The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Quick trail riders question

3K views 34 replies 14 participants last post by  ReiningTrainer 
#1 ·
Jigging and shying on the trail is a big problem I've experienced a lot, and refusing to go over obstacles (ditches, puddles, logs, etc.) are some of the problems I have had the most trouble with. One of the more serious problems I have had on the trail is my horse spooking and trying to run back to the barn, I fell and broke my arm on that one... mostly that was a problem with my horse's fundamental training, I should not have had him on trails yet. But that is a common problem: Barn sourness.

Those are just a few suggestions. Let me know how it goes. I would love to hear what you have to say on the mater.

Jubilee
 
#3 ·
How to prevent/manage/control a scared and ready to bolt horse. Teaching a hind end disengagement would be very high on my list. If a rider cannot execute a one rein stop, I personally don't think they have any business being in open spaces.

Water crossings, navigating obstacles such as fallen trees, opening an closing gates while mounted would also be on the list for me.
 
#6 ·
Jigging or prancing on the way home. Screaming at other horses is a pet peeve of mine. When we go out on the trail (I always go with a buddy) and Cricket sees another horse, she always screams. She does the whole "WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE" scream where her entire body shakes. It's incredibly annoying. I'm still getting her used to the trails, however. I was told she was strictly a trail horse when I got her, but the lady lied about so much I'm really not sure how much trail experience she has. She's a good little trail horse though. I'm proud of her so far. Nothing much really bothers her but other horses.
 
#7 ·
Things for the horse and rider to practice on the trail..

- When riding alone, recognize the difference between a horse that is afraid out alone (inexperienced) and one that just doesn't want to be alone (barn sour) and how to handle them.
- When riding in groups, being able to ride anywhere in the pack without nipping or kicking.
 
#8 ·
Animals or birds bolting or flying right out from under your noses. On my second ride on my new trail horse, just down the driveway and up the street a bit, this happened twice. Need I mention he's skittish about going out on his own? A rabbit bolted out as we crossed the wooded area of the driveway, and he did okay, then some ducks exploded off a pond close to us down the street. That launched us like a rocket for a few strides. The previous owner said a turkey flew up in their faces on a trail ride one time, so close she could feel the wind from its wings.
 
#9 ·
a turkey flew up in their faces on a trail ride one time, so close she could feel the wind from its wings.
That happened to me last year on a mare that I was working. A buddy of mine that was watching said it looked like a cartoon - one moment I was on a horse and in the blink of an eye, I was suspended in midair and the horse was 3' off to my right.
 
#10 ·
In addition to what other say the thing that bother me most if riding with others is PACE.. If you have a group of say even 3 or 4 riders and the leader is constantly changing pace it makes it difficult for the horses following.. The leader speeds up going down a small hill, maybe even breaks into a lope in a short straight away and then pulls it down quickly because of a turn it leave the followers scrambling. Horses want to keep up so they speed up, a delayed event and then suddenly the lead horse is slowing down so the followers have a chain reaction and the last horse needs to slam on to prevent running the one in front over.

As leader it is her responsibilty to maintain a even pace, up hill, down hill, a nice even pace so the followers can spread themselves out and can keep pace themselves.
 
#11 ·
^^

YES! I agree one hundred percent! High-five, Riosdad! I can't tell you how many riding buddies I no longer have because they do stuff like that.
 
#12 ·
Pace is extremely important, as pointed out by Rios! It's extremely difficult to enjoy a trail ride with other people, when there's a leader who can't control pace very well.

That said, it's also annoying when other riders behind you can't control their horse's pace, and you wind up in situations where you are having your horse be 'run up' by another horse; good way to ruin a horse who doesn't mind having other horses behind him, or get his heels clipped good.

I think those are the two that are really important on my trail horse list; that and teaching a horse to maintain his gait, even if he IS going toward home...Lol!
 
#13 ·
Good post Rio - we change leaders from time to time and pace setting is one of the prerequisites.
 
#17 ·
Making a good trail horse is hard, especially if they have already been ruined by someone else. My pet peeve with my last gelding was keeping his mind engaged. I would want to do a nice extended trot through the hills, and he would speed up, see something and slow way down and flag is tail and start snorting, and then speed up and half halt, and then speed up, and then see something and tuck his butt a little and spook. It was annoying! I did a lot of dressage work on the flat areas of the trail which helped me get his mind back, and a lot of walk only trail rides. It took several months to get a decent amount of improvement, but he was never perfect. ESPECIALLY if we ran into another horse. If that horse was going faster than him, or going in the direction of home, standby for the ride of your life! Thank God for one reign stops haha!
 
#19 ·
My pet peeve with my last gelding was keeping his mind engaged. !
I don't worry about my horse's mind. I am off in my own little world and I let the horse alone. Reins slack and just jogging long thinking about everything but the horse. He knows what I will do if he misbehaves, I know what I will do so we leave it at that and we both enjoy the outing. I also hate talking on a ride, I like quiet and only the occassional word comes from me communicating with the horse and he will listen for those words of wisdom:lol::lol:
 
#18 ·
Very good point and it is one of the hardest to get people to understand. There are a lot of lessons to deal with different issues, but there is no quick fix. Just because the horse responds correctly in one situation does not mean it will do so in another. There are horses out there that just changing from one arena to another is enough to un-nerve them. This is where the riders consistency is so important. The more consistent the rider is the more consistent the horse becomes. Some horses may become decent trail mounts in one or two months, others may take six months to a year, while others may take years to become a great trail mount. An important fact that helps with your patience is to remember for a human, it takes 2000 repetitions to stop a habit, 2000 repetitions to form a habit, and get this 10,000 repetitions to form an unconscious response. That is a lot of consistent responses a rider must do to get the horse to control fear without thinking about it.
 
#22 ·
Stepping off into deep dark water. Vida has no problem crossing water unless its a step down into very deep water. I guess I don't blame her if neither of us knows how deep the water is. Also stepping down off a cliff side. If its a straight drop of more than a few feet she likes to fight me especially if its a deep drop into water. Is that a depth perception problem?
 
#27 · (Edited by Moderator)
I watched my guy handle a tricky 3 foot straight down drop. I switched horses with a lady who was afraid. She knows my horse and knows he handles everything in his stride. Anyway she went first and my horse sat down like a big cat. As his front legs dropped over the ledge his hind end squatted down until he was sitting on the bank with his front legs fully extended into the drop and then he just pushed off as nice and level as can be. While I couldn't watch the guy I was on he seemed to do the same thing. No sudden drop of the front end but it seemed like a level push off.
 
#23 ·
Yes it is, apparently your depth perception is bad, lol.

Really, though puddles and dark water are the hardest for horses as they cannot see the bottom. And both issues are a combination of horse common sense that is stronger than their confidence in the rider.

Having said that, I do not mind a horse stopping to evaluate the situation as long as they are thinking, in control and continue on when I ask. I don't get too gushy, but I do believe some horses have more sense then we give them credit.

If the horse is fearful, spooking, balking, then these are holes in the training that need work. You have to remember when we cue a horse to go through something like this, it is just a go forward cue. Personally, I do not have a cross the water, cross the puddle, cross the log cue system. Just go forward. So, as long as the horse is obeying my cues I am good.


If you think your horse has a vision problem, have him checked by the vet, but remember there are blind horses that are ridden and shown, so just modify your training/riding to accommodate your horses handicap.
 
#25 ·
Nope, I am sure you are a very accomplished rider to take on these obstacles. Trail tells us a lot about what our horse understands. They are constantly challenged by new situations and in them we find areas that need improvement.

Will your horse step calmly and controlled out of a trailer head first (slant load)? Does she have any issues crossing large obstacles such as fallen trees, or any troubles negotiating step ups? How about crossing bridges or passing through narrow passages. If she does not have problems with these then it most likely is not her vision.

I wrote a post on crossing obstacles a few days ago. Take a look if you haven't already, and see if there is something in that lesson that your horse could use more work on. Her confidence may not be lacking so much in you as in herself.

I am trying to think of ways at home that you could simulate the obstacle such as stepping down out of the trailer or maybe off a 'trail' bridge that is flat, not arched, onto a tarp or manmade puddle. You could make large puddles not necessarily deep, but murky so she can't see the bottom.

The more obstacles you can create at home to build her confidence will help on trail. Be creative, but make them safe. One that I like is taking 4-5 landscape poles (flat on two sides and round on the other two) drill a hole at one end and secure them together (stacked) with a rod then fan them out. You can make them close together or far apart and because they are stacked on top of each other you can step over the low end, middle, or center heights.

Some horses just need to learn where their feet are. Horses cannot see where they are stepping and that may be what is unnerving your horse. Practice putting each foot where you want on the obstacle and have her stay there. Have fun with it and get as much control of her feet as you can.
 
#26 ·
One of my worst challenges. After a big downpoor I was going through the park and ran into a bridge but the water had detoured around the bridge washing out the ramp heading up to the bridge. It was a straight up concrete wall that I was looking at. About 100 yards above the bridge was a dam. It was about a 30 inch concrete dam with high water on one side and boiling water about 12-15 feet down the other side and about 30 feet across. There is a low railing on both sides but it didn't come past the horses belly.
Ride across or get off and walk/ lead him???

If I ride across I can control his hind end better, he responds to leg cues but if he panics and goes over the railing both of us are dead?

Lead him but if he rushes he will run me down but if he goes over he goes alone??

I rode him, talked soothingly to him and step by step he crossed without rushing. My legs held him steady so we didn't brush the railing.
All was well but he trusted me and responded as he was trained to do.:lol:
 
#28 ·
Riding along with the same lady as above and the trail was blocked by a log pile. It was only 4 logs high but a pyramid all the same. I got off, led my horse up and over, he climbed the ladder up and down the other side. The lady was afraid so I led him back , turned around and did it again with her leading my guy and me leading hers.
Again total trust. No problem.
 
#29 · (Edited)
Outstanding. My Arabian gelding will go anywhere I ask and would probably do anything I asked him dangerous or not. Reason - hours and hours of work on gaining control (which is given with trust) of his feet, shoulders, hips, nose, legs, you get the point.

I never fully understood the gravity of that point until the day I was on a trail ride with my husband and we were going down a fairly steep slope when my husband yelled out to stop. It was too late, my boy stepped into and was tangled in some buried barbed wire. I pulled up before he continued on and ripped his legs apart and he waited on a downhill slope with the wire around his legs until my husband was able to ride home (thankfully not too far away) get cutters and cut him free. My boy never moved a muscle.

I also had an incident where I decided to take him into a lake. Being a kid I thought why that would be fun. He hesitated, but finally went in. My mistake, as there was no shore at that spot and we were instantly swimming. Yup, we had to find a way out and did and he was unscathed. My deepest sadness is that he suffered a torn ligament in his knee while turned out and can no longer be ridden.

I don't mean to sound mushy, but the more time and interest you invest in your horse, the deeper the rewards you will receive. I am talking about the silly stuff like getting your horse to place his front feet say into a tire while you are riding or even better from the ground without halter or touching him. Being able to lunge him without a line. Treating him like a dog or even a friend. Knowing when he is off and where he loves to sleep for a nap.

Get insanely specific in your requests and have fun.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top