25 Useful Horseback Riding Tips for Trail Riders of Any Skill Level

If you are new to riding horses or have only had a few brief experiences, you may feel a mix of excitement and apprehension about exploring the Black Range Mountains of New Mexico on horseback. This is because you are relying on an independent-minded animal for your safety. However, by receiving proper instruction and following these important tips for trail riders, you can establish a strong partnership with your horse and have a successful experience.

Review These Horseback Riding Tips for Trail Riders Before You Hit the Trail

The Horse Is Your Partner

To fully appreciate the experience of riding a horse, it is essential to understand that a horse is not merely a tool but a companion. Take note of your horse’s actions, observe how it responds to different stimuli (including your presence), and observe its body language such as its eyes, ears, and tail. As you become familiar with your horse and establish a bond, view the act of riding as a partnership rather than an exercise in control.

Be a Leader

Because of a horse’s inherent nature, few things can be detected more quickly by them than your fear. When experiencing fear, horses generally respond in either of two manners: they will become frightened as well, or they will exploit the situation to their advantage.

During our orientation and initial instruction before your first ride, we will provide additional guidance on how horses rely on their riders for safety and guidance. Horses value having a rider who is comprehensible and dependable. The ability to understand each other is achieved by being assertive and straightforward, yet kind.

Understand Pressure and Release

The principle of riding or teaching a horse is that “pressure motivates, and release teaches.” Applying pressure, such as squeezing with your legs or pulling gently on the reins, is how you ask the horse to move forward or turn. The horse wants to relieve the pressure, so it takes action to make it stop. When the horse responds, you should stop applying the pressure, and it will understand that it did the correct thing. Squeezing with your legs means go, while sitting still with your seat and pulling back on the reins means stop. Pushing with one leg against the horse’s side will make it move in the opposite direction. Using a right or left neck rein will result in the horse turning in that direction. The key point is to always remember to release the pressure once your horse does what you desire.

Reward Your Horse

Horses are more content and cooperative when you demonstrate effective leadership and show appreciation towards them. Providing a gentle rub and using kind words can greatly contribute to establishing a unique connection between the horse and rider. It is essential to keep in mind that horses are highly sensitive creatures, capable of feeling even a fly landing on them, therefore, a gentle rub is a far more pleasant sensation for them compared to a pat or a slap. When your riding session is over, it is beneficial to remain at the barn and take the time to brush your horse after removing the saddle, as it serves as a rewarding gesture for their performance during the ride and allows for further bonding.

Relax and Have Fun

The most crucial action you can take is to remain calm, regardless of how your ride is progressing. By staying composed, you retain control or can regain it promptly if your horse deviates unexpectedly to eat grass. It’s important to remember that if you are tense, your horse will perceive it and may become anxious or attempt to exploit the situation because you are not behaving as the leader they require. Moreover, when you are relaxed, you are enjoying yourself.

BONUS: 20 Tips for Safe Trail Travel

In no particular order, here are a few tips to help us maintain a youthful and vibrant feeling through trail riding.

To ensure a positive experience with your trail horse, it is important to take initiative and actively engage with your horse. Make sure to consistently provide physical touch and maintain a sense of comfort as you repeatedly interact with and approach the horse.

When walking near horses, especially towards their hindquarters, it is important to make noise. Horses that are sleeping or perceive a threat may kick if they get surprised. It is crucial to avoid touching the hindside of a horse without warning if it cannot see you.

When you are maneuvering around a horse, remember to keep your hand in contact and stay close to it. It is extremely unlikely for a horse to kick at you in this manner, but if it were to happen, you would be pushed away rather than kicked from a distance. However, if the horse appears to be very scared, anxious, or poses a threat, it’s best to keep a significant distance when walking around it to avoid any potential strikes.

It is important to never let a horse invade your personal space, whether it is by putting its face or rear end too close to you. While you can willingly enter the horse’s space or invite it into yours, you should exercise caution regarding how frequently and forcefully the horse encroaches upon your space. Your safety while riding is contingent upon this. If the horse pushes its face into you, promptly push it back to where it belongs.

Before heading out on the trail, make sure to regularly inspect your headstall and saddle rigging for any signs of damage such as breaks, worn areas, or loose screws, and promptly fix them.

To prevent slipping, make sure your cinches are tight. Unlike roping or rodeo horses, trail horses should always have the rear cinch tight to avoid sticks from getting caught and jammed in the horse’s gut.

Hood covers, also known as tapaderos, serve the purpose of keeping your feet dry, warm, and shielded. Additionally, they play a crucial role in preventing sticks from getting stuck in the stirrup and causing harm to both the rider and the horse, thereby averting potential accidents and injuries.

When inserting your foot into the stirrup, avoid inserting it completely and instead only place the ball of your foot inside. It is beneficial to practice removing and repositioning your foot in the stirrup, as it may become crucial in challenging situations.

When mounting or dismounting, it can cause various problems if trail horses move off or turn in circles. It is important to ensure that your horse remains calm and stationary during this process. If a horse moves or turns, it can disrupt other horses or result in the rope of the horse you are leading getting tangled under its tail.

Ensure that your trail horse is entirely desensitized to ropes, as they might end up dragging lead ropes or getting loose lash ropes entangled around their feet and legs.

It is crucial for trail horses to allow handling of their feet without any restriction, as it is necessary for hobbling, shoeing, and examining their feet for stones, cuts, bruises, or sprains.

If a trail horse is willing to give its feet, it is also indicating its willingness to give its mind, making it a more cooperative companion for the various requirements of the trail.

When you are guiding your trail horse for a short distance, walk beside the horse’s head. Keep the lead rope near the halter and ensure that your arm remains straight. Initially, it may feel strange to have your arm extended, but it will soon become a habit. Failure to do so may result in your feet getting stepped on.

Number 13: To ensure safety, make sure to walk ahead of your horse on the trail, keeping a distance of about one foot with the lead rope hanging from your hand. In case your horse gets too close, gently snap the dangling rope on their nose to remind them of personal space. Additionally, when encountering mud, logs, or small ditches, it is advisable to walk on the side to prevent potential injuries that may arise if the horse jumps forward unexpectedly.

When leading a horse, do not tie the lead rope to your saddle horn. Instead, hold onto it or wrap it around the horn once. If the rope is fixed, it can trap you in the saddle if there is a sudden accident.

Riding helmets are a crucial safety item, as they have been known to make a life-saving difference in certain situations. Some time ago, while riding our horses near a secluded mountain stream, a dirt bank collapsed, causing the horse my wife and daughter were on to fall roughly twelve feet onto the rocky terrain below. As a result, my wife suffered a broken femur, and my daughter’s helmet suffered a significant dent from a impact with a rock. I believe that the helmet may have possibly saved her life. This incident remains the only serious injury that we have encountered in over 30 years of using our horses (for the full story, refer to Nightmare on Caribou Creek, PPHJ Oct/08).

Step 16: Take a moment to get off and proceed on foot. In situations where trails disappear, there is debris or bogs obstructing your path, trails come near dangerous precipices, or you find yourself lost or in challenging conditions, prioritize safety and continue on foot.

Regardless of the depth, it is important to avoid crossing water with a soft bottom as horses will panic if their feet sink and they lose traction.

Step 18: It is advisable to refrain from embarking on journeys that entail crossing treacherous bodies of water. Expertise is essential in locating secure points of passage and steering clear of hazards such as sizable rocks, fast-moving currents, perilous eddies, fragments of debris, and unfavorable landing points. It is imperative to prevent children from traversing water while mounted on small equines like horses or ponies, as it is more prudent for them to be accompanied by a responsible adult mounted on a robust saddle horse.

A lead rope that measures eleven feet is safer for trail riding compared to one that measures eight feet. With the additional length, it provides sufficient space for activities such as ponying horses, leading horses while walking, tying to trees, and, if necessary, using it as a short lunge line to address unwanted behavior.

To ensure an efficient process, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the quick release knot and bowline knot. Instructions on how to perform these knots, as well as other variations, can be found in the Jan/09 and Feb/09 issues of PPHJ. Being proficient in these knots is crucial as there are situations where rapid tying or untying is necessary, and any delay can lead to complications.