Training Tips
All training tips and techniques are for information only. Use of any of these training techniques is a "use at your own risk". When in doubt, hire a qualified trainer. Always remember ...safety before sorrow.
More Training Tips - Trailer Loading
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Trail Riding – Getting Ready and Trail
Etiquette Trail riding can be one of the most enjoyable things you can do with just you and your horse or with a group. You get to see some absolutely beautiful country and possibly some wildlife that you might not see otherwise. With some basic horsemanship and sportsmanship rules, trail riding can be a great experience. I have ridden alone, in small groups and in large groups. I haven’t done it all, but I’ve done a lot and have gone thru a few horseshoes. And speaking of horseshoes, this is always a debate, but when it comes to shoes or no shoes, it is usually a decision you will have to make. Some organized rides you may go on will require shoes. If you prefer no shoes, you can always contact the trail master and see if you can do boots or some other alternative hoof protection for your horse. The ideal trail ride would be where everyone has a horse that is calm, agreeable, non-aggressive, and trail wise. Usually doesn’t happen. And why? Because horses have different personalities as well as different levels of training and this also includes the people. I have seen inexperienced people on well broke horses and they still have problems. And I’m not saying this is a bad thing, everyone has to start somewhere, and that someone may have been you at one point in time or maybe is you now. To start, you will want to be able to ride your horse comfortably at home in an enclosed area. If you don’t have an enclosed area at home, you can haul your horse to an arena. Haul in fees are usually $10 or $15. There are lots of local barns where you can haul in, but you will need to call in advance to make sure the arena will be open for you to ride in. If you don’t want to do that, you need to be able to ride your horse somewhere. The last thing you want to do is go on a trail ride with a group of people you might not know very well and a bunch of strange horses and not know your own horse. Even if you just get on your horse and ride up and down your driveway, at least you will have an idea of how your horse rides, responds to you, and just basically how you both will click. If your horse is spooking and jumping at every little thing, you definitely know you will need to do some ground work and more basic riding exercises before you take your horse out into the big wide world. Your homework before going on a trail ride will consist of Obtaining a good stop (WOE TRIGGER!!) Good turns (She’ll be coming around the mountain when she comes….(sing it!)) And in case your horse does do something out of the blue, you will need to have a good seat and be able to ride in all three gaits…..walk, trot, lope (HOUSTON, WE HAVE LIFT OFF!) You’ve done your home work, you know your horse, done some riding, he’s doing great on a regular basis, so now you’re ready to go on your first big trail ride! Yee Haw! You load the truck and trailer and down the road you go. You’re so excited and just thinking about how fun it’s going to be… then you remember…you forgot your horse halfway there, so you turn around and go get him. (Just a bit of horsin’ around humor). Always make a checklist so you don’t forget anything important! You know, the minor stuff, like, spare tires, a jack for the truck and trailer, tire iron for both truck and trailer, wheel chocks, horse, saddle, tack, food, change of clothes (in case you get wet), I think you get my drift. Believe me, it’s not so humorous when you get a flat and you don’t have a tire iron. (And how do I know that?…) Alrighty, you’re at the trailhead, geared up and ready to go as well as everyone else and off you go down the trail. Did you remember your halter and lead? I leave mine on my horse under their headstall and tie the rope around their neck or my saddle horn. I have actually been on rides where others didn’t bring a halter and lead. When we stopped for a break, they had to stand there and hold their horses. (Maybe that’s where that phrase came from?!) While on the trail, some of the basic trail riding guidelines to follow are: Ride Safe Pay Attention Be Courteous and Considerate These three basic rules intermix with each other so a lot of the following could be categorized under more than one rule. If all else fails, get off and walk. A horse is an animal and may not act the same away from home as he does at home. There are all sorts of new smells and sounds, strange horses and his buddies are at home. Your horse may be plain out scared or just throwing a tantrum. Either way, he’s acting badly and not listening to you. You can still enjoy a trail ride walking your horse. If your horse is acting up, definitely don’t pack up and go home. He needs the experience being on a trail ride. After 15 or 20 minutes he’ll probably start to calm down and you can try riding him again. Keep your distance. Don’t tailgate the horse in front of you. You don’t tailgate while driving your car because it’s dangerous and the same goes for horseback riding. Everyone chooses to handle their horses in different ways when they are misbehaving and you may not agree with how they are handling themselves, but it’s not your place to give your opinion on their horsemanship skills. Don’t tell someone how to deal with their horse unless they ask for help. If someone is having problems with their horse acting up, keep your distance. They need to deal with their own horse and you need to deal with yours. It’s amazing how fast a horse can move backwards or sideways when it wants to. When someone is having problems with an unruly horse, stop where you are at on the trail. Don’t keep going since chances are the horse will get worse if the group leaves. Only keep going if the person who is having difficulty says to go ahead and leave them. And at least one other person should always stay behind. In strange places, the buddy system is always the way to go. I’ve been on and heard other stories of trail rides where others have been impatient, opinionated, and down right rude. Trail rides consist of horses and people of all levels. We all need to be considerate of those riding, especially beginners and put ourselves in their shoes. (We were all there once at some point in time) There are a lot of different obstacles on a trail ride. Crossing bridges, crossing water, going over and around logs, birds flying up, deer running off, etc. There is no way to train a horse for everything they may encounter on a trail ride. Lots of miles on the trail are the only way to train for trails. Ride long, ride safe, breathe deep and enjoy the view! More Training Tips - Trailer Loading |