The Horse Forum banner

JUST Trail Riding???

20K views 213 replies 52 participants last post by  Dustbunny 
#1 ·
I don't know about the rest of you but the word JUST irritates me to no end. We go into a restaurant and the hostess say, "Just the two of you?" What? Do we need more to get into the place?
And too often when asked what type of riding we do, we reply, "Oh, I just trail ride." Like it's an apology. Or someone will ask if we show or just trail ride. Like that takes no skill and we go along like a sack of potatoes perched atop 1000 pounds of pure energy.
Trail riding is a pretty complex activity to my way of thinking. Most of the people here seem incredibly knowledgeable with diverse backgrounds and the desire to improve their skills and to help others along the way.
One thing is for certain with horses...you never stop learning. I can't think of a better arena for education of horse and rider than a trail with all it's obstacles and challenges.
Prepare yourself...prepare you horse...and have a great ride.
 
#155 ·
Hey Flygap! Your bio doesn't say much. Where are you? It's hard to believe those pics are somewhere out east here! I'd love to get a chance to spend some time wherever you took those pictures. From what I gather from the comments, you are a lot closer to me than I am to the Rockies! I need to find more places I can get to in a day from VA. It's going to be a couple years before I can get back out west and bother Montcowboy and Paintedhorse.
 
#156 ·
QOS My horse was fine, The one that went down was right behind me, The first 4 horses crossed just fine. The 5th horse took two steps and his front end disappeard in the quicksand. Rider went over the horses head and laid flat on his back in that 2" of water in that little stream.

We just pumped up the mud and it finally gave way.

And James, I think my horses have become professional tourist. They all run to the gate when I pull the trailer around to load them. And if one gets left behind, Oh how he throws a fit about being left.
 
#157 ·
I have had that happen Painted Horse in mud but it wasn't quicksand. LOL after 12 legs/hooves go through a spot it is pretty dang mushy! Glad the horse was ok.

My horses will load up easily but when I go down the ranch road with the Brenderup my boys are like "Seriously? Sister we went yesterday!" and they go to the back of the field. They don't give me a problem catching them or loading up but I think they feel like if they have to haul my butt around I should have to work a little for it! :lol:
 
#158 ·
I just ride to the BLM gate, its easy and hubby doesn't ride. I miss loading out w friends/family. Can't have everything. My mare likes to "see the world" (her idea of trail riding). I often will just ride her on the dirt fence line road on "this side", it's where I started her...its only a 4-5 mile trip, but it is good to "test" stuff, or to just ride between rides, if that makes sense. When we do that, she acts super disappointed ... like it is the most boring thing in the world.
 
#160 ·
A horse who has a job they love will be happy. Not all show horses WANT to be trail horses, not all trail horses WANT to be show horses. Some horses WANT to be both. My mare doesn't WANT to be a grand prix jumper, but that doesn't mean she's worthless. She's a western horse.
 
#161 ·
i think..and i can always be wrong..lol. but most horses are pretty good trail horses. in some of my riding country you really need the horse to learn to cross a fallen log with the up hill leg first. on steep side hills if the cross down hill side first get off fast..lol..there going to tip off the mountain. going down really steep hills is learned to. how to tuck there butt down.. slide on the rear and almost run in the front in places. and to never ever turn side ways on steep stuff. most colts i train for trail riding this is all taught to them. but for the most general trails. like through so much of the bob marshal wilderness its just plain normal trails. mud. river crossing. and one swinging bridge . when i outfitted i lead a string of about 8 mules.and we would have our clients out front with cameras when i hit the swinging bridge. mules will step the same all the way down the line. so with eight mules. all them moving excactly the same. we would hit the bridge. as fast as i could get them to walk with out trotting. and b ythe time i got to the middle of it. there bellies would be about a foot off the bridge as it swung left..then back right. moving a good four feet or so. did it so much that my entire string was use to me showing off like that..lol. and sadly this was before digital. ride safe everyone..and happy holidays
 
#162 ·
Well, that takes a bit more courage than I have mont (swinging bridge). When I use to go out to do a "job" I didn't think as much about the "what ifs", now I am in no big hurry, so I do tend to calculate risks. If it takes longer to "go around", but it is reasonably dangerous IMO not to...I go around. My little mare will do anything I ask her even if she has no prior experience w "obsticle x". I think that is noble of her, but she is my buddy, my pal - so I am careful for the both of us. Of course there is always the "fun" that comes w "wonder if we can make it, go!", and I will do that - when I am reasonably positive we can make it. Everyone has there own "threshold" and perception of "danger".:)
 
#167 ·
That was "just" a day ride. We stopped at Subway in town and picked up lunch on the way out to ride. Works out nicely. We spent that day up at about 9,000ft. That evening we headed down the mountain and made a camp, then spent the following day riding at about 7,000ft in desert and rocks. We intended to stay two days down in the desert, but got dumped on by a real downpour the second night and decided to head back to the house and a nice, dry bed. Both these places are within a 1/2 hour's drive from my parents' home in Eagar, AZ.

Here are some pics from the second day.
 

Attachments

#166 ·
I also trail ride, I've never done showing at all. I love to go out and have a great day enjoying the scenery and challenging me and my mare on the trails.......I know around here alot of the show people do refer to us as "just trail riders" but I don't think they could manage the challenges on a trail or their horses, same as I couldn't manage their style of showing.....
 
#170 ·
Problem is, I don't live out there. My folks do. I'm here in VA for at least another 18 months or so. After my youngest heads off to college, we will probably end up out somewhere in one of the 4-corners states. Howsoever, once I get out that way and get established, anybody who wants to come out and go for a nice ride is welcome.:D
 
#174 ·
I know this isn't as new anymore..but I had a thought since I just asked someone if the horse is just a trail horse or if it shows too.

I usually think of a show horse as trail riding as well, to keep the horse sane (we run games). So, I usually figure (atleast around here) that every horse trail rides, but also shows occasionally.

So it's not like trails are nothing, just that around here it's normally a given that you show the horse as well (be it a trail class, pleasure, or games).
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#177 ·
I know this isn't as new anymore..but I had a thought since I just asked someone if the horse is just a trail horse or if it shows too.

I usually think of a show horse as trail riding as well, to keep the horse sane (we run games). So, I usually figure (atleast around here) that every horse trail rides, but also shows occasionally.

So it's not like trails are nothing, just that around here it's normally a given that you show the horse as well (be it a trail class, pleasure, or games).
None of my horses are shown, but they probably could be if I chose to. In addition to being "just" trail horses, they are working ranch horses as well, which requires them to be calm, cadenced, and controlled like a pleasure horse, quick and responsive like a gaming horse, have cow savvy like a cutting horse, and above all, have the courage to go where I need them to when I need them to, even if the country is rough or they're dragging 1000 pounds of angry cow behind them.
 
#178 ·
I went on just a trail ride today. 16 miles of beach riding with TONS of log jumps, sand dunes, and water. Then we went to town and rode through there. Ambulances, dogs, people, busy highways, 18 wheelers, motorcycles, trains. It was a lot of fun! We even tied our horses up outside the bar and had a beer out on the porch. It was a very good day. I love my trail horse, we cross over and through anything.



 
#179 ·
I don't give much thought on what my horse is. Sometimes we just ride around the farm. Sometimes I work with the rope I'm not a roper. Lately we been working on a lot of gun training for hunting. Guess dusty is kind of a Swiss army horse. I always try new stuff with him. Some he is really good at and some are works in progress. Most of all he is my best bud.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top