"Just" a Trail Horse

I see this in print and spoken a lot. There really is no such thing as “just” a trail horse. They are not created in bulk at the trainer's in 30 or 60 days. A trail horse is one that must think, balance, and remain calm in a constantly changing environment with no boundaries. The horse must be brave in order to face random obstacles – including wildlife that suddenly bursts from cover. They must watch for variances in the terrain, and change their stride accordingly. They must be able to accommodate crumbly, rocky, hard, or deep footing. They must be able to negotiate water of unknown or murky depths. They must be able to handle the driver flying by and honking, the dog running out to bark, the flag waving, and the balloons on the mailbox.

A well-trained show horse must listen and respond correctly to their rider’s cues, on flat terrain with extremely small chance of wildlife. A trail horse must be able to listen and understand the rider’s cues, but it must also be able to think for itself enough to correct for terrain and distractions. If you can’t see the difference, go grab that winning trail course obstacle or western pleasure mount and take it out on a real trail. Don’t want to? I don’t blame you.

In my opinion, it takes a different class of horse to be a good trail mount. There must be no spook, balk, or silliness. They must be able to listen without the restraint of fences, and remain calm in the face of adversity. Being able to put a saddle on and ride down the driveway does not a trailhorse make.

A trailhorse should be able to lead the group, or follow at the back. It must be able to ride alone, and trust you enough for cues – not go blasting off down the trail because the other horses took off. It should stop and stand patiently and willingly for you to mount and dismount, on the trail or off. It should be willing to push through thick brush on cue, and not panic should it become entangled in a vine or unseen wire. It should be able to tolerate a fly bite without bucking out of control, and remain calm enough to listen to all instructions even if you rile up ground bees. You should be able to add or remove large, colorful jackets or rain gear from the saddle without the horse spooking. The trail horse should also tie easily anywhere, and load and unload easily from all sorts of trailers. It should not fear the sound of a soda can cracking open or the sound of Velcro ripping. It should be able to drink water from strange containers or streams on the trail.

In short, the trail horse should be a steady, intelligent partner with a mutual trust for its rider. The best trail horses are true diamonds, and worth more than their weight in gold.