Stay Safe Riding Solo

Cowgirls are a lot of things, and independent is one of them. With that being said, they often find themselves riding and working horses alone, which can sometimes be a dangerous situation. Here are a couple of ways to stay safe while riding solo:

• Carry your phone on your person, not on the saddle. This allows you to have your phone if you fall off your horse and your horse runs off. As phone sizes keep growing, our first instinct is to put our phone in a saddlebag. Instead, look into getting a belt clip for your phone or The Horse Holster. 

• Text someone when you leave, where you are going, and when you get back. This way someone has all the details of your planned ride to check in on you to make sure all is well. 
• Avoid going on a new trail alone. Stick to trails you know so you cannot get lost. If you are going somewhere without service, think about bringing a compass and some ribbon to tie onto trees as you make your way through. 

• Look into getting an Apple watch. Apple watches have fall detection, where they will alert your emergency contacts of your location if you are not moving after a bad fall. Apple watches also keep 911 at your fingertips if needed. 
• Put your I.D. in the saddlebag or engrave a dog tag to tie onto your saddle with all of your information - including your name and phone number. This way, if your horse runs off without you and someone finds them, they will be able to be returned to their rightful owner. 
• Keep a pocket knife on you, so if an accident were to happen you’d be able to cut yourself out of a sticky situation. 

Happy riding cowgirls, and stay safe out there!