It's Not "Just" Trail Riding

While I was making a presentation recently, in front of a large crowd at a horse expo, I heard myself say, while justifying why the horses in the huge coliseum were a little overwhelmed, “please understand their discomfort, after all , they’re just trail horses.” I knew it sounded wrong, even as it came out of my mouth and even though I was reiterating the disclaimers of the riders to please excuse their horses because they had never been in an indoor arena. The fact that they were “just” trail horses and “just” trail riders has given me some food for thought. The truth is, trail riding requires the same horsemanship skills as any other type of riding and given the fact that you are riding in a totally uncontrolled environment and often in unpredictable circumstances, you could argue that trail riding requires an even higher level of horsemanship.

In the past decade, I have seen the nature of the riders in my clinics change. It used to be that the riders were more interested in showing—in improving their riding skills to perform certain maneuvers better or in making their horse go slowly on the rail so they could win more ribbons. It used to be that people who were “just trail riders,” didn’t show up at clinics because they weren’t interested in showing, performance or going ‘round and ‘round. These days, my clinics are full of trail riders who have realized that the more they know, the better they ride, and the stronger their partnership between horse and human, the safer and more satisfying their horse activities become.

After all, it doesn’t matter whether you hit the trail or ride around in circles, you need to have authority over your horse, he needs to respect and admire your leadership so that he is comfortable leaving the herd in your presence and going wherever you say, and he needs to have good ground manners before, during and after your ride. You need to know how to stay balanced on your horse (arguably even more for trail riding), you need to know how to cue him and control him in all gaits and you need to be able to rate his speed and put him exactly where you want him to be—maneuvering around challenging obstacles. These horsemanship skills are important no matter where you are going with your horse and they require study, practice and experience.

The truth is, good horsemanship is good horsemanship, no matter what discipline you ride or what activities you pursue—there are no horse activities exempt from this. For instance, take a look at some of the topics, just released in my new video, “Trail Solutions.” Starting out with the ability to evaluate a horse to make sure that it is the right type, age and training level, so that you have the greatest chance for success out on the trail or in whatever discipline you choose. Trailer loading is not “just for trail horses”—but it’s pretty important and almost any horse is going to have the need to be transported at some point, but especially a trail horse. Having a horse that steps right into the trailer without pushing or prodding is as important for a person going to a horse show every weekend as it is to a trail rider. Knowing how to safely train him to lead willingly and eagerly into the trailer is a skill almost any horse person needs.

Side passing is not just a cute show ring maneuver or a fancy dance step; it’s a way to completely control your horse’s body and maneuver him to an exact position that you dictate. When you’re out on the trail, being able to maneuver around obstacles, keep your horse in control in tight and confining spaces or sidle up to a gate to open it are valuable and essential skills. And having a horse that stands dead still for mounting is perhaps more valuable for a trail horse than it is for any arena horse, since mounting out on the trail can sometimes be precarious. Here's a clip from the Trail Solutions DVD:

What about desensitizing a “cinchy” horse? Most people that have been around horses for very long have at some point encountered a horse that is resistant and resentful about tightening the cinch/girth and it is as common in trail horses as it is in any other type. It can strike the easiest going, best tempered horse if pain is inflicted by the cinch. Learning how to eliminate this undesirable and potentially dangerous behavior might make the difference in salvaging a good trail horse. That episode is on another Horse Master compilation that trail riders will also find helpful--Troubleshooting. Here's a clip from that one:

You can call to get both or either DVD at: 800-225-8827

Studying and perfecting good horsemanship skills is equally important for all types of riders and like in any discipline, trail riders will be safer, have more fun and get more satisfaction if they ride better, have a trusting and willing horse and know how to handle “problem” situations. I’ve met lots of very experienced riders that used to compete and/or rode at very high levels, but now they find their greatest satisfaction in “just” trail riding. Trail riding can be a challenging and sometimes difficult pursuit and, as with anything challenging in life, it helps to know more. That’s why I love having trail riders in my clinics and I expect the same level of commitment to excellence that I do from any rider.

Trail riding can range from a leisurely stroll down a mowed path around the barn to a 100 mile trek through the mountains. Any event that involves riding horses requires skill, knowledge, lots of practice and lots of patience. An accomplished horse person is admirable in my eyes, not matter what path she follows. What do you think?

Enjoy the ride,

Julie

Emergency Dismount

I had an interesting question recently from one of my good Facebook friends: “If you want to stay on, at what moment does the rider decide to execute an "emergency dismount"?”

 

This is a good question and one to which there is no definitive answer, except, “it all depends on the circumstance.” In general you are usually better off and safer staying on the horse if it is at all possible. Even teaching the emergency dismount is somewhat controversial for two reasons. First, practicing the emergency dismount is risky and injury-prone; when vaulting off a moving horse, it’s easy to fall down, sprain an ankle or worse. So practicing something that you may or may not ever need but may cause injury just by practicing is questionable. Of course, you could certainly argue the opposite that if you were to ever need it, having practiced it may make you less prone to injury. When I taught kids, I had them learn and practice the emergency dismount routinely. Now that my student base is middle-aged and older adults, I don’t teach it at all—because of the potential for injury in the practice.

 

The second reason why it is controversial to teach the emergency dismount is because you may end up with a rider that bails off the horse for no good reason when they should have stayed on and this can cause a lot of problems. Again, you are usually safer on the horse than off, because once you come off you are probably going to hit the ground (or some other hard object) and you may become a victim of the horse’s hooves. However, like everything with horses, there are exceptions to the rule.

 

In my entire riding career, I have only voluntarily come off a horse a few times. I have certainly had plenty of “unscheduled dismounts” through the years, but those weren’t by choice. Most of the time I have come off a horse, I have realized that I couldn’t stay on because I was too out of position or out of balance and I came off knowingly but not exactly executing an emergency dismount—more like being ejected. It’s funny how time seems to be suspended in those moments and usually there is time to think about the fact you are going to come off and how and where you might land, but not enough time to execute an emergency dismount.

 

The few times I have voluntarily done an emergency dismount, there have been some extenuating circumstances, and these are probably the only situations in which I would do it. In both instances I can remember, the horse was running away with me, out in the open—not in an arena-- maybe bucking maybe not, but I had already tried my best to regain control and I determined I couldn’t do it. Running away, in and of itself, is not enough to make me bail because the one thing about a runaway horse, which I learned riding race horses, is that eventually he will run out of oxygen and stop. In both cases that I did bail, the horse was headed for something dangerous, like a barb-wire fence, with seemingly no concern about his own well-being. Running away is one thing, but when the horse is in such a panic that it loses its sense of self-preservation, you’re in trouble. And BTW—this is a good thing to remember—when the horse is willing to cause injury to himself, he is way beyond rational control and both of you are at great risk.

 

There are probably a few circumstances where in hind-sight I should have bailed off but didn’t. But my tendency is to stay on board if at all possible. I think that if a rider is too quick to bail off, not only is she risking injury in the dismount but there will also be times when she would’ve stayed on if she had tried. But a controlled crash-landing is usually better than an uncontrolled one. I do think there is some value in learning how to take a fall—tuck and roll. And I think it is valuable to know the process of an emergency dismount.

 

There are two really critical factors when you are coming off a horse-- whether it’s an emergency dismount or not. First, you have to get your feet clear of the stirrups ASAP. You’d be surprised how many people, in a panic, go to dismount and forget to take their feet out. The potential disastrous results are obvious. Secondly, DO NOT hold onto the reins—let the horse go! You’d be surprised how many people try to hang onto the reins when they fall, in a last-ditch effort to maintain control, and then end up pulling the horse down onto them or breaking an arm or dislocating a shoulder. If you are coming off a horse, voluntarily or not, get your feet out of the stirrups and let go, pushing yourself as far away from the horse as possible.

 

It is an unfortunate characteristic of the sport that things sometimes do not go according to plan. And even with the most docile, steady horse, there may be times when bad things happen. Keeping your wits about you and continuing to think through the crisis are the most useful tools you have. The emergency dismount has its time and place, but it should be a method of last resort.

 

Here’s to hoping you always stay on the topside!

Julie