Two an a half months ago, I purchased a new dressage horse. She is a 15.1 hand American Warmblood and my first mare. She is eight years old. I named her Amara.
Amara has spent her life in an arena and is well started in Dressage. Had I not had to have knee surgery shortly after I bought her, I would have shown her at first level in dressage this summer. But, oh well.
As the author of three equestrian trail guide books for Colorado, any horse I own has to be able to function both in an arena and on the trails in the beautiful Colorado mountains.
Since Amara was not a trail horse, I needed to begin the process of training her to be one. The horse on the cover of the trail three books I have written is Kit, my thoroughbred. When I got him as a six-year-old, he was afraid of stepping on a shadow! He ended up showing in Dressage and becoming the world's best trail horse. He was so good that everyone with a new or young horse wanted to be in line right behind him. I love that horse!
So, I've done this before. Amara is going to be easier to train because she has a very good brain in her head. But, that being said, there are some common sense steps one needs to take to move a horse from the arena to the trail.STEP 1: Make sure your gas, brakes, and steering are well established while in the arena. Arenas serve a very important purpose when training by reducing the variables!
STEP 2: Venture out of the arena on your property. This is like sticking just your toe in the water. Practice walking, trotting, halting, circles...the usual arena stuff but outside the arena.
STEP 3: How is your trailer loading and unloading? If it is not good, stop here and work on that. If it is good, you may proceed to step 4.
STEP 4: Know the trail you are going to. You can hike it first or get a good trail guide book to advise you. I found that the regular trail books don't really deal with equestrian concerns which is why I wrote my own. What horse-hazards are you going to encounter? You don't need to do water crossings, bridge crossings, rocky ledges, etc, etc, on your first outing. You want it to be simple and successful.STEP 5: NEVER GO ALONE. But don't take just anyone. Ask someone who has a steady, reliable trail horse. (Like Kit!) You don't need another horse upsetting your beginner and you may have noticed that horses feed off one another! Keep your first group small, 1 or 2 other horses.
STEP 6: This is not Endurance Training. Keep your first ride a nice calm walk. Talk to your horse, rub her withers and stroke her neck as you go along.
STEP 7: Think like a horse and be one step ahead. Anticipate what might be scary to him. Puddles will eat them, as will rocks! Look beyond the threat, keep calm and just ride past it. Or, let the seasoned horse lead.
STEP 8: Play Leapfrog. Take turns with the other rider(s) being in front, middle and back.
STEP 9: As your horse gets more experienced, add short sections of trot when the footing is good.
STEP 10: Go to the same trail a couple of times then start adding new ones.
STEP 11: Bikers - Stop and face them if they come up from behind.
STEP 12: Water Crossings: Take your time. Keep Calm. Let other horses go first. If that doesn't work, make a hundred circles, gradually getting closer to the water's edge until you actually get a foot in. Then move back away from the water and complete the circle and do it over and over.
Trail riding will become a favorite with your horse if you keep it safe and fun! It will also benefit your training. I practice my dressage on the trail: flex and bend around trees. Halt with just my seat and legs...you know...all that arena stuff but in a prettier setting!
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