STOP marketing low-grade minimally trained horses as "trail horses"! A rant

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

What’s so maddening about this is is that it’s often done by people who SHOULD know better–horse people who don’t have any experience outside their specific discipline or who are preying on ignorant buyer’s stereotypes of the discipline.

Just like others have said above, the hunter-jumper person advertises the jumped-to-the-ground junior hunter as “a dressage prospect.” The dressage person advertises the crazy horse that dumped his owner that no one in the barn wants to get on as an “eventing prospect.” The eventer with a horse who runs away with his rider cross-country advertises the horse as a “fox-hunting prospect.”

And a horse that is marginally sound at the walk and trot, can’t steer or turn reliably enough in the right direction to be ridden in company in the arena gets advertised as a “trail riding prospect.”

I’ve even seen very hyperactive dogs advertised as “agility prospects.”

[Scribbler]

@Impractical_Horsewoman

What’s so maddening about this is is that it’s often done by people who SHOULD know better–horse people who don’t have any experience outside their specific discipline or who are preying on ignorant buyer’s stereotypes of the discipline.

Just like others have said above, the hunter-jumper person advertises the jumped-to-the-ground junior hunter as “a dressage prospect.” The dressage person advertises the crazy horse that dumped his owner that no one in the barn wants to get on as an “eventing prospect.” The eventer with a horse who runs away with his rider cross-country advertises the horse as a “fox-hunting prospect.”

And a horse that is marginally sound at the walk and trot, can’t steer or turn reliably enough in the right direction to be ridden in company in the arena gets advertised as a “trail riding prospect.”

I’ve even seen very hyperactive dogs advertised as “agility prospects.”

Key here seems to be people with horses that have washed up in the discipline the owner understands being sold on to a “new career” the owner doesn’t understand.

If you were an actual working ranch or back country rider, you wouldn’t think of a lame anxious herd bound horse as a trail horse. That’s why a really good sure footed calm brave back country horse isn’t cheap. And also needs good functional conformation.

Btw I knew a trio of returning riders who bought older horses off a local dude string that was being disbanded. They had ridden the horses on the commercial trail rides no problem. Well, they got them into a barn with trails and it turned out the horses were herd bound and buddy sour, and couldn’t function without being in the herd/dude string. Two of the returning riders ended up essentially retiring their horses to a field after about a year. One rider who had more experience persevered and found out their horse had some advanced early training, but he’s still an emotional wreck on trails and they mostly do arena work and lessons.

So while you might think dude string horse = trail horse, the horse is quite possibly lacking the ability to go out alone or in a new situation.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

I’ve often thought of that, of those nose-to-tail trail-riding places. It would seem the work is so regimented it would be hard to de-program the horses.

[Texarkana]

@Impractical_Horsewoman

I’ve often thought of that, of those nose-to-tail trail-riding places. It would seem the work is so regimented it would be hard to de-program the horses.

When I worked at a summer camp that did nose-to-tail trail rides, most of our horses were barely trained, had one foot in the grave, or both. But going out walking 30 minutes on a narrow trail with an 80lb kid sandwiched between their 10 favorite herd mates, it was a non-issue. Especially not when they did the same exact loop every day.

But when the more experienced staff would try to take those horses out ourselves and actually ride, it could be rather dicey.

[Christa_P]

A barn I know does these rides and that description of the horses is accurate. They buy cheap, some from the killpens (a good thing) and get just enough training on them to do a follow the leader. Dude string horses are good for their job, but any more than that will require a lot of training.

[Scribbler]

I bought a formerly feral horse off our local dude string when I was 14. That barn used to buy in bulk from an agent in Alberta, break them in the dude string if needed, and sell on. She would w t c whoa and actually was a little anti social so not herd bound, and I taught her a lot and put many long solo trail rides on her locally. Smart, a bit spooky, super sound and sure footed and handy. Quite likely younger than I thought when I bought her (4 not sensible 7). I was lucky! I don’t know how long she’d been on the dude string, possibly just one season. Because I kept riding her on the same trails, slowly expanding, she handled it fine.

The dude horses bought by the trio of returning riders were all older, all had physical issues and limitations, and the previous training was unknown. I think that even at 14 picking out my own first horse with no intelligent adult help and a maximum budget of $350 :), I think I wouldn’t have chosen any of those dude horses.

But when they arrived at the barn, I was thinking “this seems like a really good match, returning riders with actual trail horses, I look forward to going out with them.” And then they had increasingly more issues. I guess because I was lucky with my own first horse, I thought the dude horse was a sensible choice. After watching that unfold, not so much.

[Djones]

@Scribbler

So while you might think dude string horse = trail horse, the horse is quite possibly lacking the ability to go out alone or in a new situation.

I used to ride alone a lot on trails and like to put buttons on horses. When trail-obstacle classes began to be a thing several years ago, I did a few with my Jake horse and we did really well. Then I started doing them with my other gelding, with whom I did trails and dressage basics.

Well, I had a group of trail-riding ‘friends’ who took turns ribbing me for my ‘fancy pants horse’ and me taking lessons to learn how to go in circles. Maybe it was supposed to be in fun, but it didn’t feel good. Well, they decided to enter the big competition at our state horse fair. Every one of them struggled. One never got to the first obstacle, her horse was completely overwhelmed by our cavernous old coliseum. Others looked like they were riding overcooked noodles, their horses would not go. Chip and I were in the top 10 (and we weren’t perfect, by any means, but he tried to listen in a facility he finds scary), they were in the bottom layer of 80 so entries. they all rode the same trails and usually together, and their kind horses went along to get along…but none had the first clue about taking direction in an arena and going exactly where pointed.

[Blueeyedroan]

Ohhh yes dude horses. Definitely NOT trail horses. They are glorified pack animals, at best. And not even as trained as a good pack horse either.
Most of them I would not consider “broke” at all.
Dicey is a good term haha.

[Scribbler]

@Djones

@Scribbler

So while you might think dude string horse = trail horse, the horse is quite possibly lacking the ability to go out alone or in a new situation.

I used to ride alone a lot on trails and like to put buttons on horses. When trail-obstacle classes began to be a thing several years ago, I did a few with my Jake horse and we did really well. Then I started doing them with my other gelding, with whom I did trails and dressage basics.

Well, I had a group of trail-riding ‘friends’ who took turns ribbing me for my ‘fancy pants horse’ and me taking lessons to learn how to go in circles. Maybe it was supposed to be in fun, but it didn’t feel good. Well, they decided to enter the big competition at our state horse fair. Every one of them struggled. One never got to the first obstacle, her horse was completely overwhelmed by our cavernous old coliseum. Others looked like they were riding overcooked noodles, their horses would not go. Chip and I were in the top 10, they were in the bottom layer of 80 so entries. they all rode the same trails and usually together, and their kind horses went along to get along…but none had the first clue about taking direction in an arena and going exactly where pointed.

A good trail horse should let you open gates mounted. Well, hinged gates, not barn wire strands cattle gates. That takes a few buttons!

[Texarkana]

I worked three summers at summer camps in my youth. I only remember a camper falling off on the trail once— and it was because we took a more experienced group of campers on a trail we didn’t use frequently and encountered ground bees.

But then we staff would yahoo around on the horses on the evenings and weekends… I can’t tell you how many times I fell off some of those horses. Most of them knew nothing.

[Alterwho]

@Impractical_Horsewoman

What’s so maddening about this is is that it’s often done by people who SHOULD know better–horse people who don’t have any experience outside their specific discipline or who are preying on ignorant buyer’s stereotypes of the discipline.

Just like others have said above, the hunter-jumper person advertises the jumped-to-the-ground junior hunter as “a dressage prospect.” The dressage person advertises the crazy horse that dumped his owner that no one in the barn wants to get on as an “eventing prospect.” The eventer with a horse who runs away with his rider cross-country advertises the horse as a “fox-hunting prospect.”

And a horse that is marginally sound at the walk and trot, can’t steer or turn reliably enough in the right direction to be ridden in company in the arena gets advertised as a “trail riding prospect.”

I’ve even seen very hyperactive dogs advertised as “agility prospects.”

And a horse that bucks would make a good driving prospect

[whhisperbaby11]

I have been a trail horse rider all my life. I think that the problem here is that we are dealing with horses, not cars. I feel I have been happy with my horses because I spend some time training for trail, some take more time. In other words, I do not put to much on what the seller may tell me. I always figure I am working with a green horse.

Seems that most of the people on this forum are experienced, and can read between the lines on a sale ad.

[Scribbler]

Also for arena riders, a “trail ride” is a 30 minute cool-down loop through the park on a loose rein. They aren’t thinking about back country riding, hills, water, picking your way through deadfall, etc

[whhisperbaby11]

Exactly. Trail horse covers a lot of ground, in other words, means different things to different people.

[SharonA1]

@Djones

riding overcooked noodles

Yeah, yeah; I know you’re talking to me. Yesterday, I took my leased horse on a road that he’d never been on before. He was NOT happy with Mommy. This horse is a prince in all other settings, but to be with me (not his long-time owner), on a new road… The term “riding an overcooked noodle” is so apt. He didn’t do anything really wrong (again, this horse is a really good boy); just was not happy. He decided it was not an unfair bargain after I hand-grazed him afterwards, but he was still annoyed with me. Today we will stick to familiar terrain and I betcha all will be forgiven.

My first horse, on the other hand, owned every trail she ever stepped foot on (and she was exactly as advertised in every way, come to think of it… Ruined me, I guess. )

[SonnysMom]

And yet your screen name is @Blueeyedroan which sounds pretty flashy colorwise to me.

[SummerRose]

Not @Blueeyedroan but speaking from my own experience, it’s possible to have strong color preference and still be highly selective about quality. The color is just last on the list of required traits, behind conformation, temperament, possibly training, etc.

Nothing wrong with liking flashy color on a nice horse!

I can see how people who are really into high-quality flashy horses can take it pretty personally when they’re so often seeing people who are only interested in color produce or buy flashy horses with poor conformation or temperament.

(Having said that, my preferred color is a bright red bay. Somehow, I ended up with two grays … sigh. But at least they’re nice grays!)

[endlessclimb]

My current young mare is the first horse I’ve owned with chrome and honestly I hate it.

The socks muddy up clean lines, the one black leg looks off all the time, and I think the noseband of the bridle crossing her blaze looks… cluttered.

I’ll take a plan wrapper, any color but bay preferred please! That said, color is not important. … but bay please haha

[beowulf]

Can I hijack this to say I have the same complaint but for eventers? We’re talking lower figures, but if I had $$ for every time I saw a video of an older and behind-in-training horse (or: a younger and untrained horse) flying out of control around a course in a ring as an “eventing prospect” I’d be able to buy one of those six figure trail horses.

[fordtraktor]

SAME. My baby horse came out with just a small star and I was thrilled!!! My show horse has a single white hair on his face and is otherwise dark bay/almost black. Perfect!