TRAIL TIPS
Trail riding seems like such a simple pleasure ....
But in order to have fun on the trail, you must be
diligent in making your horse safe.
Riding smart and safe is of utmost importance. If your horse is not well-schooled in basic control,
don't even think about riding in the great outdoors. Here is a checklist:
-- Does he obey "whoa" immediately and easily? This is undoubtedly the most important basic command.
If he doesn't whoa, you shouldn't go (on a trail).
Control over your horse is necessary for both your safety. No matter if you are mounted or on the ground, the"whoa" command is your safety net, and sometimes your emergency brake. Teaching my horse that whoa means stop and stand - no matter what - has saved me from certain accidents.
-- Groundwork is the basis for everything you teach your horse. I have always felt if your horse respects you when you're on the ground, then he'll have reason to obey you when you're mounted. He should travel by your side willingly and no resistance on the lead. When you stop, he stops immediately. He should be able to back up in a straight line with a light pull. Sidepassing and pivots will prove useful skills both on the ground and mounted.
-- Safety is something a lot of people learn by accident.
There is no reason that a horse should be allowed to misbehave. It's dangerous for you, and sometimes even for him. Some accidents are unforeseen, but most are caused because we humans took shortcuts or missed crucial steps in a horse's training.
I require that my horses stand still for grooming and tacking up. Him dancing around means I could get stepped on. Mounting? YES, HE MUST STAND STILL! Remember how I earlier stressed the whoa command? It's for your safety and his control that he doesn't move a foot when you mount.
Exercise your horse prior to your ride by longeing or doing free work in an arena. There are so many smart reasons to do this: get excess energy out of them, study to make certain they are sound, warm up their muscles AND their mind, review voice commands, etc. Work your horse 7 - 10 minutes at a steady trot and lope/canter, more if its energy level warrants. I know, it's one more step to do before getting to ride, but think of this: you likely will get more of a ride than you want! By exercising first, your horse's mind will be focused on you, not on how frisky he's feeling. Which, can make a big difference when a bird flies out or you come up to that log that looks like a bear ....
-- Respect what you and your horse are capable of. Let's say you've schooled your horse in the arena, and feel confident he'll stop, turn, obey leg aids. You're ready to tackle the great outdoors!
Create confidence by being in complete control of the environment on these first rides outside. Keep it as distraction free as possible. Realize on the first outdoor trips, you won't be riding off into the sunset, climbing mountains and fording rivers. Setting too high of expectations will almost certainly set you back on the training. Horses, like humans, need to go through grade school first. Be content with with baby steps, because done right, you'll accomplish more in bonding and trust with your horse. This is how you teach horses to believe in you -- that's when they'll try any obstacle -- because you taught them to trust you. That leaves a huge responsibility on you, which comes back to my original statement of respecting what you and your horse are capable of.
-- Green on green makes black and blue: Translation: An untrained horse with an untrained rider is asking for world of hurt. Besides the disappointment of not accomplishing your dream, you are placing yourself in great danger. First graders can't teach first graders. If you are a novice, ask a knowledgeable horseman to help you select a sound, well-trained horse to start with. Then, take riding lessons to learn the right buttons to push.
Or, take lessons on a well-trained, reliable trail horse. The big advantage to this approach is that you can concentrate on improving yourself. You won't have so much to figure out, training both you AND your horse.
-- To efficiently handle obstacles, your horse must be schooled in fundamentals. Whether for show or pleasure, your horse should respond to your subtle leg aids. He should correctly sidepass and yield for forehand and haunch turns, no matter whether you are leading or mounted. These movements are essential to control your horse's body .... and could make a huge difference in a dangerous situation.
Your horse yielding to leg aids allows you to move close to the obstacles and maneuver within them. Teach your horse to make it easy for you to open that gate or move around that tree.
-- Ride with confidence. There's many a time I've asked my horse to tackle an intimidating obstacle, one that he'd never seen before. He tackles it with determination and confidence. It is because I have given him a firm foundation in fundamentals. We do our homework! Therefore, he trusts that I won't let him get hurt; I trust that he will obey me in whatever situation. End result: we both enjoy a wonderful time on the trail, confident that together, we can handle any challenge.
Gaining confidence in each other's abilities is the product of many hours. You will be rewarded for your patience and effort. Time is well-spent in teaching basics, moving on to a little more difficult obstacles/maneuvers, then on to advanced. Often we review basics to fine-tune. If you are consistent, patient and don't ask more than your horse is ready for, an unbreakable bond will be forged.
-- Your correct horsemanship is crucial. Sitting balanced in the saddle, hands and legs in proper alignment will allow your horse to feel your subtle signals. Leaning over, sitting off to the side hinders your horse's balance. As a competitor, you'll get more points when your aids to your horse are almost invisible. Think how pretty a picture that is! That is the goal to work for.
-- Realize that each and every time you are with your horse, you are either training .... or untraining. Think about that. Are you accepting unwanted behavior because you don't want to take the time to correct it? Not ending on a successful note will make the next lesson(s) more work for you. Go back to a basic exercise to achieve positive results, and then go back to the problem obstacle. Sometimes it won't be a complete win ... a partial is ALWAYS better than giving up. Don't give your horse a reason to stay awake all night thinking of ways to misbehave!
-- Look ahead. Hey, somebody's has to be looking where they're going! A major fault of almost all riders is looking down at their horse's head constantly. Part of building trust is your horse knowing that you, as the master, are observing the trail ahead; evaluating the terrain that will allow you both to handle it safely. Especially in the green/novice stage, you must be attentive. As you learn how to read and rate obstacles; he learns to trust that you will help him safely get through whatever. Horsemanship-wise, riding with your eyes forward enables you to "feel" your horse. It is amazing how much you will sense when you don't ride by your eyes!
I tease my adult students when they're looking down at the horse. "Hey, please tell me when you drive your car, you're looking down the road, right? Not at the hood of your car?"
-- Trust. As in any relationship, it takes time to develop. Here's something to consider: do you trust your horse? If the answer is no, then realize it is mutual. Your horse doesn't trust you. But, by patiently creating a training program of successful steps, a partnership is established that will carry you safely through the roughest of obstacles and situations. Challenges will be confidently handled, because you believe in each other's abilities.
There are no shortcuts in horse training. Time, patience, consistency, and knowledge are the keys; you'll need them to unlock your horse's mind. These keys are what will create a happy horse who will always try for you. If "trainers" tell you to use gimmicks and a guaranteed shortcut to fix a problem, watch out they don't sell you oceanfront property in Arizona.
More trail tips on page 2!
If he doesn't whoa, you shouldn't go (on a trail).
Control over your horse is necessary for both your safety. No matter if you are mounted or on the ground, the"whoa" command is your safety net, and sometimes your emergency brake. Teaching my horse that whoa means stop and stand - no matter what - has saved me from certain accidents.
-- Groundwork is the basis for everything you teach your horse. I have always felt if your horse respects you when you're on the ground, then he'll have reason to obey you when you're mounted. He should travel by your side willingly and no resistance on the lead. When you stop, he stops immediately. He should be able to back up in a straight line with a light pull. Sidepassing and pivots will prove useful skills both on the ground and mounted.
-- Safety is something a lot of people learn by accident.
There is no reason that a horse should be allowed to misbehave. It's dangerous for you, and sometimes even for him. Some accidents are unforeseen, but most are caused because we humans took shortcuts or missed crucial steps in a horse's training.
I require that my horses stand still for grooming and tacking up. Him dancing around means I could get stepped on. Mounting? YES, HE MUST STAND STILL! Remember how I earlier stressed the whoa command? It's for your safety and his control that he doesn't move a foot when you mount.
Exercise your horse prior to your ride by longeing or doing free work in an arena. There are so many smart reasons to do this: get excess energy out of them, study to make certain they are sound, warm up their muscles AND their mind, review voice commands, etc. Work your horse 7 - 10 minutes at a steady trot and lope/canter, more if its energy level warrants. I know, it's one more step to do before getting to ride, but think of this: you likely will get more of a ride than you want! By exercising first, your horse's mind will be focused on you, not on how frisky he's feeling. Which, can make a big difference when a bird flies out or you come up to that log that looks like a bear ....
-- Respect what you and your horse are capable of. Let's say you've schooled your horse in the arena, and feel confident he'll stop, turn, obey leg aids. You're ready to tackle the great outdoors!
Create confidence by being in complete control of the environment on these first rides outside. Keep it as distraction free as possible. Realize on the first outdoor trips, you won't be riding off into the sunset, climbing mountains and fording rivers. Setting too high of expectations will almost certainly set you back on the training. Horses, like humans, need to go through grade school first. Be content with with baby steps, because done right, you'll accomplish more in bonding and trust with your horse. This is how you teach horses to believe in you -- that's when they'll try any obstacle -- because you taught them to trust you. That leaves a huge responsibility on you, which comes back to my original statement of respecting what you and your horse are capable of.
-- Green on green makes black and blue: Translation: An untrained horse with an untrained rider is asking for world of hurt. Besides the disappointment of not accomplishing your dream, you are placing yourself in great danger. First graders can't teach first graders. If you are a novice, ask a knowledgeable horseman to help you select a sound, well-trained horse to start with. Then, take riding lessons to learn the right buttons to push.
Or, take lessons on a well-trained, reliable trail horse. The big advantage to this approach is that you can concentrate on improving yourself. You won't have so much to figure out, training both you AND your horse.
-- To efficiently handle obstacles, your horse must be schooled in fundamentals. Whether for show or pleasure, your horse should respond to your subtle leg aids. He should correctly sidepass and yield for forehand and haunch turns, no matter whether you are leading or mounted. These movements are essential to control your horse's body .... and could make a huge difference in a dangerous situation.
Your horse yielding to leg aids allows you to move close to the obstacles and maneuver within them. Teach your horse to make it easy for you to open that gate or move around that tree.
-- Ride with confidence. There's many a time I've asked my horse to tackle an intimidating obstacle, one that he'd never seen before. He tackles it with determination and confidence. It is because I have given him a firm foundation in fundamentals. We do our homework! Therefore, he trusts that I won't let him get hurt; I trust that he will obey me in whatever situation. End result: we both enjoy a wonderful time on the trail, confident that together, we can handle any challenge.
Gaining confidence in each other's abilities is the product of many hours. You will be rewarded for your patience and effort. Time is well-spent in teaching basics, moving on to a little more difficult obstacles/maneuvers, then on to advanced. Often we review basics to fine-tune. If you are consistent, patient and don't ask more than your horse is ready for, an unbreakable bond will be forged.
-- Your correct horsemanship is crucial. Sitting balanced in the saddle, hands and legs in proper alignment will allow your horse to feel your subtle signals. Leaning over, sitting off to the side hinders your horse's balance. As a competitor, you'll get more points when your aids to your horse are almost invisible. Think how pretty a picture that is! That is the goal to work for.
-- Realize that each and every time you are with your horse, you are either training .... or untraining. Think about that. Are you accepting unwanted behavior because you don't want to take the time to correct it? Not ending on a successful note will make the next lesson(s) more work for you. Go back to a basic exercise to achieve positive results, and then go back to the problem obstacle. Sometimes it won't be a complete win ... a partial is ALWAYS better than giving up. Don't give your horse a reason to stay awake all night thinking of ways to misbehave!
-- Look ahead. Hey, somebody's has to be looking where they're going! A major fault of almost all riders is looking down at their horse's head constantly. Part of building trust is your horse knowing that you, as the master, are observing the trail ahead; evaluating the terrain that will allow you both to handle it safely. Especially in the green/novice stage, you must be attentive. As you learn how to read and rate obstacles; he learns to trust that you will help him safely get through whatever. Horsemanship-wise, riding with your eyes forward enables you to "feel" your horse. It is amazing how much you will sense when you don't ride by your eyes!
I tease my adult students when they're looking down at the horse. "Hey, please tell me when you drive your car, you're looking down the road, right? Not at the hood of your car?"
-- Trust. As in any relationship, it takes time to develop. Here's something to consider: do you trust your horse? If the answer is no, then realize it is mutual. Your horse doesn't trust you. But, by patiently creating a training program of successful steps, a partnership is established that will carry you safely through the roughest of obstacles and situations. Challenges will be confidently handled, because you believe in each other's abilities.
There are no shortcuts in horse training. Time, patience, consistency, and knowledge are the keys; you'll need them to unlock your horse's mind. These keys are what will create a happy horse who will always try for you. If "trainers" tell you to use gimmicks and a guaranteed shortcut to fix a problem, watch out they don't sell you oceanfront property in Arizona.
More trail tips on page 2!
