Equine carry options

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bear cat

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Has there been any advancement on the saddle mounted scabbard? They are ok with a small lever gun... they get pretty bulky with a scoped rifle.

I have taken my frame pack and strapped the rifle to it and rode with that. It was quite uncomfortable with the bottom of the frame always hitting the cantle of the saddle.

Has anyone come up with a better way to pack a scoped rifle on a horse?
 
Its been a long time since I saddled a pony and slung a rifle on it but I still remember the best ways to do it...ALWAYS!!! mount the rifle butt stock back and flat with the horses belly behind the stirrup skirt and the bore to the front, it will be held close to the ribs of the horse by your leg in the stirrup. This prevents the bore/barrel from catching on trees.
Never sling a rifle butt forward either angled up or straight forward, you are inviting that horse neck to go one way around a tree and your rifle butt going the other side...a big "snap" will follow.
To emphasize my "opinion" just look at every 30-30 you can find at the next gunshow, inevitably you will see a # of them with replacement stocks or even broken & welded tangs.

Enjoy your horsepower hunt...some of the best times of my life.
 
20 yrs of guiding and every rifle is carried in a scabbard butt forward and up in front of the knee along to horses neck, which is a narrower profile than the riders knee. If the ride is tough enough that the knees are getting banged up, its time to walk a ways
Hunters with big 56 mm scopes soon regret their choice. 20 or 22" barrels and 32 or 36 mm scopes are the cream
Heavy packs can sore a horse too, I'd often take an extra pack horse just for big daypacks
 
boxhitch said:
20 yrs of guiding and every rifle is carried in a scabbard butt forward and up in front of the knee along to horses neck, which is a narrower profile than the riders knee. If the ride is tough enough that the knees are getting banged up, its time to walk a ways
Hunters with big 56 mm scopes soon regret their choice. 20 or 22" barrels and 32 or 36 mm scopes are the cream
Heavy packs can sore a horse too, I'd often take an extra pack horse just for big daypacks
Click to expand...
That is experience talking. Butt forward, slung on the pommel vertically. Butt to the back. Horizontal along the ribs is a good way to get where you are going to find an empty scabbard the rifle having slipped out who know how long ago. BTW, I broke the butt stock off my Ruger #1 during an unscheduled rodeo and when ordered one from Wilcox, I said “horses must keep you guys in business” he said “nope, quads keep us in business “ 😁 that was in the early 90’s before side by sides.
 
boxhitch said:
20 yrs of guiding and every rifle is carried in a scabbard butt forward and up in front of the knee along to horses neck, which is a narrower profile than the riders knee. If the ride is tough enough that the knees are getting banged up, its time to walk a ways
Hunters with big 56 mm scopes soon regret their choice. 20 or 22" barrels and 32 or 36 mm scopes are the cream
Heavy packs can sore a horse too, I'd often take an extra pack horse just for big daypacks
Click to expand...
A man who signs as "Boxhitch" is the only voice to listen to - at least for this question. All other opinions are of course like noses .....
 
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