6 Things You’ll Learn While Riding On The Trails

Riding

Kayla was all pumped up, bright eyed and bushy tailed (for real!) as we flew on winged legs over the sandy terrain.  The footing reverberated deeply with each footfall as I heard the soft, hollow-sounding thumps from each of her steps.

These were some of the best trails in the province! I couldn't believe that I was there, looking ahead but feeling the trees beside the trail fly by as my fearless steed kept up an eye-watering pace. Her attention was focused ahead to the horses in front but she was also keeping an ear back, listening to the rhythmical breaths of the horses behind.

There is nothing better than being involved in an activity you love, with an animal you love, with like-minded people all working toward the same goal. Although the above scene was a competitive trail ride, you don't have to ride competitively to get the same level of enjoyment and challenge. Just head for the trails, with friends or without, and explore the surrounding natural landscape at your preferred speed.

The trail provides opportunities that you just don't get in other riding venues. There are forested paths that weave through dense brush, or open fields covered in high, waving grass that surrounds your horse's legs. There are hills and bogs and cleared tracks and bumpy root-encrusted trails.

There are also fairly flat, fairly clear fields where you can enjoy practicing your riding skills without the constraints of walls or fences, in the open air where your horse is inspired to move more openly and enthusiastically, covering ground with less inhibition or restriction.

It's not like you won't learn anything while riding the trails. In fact, there are many things you can learn because of the trails, especially when travelling at the trot or canter. Here are six.

Don't pull on the reins!

This is something that Kayla taught me really well, but is true for many horses. I know I've mentioned not pulling on the reins a lot, but it's mainly because I learned the hard way that grabbing the horse's mouth (or nose if you're using something bitless) only positions the horse to lean forward into the pressure, lean forward in balance, and move along at a faster rate - especially if you are already at a canter!

Rather, use your seat and half-halts to balance the horse into a position that allows him to transition downwards. By all means, pull if it's your last resort, but don't be surprised if it doesn't bring the desired result.

It took a good amount of ring riding - and then on the trails, where the environment can be significantly different - for me to really understand how to do a down transition from the seat and not the hands.

Feel the energy.

There is so much room for the horse to move in a more natural environment. So if you find your normally flattish, pluggish horse resembling a sprint runner (or doing a jiggy dance on the spot), see if you can "ride" that energy and put it to good use.

Feel the energy come over the horse's back and use it as an opportunity to memorize what it really feels like when the horse tucks under and engages. You can try to emulate that feeling later on when riding in the ring.

Slow down to turn.

If you drive a car, you know that you need to slow down a bit before the turn, take the turn, and then speed up again after the turn if needed. Same goes with the horse.

Although you might not need to physically slow the legs down, you do need to shift the horse's weight back before you head into the turn. Otherwise, gravity will work on your horse just as it does on a car - and you may discover that your horse has to scramble while careening around a turn. So if you have a little speed going, check your balance before the turn.




Know when to trust your horse.

There is no better place to learn about your horse than on the trails. You really have a chance to bond and get to know each other, while also "becoming one" with nature. The more you ride on the trails, the better you'll know your horse's signs and signals - when he's on alert, when he's truly relaxed, when he's going to ignore your aids, and when he's honestly tired.

The more I rode the trails, the better I got to know Kayla's personality. I learned that she was super honest and rarely acted up unless there was a reason (stampede of cows coming straight for us). I learned that she would go go go until she could go no further - which meant that I needed to stop her long before she was completely spent. I also learned that I could ride a bold, fast moving horse with full confidence in her.

Bend your horse - for a reason.

Bend - it's often such a difficult concept, especially when riding in the ring. Try NOT bending when moving along a curvy trail, and you'll know why instructors harp on it so much. There is a reason that your horse should step under with the inside hind and "wrap his body around your inside leg": balance!

Be careful if you are approaching a curved path at speed because it's easy to lose balance if your horse is rigid or counter-bent. It helps if you can get him to look into the turn (flexion), and avoid leaning one way or the other. Getting a full body bend gives the horse the balance he needs and supples at the same time. The trail is the best place to learn all about balance!

Smell the roses trees.

So far, I've talked mainly about riding the trails at trot or canter. That's probably because of my horse's competitive trail experience (you can't really take the speed out of the equation once she gets used to it).

But there is another huge facet to riding on the trails - the beauty. Our often hectic lifestyles tend to reduce opportunity to simply be in the moment and enjoy it for what it is.

Some horses love ambling along at a leisurely gait. Walking on the trails allows you to take in every aspect of nature - the smell, the breeze, the scenery, the squirrel scurrying off under the leaves.... We're heading into fall here in our neck o' the woods, and the brightly colored leaves and the swish of your horse's feet through the foliage is enough to make a good day great.

Happy trails!

Well, those are some of the things I've learned on the trails. I'm sure I've missed many. If you have some experiences of your own to share, please add them in the comments below. 

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Horsey Word(s) of the Week

Kayla 1
Kayla at 8 years old

Horses for Courses

Idiom

UK

  1. used for saying that it is important to choose suitable people for particular activities because everyone has different skills

_____

There is truth to the phrase, "There are horses for courses." Although in the real world, they use this expression to indicate that a job is suitable for one type of person or another, you can take it literally when referring to horses.

Pick a breed and you'll probably be able to identify the characteristics that it was designed for. Most of our present-day horses trace back to a particular purpose - whether for work, for flashiness or for speed. Some horses are high-stepping, others are great pullers, and others are designed to move over ground with a low center of gravity. I imagine that as time passes and we continue our breeding programs into this era where horses are now generally bred for rideability (recreation), there will be more commonalities between breeds than there were in the past.

My horse, Kayla Queen (now 33 years of age) is a prime example. She was my dream-come-true horse, and as a Standardbred, taught me things that horses from other breeds never could. At 14.2 hh, she could keep up with the walking stride of a 17hh warmblood horse. In fact, she outwalked most horses and therefore was always in the lead during a trail ride. 

Because of her desire to "just go", she taught me to enjoy the thrill of pure movement. Her steadfast personality meant that she rarely slowed down or spooked (she would look at something and just go by) and that allowed me to become a super confident, trusting rider during my most important early riding experiences.

Best of all, she is a free-legged pacer. That means that when other horses would trot or canter, she would pace. She also sported a wonderful high-stepping trot but would switch over to pace after a certain speed. 

So I learned to sit the pace, enjoy the speed, and wave buh-bye to my friends as they switched to canter just to keep up! The "course" that Kayla was made for was definitely the speed course, and so we ended up conditioning for and then competing in long distance trail rides. That was her area of strength and what she enjoyed the most.

Kayla also spent many years taking me through my rider lessons and fun shows, but her way of going was not suited for things like collected canter or flying changes. And so in her years after retiring from competitive trail, we always headed for the trails even after a ring session.

Kayla taught me all about horses for courses. 

How about your horse? How is your horse suited for a particular job? Let us know in the comments below.

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Gallop 

When Giving the Gift of Exercise is the Best Thing You Can Do For Your Horse

Horse lovers love showing their horses how much they are appreciated.

We do it in all sorts of ways: hand-fed treats, special dinners filled with delicious goodness, or even the extra hug or pat on the neck. We talk to them in soft soothing tones, and we are careful to be extra calm when they are startled by something. We buy them supplements and make sure they get the veterinarian attention they need. Most importantly, we buy well-fitted saddles, properly adjusted bridles, and even get something with a little bling to add that special spark to their overall look.

In our desire to show our horse affection, we lose sight of one thing - how the horse perceives our actions, and what they would interpret as being a positive interaction.

Of course your horse enjoys your treats, extra nibbles in their feed tub, or your pats and soft-toned voice.

Your horse certainly needs the supplements, vet care and correctly fitting tack to work at his best. And he does need your expert guidance to help him be adequately socialized for this human-dominated environment in which he lives.

But there is one thing that absolutely resonates with your horse on a level that none of the above methods can begin to match - and it's more simple than you can imagine.

The Gift of Exercise

What can make the horse snort, become playfully alert, soft in the eyes and exuberant?

Exercise, of course!

And most horses aren't even particularly picky about what kind of exercise they participate in. Go for a nice trail ride in the woods and smell the crisp outdoor scents. The change of scenery is stimulating as are the sights and sounds of (hopefully!) little critters scurrying about doing their daily chores.

Alternately, ride in the ring and work on specific movements. You can even do them over and over  and over and the horse will STILL relish the fun, because working well and moving correctly feels good just as much to him as it does to you.

Not enough time for a full ride? Then enjoy a 20-minute lunging session and work on developing length of stride in all the gaits. How fun can it be? Just look at your horse's face and body language as the minutes roll by and you'll get your answer.

How about a nice bonding session mixed with grooming and a serene hand-walking down the driveway of the barn? So many experiences can be shared just by keeping your horse beside you as you go places!

In bad weather, try staying in the barn and playing with a few horse tricks! Tricks are not only physically challenging, but they encourage problem solving and memory work for your favorite equine friend. Even with limited space, you can connect in a way that both you and your horse can enjoy!


The Bottom Line

In this era of horses as recreational pets (rather than working livestock), do remember that the horse is hard-wired to move. Nothing pleases him as much as doing what he is supposed to do. Keep it physical, and your horse will appreciate being with you more than any horse treat, tack or bling can ever buy!

Get out there and enjoy time with your horse!

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Ready for something completely different? If you liked what you read here, you might be interested in the new Horse Listening Practice Sessions. 

This is NOT a program where you watch other people's riding lessons. Start working with your horse from Day 1.

Click here to read more and to join one of the most complete programs on the Internet!

 

Horse Listening

Don’t miss a single issue of Horse Listening! If you like what you are reading, become a subscriber and receive updates when new Horse Listening articles are published!  Your email address will not be used on any other distribution list. Subscribe to Horse Listening by Email

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Horse Listening The Book
Click to learn more

Take a look at more articles:

Dressage As A Healing Tool: Even at its most basic level (or perhaps, especially at the most basic levels), dressage holds a value to horses of all disciplines.

Cultivating Your Multiple Riding Personalities: In daily life, assuming different personalities might be frowned upon. However, if you can can channel several different personas while riding, you might actually be doing your horse a favour!

Breaking the Cycle: It Might Not Be What You DID Do…: … but rather what you DIDN’T do!

Perfecting Perfection in Horseback Riding: We will never really find the perfect horse, nor will we ever be a perfect rider. However, of course we try for perfect!