A Fine Horse in New Country

What could possibly go wrong? Umm, quite a lot actually...

I'm not trying to put you off exploring tracks in wild country, far from it. However, you need to be well prepared and understand what you are getting in to. Weather conditions can deteriorate rapidly in the Scottish hills, you or your horse might get injured, and you might be many miles from help.

To me, this is all part of the Outdoor Access Code - 'take responsibility for your own actions.' Accidents can always happen, of course - but if you're properly prepared and have thought about what you're doing, you certainly make them less likely. (And you're in a better position to get yourself to help or safety). The emergency services (many of whom are volunteers, in the hills) have quite enough to do without trying to find people who have got themselves into trouble through poor preparation and inadequate equipment.

In this section I will explore some of the common problems, and how you can best prepare yourself.

Getting Lost

Most of us have experienced this at one time or another. The track doesn't match up to the map; you come across an unexpected obstruction and have to make a detour; or visibility worsens and suddenly you don't know where you are. It can be a frightening experience. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland estimate that a third of all emergency call outs are the result of navigation errors. At the very least, you may be out much longer than you expect and have to cope with fatigue or failing light.

What you can do

Prevention is better than cure. You must must must have an up-to date map of the area at a scale of 1:50 000 (OS Landranger series) or 1:25 000 (OS Explorer). Harvey Maps are often 1:40 000. All of these maps are pretty accurate (although naturally may not show recent changes in the landscape - new houses etc). Carry the map in a waterproof holder so you can refer to it easily. Do NOT rely on sketch maps, maps in guidebooks or 'corridor' maps (often produced for long distance trails). These only show the ground in a narrow band either side of the trail - hopeless if you have to escape off due to weather or injury.

Make sure your horse is comfortable with you unfolding a map before you set out!

Having the map is of little use if you don't know how to read it. You do need to master some basic navigation skills (and practise them when you can.) If you are a hillwalker, this will all be familiar. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, there are many good introductory books on navigation. I particularly like Map Reading Skills by Terry Marsh (Jarrold Publishing).

Many outdoor centres run day courses quite cheaply, as does The Mountaineering Council of Scotland. Their basic navigation course is excellent - the best twenty-five quid you'll spend. (You don't actually have to climb a mountain on the course - just some small hills!) Their website also offers a very helpful introduction to navigation.

Do you:
understand conventional mapping symbols?
know how to give a six-figure grid reference?
understand what a distance on the map (say 5 cm) will translate to on the ground (and how long it is likely to take you to cover it?)
understand what contours mean and how to interpret them?
know how to 'set' the map by rotating it so the symbols line up with the landscape around you?
know how to take a bearing with a compass and follow it on the ground?

If you do, then you can use the following navigation techniques:

Using linear features (a river, fence line, forest edge or a road) to help you navigate;
Use 'collecting' features - large features eg a forest, or a linear feature which you can aim for and which will 'collect' you when you head for them on an approximate compass bearing.
Use deliberate aiming off. If you are crossing open moorland and trying to find something quite small, like a bridge, it can be quite easy to miss . You will get to the river (you hope!) but then you don't know which way to turn to find the bridge. By aiming off you deliberately aim to one side, so that when you come to the river, you KNOW you have to turn right to get to the bridge.
Use ticking off of features to reassure yourself that you are on the correct track - farms, streams, track junctions etc - if you do this regularly, you will always know where you are ... and if you do find yourself temporarily lost, you know you don't have to backtrack too far to once again pinpoint your location.

It can all sound very daunting if you haven't done it before, but since ten-year old Cub Scouts and Brownies can learn how to do it, I'm pretty sure you can! If you haven't yet mastered it, make sure you ride with somebody who has. Take every opportunity to learn from them too, don't just follow along blindly - you never know when you might have to take over or ride for help.

Too Hot? Too Cold? Just Right? The Goldilocks Guide to the Weather.

Next to getting lost, this is one of the most common things to go wrong. Since we live on an island, we are prone to changeable weather patterns, which can often be very localised. Sunny warm weather in the valley or strath can rapidly change as you gain height.

In Scotland, much of our weather is dictated by two air masses - Polar Maritime and Arctic Maritime. (If those names don't inspire you to pack an extra fleece, I don't know what will.)

You probably don't aspire to be the next Michael Fish, but it is well worth learning about how our weather works. It will help you predict the weather is going to do (and therefore, what you are going to do.)
Two very useful sites are the Met office, which has lots of educational stuff about our weather, and The Mountain Weather Information Service, which provides up to date local forecasts for six Scottish hill areas and other useful information.

If you haven't a clue about the weather, you run the risk of getting very wet and chilled. At the very least, this will mar your enjoyment of the day - at its worst, you run the risk of...

Hypothermia ("Exposure")
Hypothermia happens when there is a progressive fall in core temperature (below 35 degrees C). A hypothermic person may show the following signs: Shivering and cold, pale, dry skin; apathy, disorientation or irrational behaviour (occasionally belligerence); lethargy or impaired consciousness; slow and shallow breathing; slow and weakening pulse. In extreme cases, the heart may stop.

Moderate hypothermia can usually be completely reversed: severe hypothermia when the core body temperature falls below 30 degrees C can be fatal.

How does it happen? Usually a combination of cool to cold temperatures, combined with wet and wind (not unusual in Scotland!) Other factors, such as fatigue, injury or anxiety, can exacerbate the condition.

Prevention
Adequate clothing
This is a whole subject in itself! It certainly doesn't mean that you have to go out and spend hundreds of pounds on top of the range equipment (whatever the manufacturers of hill gear might tell you) - but you do need to approach it with some thought. Waterproofs are a must, and you can get inexpensive but adequate jackets and trousers which pack down small for carrying.

In general, layers are a good idea, so that you can regulate what you're wearing for maximum comfort. Particular attention should be paid to your feet and hands and a pair of dry socks in your saddlebags is a good idea, for when you've stepped in a burn or boggy ground. Even if your boots have got wet inside, dry socks will still make you much more comfortable. Cold wet feet are guaranteed to detract from your enjoyment of the views. A liner sock with a heavier sock on top will help you avoid blisters, should you have to do a lot of walking off the horse.

I also carry a light balaclava (mine is really made for motorcyclists) which I can put on under my helmet - it may explain why I haven't appeared on the 'best-dressed' list this year (again) but I have been very thankful when I've crested a hill to get the full force of a freezing wind in my face. Again, it's very light and packs down small.

It IS worth investing in good 'wicking' underwear which will help keep your skin dry. Cotton should be avoided as once it's wet, it never dries on you and you can end up thoroughly chilled. If you decide to buy some good underwear, such as that designed for walkers and climbers, bear in mind that they often have a definite 'inside' and 'outside' (so no turning them inside out to get another couple of days wear, you dirty bisum.) Outdoormagic.com is a good site which tests hill gear - primarily for the walker, but good ideas for us too!

You need to try and keep dry where possible. Wet clothing will rob heat almost three times faster than dry clothing - that includes sweating.

Food
Always carry snacks - carbohydrate-based ones, such as muesli bars, are good because they provide quick energy. It is important, too, to stay well hydrated by drinking regularly- don't wait until you feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol - it is a vasodilator and increases heat loss.

And your horse?
Despite the fuss some horses make about going out in the rain, they are considerably better at dealing with poor weather than we are, unless they are ill or injured. In cold conditions, avoid getting him sweaty through over-exertion in an attempt to 'warm him up'. If possible, it's best to keep the horse gently moving than to stop, unless the weather has deteriorated to the point where it would be foolish to carry on. You may then be better to get yourselves and the horses into the shelter of a wood or cliff out of the wind until the weather improves.

Coming next - dealing with heat!

Above: don't count on finding a convenient sign!

Don't Leave Home Without...

Hi - viz gear. You may not be meeting traffic on the hill, but helicopters will take evasive action if they can spot you, and you never know when you might have to re-think your route and include a road section. Also helpful should you need to be found!
Map and Compass (see left)
Spare Clothing & Waterproofs
Change of socks (Recommended - wet feet all day ain't good)
Wire cutters (can also double up for removing a shoe)
Penknife
Small first aid kit: Antiseptic cream (same for horse and human); Sterile wound dressing; Vetwrap or similar bandage; Triangular bandage; Paracetamol or other painkiller; Space blanket; glucose tablets
Mobile phone (might not work everywhere of course). You may get a signal if you head for higher ground. In an emergency dial 112 or 911 (not 999) - your phone will lock on to any available network.
Whistle (the internationally recognised emergency signal is 6 blasts of the whistle (or 6 flashes of light from your torch) repeated at one-minute intervals.
Insect repellent
Sun cream
Camera