Get Ready for Dude Ranching
What to Bring
By Dale Leatherman
Most ranches include a packing list with the packet of literature you receive on signing up for a trip, but my years in the saddle have taught a few hard-won lessons regarding apparel and personal items that will benefit any cowboy:
Dress the part
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Boots: Choose well-made Western boots that are comfortable, with medium heels. Buy them early and break them in, using a good leather conditioner. If you part company with your horse miles from the ranch, you want to be able to walk.
Jeans: Buy jeans that are not too tight or too loose, preferably with some stretch. The test: Can you lift your foot higher than your waist? Break them in, too, and wash several times.
Shirts: Mornings and evenings are cold and the sun sizzles in between. Wear a tank top under a long-sleeved cotton shirt and carry a light jacket and rain slicker tied behind your saddle.
Hat: Let your personality take wing in your choice of Western hats, but invest in a cord to keep it on your head.
Underwear: Cotton briefs are more comfortable than boxers, for women too. Avoid nylon. Tack shops and catalogs carry lightly padded underwear for endurance riders. It may be the best investment you make.
Bandanas: Wear one every day. You can wet it to wipe dust from your face or cool your neck.
Canteen: Or a water bottle with a strap.
Toiletries: Diaper-rash ointment comes in handy, along with insect repellent, sunscreen and eyedrops.
