Please let me know if I am out of line or have unrealistic expectations. I love trail riding, and have gone solo for quite some time, 3 or 4 years, I stay on my boarding barn property, not hard 1600 acres. The few times I have been talked into going with a group have been (for me anyway) awful. I have QH and an OTTB, when I rode the QH one womans horse was literally riding his but, his neck was across my back. My horse does not kick, but I would not have blamed him, I asked her repeatedly to back off a little, and she just ignored me. I finally stopped and went back to the barn. The next time I went out with them, they were about the same. I grew up with whoever was ahead saying 'let trot, or this is a good spot to canter, everyone o.k.? NOT just blasting off when they felt like it. Or plowing between two riders, a student and instructor, with no word of coming though, bumped both horses and kept on going.
So, this is my question, is this the way it is in the ‘real world’? Is there a list, poster, something with trail etiquette? Like “I shall not pass unannounced”? I would like to post it somewhere if there is.
I am quiet happy by myself, but the poor student was really rattled.
If I am a relic that is fine. Just want to know.
Thanks.
No I do not think you are asking for too much. that horse behind you should give you a comfortable gap and I would ask for it too. that other horse could step on your horses heals and cut them.
As for blasting past you that too is unacceptable.
Maybe riding alone is better, no hassels and peace and quiet.
If you can find one good riding partner, one who respects your space it is far better then any group.
I refuse to ride in a group. My best rides seems to be in the evening when all my work is done and it is just 'Rio and myself at sunset.
Harvey riding in traffic is about like driving in traffic. There’s tailgaters, shoulder runners, weavers, eejits. And then there’s like 5 peeps you don’t even notice, they are so polite. lol
Ride at the back of the pack, or at the very front, with a partner or two whose style agrees with you. Your posse 
There are a LOT of idiots. Take care to protect yourself. If I dingaling tailgates, abruptly stop and say please, after you. Then don’t take no for answer- or make no, stick. Repeat til they are off your a$$. I don’t mind ticking this sort off, they are going to get someone hurt.
The rude gallopers- expect them and deal with them…or seriously- don’t ride in a group. I much prefer solo, or those I choose to ride with, 3-4 at the most, and all like minded.
Thanks, I have one buddy who will walk and trot with me. My OTTB is 24 and semi retired, just like to stretch her legs.
I like my own and my horses company, we appreciate the same beautiful things (o.k. she appreciates beautiful clover, me, the clouds)
I feel like a grandma ‘someones going to get hurt’.
I’ve been poking around in other threads and discovered this behavior is not unusual and I’m not the only one who feels that way.
You guys are amazing, 10 miles is my limit! (of course i don’t mind a few jumps thrown in for good measure!)
back to lurking now…
No, you’re not asking too much. This is why I usually choose to ride by myself too.
Here’s a list that’s got some good rules, perhaps you can modify it and ask the barn owner if you could post it?
How rude! :o
I don’t do groups either. Two or three of us, maybe four at the most, but that’s it. BUT all of us have well behaved horses and were “brought up right” by our mamas and riding instructors so we all know better/been taught proper trail etiquette.
Your expectations are completely normal. Nothing ruins a nice ride more than rude, self centered riders like the ones you encountered. :mad: But don’t throw out riding with groups alltogether. Just be a bit more picky. Riding with different people and different horses can be fun and good for both of you. I ride with two different clubs, and everyone is great about adhering to common trail etiquette (space, speed, announcing passing or gait changes). And if there’s a horse (or rider :D) in the group with issues, everyone usually tries to help them gently with their issues.
But if you’re riding in a group with a bunch of yahoos or folks that just don’t care about the common courtesies of riding, find your core group and stick together. :yes:
I am feeling so much better. It IS just like being in traffic, only cars usually do what the drivers tell them, some horses, not so much:eek:
Very sad part is our barn manager just passed away, and the man running it now just does not have the same air of authority. (I really really miss him)
I think some of these yahoos might just be trying to see what they can get away with. Jerks.
I will modify that list and ask if I can post it in the barn and unloading areas.
I am not at all against a good brisk canter, possibly going to the 4 beat,
but only if alone or with people who can handle their horses.
I will now try to play nice with others. Politely choose who to go out with, and have FUN!!
I think the posted list is a great idea- but it won’t fully solve the problem. To reference the traffic scenario again…speed limit signs wouldn’t work if there were no police to enforce them, no?
too bad the boss man isn’t much of a boss man. Just protect yourself within reason and ride last or way up front. The middle is reliant on compliant BTDT horses, it just is 
Why not just take the reins and do some educating right on site. You can announce (loudly) at the start of the trail ride that it would be nice if everyone adhere to some simple, common courtesies…and then outline the 5 top rules of trail etiquette.
At least you will have given fair notice that jerk-off riding behavior isn’t acceptable, and you have a better than average chance that the group will behave. :yes:
And if anyone is too dense to follow said rules – like tailgating – you have the perfect opening to ask them (again loudly) “Which part of the ‘don’t ride on someone else’s butt’ rule didn’t you understand??”
(Hint: 5 things is about all most people remember – any more then 5 will make their brains shut down and they will forget them all)
The only groups I ride in are with friends of my own picking, the foxhunts (which have a VERY strict long standing etiquette protocol that will have you kicked out of the hunt on your sorry ass pronto – and not allowed back – if you are stupid enough to ignore it), the crowds at an endurance ride, and endurance clinics. Otherwise, I tend to do my own thing and ride alone because I’m generally in a “training mode” which is too fast/too far/too hard for most people outside the endurance community.
Let the Huntsman go by face him and smile. :yes: ??
I’ve only been once, and was terrified I would make a gaff. I stuck to my host like glue (but not his but:winkgrin:) Masters DO NOT mess around.
I did not mean to give the impression that the man in charge was a pushover, it’s just been hard, he was just helping out around the place when said Manager was taken ill, and he just stepped up. Which is great, but he was really at a disadvantage. Not knowing if he was going to be ‘the man’ or if he was substitute teacher status.
I think posting the ‘rules’ and anouncing them before setting out is the best plan. I do like being on my own (so if I want to be silly I can) or with one or two others is my favorite.
Your expectations are not out of line. Unfortunately, it’s been my experience in recent years that because more and more horse riders get out of the arena less and less, many have just never been taught basic trail etiquette that can apply to both group and individual riding. The Back Country Horsemen group I ride with is patiently, repeatedly, explaining trail etiquette to our members. Unfortunately the ones that need the learnin’ the most seem to not process the information. This coming Saturday, in fact, we are having yet another clinic on trail etiquette, and how to successfully introduce a green/inexperienced horse to group riding on the trails. If you go to www.bchu.com, click on ‘education’ on the left side, and scroll down a bit, you will see links to both a pdf file on trail etiquette and a slide show presentation, maybe these will give you some ammunition. The slide show in particular does a good job of hitting the highlights efficiently.
Like you, I too was taught that you check with others before speeding up. You can imagine my chagrin a few years ago when on my very green horse, approaching a wooden bridge with no sides on quite the mountain trail, my riding companion crossed the bridge in front of me and took off without warning at the gallop. As you can see I’m still here and happily the horse is too. When we caught up with the buddy she said ‘oh, I always gallop there,’ and I said well, gee great, but if you are riding with someone else, let them know that you want to do something different! (She remains clueless to this day, including not putting the red ribbon in the tail of her horse that has kicked two or three others w/o warning, not in tailgating situations).
I’m not shy about speaking up on group rides. I will say to someone blowing past me, ‘hey, so and so, next time let me know BEFORE you do that!’ I will say to someone tailgating me, in a sweet tone of voice, ‘you know, I can’t guarantee that my horse won’t kick yours, he generally doesn’t but your horse is really violating his space.’
As you and others have noted, it IS why I usually prefer to ride alone, or with one or two others.
We loudly announce any change in gaits and use hand signals. Running up a butt or riding up to a flank are big no-no’s. We ride to the lesser rider and sometimes that just means walk and trot. We discuss this before ever leaving the barn. NO passing on the trail unless it’s 1) announced and acknowledged, 2) wide enough of an area to pass. You never pass at a canter or gallop. PERIOD.
We are all a bunch of 40-50ish ladies and not shy about telling you off if you misbehave. The flip side is we’ve made some very nice riders out of some young ladies. Very nice indeed.
Age is no gaurantee of behaviour. (or spelling for that matter)
I have ridden with a lot of very well mannered groups, but say 15 years ago. I was just hoping the world had not changed that much.
We were out with a group of 4-H-ers, some new to riding, some old hats, about 10 of us all together and a group of yahoos went stampeding, one of the teen boy riders with us said how much fun tht looked. The very cute pettie blonde 4-H leader whipped around and told him if she ever saw or heard of him doing anything remotely like that he would be riding sidesaddle:eek:
Graet advice here, sorry to hear that people have soured you on it.
Personally I really have to grit my teeth for ‘group’ rides. by group I mean more than 3 or 4 at MOST. 4 is a stretch and I’m very very clear about my intent and what I expect with that many. two is comfortable, three’s a crowd.
That being said sometimes I have to suck up group rides to learn the cool new paths, and most of them just walk… or have stupid horse’s. So it can be intersting…
I always ride with a dressage whip at this point… I used to have big long thick split reins, cause I like them and they are good for beating people things and horses when the need is there…
switched disciplines and thus I try to ride in my dressage tack to function better in it…
I.E. standard reins… which means I got the biggest whip I could for my midget horse. And it well reaches his tail…
and if people are up my ass and are totally unapologetic (I help some people w/ their rambuctions hroses or they know they have assriders and they are very vocal about it… SORRY… etc etc)
anyway I make sure the whip is well by his tail and I flick it multiple times and will smack a horse in the face if they are too up my butt… my stallion doesn’t need that. period!
I wish you the best of luck!
Be vocal, be rough use your horse if you need to and a whip. All useful tools.
In addition to the things already mentioned don’t you love the ones who reach the bottom of a steep hill and take off at a gallop? My horse doesn’t care but I’ve seen others who did so they proceed to leap down in order to catch up with the horse already down and leaving.
Little things have fallen by the wayside, too. Whatever happened to “ware hole” and the like?
I generally ride alone for many of the same reasons already listed above.
There are a few other boarders at my barn who I will ride with and we always have a good time together because there is common courtesy and etiquette among everyone. We wait for everyone’s horses to finish drinking at a stream before moving off again, we communicate about changes in speed, planning the trail, when someone needs to stop for a potty break, etc.
Then, there are those people I prefer not to ride with for a variety of reasons. I own a TWH and so do most of the other boarders at the barn, but I hate to say that gaited horse people are probably some of the biggest offenders when it comes to trail-hogging and rushing past other horses. All they want to do is gait as fast as they can, and you’d better get out of the way because they’re not stopping. It’s rude and dangerous.
Generally, I have more patience for the inexperienced riders, or riders on green/nervous horses. There are a few kids at the barn who occasionally join in with my friends and I, so it’s an opportunity to set a good example for them. However, there are also the people who think they are cowboys because they once sat on their friend’s cousin’s neighbor’s grandma ancient swaybacked pony. They’re almost worse than the trail-hogs, because they are completely oblivious to some of the potentially dangerous situations they create while trying to “show off.”
The vast majority of riders I have encountered in Missouri have been very courteous. They stop and wait off the trail for the riders passing from the other direction, they announce themselves when approaching from behind. I have NEVER had a bad tail-gaiter, if someone is closer than I like I ask them to stay back and they do so. People I ride with wait for the Greenies to get past the difficult spots. If anyone needs help there is always someone offering assistance.
Even at the Eminence, MO ride (about 3000 riders for the week) there were VERY few rude people riding the trails.
I ride a gaited horse and my friends ride their gaited horses and we always try very hard to be courteous to the slower riders. I haven’t seen that rudeness is limited to one breed of horse or another.
I love the dressage whip defense mentioned for those rude riders in other states. :winkgrin:
Feelings are the same
Thank god someone out there feels the same way I do.
Although I am not typically an “alone” rider. I always tell riders that come with me my expectations before I leave the barn.
I cannot stand when other horses are up my butt or when the people in front of my take off like a bat out of hell before saying something.
Sometimes they will laugh and think that I should be able to handle my horse in any situation. I personally think they they are the ones that should be able to control their horse and keep off my butt and be able to pace their horses accordingly.
I guess it is all in what kind of ride you want to do. I have no problem going out on the trail and playing around and cantering and what not. But I like it to be in a controllable atmosphere and safe for all the riders.
Can I control my horse in these situations? YES But do I want to? NO. But there are all different types of riders and everyone enjoys their ride in different ways. I just try to find people that like to ride the same as I do and leave the others to their own ride. I do enjoy though the company of other horses and riders. I like to share my horse experience with others.
So, to wrap it up, No I don’t think you are asking much and are not wrong.
In my experience if they don’t have manners on the trail you can bet they have no ring manners either! I won’t put up with either one. I clearly state my expectations should I be riding with a new group and unless I don’t know the trail I will take the lead. And I have been known at shows to announce VERY LOUD AND CLEAR in the schooling ring that there are green riders present and for everyone to call fences and where they are on the rail. Amazingly no one objects; they look at me like I’m crazy at first but if you give some one the “I’m the trainer/more experienced rider” stare they tend to just do as you say, even if they don’t know you.
On an amusing note; my friend and I got hooked up with a woman by a mutual friend to show us some new trails. Now we were a bit anxious as to what we would be dealing with, but seeing as how we ride together every day we knew we could deal with what ever came about. We met up with this woman and as soon as we were mounted I went to go into my pre-ride shpeel, only SHE BEAT ME TO IT! I just sat there staring, when she asked if everything is OK my friend told her “She is just confussed that you beat her to telling the rules”. Turns out this woman is AMAZING!! and I hope when I am 70 I am still riding like that and know half of what she knows.
The manners are still out there, we just have to make sure the “newbs” know about them.
