by Rhonda Hart Poe
Part of what makes trail riding so attractive is the opportunity to commune with Mother Nature. Sometimes, however, her bag of tricks can make riding the trail miserable. If you don’t occasionally come home wet, muddy, dehydrated, bruised, or battered, consider yourself lucky.
In this excerpt from Trail Riding: Train, Prepare, Pack Up & Hit the Trail, author Rhonda Hart Poe provides us with some strategies to prepare for and cope with weather extremes and nasty surprises. Here’s how to be ready for whatever the ol’ gal can dish out.
Rivers, Creeks & Streams
The nice thing about finding water on the trail is that it gives your horse a chance to drink and stay hydrated. A thirsty horse will more eagerly approach water.
Often, getting your horse into the water is the tough part. Once they realize it isn’t going to devour them, most horses relax pretty quickly. It helps tremendously to have other, water-savvy horses lead the way. If worse comes to worst, you may have to pony a horse across. Crossing a river alone on a green horse is not advisable unless your life insurance is paid up.
Leg wraps or support boots can protect your horse’s legs if you must ride where slippery rocks are a hazard (such as rocky-bottomed creeks).
Green Horses & Other Challenges
You may have to ride along as close to the water as your horse will go and then stop and stand long enough for him to settle down before you ask him to move closer. After a series of stopping and moving closer (and wishing you had brought something to read), eventually you’ll reach the water’s edge.
Once there, allow your horse to stand and watch the water for a while. When he seems at ease, ask him to move forward with gentle but firm cues. Ask him to put his head down so he can sniff or, better yet, drink. Don’t rush him into the water, as he could slip.
River bottoms can be made of anything from sharp, loose rocks, to soft sand to sucking mud. As he approaches and enters the water, let him have his head so he can navigate his feet.
A different problem is a horse that has learned that if he balks at water, no one will call his bluff. It’s important to know your horse. If he is spoiled and refusing because it earns him what he wants, make sure it doesn’t. Spurs or a pop of the whip can make the water seem much more inviting.
If he paws, push him forward quickly. I found out the hard way one hot August day that a horse that paws the water is not merely splashing for the fun of it. He has something else in mind. He’s thinking, “Gee, this stuff is nice and cool, and my back is hot and itchy. I think I’ll just roll around in it for a while and see how good it feels.”
Mud
Mud sucks. It pulls at your horse’s shoes, drags at his muscles, bones, and ligaments, and gener-ally feels to the horse as if it wants to draw him into the very bowels of the earth. It is little wonder that so many horses try so hard to avoid it. Horses that willingly cross clear water will balk, shy, or otherwise refuse to set hoof in the dark, pulling abyss of a mud hole.
Sometimes you can find a way around a muddy patch of trail, but often other horses trying to skirt the rim have already tramped even the very edges of the trail. Besides, as any conservationist will tell you, it’s better to stick to the main trail.
Try to approach a muddy spot in the trail calmly to avoid exciting your horse. The calmer he is as he approaches and enters, the less likely he is to panic or hurt himself when he feels the pull of the mud. Some people don’t mind trotting or cantering through shallow mud, but the faster they go, the more of it they carry home with (or on) them.
Since it’s easier for your horse to slip at higher speeds, common sense says it’s better to walk through mud. If your horse refuses, try backing him into the mud and asking him to stand for a few moments before turning him and walking out. As always, if more-seasoned horses are with you, let them lead the way, or pony a reluctant horse through the mud.
Bogs
Bogs can be particularly unpredictable and should be avoided if at all possible, and entered only with extreme caution. Horses sometimes get stuck and you should be ready to bail off. Approach calmly, and consider tying your horse at a safe distance so that you can check boggy spots on foot before attempting to cross.
Bridges
Bridges may seem like the perfect way to avoid water, mud, or bogs, but they can turn out to be obstacles themselves.
Bridges on the trail can be frighteningly flimsy affairs. Before crossing any unknown bridge, dismount and walk up to check it out. Better an intentional water crossing now than a surprise one later.
Look for missing planks, holes, and loose, missing, or rotten support beams. Be sure there are no gaps between boards wide enough to allow a hoof to slip through.
Walk across by yourself to be sure the bridge feels stable at least with your weight. This has the added benefit of allowing your horse to see you cross the bridge. Remount and approach the bridge as though you expect your horse to walk right across; allow him to put his head down and watch his feet. Never rush over a bridge, because the extra force could rattle the structure. Be especially careful when crossing a wet or icy bridge to avoid causing your horse to slip.
Bridges on the roadway can be a challenge, as you have the added concern of traffic. Try to gauge traffic so that you are not crossing the bridge along with any cars. The hollow sound under his hooves may be enough to startle your horse without the distraction of traffic noise.
Cross at a walk or controlled jog. Be ready to dismount and lead if you don’t feel safe in the saddle.
If you are riding with another horse that is more traffic-savvy than yours, ask your riding buddy to take the lead to the inside of traffic. Ride with your horse’s head about even with the lead horse’s stirrup, which puts the other horse between your horse and traffic.
Gates
Gates on the trail are usually there for one reason: to keep livestock on one side or the other. If a gate is left open, it is probably intentional. It might be that there is stock in a lower pasture that has access to water only in an upper pasture, or it might be that some ninny ahead of you on the trail left it open.
The best thing you can do is leave the gate as you found it; if riding over private land, especially if you see signs of livestock, notify the landowner of your concern. Provided you had permission to ride there in the first place, most landowners are happy to know that someone is looking out for their interests. If possible, ask in advance if there are any gates or other things to be aware of when riding on private property.
Opening gates can be done from horseback or on foot. It all depends on the situation when you get there.
Rocks
Rocks, rough footing, and hard surfaces can injure your horse, often in ways you can’t see until the next day or later. Working a horse on hard surfaces can strain muscles in his legs and back. Never run a horse on a paved or blacktop road. The concussion can damage his joints.
The best way to handle riding over rocks is to avoid them, even if it means making a detour around a stretch of trail. If you can’t bypass a rocky area, and you know in advance that you will have to go that way, consider protective shoes for your horse. Pads under your horse’s shoes help protect him from sole bruising.
Keep your horse at a walk through rocks and rough footing and give him his head to pick his way through.
Mountain Trails
Mountain riding combines several challenges at once, including steep hills, narrow trails, switchbacks, high altitudes, and the potential for snow and ice. Any one of these can challenge and tire your horse, but put them together and they make for a serious test of his training and conditioning. Practice on gradually increasing slopes, and by the time you hit a steep hill in the mountains, you both should have the knowledge, skill, and coordination to handle it.
Your most important task on hills, up and down, is maintaining control of your horse’s speed. Never let your horse rush up or down a hill; keep his speed in check. When riding with other horses, be sure everyone knows to wait for other riders at both the top and bottom of each pull, or else the other horses may rush to catch up.
Going Up
When riding uphill, give your horse’s back a break by standing in the stirrups and leaning forward slightly. It’s easy for a lazy, tired, or insecure rider to settle back against the cantle. Don’t be that rider. Your horse will appreciate your keeping your weight forward. Some hills are simply too steep to ride safely, so don’t rule out leading your horse up. Make sure your horse knows how to lead by following at a distance or off to the side, or he could step on you.
Another alternative is tailing, whereby the rider, now on foot, holds on to the horse’s tail and the horse actually helps pull her up the hill.
Again, this is a skill you want to practice at home. Huffing up a steep hill is not the time you want to learn that your horse kicks if you pull his tail. If the hill is both long and steep, find a spot (or two) along the way to stop and let your horse blow. Turn him sideways so that he can balance his body and fill his lungs.
Going Down
Riding down steep hills requires caution and balance. Lean back just enough that your body is parallel to tree trunks (perpendicular to the ground) and keep your weight in the stirrups. Often, especially with youngsters, a horse will get increasingly disjointed going downhill until he breaks into a clumsy trot.
This is a sign that he is putting all his weight on the forehand and stringing out his hind end as if it was just accidentally following him along. Slow him and shorten his strides by asking for a little collection on the way down, then give him his head.
Half halt at various points if he gets ahead of himself again. He needs to keep his hind end beneath himself in order to balance his and your combined weight.
While you should give him enough rein to be able to move his neck as a counterbalance, don’t let him pull his head down. Don’t allow him to go downhill with his head up and/or his back hollowed, either. This causes undue stress on his body and forces him out of balance.
Narrow, Steep Trails
Narrow, steep trails and drop-offs are scary and potentially dangerous. If your horse gets fussy when he’s in a spot like this, it’s better to follow behind him (using a long lead line for control) or to pony him from another horse.
Try not to pass anyone on a narrow steep trail. Use common sense: Whoever is closer to a safer, wider spot on the trail should backtrack to that spot if passing is necessary.
In the event you must go backwards, it’s easier for a horse to turn in a tight spot than you might think. Just be sure to turn him with his head toward the downhill side so he can see where to keep his feet. It’s scarier but safer than turning him into the hill.
Switchbacks
Switchbacks are “those zigzag trails that loop around the trails that go straight up and down mountains.” Or at least that is how some people seem to perceive them.
Switchbacks are built not only to ease the grade at which users have to climb or descend, but also to help preserve the integrity of the trail itself. Switchbacks spare your horse the stress of a long, steep climb or a perilous descent, but the trade-off is more steps to get up or down the mountain.
Always use the switchbacks instead of cutting corners, for your horse’s sake and that of the trail itself.
High Altitudes
High altitudes are nothing to sniff at. Altitudes above 6,000 feet can make some people and horses accustomed to lower elevations feel weak, and altitudes above 8,000 feet can cause altitude sickness. Especially if you plan to ride away from home, know the elevation of the trails you’ve chosen. If you will be tackling the heights, here are some guidelines.
• Be sure that both you and your horse are in excellent physical condition.
• Allow yourself (and your horse) from 1 to 3 days to acclimate to the altitude before any hard trail riding.
• Be sure that both you and your horse drink plenty of water, but forgo alcohol (yes, your horse, too), as the effects are intensified at high elevations. The same advice goes for tobacco products and any other mood-altering substances.
• Eat a high-carbohydrate diet (your horse is all set here), wear a hat to negate the effects of the mountain sun, and bring along ibuprofen for you and phenylbutazone (“bute”) for your horse.
• At the first signs of altitude sickness — weakness, disorientation, dizziness, nausea — or if your horse shivers, stumbles, or appears over-tired or confused, head downhill.
Into the Woods
Riding in the woods, at any elevation, has its own roster of possible surprises. Here are some conditions you might encounter.
Brushy Undergrowth
Brush and thick woods can be tough to pick your way through. The main things are to take it easy and to keep a close eye on your feet and gear. A horse that tries to rub you off on trees can be dissuaded with a few good boots (or spurs) in the barrel should he get too close for comfort.
Watch your boots and be ready to move a foot out of the way before your horse wedges it between himself and a tree. It’s easier to discipline a horse when your foot isn’t twisted and throbbing in pain.
Low, prickly brush can rake your horse’s legs. Protective gear, such as splint boots, is a good idea if you have to ride through much of it.
One of my weirdest memories as a young rider was getting caught in an alder grove. The narrow-trunked trees grew within inches of one another and the farther into the grove we rode, the harder it was to find a way among the tree trunks.
Finally, I had to stop. We couldn’t even turn around. Frightened and frustrated, I dismounted and tried to bend back the smallest trees, but once I was off my horse, she started weaving her own way through the trees. I let my horse lead the way and we were out of the woods in no time.
Watch the trail ahead and don’t feel as though you have to plunge straight ahead. Even though the rules say to keep to the main trail, always let your common sense be your guide. Even familiar trails can become overgrown if it’s a long time between rides.
Blowdowns and Deadfall
Blowdowns (downed trees) are common in wooded and logged-off areas. A horse that has already been taught to step over things and to jump will know how to carry you both over safely, but bear in mind that this is hard work for him. If you have to transverse much deadfall, be sure to rest your horse periodically to avoid strains and muscle pulls.
Lousy weather won’t stop intrepid trail riders from meeting most of the challenges of the open trail, but if they have any sense, it will inspire them to prepare well and, in some cases, to reconsider.
To read more about Trail Riding: Train, Prepare, Pack Up & Hit the Trail and to find out how to order your own copy, visit www.storey.com
