Page 38 - The Pocket Guide to Equine Knots

deadly scenario.
Here’s my progression for tying on gear while I ride, from lightest to heaviest. For a day

ride when it’s not too hot (my Norwegian blood doesn’t handle heat well), I just wear a light
vest with many pockets. A small camera can go in one, a first aid kit in another, perhaps a
sandwich in still another. A canteen or water bottle can be carried on the belt. Nothing need
be tied on the saddle either in front or in back.
Next up, when more gear is needed, I use pommel (horn) packs. Anything heavy—a

bigger camera, water bottles, extra food, binoculars—goes in them. Slipping the bags onto
the saddle horn isn’t secure enough by itself, and they tend to bump my leg, so I also tie a
saddle string securely around each with a square knot or a square knot with slipped loop. If

your saddle has D-rings on the pommel, you can use cord to secure them. (The more
saddle strings and D-rings on a trail saddle the better, and if your saddle has too few of
each, have a saddle maker install more.) By keeping heavier items forward, I’m helping my
horse by remembering his center of gravity.

Quick-Attach/Quick-Release Knot
When more gear is needed and my small pommel bags won’t hold everything, I’ll still try to
keep weight forward. Perhaps I’ll buy a set of larger pommel bags—they do exist. Water

bottles in sheaths made with a snap to go onto a D-ring can be carried outside the pommel
bags. But a rain slicker or extra jacket probably needs to go behind the cantle. Roll it as
compactly as possible and tie it tightly. I use a secure but quick-release method for tying
objects with the saddle strings, learned from my wife and father-in-law. The method is

simply a series of slipped half-knots. Emily starts by building the first half of a square knot
(step 1) but pulling one strand as a loop (step 2), inserting a loop from the other side into
the first one (step 3), and so on.

Quick-release knot, step 1.