Camping, trail riding, and hiking from a young age build the aptitude for survival in the wilderness. People, who have been going for family camping and hunting trips often, enjoy a higher chance of survival compared to novices and hobby riders. Nonetheless, there are a few simple rules everyone can follow to stay alive and healthy in the wild and find their way back into the civilization. The trick is to always remain prepared in case you ever find yourself in a survival situation.
You should remember that the list of items and requisites are to keep you alive. Therefore, you must not judge them by the level of comfort they can provide.
A sharp knife – it will help you open packages, start fires, cut ropes, build shelter and cut cloth for making bandages. The use of a knife is innumerable in the wilderness.
Parachute cord – a strong and durable cord is what will help you set up shelter. Parachute cords often shrink when they dry. Therefore, they are the best option for securing grips and marking grips on walking sticks. Climbing, tent repair, trying of broken pieces of equipment, building traps and making fishing lines are a few of the uses of parachute cord.
Water filtration bottle – carrying a simple disposable bottle is not enough. You never know where and how you may require more than your regular ration of water. Carrying a filtering bottle is a great choice during riding and hiking.
Whistles and flashlight – these are pro signaling equipment you must carry to communicate with your fellow riders or with rescuers. Losing your way during trail riding can be distressing, but having a whistle handy increases the chances of the search party actually finding you.
Tarp, garbage bag or strong polythene sheets – you do not want to go back to the roots, where you have to build shelters out of leaves and twigs. It only looks exciting in reality TV or while browsing TVG. Having a strong sheet of waterproof material can help you stay dry and warm inside.
Battery, steel wool, and fuel – people often carry lighters, but the probability of finding a battery and some steel wool inside the backpack of a non-smoking rider is high. You can use the steel wool and battery to light a fire in front of your makeshift shelter. It is difficult to keep the horses warm and dry at night unless you can manage to start a campfire on time. Always have enough firewood handy to keep it going. It will keep your ride safe and comfortable.
Beanies and bandanas – while they look rather funny in the city, they can serve as important signals in the wild. Toques are faithful companions of several hikers and climbers. They keep wearers warm at night, yet they are quite light. Bright colored ones can also act as SOS signals.
First-aid kit – this is not as complicated as most people assume it to be. Apart from bandages, you will need to carry basic antiseptics for yourself and your horse. Do not forget wipes, gloves, ORS, and gauzes.
Surviving becomes a lot easier when you have the right equipment handy. Always pack your bag a couple of days before the ride. Tally the content with a list of resources you need for survival before you leave.
Author Bio: Silvia Watson is a freelance content writer. She has written many good and informative articles on different categories such as technology, health, fashion, education, career, travel etc. She is a featured author at various authoritative blogs in the health and fitness industry and currently associated as a blogger with https://www.tvg.com/
