar, and (if you are allowed to) a course of antibiotics, is ample. The St. James Way is not the north pole and you can find vets and chemists along the route without any difficulty. Saddle galls will probably be your biggest issue and we found that thick blankets are the best solution .
Q: What kind of tack should I use?
A:It’s entirely up to you – but we found the bitless bridle that could also double up as a headcollar, one of our best choices. Horses can make the most of whatever grass they can find and they are relaxed.
The Plastic Boots served us extremely well (for all the reasons already given) and we would not consider another trip like this using anything else. We chose to use the Swiss Horse Boot - http://www.swisshorseboot.de/
Always carry a pooper scooper. You will be sharing the paths and the townships with pedestrians and should leave nothing behind but good memories
Q: What would be the best horse breed for this kind of work?
A: If you are thinking of riding the St. James Way, you probably already have a horse in mind, but my recommendation would be a stocky cob or pony, nothing over 15hh, and one can that maintain its weight.
But as you can see we managed with two completely unsuitable horses and survived. Know your horse and work within its limits.