Trail

Trail Riding & Guiding for a Living

Updated:

March 21, 2020

Stan Walchuk Jr, horse trail riding, horse trail Guiding, horse trail riding schooling

Career opportunities exist for horse guides, wranglers, and owner-operators through guest ranches, hourly trail rides, pack trip holidays, hunting guides, and outfitting. The job descriptions vary with the type of operation and so do the qualifications that these businesses look for in their staff. Everyone agreed that individuals who succeed in the areas of horse wrangling and guiding are self-motivated.

How to Prepare Rider, Horse and Gear for the Trail

Updated:

March 21, 2020

Stan Walchuk Jr, Equine Preparation trail riding, horse trail riding, Saddle Bag Trail Gear

This article is a checklist of things that one should do to get ready for trail riding. I would put “getting ready” in at least three categories: preparing ourselves, preparing our horses, and preparing our tack and gear.

Diamonds are Forever: Hitching a Pack Horse

Updated:

March 21, 2020

Hitching a Pack Horse, trail riding tips, types of horse htitches, single diamond horse hitch

Your first horse packing trips with one or two horses can be a learning experience and, like acquiring pack gear, can be an act of progress. A sturdy riding saddle, a couple of duffel or hockey bags, and a lash rope can do the trick. The purpose of this article is to help readers become familiar with basic pack gear and hitches.

Seven Tips to Make a Shoe Stick

Updated:

March 21, 2020

Stan Walchuk Jr, horse trail riding, make horse shoe stick horse trail, Diamond Toed horseshoe, Heeled horseshoe

As each riding season winds down I find myself reflecting on the ups and downs of the past season and make a short list of issues and concerns that need to be addressed. Each season the problem of horseshoes falling off prematurely ranks high on that list. Trail riders regularly describe their frustration with shoes that fall off after several days or even several hours of use. We can put a man on the moon but it seems that we can’t keep shoes on our trail horse’s feet!

The Lone Rider - Trail Riding Alone

Updated:

March 21, 2020

stan walchuk, Trail Riding Horse Camping Trekking, the lone trail rider, riding horses alone

We trail riders experience the contradiction: we live in the modern world but experience the solitude and loneness of a trail ride. And this quiet time spent with ourselves in the hugeness and solitude of the outdoors affects us differently, in ways that are unique to each of us.

Feeding on the Trail

Updated:

March 21, 2020

Stan Walchuk Jr, Feeding horses on Trail, trail riding, alfalfa-grass cubes

Trail riders are regularly faced with feeding choices on the trail. Whether feed is needed, what to feed, and when to feed are some of the questions we face. There are no blanket answers to these questions; the horse, the available feed, the time of year, and the length of the trip are some of the many factors that affect feeding decisions.

Avoiding the Emotional Abyss: Choosing Your Trail Horse

Updated:

March 21, 2020

Stan Walchuk Jr, horse trail riding safety tips, Choosing Trail Horse, trail riding

When purchasing a new horse, or evaluating your current horse, make yourself a sensible checklist to decide whether or not the horse meets your needs. Be honest with yourself: it is a matter of safety and a matter of an enjoyable future with your trail horse.

Discipline & the Trail Horse

Updated:

March 21, 2020

Disciplining the Trail Horse, horse Herd Mechanics, controlling Trail Horse

Discipline is a touchy subject. Riders and trainers have varying attitudes and techniques when it comes to discipline; combined with the range of horse dispositions, behaviours, and experiences, you can see why diving into this topic is like diving into a can of worms.

It's a Matter of Heart

Updated:

March 21, 2020

Stan Walchuk, Jr, horse trail riding, heart trail horse

If you are a trail rider or a hockey parent you have likely heard someone say, “Wow, does that horse/kid have heart!” But saying it is one thing and understanding it is another. If you have been riding in the hills or the mountains for a few years you may have experienced the difference between an average horse powering its way up a hill and a horse with exceptional “heart.”

How to Tie a Basket Hitch

Updated:

March 21, 2020

Stan Walchuk Jr, tying Basket Hitch, horse trail riding, trail riding tips, Horse Camping Trekking

As explained in previous articles, there are two categories of hitches: those that hang the load on the horse and those that wrap the load around the horse in a secure package. The barrel hitch and the basket hitch are the two most common hanging type hitches, and of the two the basket hitch is likely the most used and most versatile.