Stepping into the wilderness without the hum of a buzzing phone can be relaxing. A huge part of America’s outdoors loving population opts for horseback rides, safaris and long trail rides in the summer. Indeed, there is no better way to enjoy the warm months than spend your time amidst nature.

However, once you are in a jungle, the danger of losing your way becomes very real. Without a mobile and network, it is next to impossible to find way back into civilization unless you have a proper action plan.

Always remember to communicate

Tell your friends and family if you plan to leave alone. Leave a brief itinerary of your possible travel and several points of contact. If you fail to call from a particular spot, they can understand exactly where you have met with danger.

Keep calm and find your bearings

In case you feel you have lost your trail, you first need to calm yourself and your horse. Fear and anxiety will not do you any good. Horses are great at sensing fear, and they will start behaving jittery too. Even the best of the Gulfstream Park racing pickscan sense trepidation and start acting strangely once the rider loses his bearings. So, it is of utmost importance that you remain calm no matter where you are!

Next course of action depends on how far away you are from civilization and what items you have. We are hoping you always carry water for yourself and your horse on long rides. You should also carry some food for your horse. In case you have to spend the night in the wilderness, this is what you have to do –

Build a shelter

Find a solid broken branch or tree; you can use several other sturdy branches to create the basic structure and use leaves and twigs to provide insulation. Building a shelter sounds simple, but you need the practice to get one right. Just remember to make it small enough to trap your body heat.

Build a fire

Fire is necessary to keep you and your horse warm. It will ward off wild animals, and it will act as a signal. Try to build a fire where there is no canopy, so the smoke the can rise straight up and serve as a signal. That is the reason most long trail riders and wilderness explorers carry waterproof matches or lighters.

Find the right way to go

Unless you are in a thick forest, you can always use the direction of sunrise or sunset to determine your course. We know finding the North Star and using it for navigation can be challenging. If you are in a dense forest with no sight of the sky, look for moss. It always grows on the northern side of trees. Determine your course accordingly.

There are several small tools, knots, and food guides that help people survive away from civilization for days. Always carry a pocket knife or a Swiss army knife while leaving for riding and carry a compass too. These small items can save your life on multiple occasions when you least expect it.