Tips to a Better Trail Ride

The last few articles on trail riding have been about the deeper, more thought provoking aspects of shaping your horse and fine tuning your horsemanship. As a full time equine instructor and trainer, the large amount of time that is spent with horses pulls the horses and human relationship closer and closer to a bond that transcends words and thoughts. Now, there are times you'll spend with horses that will challenge your beliefs, patience and mental fortitude, but it is precisely these particular instances that can yield the most valuable information about the human and horse interaction. When riding and schooling are the everyday priority, the constant repetition and routine need to be emphasized for keeping a horse sharp and physically fit. To make sure this is still accomplished without mental fatigue or building a bored and sour horse, a nice trail ride can be just the thing to freshen up the program while still achieving your goals. The benefits of a good trail ride include physical fitness and mental freshness while nurturing the soul. Let's look at each particular facet of each of those benefits.

Physical Fitness
The trail has a specific function that the arena doesn't, and that is the actual purpose of truly riding a horse. By riding on the trail, you engage the same discipline and form as you would in the arena, but it allows you to utilize different terrain. When using muscles for climbing and descending, you're still training, but on the trail, sessions can be more fun to do with the change of routine and pace. There is no rail or confined space to make lap after lap in. Here, you are an explorer again and so is your horse. Besides the ever changing scenery and terrain, you are also riding in an environment surrounded by new sights and smells. Instead of orange cones to weave in and out of, you can use trees or rocks to perform the same moves. When you want to do some technical maneuvers like jumping, as long as you're safe and have the skill level, then use fallen trees or even creek crossings as a training aid. This is using the trail wisely and effectively while benefiting from the physical challenges and mental concentration. If you feel exhausted, slow down, take breaks and use the trail as your equine health club.

Mental Freshness
It seems that no matter how large an arena is, it's never big enough for a horse. Confinement is confinement and while we do need to utilize the structure of refining our horsemanship skills in an arena, horses can benefit from life outside the school room. Many times when horses appear sullen or start to act grouchy or even lame, what he really need is a free ride just to break the monotony. It's amazing to see the difference when they do get a chance to just walk down a trail or out in a pasture. These perks extend to your rides as well, and when you use trail riding for wellness adventures as well as fine tuning, your motivated to do it more often. That's what trail riding is, motivating without aggravating.

Don't forget that it's not all about riding. If you find a spot that looks good for grazing, use that as a place to stretch you legs, and let your horse eat some lush grass. Still keep yourself alert and connected to your horse and the environment and if you can, use a halter bridle so he can graze without the bit in his mouth.

One tip about riding back to the barn; If your horse is really motivated to move faster going back than he was going out, don't fight it. Don't let him get so charged up that he wants to bolt or even lope back. If that's the case, it's better to stop and assess the situation. If you're far from the barn you'll want to avoid turning your trail ride into a training session. This means putting him in circles and fighting the horse for control. If you can stay at a jog or trot, then do it, and follow the next steps. On the other hand, if you are close to the barn and this starts to occur, stop, get off and let him graze or simple walk him back. You can't blame a horse for wanting to hurry back if that's his desire. Have you ever noticed people on the highway driving faster on Sunday evening going home from vacation than going out on Friday? He's getting back to where he knows he'll be un-tacked, turned out and fed, but that's the next step that you were encouraged to follow earlier.

When you do get back do not ride to the barn. Instead, ride to the arena or an area where you can use that energy he had charging home. Your message to the horse "Hey look, what you were in a hurry to get back to, more arena work, trotting, loping, roll back's etc." If time permits, ride out toward to the trail and then when you feel like you're far enough away to try it, turn around and see how he does heading back home. It may not take more than one of those sessions, or it may take several. However, in time he'll catch on that it's a whole lot easier to just cruise home than to get all juiced up heading back.

When you feel the change then be sure to never dismount at the barn. Ride to an area away from the barn. Wait a few minutes, dismount and then walk him over to un-tack. Again, this is all for the pushy, edgy or chargy horse, but it works well for all horses. This approach will keep you and your horse mentally aware and that can greatly reduce the stress of riding, going out and coming back.

Nurturing the Soul
This is a part of the trail riding experience that can bring out all of what being with horses so meaningful. Owning, leasing or purchasing lessons can be expensive and along with all the other costs involved to keep your life running smoothly it's easy to get stressed and lose sight of the simple joys of what we pay for. By paying closer attention to what a horse has to offer you that time spent together can be an actual investment with a positive payoff better than any lottery could offer. Riding horses is different from person to person, and if you were to think about it from horse to horse also! What truly happens for both horse and rider is happening in multiple dimensions at any given time.

We can be in tune with a horse so accurately on one ride that it may feel mystical or magical, and yet on another day, the same ride on the same horse may feel difficult and feel of opposition. Why does this occur when sometimes it's calm and other times it's stormy? A big reason has to do with where we are focusing our attention that particular day at that particular time. More than we realize we determine how the ride turns out. Many riders expect their horses to read their minds, and they can't understand that the root cause of many difficult rides is due mainly to what the rider is focusing on at the time. If you are looking for the stress relieving trail ride but are so stressed out that your tension is carrying over to how you tack-up, mount and hold the reins, don't expect much different from your horse. They will operate true to form by who is sitting on their backs.

Ordinary riders often don't give much thought to these factors because it is often the belief that horses must submit to the rider's requests, but often those requests are in the form of senseless demands and no horse can be expected to ever relinquish his own set of priorities when he's under stress. Many horsemen will tell you that whatever you expect from your horse you must first ask from yourself.

If you make the decision to become a conscious horseman, dedicate yourself to nurturing your horse by being open to change not only on the trail but in your life as well. Your horsemanship is a part of a bigger piece of your universe than most people realize. It brings balance to your life. Horsemanship can be full of many complex things that can be different for many riders to embrace. Because of our memories of past struggles with horses or injuries from falls, we can't free ourselves from these traumas, and enjoy our current level of horsemanship aptitude.

This can lead to the inevitable drama and power struggles for control when the slightest change or upset occurs. Nurture your time spent together before and after your ride and this will help take some of the mental stress of just using the trail ride as a stress reducer. Create the whole experience as a way to expand the ride to a new level of satisfaction. Avoid blaming yourself and your horse if it doesn't always go as planned. Try to manage your time so you won't get caught rushing the whole thing, but if you need to ride, then ride. Just be aware that when you push your horse your pushing the quality of that particular ride.

There is evidence that having a good conversation such as the kind between two friends or a counselor having the same beneficial chemical effects as taking a drug to produce the same thing. Now if that's possible by talking to a person, what are the possibilities of producing the same results your body language with your horse? There are many riders that swear their horses can understand them when they talk to them. Could that same communication come from the horse's body language to the rider's? Isn't that what you are ultimately exploring with your horse each time you ride?

There is a plane of energy that exists where communication takes place. Sometimes it's the way a horse is moving that he is saying, "I'll show you what a great ride we can have if you'll just let me move the way I need to." This may be why he needs to have a better fitting saddle or more comfortable pad. How about removing the tie down or lengthening your reins? If that's not the case then try being more aware of the weight of your thoughts, at least while your riding.

Strive for balance in all areas of your life and you might be amazed at what a difference you'll see in your horse. A truly fun trail ride is always a safe ride. So in the pursuit of helping your horse move freer mentally and physically, don't forget to ride with a purpose. That means stay alert. Stay alive. Stay astride.

Until next time, look at the deep side of the trail and let your horse find his way with your guidance.

Until then, Be wise and let life guide the ride.

Robert Liner
www.equineinline.com