| Is trail riding the activity you best enjoy with your | | | | enough not to get upset if their feet get tangled in |
| horse? If so, you are like the majority of horse owners | | | | brush or vines, need to respond to your request to |
| in the U.S. It's a wonderful way to get out and see | | | | move their body away from a tree that could knock |
| some country you might not be able to see from car | | | | your knees or head, be able to jump fallen trees that |
| or foot, plus it gives us a chance to have something | | | | may block the trail, and not be worried about branches |
| fun to do with our horse once it has been well trained. | | | | that may slap at them or be trimmed and fall on them. |
| A common problem I see with many horse/rider | | | | They need to be comfortable walking down banks, |
| combinations is that the rider seems to feel that "just" | | | | into water, and walking up steep inclines without |
| trail riding doesn't require a horse with much training. I | | | | rushing. A good trail horse is not dependent on the |
| contend that trail riders should be mounted on horses | | | | horse in front of it to set its speed or direction. There |
| that have as much or more training as other horse | | | | are many times when a rider needs to act |
| endeavors require. Think about it. When you go out on | | | | independently of what the others are doing. |
| a trail, you never know what you might encounter-it | | | | There are some horses out there that handle the trails |
| might include traffic, backpackers, rough terrain, strange | | | | basically without any guidance from their oblivious |
| animals, or a slew of other things that the horse might | | | | passenger riders and follow along doing what the |
| be not see elsewhere. You may be traveling on trails | | | | others do, but there are many more good horses that |
| well away from road access and have only the horse | | | | need some rider guidance and help to make the ride |
| to depend upon to carry you safely. | | | | enjoyable. This is where it is the human's responsibility |
| If you are mounted on a horse than only knows go | | | | to make sure that they have the training themselves |
| and hopefully whoa, you are basically at the mercy of | | | | to help support the horse in whatever situation comes |
| the horse to see you safely through the ride. You are | | | | up. "Just trail riding" should involve as much prior |
| not as safe as you should or could be. What happens | | | | thought and training as showing, distance riding, or any |
| if you need more than just go or whoa? It's not | | | | other activity that someone might want to do with their |
| unusual to be in a situation on a ride where your horse | | | | horse. It's not an excuse for sloppy or non-existent |
| might need to back up, move its body around an | | | | horsemanship, and people should be proud to say I'm a |
| obstacle, turn around in a tight space, or even sidepass. | | | | trail rider-leaving out the word "just"! |
| For starters, trail horses need to be comfortable | | | | |