JUNE 2012 THE RIDER /41
Building A Partnership with Your Young Horse Training Outside the Box, Part 5
By Lynn Palm
Even when training out- side the box, a rider should have goals in mind for the time he/she will be spending with his/her horse. I believe that on every trail ride you should try to achieve the five major goals listed below.
Five Major Goals:
1. Maintain safety and confi- dence;
2. Provide a fitness workout for the rider;
3. Train the horse on the trail; 4. Enjoy socializing and having fun with other riders; and 5. Manage pre- and post-trail ride logistics such as trailering, ponying, etc.
Maintaining safety and horse and rider confidence on the trail must be the first priori- ty. Without these, the other trail riding goals cannot be achieved. The following are some general safety tips that can help you and your horse have a safe, confidence-build-
ing experience on the trail. If you have never been on a particular trail before, it is wise to scout out the trail a day ahead of your ride. This scout- ing trip should be done on foot so that when you bring your horse on the trail you will not have any surprises that you will not be ready to handle.
If you are an inexperi- enced rider, do not go alone on any trail. Scout out the trail first, and then ask an experi- enced trail riding horse and rider team to go with you and your horse for at least the first two rides on that trail. By the third trip down the trail, you and your horse should have enough confidence to either go solo or feel comfortable with a group of riders.
Remember to take a halter and a longe line with you on the trail. Keep the halter on under- neath the bridle, and keep the longe line either hooked onto the saddle where it can be safe- ly carried or else secured in a saddlebag. If you encounter any
situation on the trail where you are unsure of the horse’s reac- tion, get off, attach the longe line to the halter, and work the horse if he needs to release his inner energy or nervousness. Before going out on your next ride, evaluate your previ- ous ride. Was there anything you encountered during that ride that caused you concern? What goal do you want to achieve on this ride that will help solve that issue? Always have a plan in mind before set- ting off down the trail!
Challenges of Trail Riding Unlike arena riding, most trails offer a variety of chal- lenges for the horse and rider. The varying terrain is great for conditioning the horse and adds interest to the ride. Here are some tips for handling common trail terrain challenges while maintaining safety and confi- dence:
Hills: Most trails have some up-
and downhill terrain. It is impor- tant to practice the correct riding position that will help you and your horse stay balanced while going uphill and downhill. When riding uphill, move your shoulders forward. This will help you stay centered over the horse’s center of gravity as he shifts it forward going uphill. Be careful not to let your legs swing back and out of position as you move the shoulders forward. Going downhill is harder. Bring your shoulders back and your feet in front of the girth. Encourage the horse to keep his head up by bringing your hands straight up over the crest of his neck in time with his stride. If he increases his speed or pulls on the reins, he is balancing too much on his forehand. Make sure you are in the correct posi- tion and bring his head up to help him shift his balance off his forehand.
Obstacles:
If you have scouted out the trail ahead of time, you know if obstacles, such as water or ditches, are on the trail. Evaluate the obstacle and decide if you can safely negotiate it. If you are uncertain about your ability to negotiate an obstacle mounted, dismount and negotiate the obstacle safely from the ground rather than trying to ride through it.
Strategies for Leaving Home: When you are trail riding, “home” may be the barn if you are leaving from the horse’s sta- ble, or it may be his trailer if you have driven to a trail. A horse’s instinct will always cause him to be more sluggish traveling away from home and
more forward when going back towards it. You will not be able to change this basic instinct so plan how to use it to your advantage.
When you and your horse are setting out from home, ask the horse for more forward movement. Ask him to travel at a jog to get him thinking “for- ward.” The outbound part of the trip is also the best time to prac- tice maneuvers requiring the horse to stop and stand. During the return part of the ride, when the horse wants to be quick and anxious, ask him to do con- trolled, slow actions.
Trailering to a Trail Ride:
If you, or your horse, are not familiar with trailering, give yourself plenty of time to prac- tice this skill before the trail ride date. Too often riders think they can just “throw” an inexperi-
enced horse into a trailer and drive off to meet their friends at the trail. This is a recipe for safety problems and loss of con- fidence for both horse and rider. Learn how to safely load, unload, and trailer your horse well before planning a trail ride. I recommend the section of my Longevity Training Series “Advancing Basic Ground Training,” available on video or disc, which includes a large seg- ment on teaching a horse how to trailer as well as pointers for safely driving a trailer. When you know how to safely trailer a horse, opportunities abound for fun on a variety of trails! My E-Book, Training Out- side the Box, is available online at
www.lynnpalm.com along with other valuable training products. You also may contact us at 1-800-503-2824.
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