how/where did you guys find your trail horses? Did you have one and changed disciplines? Specifically go out and bought one that was trained? What websites did you use?
i have a youngster that I want him to be a tail/pleasure horse but I don’t trust him enough to take him on a trail. I think getting a seasoned horse might be a best option for both of us. I’ve looked at dreamhorse, but I’ve never bought a trail specific horse, and so I’m not exactly sure what to look for or what questions to ask.
I used to drive all over looking at individual horses and rarely do they have an option to trail ride your horse alone. I got burned twice, so now I just go to a specific dealer. K & S horse sales in PA, or Double M Gaited horses in PA, which is where I’m located. They have many horses, and can take your personal information to find a good fit for you. There continued business depends on you being satisfied, and being a repeat customer as well as referrals. Other option is a referral from someone who knows the horse (Like a Vet, Farrier, or friend) but IMO those really good trail horses go fast, so be ready to jump on it.
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I agree with lawndart that referrals are the best way to go, especially if you have a lower budget. All of my horses were found through friends who knew of someone selling a great trail horse. I would tell as many horse people as you can that you’re on the lookout and be specific for what you’re looking for. The horse community has always been great to us when it comes to finding the right horse. Farriers are also a great resource - not only do they hear horror and positive stories, they also know the horse’s feet which is a must! Good luck!
Good thing you are in Northern CA, because that’s where I think all the trail horses are, lol…
I bought my guy last October from Chelsea at Coyote Hollow Ranch Performance Horses in Waterford, CA. I drove up and back in one day (600+ miles) and bought him on the spot. No regrets. He is everything she said and more.
https://www.facebook.com/coyotehollow/
But I also like horses at this website: http://www.precisionhorsetraining.com/
It is hard to find a good trail horse – and no matter how good they were in their current job/owner, it can be a new ballgame when they get moved have to adjust to a new owner. But I do believe they all come around – and 6 months is the magic mark, lol!
Good luck!
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I think Facebook groups are the most useful tool nowadays when it comes to finding your next dream horse. Look up groups/networks of equine/equestrian groups. For reference, I found my mare through the “Gaited Endurance Horse” group. Just type what you are looking for and people do a fairly good job recommending horses they or their friends may have for sale. I know that in the hunter/jumper world, most sales are often referred by word of mouth among the network of trainers, so by going through Facebook groups it’s virtually the same thing. Horse and Rider Magazine is also a good resource. As a subscriber, there are always ads showcasing sales farms, breeders, and auctions.
There are many breeders and sellers who specialize in trail horses. When they specialize in it, the horses usually undergo some type of rigorous trail training in comparison to horses you may find by private sellers who post ads. I am not opposed to taking a road trip to a specialized farm out of state with a trailer hooked up if you have a variety of horses to check out at a sales farm or big sale/auction. It’s easy to fall in love with a particular horse but breeders and sellers with a lot of horses for sale can help you find what you are looking for.
You also need to determine what type of trail riding you actually want to do. Are you a leisure trail rider who likes to take their horse out for an hour or two? Do you like to do long day trip rides through the mountains with friends? Do you like camping or going on packing trips?
Good Questions to Ask a Seller:
- Does the horse cross water?
- Has the horse ever gone on an overnight camping trip? Have they ever had to stay on a high-line? Did they eat and drink okay?
- Does the horse seem relaxed and not rushed out on the trail? Are they eager to move forward willingly? (You don’t want to have to cluck and kick the whole time out on a trail) I’ve discovered that some horses are happy to go our for an hour or two but aren’t cut out for 30 miles of riding in a day.
- Is the horse spooky to anything?
- Does the horse prefer to lead or follow other horses? (I’ve found that most mares prefer to be the lead, while geldings are more happy following).
IMO, if you are not a trainer committed to devoting your time to the training aspect of a horse, keep looking for that SAFE trail horse that has good training. In all of the disciplines I’ve ever done, trail riding is NOT one of those types of riding where you want a green or unsafe horse to work with. I cringe at the amount of times I’ve heard someone say “I want to adopt a Mustang and break it myself”. Even though Mustangs make great trail horses, it’s only successful when people are 100% committed in the training process. Unlike other disciplines who are confined to the safety of an arena, you do not need a horse spooking with you as you ride along the edge of a cliff or if you are 20 miles deep in a forest. You want to have a horse with a smart, calm mind out on the trail!
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I started calling reputable barns/trainers that worked with trail horses. I’d talk to them about what I was looking for and my goals and found a barn owner who had a client selling EXACTLY what I was looking for. We are all friends now. Worked out great. No games.
Trail riding can mean different things, an hour saunter on groomed trails, slower long distance back country work, or faster long distance endurance work.
These days I too would suggest joining the appropriate Facebook groups in your region, Backcountry riders or camping with horses, etc. You could ask on there for recommendations.
Ask about the horses experience in regard to distance, terrain, camping, has it been hobbled or highlined? Worked cattle? Exposed to machinery etc? A suburban trail horse might be great with hacking down a street past sprinklers and children, but never see a cow. A good ranch horse might never have ridden in heavy traffic. Etc.
You want a horse that trailers effortlessly and stands tied.
You want sound and good feet. It’s tough work to do 4 hours in the mountains.
I took on a horse that had a good mind and liked going places. I ended up doing a lot of obstacle work with her before I finally got a trailer. We have been working our way up trail difficulty in the past year, building fitness for rougher terrain and more distance.
Going out with another horse is huge for getting acclimatized to trails.
I honest think just about any horse can become a trail horse, and if he is that spooky he can’t, you are going to have problems in the arena as well. As proof I point to the many Arabs that excel at endurance.
You do have to train for trail riding and build up from riding safe quiet trails to more distance and challenges m
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I found my two trail horses (who have winter jobs as fox hunters) by shopping in the working ranch horse market. A horse that has successfully roped, penned, sorted, hung out at venues where that’s done and been hauled all over is generally glad to have a job as easy and quiet as trail riding. My last purchase (a total dream horse --better than what was advertised) had a resume with cutting/sorting/penning/ roping/ rodeo pick-up horse/ and mounted shooting (well, they took him hunting and shot off him) --but at 11 (he turned 12 the day I bought him) he was getting a little past the age where he’d be competitive and remain sound with that much activity. He also came with a 7-day guarantee --do what ever I wanted with him and if I didn’t like him, bring him back for any reason and my check would be returned uncashed. I think my boy still misses cows, but other than that, he’s a peach!
Agree that “trail horse” means different things to different people. A hard core endurance Arab may not be your cup of tea for suburban neighborhood bridle trails, and vice versa. Around here, I’d be asking the seller where they board and which state parks they’ve been to this year, if they belong to any clubs or groups that do organized rides, and how they came to have the horse. Lots of people think “trail horse” is an easy career for a horse who’s not sound enough for other things and I’d personally steer way clear of that.
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