For many people riding across a pasture, down a laneway, or along a road is considered to be trail riding. It’s a good thing that we have those options since we cannot instantly wish ourselves onto the wilderness trail of our choice. But interesting trails spoil us

Ah, the good old days. That was the time when someone said, “I think that horse might buck,” and you said, “I’ll ride him.” Secretly, you hoped he would buck. You had been bored for the last 20 minutes and it was time for some excitement.

What do we look for in trail horse conformation? The quality of the foot has been discussed in a previous article and therefore this article will focus on other key aspects.

Trail horses are like kids; they need structure, direction, and appropriate discipline. Strong foundation training is built by the exercises and habituation that we provide. Metaphorically speaking, grade one is everything for a trail horse.

Understanding first aid for horses is a lifelong learning experience born of necessity. Injury and illness are unpleasant realities for horse owners and trail riders, and although seeking the advice of a veterinarian should always be your first choice when dealing with a serious medical condition, if it happens on a trail ride you must be able to respond appropriately until the horse can be seen by a vet.

Life as the Blue Creek Trail Riding/Packing Clinic instructor is always interesting, never boring, and often as much a learning experience as a teaching one. The personalities of humans and horses always make for a lively program, and this was especially evident this year when some guests brought their own horses.

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 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.

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.