Looking into trail riding and had a few questions.
What are your must haves before you hit the trail? How do you ensure both you and your horse are safe on the trail? How do you find where you can trail ride?
Well, my only must-haves are my horse, helmet, and a halter/reins.
I’d google up some local horse message boards to find out where to ride. In my area, we have TONS of public trails.
I always bring my cell phone (attached to me and not the horse in case we become separated). I also bring water - I live in the desert, so it gets pretty hot and dry out there.
As someone else stated, always a cell phone on me. I have a small pack on my saddle that contains necessities: string or baling twine to fix something broken, whistle, mirror, knife, folding hoof pick, small roll of vetwrap, bandaids, kleenex, bandana. Most of it I’ve never needed to use, though (for me) important to have. Water and a snack (even just some dried fruit or nuts, it stays in the saddle for awhile, in case of low blood sugar). I ride in pretty remote areas, so I’m on my own to fix a problem.
But don’t be scared away by that! If you’re just starting out, take your cell phone, clip a hoof pick and whistle to your saddle, and find a buddy! Find a good friend who knows the trails, or hook up with a local group. I’m in an area that is lots of public land, I’d ask around, there have got to be some trail riders you or a friend might know.
As for being safe: training. Like any horse sport, trail riding takes practice. Start out on easier type trails, and advance. My first rides with my new horse (after lots of arena work) were riding up the road. Then into the forest a tiny distance and coming back. Now we do 15-20 miles easily, and a 10 mile trip feels like just a jaunt.
Good luck, I’m sure you can find some like-minded people to join you on the trail.
[QUOTE=lms;6272124]
Looking into trail riding and had a few questions.
What are your must haves before you hit the trail? How do you ensure both you and your horse are safe on the trail? How do you find where you can trail ride?[/QUOTE]
Sound horse, good tack, helmet, bug spray for the both of us, and a cold beer. Wait. Ok sometimes it’s just water or lemonade 
I can ride and they are broke to ride. Some horses take a little time to get acclimated to my two dogs who come along for the rides around the house. I make sure steering and stopping are installed. We ride a lot from the house and pay close attention to the more local boards and FB pages for places to ride. Also, www.horsetraildirectory.com stays pretty current.
Ditto on the phone on your body.
As for the bare minimum, I like to have an ID tag on my horse’s saddle(s) with my contact info in case we part company and someone finds her. Also, I have a label inside my helmet with my name, address, a contact person’s info, and any allergies to latex/drugs, in case, heaven forbid, I am found on the trail and unable to provide that info myself.
If your horse is at all likely to lose a shoe on the trail, an Easy Boot (or facsimile thereof) attached to your saddle can save your ride (ask me how I know!)
As for learning new trails:
First, look up local clubs that hold pleasure rides in the locations you might want to ride in. Do some of those rides and you’ll get started on learning the basic trails, and can branch off from them later on when you’re not on an organized ride.
Then, once you are exploring new trails, a GPS that lets you mark where your trailer is on its map will be a tremendous confidence booster – I found that out myself when I gave up on getting together with another rider to play “tour guide” and just went out on my own. (I have a Garmin GPS Map 60CsX)
A nice article here.
I think a good trail horse can be harder to create than a safe ring horse. Tons more variables, but mostly if you’ll get out there with a sense of humor and patience, look where you’re going and not try to halt and fix things then go again, you’ll be all right.
http://www.equisearch.com/trail_riding/trustworthy_trail_horse_052008/
Don’t be ashamed to start slow and easy.
Remember that it’s not just about the amount of time or the number of miles you’re in the saddle, but also the terrain. You may work the horse in an arena for an hour a few times a week, but that’s a whole different style of physical workout compared to riding hills and hollows and streams and stepping through some uneven footing.
See if you can find a trail buddy with a seasoned trail horse, especially someone who is familiar with the trails and can guide you around. There may be a saddle club or horseman’s council in your area that holds non-competitive group rides or other events. They can give you ideas of places to ride, or places/trails to avoid.
Carry your cell phone (on you, not your horse). Carry a small pommel or cantle bag for things like water, hoof pick, spare lead rope or reins.
That horsetraildirectory.com site really is good for finding trails. There’s another one called trailmeister.com that is still coming together, but it’s looking good so far.
For local trails sometimes the only way to find out about them seems to be networking with other riders. However, even if other people tell you that they ride a certain trail it is worth looking into to see if it’s really horse-legal. I’ve had people tell me about “nice trails” but I find out that they go across significant portions of private property which I won’t do without permission.
Check into your state park/state forest system as well as wildlife management areas. Some rails-to-trails allow horses.
Start out by finding someone with an experienced trail horse to go with you on a reasonably short ride. Try to make the first outing low-key… no bridge crossings, no rocky creeks, etc.
Even after years and years of trail riding I will often drive to a potential new trail and hike it on foot if I don’t know anyone who has ridden it. This has saved me quite a few wasted trips with the horse/trailer.
I always carry a hoof pick and pocket knife. Generally, I will not have cell phone service, so until I get a satellite phone, it is practically useless. I have recently moved and now have to add bear spray, a bell and pliers (to pull cacti spurs). I have already encountered a few cacti, a rattlesnake, a bull snake and many deer and big horn sheep.
Hoof pick
Sharp clippers in case my horse gets entangled in something unexpected.
Cell phone on my body. Not attached to saddle.
Identification Tag on my saddle in case we get separated. Includes barn address and my phone number.
Granola bars for both of us! 
Good to have a crinkly wrapper in case I need to lure her back if I took a tumble.
Map of the Forest I’m riding in.
Plus I still wear my Orange Vest, despite it not being hunting season. Much more visible to Mountain Bikers and hikers with loose dogs. Or if we have to go on the road.
To find out where you can ride? You can go on your States DEP website and look for public trails that allow horseback riding.
i always carry a dressage whip as well.
with it’s long reach it’s good for brushing bugs off of her and for fending off dogs if necessary.
I have a little pack, with hoof pick, sweater/windbreaker(warm jacket depending on season), water, wire snips (very important, my horse managed to walk INTO a whole roll of wire, left out and hidden by long grass), knife, a little vial of wound powder/vet wrap, cell phone (50/50 chance of coverage).
This being montana, bear spray, sometimes a pistol.
I like the ID idea, hadn’t thought of that!
And, tell people where you are going! I do that (almost) every time!
Thanks so much everyone. This is really helpful to know different items to carry. Do you know the best way to find out about trails in your area or up and down the east coast? Was wondering if you were aware of any information the National Parks Service provides regarding trails at parks.
Besides tack, the #1 most important thing a trail riding novice should bring is a buddy – someone sensible who knows the trail & won’t push you to go faster than you’re ready to. Ideally they should be on a reasonably quiet horse, so that the horses aren’t getting each other excited.
Helmet is mandatory. I always pack a cell phone. I like to bring a map of the park, if available. I’ll bug spray the horses well before I hit the trail. Pack ID. If you have any medical conditions or severe allergies, pack a medic-alert bracelet and/or tell your trail buddy. I picked up a saddle bag cheap and I fill it with extra stuff I might need: a jacket in case the wind picks up, hoof pick, lead rope, & water bottle. When you start going out for longer rides you can add maybe a little first aid kit, duct tape, knife, piece of baling twine (you can fix everything with duct tape and baling twine!), and snacks.
One tip is to also put a tag with your information on the horse, such as attached to his saddle. In the unlikely event something happens, you fall, and he runs off before you can catch him, the tag will tell anyone who finds him where he belongs.
How do you ensure both you and your horse are safe on the trail?
Pick a safe horse. Work towards being a good, calm, balanced rider. Work up to the harder trails. Never be afraid to ask for advice, information, or someone to ride with you.
Is your horse spooky? Would he benefit from some desensitizing in a ring first? When he does spook, does he move his feet? Are you comfortable getting his attention back after he does spook? If not, keep working at this stuff in a ring and/or with an instructor. It’s no fun to go out when you’re so anxious about all the what-ifs. Little things like plastic grocery bags blowing in the wind or the loud crinkle of disposable water bottles really can spook some horses, and the more you prep him beforehand the better the ride will go.
How do you feel about taking your horse outside the ring and just around the perimeter of the farm? Can you do a lap around the farm? Two laps? If you’re passing by the driveway and a truck is pulling in, does he remain calm? Will he blow a gasket if you ride in the direction away from his herd, even if you have a buddy on their horse with you?
Start off by riding in maintained trails. Ask your trail buddy or local friends which trails are more suitable for beginners. As a beginner, you don’t want really steep inclines to go up/down or have to cross deep moving water.
A good general riding instructor would be a huge help to you. He/she could challenge you & your horse with things you might experience on the trail, and he/she will teach you how to help your horse though them. Will your horse cross all types of water? How about deep mud? Will he walk along a wooden platform (preparing him for crossing bridges)? Can you mount on him from a log or stump?
How do you find where you can trail ride?
If you board, talk to your barn owner to see if adjacent properties are ok to ride onto.
To find parks to visit, ask your trail buddy or check with the state & county parks. I was surprised to find how many public parks allowed horses, once I did some research. In my area the state park web sites are full of great info for horse people. Maps of each of my local parks are available for sale during the week at park offices for $3-$10 each.
If you don’t have a trail buddy to go out with, you can find others through trail riding clubs, posts on local equine email lists, or just asking around the barns. You may also want to look at going on small walk-only group rides. If you start taking riding lessons at a barn, many lesson barns at least around here include excursions on the trail as one of the schooling options.
Local hunter paces may also be a way to meet some like-minded people and also to be introduced to some horse-friendly trails and property. Ask around at the event to see if the areas used for the hunter pace are generally accessible to the horse-riding public (some may use private land).
Great idea on the ID on your Tack! I never thought of that!
And while IDEALLY ride with a buddy, that isn’t always going to happen. If you are going out alone leave behind a written note of where you will be riding and stick to that route. Also, have your cell on your person (I have a neopreane arm band with a pocket for a cell/ipod that i use so it isn’t shoved in a pocket where it can be smashed or lost as easy) and be sure to turn on the GPS tracking so JUST IN CASE that can be used to find you if needed.
I have insulated saddle bags to keep my beer (or lemonaid as previously stated) cold, as I too live in the desert, and I also ride with a camel back.
I use an old cavalry trick and ride with a halter under the bridle with the lead noosed around my horses neck should I decide to dismount and picnic or some such.
And be sure to have a smile on. Hitting the trail is about quality time between you and your mount. ENJOY!
IPhone with the Find My Friends app installed. If I am lost, I can pull up a map of where I am. My daughters can track my location, if needed, using the Find My Friends.
What good ideas. You can’t ride in the national park in our area (Glacier) although you can on Forest Land around it. I would absolutely call the local park in your area, or check with your feed/tack store and ask where they ride! We have an organization called Backcountry Horsemen who all know great areas around us but the tack store girls know EVERYTHING about trails! when I was in colorado and New mexico, boarding barns were also great sources of information; lots of trail riders and people very interested in new trail riders!
All good suggestions above. I have found out that a halter under bridle combo doesn’t work for my itchy faced mare. We use a broodmare collar with rings that I leave on her neck, and I pack a lead rope in my saddlebag. Regular lead ropes are so bulky, I braided my own from thin rope, and baler twine :winkgrin: put snaps on both ends. It rolls up into a small ball that fits into a corner of my bag. I’ve used it many times. I’ll pull my bridle off, hang in on the saddle, and my mare will rub her itchy spots while I eat lunch. At least until she smells my p-nut butter sandwich. :eek:
I try to always have either a fruit bar, or small pack of crackers n pnut butter in my bag, for those ‘needs a pick me up’ moments.
Freeze your water bottle (3/4 full) the night before. Top off with cold water, and it should last most of the ride, staying nice and cold.
A compass can be useful if you know how to read the dang things. Thankfully, I have a good sense of direction, and know where I need to be going. I rode alone for years, and it was up to me and the horse to find our way back. That makes you learn to pay attention.
I carry good rain gear, because nothing sucks more than getting cold and wet. The weather service often lies:mad:
It would be helpful to know which State you are riding in, I bet someone on here could point you to some nice trails.
