Last week a rider returned to her trailer only to find that her keys had fallen off some time during her 10-mile ride. It was, to put it mildly, an upsetting situation. And one that all of us around knew could happen to us. Thankfully, somebody actually found the keys and returned them to the owner that afternoon.
Most of us HAVE to carry at least one key with us when we ride. But things can slip out of pockets, and even the hooks and latches we use to attach rings to our belts can fail. Perhaps awareness and preparation can help each of us from losing those all-important keys by following a few small steps:
- Consider using a valet key ring, like the one pictured below. You can detach all but the 1 or 2 keys you’ll need to unlock your rig, and leave the rest behind.
- Place a simple ID tag with your phone number on your key ring. If you do lose the ring, the phone number on the tag will hopefully be used to reunite you and your keys quickly.
- Add something with a 2-sided bright color to your ring. It’s a lot easier to find fluorescent orange, pink or green in the grass.
- Use a small zippered fanny pack to hold your keys–and perhaps some emergency contact information.
- If you have a trailer compartment that can be secured with a combination lock, leave your keys there so you don’t have to carry any of them with you at all.
Florida Sport Horse Club 