Be aware of your surroundings. The best way to protect yourself from a hu- man at ack is to avoid one if you can. Horse trails are oſt en narrow, leaving little room to maneuver out of someone’s way. If you do encounter a person on foot on a narrow trail, maneuver your horse so that his head is away from the stranger, and stay on the uphill side in case your horse spooks. Warn them that your horse is a kicker and they should give you a wide berth. If your horse will yield his hindquarters to your leg aids, reinforce this idea by keeping his hind end mov- ing while the pedestrian passes out of reach, and then trot on down the trail. If the trails are more open, be sure to give any strangers a wide berth.
Remain visible, especially during hunting season. T e best way to protect yourself and your horse is with the clothing and accessories you wear and the places you choose to go. Wear vibrant blaze orange—the more square inches of orange, the bet er. Lightweight, inex- pensive orange jackets and vests that can be worn over your regular riding at ire are recommended. Helmet covers are available in a variety of bright colors, including neon yellow
and blaze orange. Avoid wearing anything brown or white. A fl ash of white can easily be mistaken for the white fl ag of a deer’s tail. You don’t want to look like a deer by wearing either color! Some horses may be more apprehensive than others when ridden alone, especially the fi rst few times. It may take your horse some time to develop the confi dence he’ll need to feel like a secure mount when taken out solo. Be patient and alert and stay safe. Don’t be afraid to dismount if you are uncertain about how your horse will react to something, such as an approaching mountain bike or motorcycle rider.
It is always safest to err on the side of caution, especially if you are exposing your horse to a
new area, scenery or other obstacles for the fi rst time. Each time you ride you will be develop- ing more confi dence and trust between you and your horse. T is is why I really enjoy riding my horses alone. People always ask me if I am going riding by myself and I always respond “No, I’m going to be with my horse—I’m not alone!” All of the eff ort and time spent in preparation will be worth it once you are on your horse’s back heading down the trail. Enjoy the ride!
Karen Chaton is a multiple award-winning endurance rider with over 26,000 lifetime miles, more than half of them riding booted or barefoot. Karen and her Spanish Arabian TBR Granite Chief+/ have won the AERC National Mileage Championship twice. Chief was also awarded the Arabian Horse Association Distance Horse of the Year Award and
has received honors as an XP Gold Medal horse three times and the Wendell Robie XP Horse of the Year twice, while Karen was awarded the XP Horseman of the Year. Chief recently passed the 10,000-mile life- time mileage mark with the American Endurance Ride Conference. Visit Karen at
www.karenchaton.com
26 October 2010 •
WWW.TRAILBLAZERMAGAZINE.US
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