Across the country, fields and trails are getting greener by the day, and many horse owners are chomping at the bit to saddle up and hit the trails. But before you pack the trailer and hit the road, there are a few steps you can take to prepare your body and your horse for the rigors of trail riding so you can both enjoy the trails all season long.
As I get older, I find that being in reasonable condition and doing stretches before and after riding reduces the soreness from the first trail rides of the season. I don't feel that many exercises mimic horseback riding but saddling up for multiple short rides will condition both the rider and the horse.
Conditioning Your Horses
Most people don’t think of our trail horses as athletes because they often aren't doing fast, agility-type activities; however, we do demand long days in pretty much all temperatures with limited access to forage and water while out on the trail. So, our horses need to cope with varying temperatures and, depending on the terrain, the ride could be quite demanding for a horse that is normally standing in a pasture, grazing. Shorter trails and an overall slower pace can build you and your horse up pretty quickly for longer distances and faster paces.
I think that riding trails is the most effective way to get a horse ready, as trails require a different type of focus on the footing and more visual stimulation; however, if access to trails is limited for regular riding, working in an arena can certainly help improve your horse’s fitness. After all, living in Michigan, we often settle for any kind of riding to help get ready for Spring trips!
Horses seem to handle most of what we ask of them, but you and your horse will fare better at the end of the day if they get regular exercise throughout the week. I have seen unfit horses so tired at the end of a day of riding that they are too tired to eat. Much like a human athlete, if a horse is too tired to eat, then he is unable to recover from the day's work and will start the next day even less prepared to perform. This can lead to muscle soreness, which can then turn into behavioral issues. This is why, when feeding your horse, ration balancers are a good way to replenish your horse's muscles, minus high levels of sugar and starch, while providing prebiotics and probiotics for a healthy hind gut under the stresses of hauling, camping and physical activity.
Trail Tip: When conditioning your horse for the trail season, ration balancers are a wonderful. The low sugar and starch feed helps replenish your horse's muscles and provides prebiotics and probiotics for a healthy hind gut during increased physical activities or stress situations.
Food & Water to Go
Water consumption is extremely important, so know your animal before you hit the road. Are they picky about their water? Then consider bringing water from home or start flavoring the water at home to mask the smell or taste differences in the water at the camp or trail site. Monitor your horse's water intake, add salt or electrolytes if necessary to encourage drinking. Whenever possible, feed the same forage on the road as they were eating at home. If you foresee running short on hay, then purchase new hay and gradually switch them over. This can help reduce colic risk.
If you are preparing for a longer riding and camping trip (i.e., three or four days), you may consider bringing along an extra calorie source for your horses. This is important when increasing our horses' physical activity, so if hay normally supports your horse's caloric needs at home, then he may need an additional fat and fiber source. Remember to keep your horse’s gut health in mind. Traveling changes your horse's routine, which can be stressful. For this reason, I keep my animals on a gut-soothing product routinely, but I will step it up a bit when traveling. My personal choice is Tribute's Constant Comfort pellets. They are easy to add to prepared meal bags and maintain consistency in their feed plan. Familiarize your horse with any supplement at home prior to adding it when you're on the road. Discuss with your veterinarian or equine nutritionist the right steps to incorporate this into your horse's nutritional plans.
Trail Tip: When trail riding or camping, always monitor your horse's water intake. Adding salt or electrolytes can help encourage drinking.
Clothing: Pack & Dress for Comfort
Trail riding usually means hours in the saddle each day, so it’s extremely important to test out your clothing in advance to be sure there are no rub spots or ill-fitting items that could irritate you. Socks are a big deal, and pants might be an even bigger deal. If you’ve purchased some new clothing to ride in this season, wear the items on some test rides, while doing chores or hanging out before you hit the longer trails. It’s important to keep in mind that the skin needs to be conditioned to riding just as much as the rider and the horse’s muscles.
There are so many great riding pants, both English style and Western cut. Life in the saddle is just better if you aren’t sitting on a rolled fabric seam. I like to be comfortable. When you're planning your trail ride outfits, remember that the temps often change drastically from morning to midday, so plan for layers. I recommend finding a helmet that offers sufficient airflow for a more comfortable, not-too-hot fit. A helmet or hat with a brim will help to keep the sun off your face. Find a rain slicker that has a hood and fits a little longer to cover your legs and the saddle for rides that might occur in the rain.
I, personally, always ride in boots; riding boots are designed for protection and safety. The heel on a boot prevents the rider's foot from slipping through and getting caught up on a stirrup should things go south, and the height of the boot helps prevent rubbing between your leg and the saddle. Helmets are a personal choice, of course, but protecting the noggin is a good idea.
Choosing Tack for an Enjoyable Ride
The most important piece of tack and equipment for a trail rider is a comfortable saddle. And that saddle needs to be comfortable for both the rider and the horse, which means it should be properly fitted for both of you. Once you get a horse sore from a saddle, it can really change their attitude about being a good partner. There isn't one specific, "required" trail saddle—I see accomplished trail riders in every type of saddle you can imagine. Any style goes, as long as it fits you and your horse. Also important is a quality saddle pad with appropriate support that will allow the heat to dissipate and not rub the hair off your horse. This is also why those warm-up, shorter rides are so important, as it often takes a few test runs to see how all your equipment settles in.
Perform a check on all of your tack before you start using it. You want to check pieces for any signs of wear and tear so you can feel safe during your ride.
Check:
- Latigo and billet straps
- Girth/cinch
- Stirrup fenders/leathers
- Bits
- Bridles
- Overall fit
Reins, again, are a personal choice, and anything goes. However, I see a lot of riders with the single-style reins, like a barrel or roping rein, because they can be laid down on the horse’s neck with no fear of dropping a rein. But split reins have their uses, too. I personally prefer split reins, but I'm not opposed to the barrel or roping rein on occasion. When riding in hilly terrain, a breast collar is a good idea, and when riding a mule, a britchen or crupper helps keep the saddle centered.
Most folks have some type of horn bag, pommel bag, saddle bag, etc., to carry water and snacks for both horse and rider, as well as a small collection of emergency items. The longer the ride, the more extra stuff I bring. A few things that I keep in my bags are leather ties to repair tack if needed, an extra curb strap, Band-Aids, vet wrap, water, protein snacks, a knife or multifunction tool, Neosporin, Benadryl, double-ended snap. I have seen many other items in people's saddle bags, but these are the items that I have actually needed in the past. It's always tough to limit what I take. (I have a habit of wanting way too much stuff.)
Preparing the Packing List
Before each trail ride or event, check the weather forecast for the area you will be riding so you can plan and prepare your packing list. For example, if you are going for an overnight trail ride, if the temperatures are predicted to fall, pack a fleece cooler or light sheet/blanket. If rain is predicted to be more than 10%, have a water-repellent sheet on hand.
Consider the camping conditions for your horse. Are they used to having a covered area to get out of the sun and rain? And will they have this while camping? Personally, I like to travel with a fly sheet, a water-repellent sheet for cool nights and a blanket liner that I can choose to put under the sheet if it really gets nasty and cold. I can manage most weather conditions with just these three blankets. Some people claim they don’t blanket at home, so why bother at a site? But I think the conditions are often different while camping. Your horse might be in a pen or on a high-line, and their movement is limited. They really can't do what they might do at home to regulate their comfort.
Always have equipment that allows you to safely tie up your horse. Some riders will have a halter under their bridle for this reason, or they will use a noseband and pack a lead rope on their saddles.
Enjoy the Ride
Taking all the steps early in the season to prepare you and your horse for trail riding will allow you to be able to fully enjoy the ride without much worry. Whether it's your first trail ride or your hundredth, each ride brings something new for you and your horse to experience, and isn't that what it's all about?
NEED A MAP?
Reliable trail maps can really improve the quality of the trail experience. A paper map is always nice, but there are several robust electronic map systems that I frequently rely on. TrailForks and Avenza are two that I find extremely helpful, and they give me peace of mind to enjoy the day and not worry about how I am going to get back to my trailer.
