What To Pack In Your Crew Bag

By Karen Chaton

I am always getting asked what to put into a crewbag for an out vet check. There really isn’t any one answer or list that will work for everybody in every situation. Mostly you want to remember to pack food for your horse, a blanket if one might be needed and then anything else you as a rider might need.

You want to keep your crewbag from being overweight so the ride volunteers won’t risk getting a hernia lifting it. I checked with several different ride volunteers at rides this year and they agreed that they would like to see crewbags kept to under 30 pounds. Basically, if yours weighs as much as a sack of horse feed, it’s probably a little too heavy. If there are two of you riding, you may want to split your stuff up into two separate bags rather than one really heavy one.

The items you need will depend upon the type of ride you are doing. Some rides have all the vet checks in camp so you don’t need to worry about crewbags. Other rides have one vet check during the entire ride and it is out of camp, while others might have multiple vet checks, some in and some out of camp so you need to be prepared for each of those checks. You’ve got to remember that if you send your favorite blanket in your bag to an out-check, that it might not be back in camp when you finish.

Some rides may also provide feed for the horses. It’s still a good idea to pack some of your own just in case your horse prefers to have his own food, or for some reason the food provided by ride management doesn’t make it to the check, or it’s all been used up. Here is a list of a few items that you may want to consider packing if you don’t already carry them on you while riding:

For the horse:

  • Hay
  • Feed (gallon-size ziplock bags work great for this)
  • Treats — apples, carrots
  • Electrolytes
  • Blanket or sheet
  • Feed pan
  • Small foldable bucket, or small plastic bucket
  • Extra Easyboot or other hoof protection

For the rider:

  • Snacks
  • Lunch, if not provided on the ride
  • Drinks
  • Sunscreen
  • Toilet paper
  • First aid kit
  • Medication, if needed

Additional miscellaneous items:

  • Desitin
  • Vet wrap
  • Small foldable chair or stool
  • Raingear
  • Strips of leather, or strong string
  • Leatherman-type tool
  • Screwdriver
  • Duct tape

For night riding:(If you are riding 75- or 100-mile distances, or a long 50-miler in winter, you may also want to pack a few things for night riding.)

  • Change of clothes
  • Jacket
  • Glowbars and a way to attach them
  • Flashlight or headlamp
  • Batteries
  • Rump rug for the horse

For your individual needs: 

Every horse and rider will have individual needs, so keep that in mind when preparing your crewbag. You may want to put a sponge or a scoop in if you know you won’t need it until after the vet check where your bag will be. Same for other items like warmer or cooler clothes and items for grooming the horse. I have found sometimes it is really nice to be able to curry the sweat off my horse at the vet check.

Each ride day is different so sometimes you may need to put in different items, or remove ones that you know you won’t need. Be prepared, but please don’t actually pack the kitchen sink!

Originally published in the February 2006 Endurance News.

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