November 2025
Horses for Hunting | Renting Horses for the Backcountry
All of us are looking for a way to get away from the overcrowded areas when hunting. We spend hours e-scouting, trying to find that honey hole that maybe nobody else is headed into just to find several trucks parked there when you show up. There may not be a great one-size fits all solution for this problem, but I have found if you can go further and stay longer, you will often eliminate a large percentage of other hunters. Being able to carry enough supplies and camp on your back can be extremely difficult for most hunters. This is where horses can be a huge asset if you go about it properly.
Today, the majority of people do not own horses that they can use for hunting or other recreational activities. However, there are options to rent them throughout many western states to aid hunters in accessing more remote areas. The sheer amount of weight they can carry in rugged terrain for multiple miles makes them worth their weight in gold, especially if you are wanting to go deep in the backcountry and stay comfortable for an extended period of time. If you are thinking about renting horses for a backcountry hunt, there are a few things you should consider before doing so.
Number one is to get some horsemanship experience. If you have not grown up with or spent a lot of time around horses, you will want to go on a few horseback trips before doing it yourself. Book a summer pack trip where you spend a week riding through mountainous country with an experienced staff and learn as much as you can from them. Be involved in all aspects of what goes on with the stock, from catching, to saddling, to packing, and caring for the animals. This way, when you do it yourself, you will have a general idea of what to do, which will make the experience more enjoyable and safer for everyone involved. You may even want to go on a guided backcountry hunt or two before trying it on your own. This way, you can get some real hands-on experience/training from someone who does it for a living and decide if it’s something you want to tackle. There are also schools that teach horsemanship and packing skills. These can be great as they teach you the proper way to load gear and game on pack animals, knot and hitch tying techniques, and all-around horsemanship to keep you and the stock safe and healthy in the backcountry.
Maybe the most important aspect of renting horses is to make sure you deal with a reputable business and not some guy just trying to make a buck renting horses that should be in an Alpo sack. A reputable outfit will have gentle, experienced horses that have been there and done that with countless miles under the cinches in the backcountry. These horses will also be in good shape from working all summer on dude ranches or pack trips in the mountains. This good horse rental business will most often truck horses to the trailhead of your choosing and pick them back up on a set date, making it very convenient for the hunters. They will also provide you with all the horseback gear (saddles, packs, bridles, lash ropes) to make your trip successful. Depending on the amount of time you rent the horses, cost will range from $300-$900 per animal.
I have been fortunate enough to spend the last 30+s years of my life using horses and mules in the western mountains. I have witnessed the good, the bad, and even the ugly parts of dealing with these unbelievably strong and amazing animals. The best piece of advice I can offer someone wanting to do their own trip is to be confident, even if you have to bluff it! Horses are a herd animal and are looking for leadership. Be that leader. The horses you will be renting will have been handled by confident hands and will be looking for that same type of confidence from you. Relax and don’t get in a big hurry is also sound advice. If you do these few things, odds are you will have an enjoyable experience without killing yourself with a heavy pack and have a great hunting story to tell for years to come.