Trail Break 6: Packing the Quiet Miles — Word Search
If you’ve ever packed for a ride where the next town is “whenever we get there,” you know the feeling: the quiet panic of forgetting one tiny thing that becomes a big thing later. This word search is a peek into that “packing the quiet miles” list mindset—horses, humans, weather, and the little gear that keeps the whole show moving.
How to Play
Find all the words from the word bank hidden in the grid below. Words may be:
- forward or backward
- up or down
- diagonal (in either direction)
Word Bank
- BATTERIES
- BRIDLE
- BUCKET
- CHARGER
- COMPASS
- FIRSTAID
- FLYSPRAY
- GRAIN
- HALTER
- HAYNET
- HEADLAMP
- HOOFPICK
- LAYERS
- LEADROPE
- MAPS
- MATCHES
- RAINCOAT
- SADDLE
- SLEEPINGBAG
- STOVE
- SUNSCREEN
- TENT
- VETWRAP
- WATER
Puzzle Grid
L A Y E R S L M M J G D G H F O K O P I V N T S E H C T A M S M K A W Y J L D Y T N E T A O C N I A R Z J H F E K D F V E T W R A P U R K Q Q T R A Q S I R E T A W A W X F N B N F Q D W S R M O M Z S U N S C R E E N I R H A S A A G J H H S I C R W R J B O A P T P D K O O K V E L D I R B N P L M A S U O P M A L D A E H D D S E T O I K F D S J B U C K E T Y I E W E C D P F Y A R P S Y L F B R J I A R M I T X C D I S G S T O V E C R P P C J Y H T N E S X T S Z H H I E Y K G A B G N I P E E L S A A K X T T Y S S P E L D D A S X Y R C T W T Y P Z I F K C K V V N N G I E I R A U Q H C F Z I Q C M E E C J M Q K B K O Z X G R A I N T R C E C V T J
Answer Key
Click to reveal the Answer Key
Format: WORD — (Row, Col) to (Row, Col) — Direction
- BATTERIES — (18, 1) to (10, 1) — U
- BRIDLE — (8, 18) to (8, 13) — L
- BUCKET — (10, 11) to (10, 16) — R
- CHARGER — (12, 18) to (18, 12) — DL
- COMPASS — (11, 4) to (5, 4) — U
- FIRSTAID — (4, 5) to (11, 5) — D
- FLYSPRAY — (11, 15) to (11, 8) — L
- GRAIN — (18, 6) to (18, 10) — R
- HALTER — (7, 3) to (12, 3) — D
- HAYNET — (13, 16) to (18, 11) — DL
- HEADLAMP — (9, 16) to (9, 9) — L
- HOOFPICK — (7, 10) to (14, 3) — DL
- LAYERS — (1, 1) to (1, 6) — R
- LEADROPE — (3, 2) to (10, 2) — D
- MAPS — (6, 6) to (9, 6) — D
- MATCHES — (2, 12) to (2, 6) — L
- RAINCOAT — (3, 15) to (3, 8) — L
- SADDLE — (15, 12) to (15, 7) — L
- SLEEPINGBAG — (14, 14) to (14, 4) — L
- STOVE — (12, 13) to (12, 17) — R
- SUNSCREEN — (6, 10) to (6, 18) — R
- TENT — (3, 8) to (3, 5) — L
- VETWRAP — (4, 6) to (4, 12) — R
- WATER — (5, 10) to (5, 6) — L
Direction key: R/L/U/D = right/left/up/down, and DR/DL/UR/UL = diagonal.
Sometimes the calm comes in small ways—like circling words while the coffee cools and the next miles wait. Click Print Trail Break 6 for a clean paper copy (the answer key is on page 2, so print page 1 only if you want to avoid spoilers).
Print tip: this printable includes the answer key on page 2. To avoid spoilers, print page 1 only.
More Trail Break Puzzles
Need another quick breather before you get back on the trail? Here are a few more Trail Breaks—puzzles of all kinds, from word searches to matching games and logic puzzles.
- Trail Break 1: More Roots Along the Quiet Miles (Word Search)
- Trail Break 2: Evening Horse Care Along the Quiet Miles (Word Search)
- Trail Break 3: Sharing the Trail: Trail Etiquette (Word Search)
- Trail Break 4: Meet the Mustang HMAs (Logic Puzzle)
- Trail Break 5: Mustang Language (Matching)
- Trail Break 6: Packing the Quiet Miles (Word Search)
- Trail Break 7: [Coming soon]
- Trail Break 8: [Coming soon]
- Trail Break 9: [Coming soon]
- Trail Break 10: [Coming soon]
Want them all in one place?
Visit the Trail Breaks Puzzle Hub: https://www.fadinghoofbeats.com/trail-breaks/
Packing resources (for the list makers)
If today’s puzzle put you in a “did I forget something” mood, these two links are genuinely useful:
- REI Camping Essentials Checklist (a solid master list you can copy, trim, and organize your own way)
- Leave No Trace Principles for Stock (smart, low impact guidance when you travel with horses or mules)
- Packing with Horses & Mules booklet (PDF)
