In every issue of Horse & Rider you'll find articles on training by the country's leading experts, the latest on equine health care from top veterinarians, trail riding tips from savvy back country riders, and much more!
Do you and your horse enjoy rugged trail rides? Or competitions that feature “extreme” trail challenges? If so, you’ll benefit from the tips and exercises on these pages. I use them to prepare for the Appaloosa Horse Club’s Chief Joseph Trail Ride, a formidable multiple-day journey that retraces the 1877 “flight to freedom” of the Nez Perce Indians. Over the years, as the ride works its way from Oregon through Idaho and Wyoming to northern Montana, riders face the challenges of varying terrain and obstacles. Steep hills, narrow trails, water crossings, and deadfalls are all common. Using a little creativity and working mostly at home, you can ready your horse for these types of obstacles; I’ll show you how. And, even if tough trails aren’t for you, this work is…
You and your horse require hours of riding to get physically fit for a multi-day trail ride, especially if that trip will be in higher elevations than where you normally ride. Even though my horses are ridden five days a week for lessons and regular trail rides—with some competitions thrown in as well—I start my extra endurance conditioning six weeks ahead of my departure for a weeklong ride. I build up my riding time gradually. To best target your preparation, contact the trail-ride coordinator for details of the trip you’ll be taking: Terrain? Obstacles? Elevations? Likely temperatures? Also ask the trail coordinator for the necessities you’ll need to bring. These may include a knife (or multi-tool such as a Leatherman), hoof pick, vet wrap, and other first-aid items, as well…
• Don’t neglect arena work. Your horse must be willing to yield his body and mind to you with 100-percent trust. Forehand turns, hindquarter turns, leg yields, backups, and stops will all be required on the trail, so school your horse in each well in advance of your ride. • Practice with saddlebags. I’ve seen people put saddlebags on their horses for the first time at the beginning of a ride—then watched as the rodeo began. Prepare ahead of time by longeing your horse with empty saddlebags, then gradually add weight equally to both sides up to the total of what you’ll be bringing on the trip (lunch, water/sports-drink bottles, incidentals, etc.). Make sure you know how to keep the saddlebags balanced and securely tied. • Trash-proof your horse. Unfortunately,…
October in Montana: The summer heat has been put to sleep, the insects have been quelled by nightly frosts, and the woods are aflame with color. For those of us who take trail rides in the northern Rockies, fall means brilliant yellow aspens threading groves of dark spruce. Creeks are clear and cold, and the air is freshened by a trace of bite. The warmth rising from your horse after climbing the grade is now welcome. A down vest feels good. It’s the best time of the year to enjoy trail rides. Everything comes alive in the fall, as nature enjoys a shot of adrenalin, a final bloom, before the onset of winter. Horses are spirited on trail rides, their riders energetic, and the trails more inviting than ever. In…
Southeastern Utah is a tapestry of rich hues and a staggering assortment of textures. To the north, Manti-La Sal National Forest (fs.usda.gov/mantilasal) is a lush green of Ponderosa pines hugging mountains that stretch to 11,000 feet elevation. Farther south, the land contorts into ridges, plains, and canyons bordered by stern, towering rock walls pockmarked with caves and alcoves. In the bottom land, muddy creeks nurture necklaces of greenery and cottonwood trees. HIDDEN JEWEL Blanding Bunkhouse (blanding bunkhouse.weebly.com), an Airbnb near the town of Blanding, is a hidden jewel for equestrian adventurers wishing to explore southeastern Utah. The facility is owned and operated by Lynn and Lynette Stevens. Lynn is a retired two-star general. He and Lynette specifically designed the facility for horse enthusiasts to enjoy. They say southeastern Utah is…
