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I'm a trail rider, no more and no less than any other type of rider.

13K views 105 replies 51 participants last post by  Foxtail Ranch 
#1 ·
So the phrase "I'm just a trail rider" or "you just trail ride?" comes outta a lot of other peoples mouths.

Well, yes I "just trail ride" but you "just ride in an arena". And not that most people don't take their horses out on the "trails", but I'd like to see an "arena broke" horse do the things out on the trails that I do with mine! Not saying that a great arena horse can't excel out here either, my mare was trained for WP, halter, and reining, didn't take to it. She is a monster on the trails.

Criteria (please add to it) for why I think Trail Riding is a very difficult sport in the horse world:
1. A horse must be sane. It is very difficult to encounter all of the different elements of nature with a hot blooded horse.
2. Physically fit. You can't expect a pasture puff to haul your tail over mountains for over at least 15 to 25 miles and usually more, multiple days, across multiple terrains.
3. Broke, Broke, Broke. Taking the chance on a green horse without SOLID training 25 miles away from home is dangerous. PERIOD.
4. Athletic Willing Attitude. A lesson horse can take you through the paces, but when you need to scale a sheer hillside, jump a 3ft. log, and swim a lake AFTER riding 25 miles, you need a horse with some go, go, go.
5. Surefooted donkey horse. Sure any horse can walk a road or gallop around an arena, but can they safely wind around a steep rocky cliff and not fall over and take you with them?

A trail rider:
1. Physically fit. Most people can sit a horse in an arena and even properly jump with a bit of training. Can they ride up and down mountains, keeping their horse balanced and fit over countless miles of terrain? And still walk the next day?
2. Be Sane. Most people can direct their horse around an enclosure, but can they encounter a mountain lion and not flip their lid or let their horses do so? Keep their cool/seat when a horse bolts/shies from a snake?
3. Know first Aid. Without being feet from a stocked barn or in cell service to call for an emergency?
4. Train Said Horse Above?

I'm not bashing anyone! Trail riding is difficult and a world unto it's own.
Give it and yourselves some credit you awesome trail blazers!

Please feel free to add!!
 
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#15 ·
One more Trail Riding Master criteria:
1. Be able to safely control your horse without a bit, and saddle less.
Ya never know when something is going to break.
I agree, but I travel with extras in my saddle bags. MANY times, while away from camp, I've had to do emergency repairs to my tack over the last 27 years. Baling twine and leather latigo, along with a good, Swiss knife are essential.
Still, the point IS valid.
 
#3 ·
For extreme trailriding, maybe. I mean, I've only been on a few trails that were more than four or five hours long because in my area of Texas, that's it. We don't have steep moutainous trails and lurking cliffs. I do agree that your horse should be well broke and you should be conditioned and ready, but I actually find it to be a way to help you break your horse and to help you with your arena work. Some of the young three or four year olds that I've brought out on the trail are fresh and know their basic commands, but I use the trails as a learning mechanism for them. I plug the know how in to the why, now? and I get myself a good horse. I teach them the reason that they have to trust my by giving them a situation that they often don't understand, and I test them!

So no, I dont start with a horse anything like what you described. But I do end up with one.
 
#4 ·
Endiku I agree.
My point of this was that the stigma of being "just a trail rider" is lesser than being an eventer or whatever. Most hard core trail riders don't start with horses like I described, we train them. There is also the idea that trail riders are happy hackers, too lazy to do anything else, that couldn't be further from the truth!

I'm so glad you see the value of working them outside the arena. Adding "real world miles"!
 
#6 ·
Beautiful!

I wish we had those trails! My horse would love to be a trail horse but I doubt if she could hack it riding around the mountains like that. I wouldn't mind it either. Unfortunately, just don't have that accessibility.

There's no shame in a good trail horse!
 
#9 ·
Lol!! Yeah, most housewives have a college education nowadays. But not everyone is a good mother who can cook keeps a house spotless, keeps in shape, AND has a side job!
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#10 ·
Proud to be a Trail Rider

Ahh bravo! I too feel in your somewhat disrespected group. I live and breathe trail riding. It's funny you should make this thread because just yesterday I was out at the barn and there were people that had come in for riding lessons for their daughers. I came back, untacked my horse and they started asking random questions like how was your ride, what's your horses' name, how old is she yada yada yada... The last thing they asked me was, "Do you show your horse or do you just trail ride?" I was thinking to myself really? Really Cmon? I'm not a 2nd class citizen because I trail ride! Even a girl at our barn refers to horses that she doesn't like as, "trail horses." Like that one day she couldn't get her horses' head set and I heard her say, quit acting like a trail horse with your head way up in the air." My horse has a head set and it's not way up in the air. I am sick of the stereotypes. I just want my horse and the great outdoors. I have put a lot of work into my mare that has paid off. Like you said, you can't just throw an arena horse out there and expect it to be fine, trail riding takes training too.
 
#40 ·
Ahh bravo! I too feel in your somewhat disrespected group. I live and breathe trail riding. It's funny you should make this thread because just yesterday I was out at the barn and there were people that had come in for riding lessons for their daughers. I came back, untacked my horse and they started asking random questions like how was your ride, what's your horses' name, how old is she yada yada yada... The last thing they asked me was, "Do you show your horse or do you just trail ride?" I was thinking to myself really? Really Cmon? I'm not a 2nd class citizen because I trail ride! Even a girl at our barn refers to horses that she doesn't like as, "trail horses." Like that one day she couldn't get her horses' head set and I heard her say, quit acting like a trail horse with your head way up in the air." My horse has a head set and it's not way up in the air. I am sick of the stereotypes. I just want my horse and the great outdoors. I have put a lot of work into my mare that has paid off. Like you said, you can't just throw an arena horse out there and expect it to be fine, trail riding takes training too.
"I just want my horse and the great outdoors" - You and me both :)
 
#12 · (Edited)
Yep!
My trail horse had a decent foundation on him, I took him out on three rides and found some major holes in his training where I just didn't feel safe with him. Being hurt I can't train or put in the time like I used to so almost $2,000 and a month and a half+ later I get him back, good, but not ready sooo two more months working him around the farm on our trails, lots of lounging, obstacles, dragging, gun exposure (cause you never know), etc... And then we're off, finally!!!
Nice head set, perfect back, ground ties, stands while mounting from the ground, decent side passes, bombproof at 5 and we are just getting started!

Yeah, no training my butt!

I wouldn't take a sky gazer out, and if I did I'd make sure she knocked herself out on the first limb we came across!!!!

Honestly I'm not really in the mood to compete in horses, my job is one of the most competitive in my market! Who the heck doesn't want to make rock posters! Kids line up for free to do what I do and I need to get paid!
I'm awful proud of my "trail horse", but I really don't care to run him around in an arena!!! Wiiiddddeeeee open spaces for me!
Different strokes.....
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#14 ·
Fly, got room for a dozen more horses? So jealous of the scenery! If I had access to rides like yours or paintedhorse, I'd probably never ride in an arena or care to show again :)

I've always had "arena horses" but they have always been trail horses too. Getting out of the arena keeps them true and they don't get sour or bored. Growing up all of the youngsters here after a handful of rides were hauled off property to trail ride behind one of the alpha, been there done that mares. In a weekend trail riding they learned just as much as they would have in an arena and generally enjoy themselves more.

I do a lot of arena riding, comes with the territory being a instructor & colt starter. I make a point to take every one of mine & outside horses to the woods at least once a week if not more. Good for them and me!

I do now own my first true "arena horse", she's quite the diva. Missy is a poor excuse for a trail horse, you'd think her brain fell out of her ears when you leave the arena. In an arena, she works like a rock star, outside of it, not so much. The first time I took her back to the woods, it was more snort & scoot than anything, ridiculous. She's slowly getting better, I'll get her converted one of these days ;)
 
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#16 ·
Painted Horse, those are some beautiful pictures! I don't think i'd have the nerve to do that lol!

But yeah, I agree. It's all about 'competition this' and 'arena training' that, but it really doesn't matter what you do, as long as you and your horse enjoy it. So what if I don't want to teach Hippy to pirouette or whatever? I don't think he'd like it anyway hahaha! Whatever makes you and your horse happy!

Just because 'this horse can do this movement', doesn't make it any better than any other horse. Both activities strengthen the bond between horse and rider and that's the most important thing. I think in one way, hacking/trail riding needs more of a bond, because it's absolutely essential that your horse trusts you! Of course trust is important in dressage and such but...

...in showing, trust only = high marks. In hacking, trust = safety. Safety is definately more important lol!
 
#17 ·
Man, I'd have to travel hundreds of miles to see that kind of terrain. It simply doesn't exist in SW Ohio. Trails are very limited in distance around here, so our trail horses tend to be very different from yours, lol.
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#18 ·
I HATE trail riding in IL--TO MANY BUGS!! We've taken numerous riding vacations to the Black Hills, SD and Colorado. There is a trail we've ridden around Empire, Co., that looks very much like those shots from Utah.
The first trail ride we're gonna take this year is the 5 miles that used to have a RR spur. It was grown up but folks have been riding their ATV's on it and made it usable. It's less than 1/4 mile from my driveway--no trailering, YEAH!!
 
#20 ·
I have been many places on my trail horses and let me tell you one of them cleaned up show horses would think twice about crossing a muddy and muggy swamp then up through the hills we have around here. Ever rode in timber country? I mean where its been cut? Its some rough land and the debris is everywhere crossing logs underbrush tangling up in their legs can make a horse kinda scared. So trail horses and trail riders are definatly a different breed and another thing to add is try hunting off of a trail horse and see how he reacts to a gun at first ha ha.
 
#21 ·
Yes!!! A million times over!! I have to really bite my tongue when someone says a horse is "Only fit for trail riding" or that a horse is "Just" a trail horse. I've put 3 years so far into training my "trail horse", and know what? Not a single day of it was wasted. No, my horse cannot ride perfectly around a ring, do jumps, dressage, ect and I don't think she has the mentality to do ring work either; her and I both need more stimuli than that. And that's okay! There is a horse to do just about whatever one person wants.

But just because my horse was trained for trails from the git-go, doesn't make her any less worthy of a mount :? If anything she'll be a damn fine beginners horse in her older years because of all the things she's seen and been accustomed to dealing with. Trail horses take just as much training as any show horse, some take to it, some don't. I'm proud of my trail horse, and although she will probably never see a show in her life, that does not make her any less valuable.

On a side note, you guys have some very pretty trails! Now give me directions to them so I can join you :lol:
 
#22 · (Edited)
Like someone already said, different strokes for different folks. We too are just "trail riders."

Some like the thrill of competition. Some like the rush of running at top speed around barrels. Some like the chase of the elusive trophy or ribbon. Some like getting special moves down perfect.

I have enough confinement in life being indoors. To me, working in an arena has benefits like escaping the weather or having containment for working a green horse. I think it's boring working in one all the time. I have enough repetition of the same old same old day in and day out. That's why I like trail riding. I can be outdoors with fresh air in my face. I don't have to have my horse in perfect form. I don't half to be better than the next person or go as fast as I can. I can feel freedom. It's my therapy, my aesthetic, my addiction, my pleasure, my drug, my serenity, or how ever you want to put it. It gets me away from feeling like a robot or a zombie. It gets me away from the hectic human rat race.

To those that think it's just trail riding, they haven't given or had the chance to enjoy the pleasure it truly offers.

Sorry for the long post but there's more I want to add. I'll just save it for later.
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#24 ·
This is exactly why when I was looking and bought my current guy-he was a trail horse extraodinaire. Raised in Big South Fork in TN. He had never had any arena training at all. I knew I was comfortable doing that and had the ability. Training for the trails-not so much. I had no knowledge of camping with my horse, picket lining, etc.....no less the terrain they had there. So-I know he can do it, and can teach me!

He now knows the ring stuff too, so turning out to be an every day horse. Outside on the nice days-inside on the rainy ones. :)
 
#25 ·
Usandpets and everyone else beautiful.

I said my mare didn't take to arena activities, but really she did, just not to the point of being taken to higher levels. And that's my doing.
When I was last shopping for a trail horse for me I found "Mr. Perfect" an excellent WP, halter horse that had a higher price on him because he was bombproof and trail sound. (I 1,000 agree with you guys!) But really looking back on it he wasn't as athletic as I needed, why I chose Rick, my mutt. He has great movement, decent conformation (he's handsome in my eyes) and is tough as nails on the trails. The last one I took him on was a HARD 22 mile trek. That particular trail leads down to the bottom of a very gnarly valley where there are waterfalls, but we also had to encounter GIANT puddles with floating alligator logs, swift slippery deep streams, lots of ATV traffic, dogs, you name it and after working with him so hard he didn't bat an eye. After riding for hours he had enough stamina to climb out of the valley at a decent pace while hardly breaking a sweat! I'm so glad I looked past looks, and breeding (or lack thereof), and my other criteria and went for the HORSE that I felt could do the JOB. A luxury we trail riders have.

I'll never thumb my nose at a ewe necked, cow hocked, hammer headed horse that I know can run circles around me! As long as the horse is sound, sane, and safe he's worth his weight in GOLD!

Usandpets,
Trail riding is also my medicine, my escape, my get back to nature.
I don't have to worry about impressing anyone, it's just me and the horse.

I'm sooooo very thankful I live out here! Any of you are welcome to come burn the trails with me! We got room! I'm glad we live out in the boonies but it does get lonely out here, BUT NOT SO LONELY THAT I'D MOVE! LOL!
 
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#26 · (Edited)
I competed in a lot of different things when I were a younger man. I learned that when in competition, things can get pretty serious and the seriousness often stole the fun from me.

My horse, nor I, need that kind of pressure anymore. I love her not because she can win a rodeo, dressage event, or horse race, but because she a safe, sane horse that tries to please me.

I am what I am as popeye says, and she is what she is, just a pretty darn good trail horse, trusted friend, and loved companion.

Now, you young whipper snappers, go and win some ribbons!

Fly gap, me and the wife might just take you up on your invitation.....be careful what you ask for because you just might get it.......so anyway, how do we get there?
 
#27 ·
I like to do it all. I like to show them halter as babies, then I like to pony them behind a made trail horse as they grow up. Then I like to teach them how to compete at SOMETHING, doesn't matter what whether it's WP, Hunter, jumping, dressage, penning, cow work or trail classes, I like to get that kind of start for them. Then I like to finish them on the trail. A show horse that is not sane enough for me to take out on a ride on our days off is no good for me.

I want sane, beautiful, athletic and totally human focused. If they aren't all of those, I don't want them. A horse that isn't brave enough to go camping and trail riding just isn't a horse I will keep around, no matter how good it is at the competition thing. It's great to have an awesome competitor but I demand more.
 
#28 ·
I get bored easy. If I hate seeing the same thing over and over again, I'm pretty sure my horses do too.
I think the arena is a great place to improve your riding and work on problems. You put those tools into effect by hitting the trails, and that's when you find out how really good you are.
 
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