Walchuk Jr., Stan Articles

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.

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.”

best saddle trail ride, choosing saddle riding horses, horseback riding saddle, stan walchuk

When it comes to personal gear for the trail rider, there is nothing more personal than the saddle. You probably have opinions about what you like to see in a saddle, and if you have been riding for several years, your experience has likely shifted those opinions somewhat.

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!

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.

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.

Stan Walchuk Jr, joyful horse trail riding, joy trail riding, equine trail riding, love of horse riding

Every year I receive phone calls and emails from past guests and friends recalling the moments of their trail rides. Like a record, the memories of joyful times play back again and again, buoying them through difficult and less memorable times, or reminding them that dreams are sometimes real.

horse trail riding tips, horse riding near home, trail riding young horse

There is estimated to be one injury for each 2.5 hours of sport riding, including racing and cross country, and only one injury for every 100 hours of trail or pleasure riding. Let’s look at some practices that will help our relationships with our horses at home.

horse trail riding tips, young trail riding horse

Horses can be herd-bound, barn sour, pullers, hard to catch, frightened, or aggressive. This article is the first of a two part series that will look at common problems with using horses at home, including barn sour and herd-bound horses, and some ideas for safe riding near the home front.

Stan Walchuk Jr, Four More Trail Knots, trail riding rope knot, trail riding tips, trail riding safety, Bowline, horse trail riding, tying horse trail knots

If knots are not tied properly they can get you into trouble by coming undone at the worst moments, or by not doing what you expect them to do. Sometimes we blame the knot but usually it is the person who tied it.

Stan Walchuk Jr, four trail knots, 4 trail knots, horse trail knots, horse trail riding, reef knot, tail tying knot, equine trial riding knots

Trail knots remind me of the Dutch kid who stuck his finger in a hole in a dyke to prevent the whole dam from busting: a little thing that if not done, or not done right, can release a flood of trouble. If I had a dollar for each time I turned around and a horse was walking off dragging its lead rope I could buy us both shrimp dinner.

The horse’s foot looks simple: a nice, round, smooth hoof on the outside, but in reality, it is a complex arrangement of bone, soft tissue, ligament, tendon, and hoof. It is precisely this toughness — the hardness of the hoof wall and major tendons — that complicates and compounds problems. When internal problems develop there is no give in these structures, no room for swelling within a hoof wall that is rigid with keratin, or for damaged tendons that were pushed beyond their amazing but rigid capacity.

horse feet care, horse foot care, horse hoof care, horse foot health

If horses could talk they would tell us that the most important part of their body is their feet. The foot allows motion and protection: flight from predators, fighting, feeding, and breeding. In other words, survival itself is only possible through the almighty foot.

despooking horse, preparing a horse for the trail, backcountry horse riding, horse is spooky, de-spooking exercises horses, how to keep horse calm, stan walchuk

At 16 years of age I quit normal school and entered the school of hard knocks. (Don’t get any ideas kids, I have two degrees now). That August found me on a small dirt road that wound its way through central Yukon. A semi-load of horses had made its way up from a horse sale in Saskatchewan and the cowboys I was with had spent the last few days breaking and shoeing them. (In those days “breaking” was an accurate term). We saddled up, packed up, and hit the trail for some high mountain passes and a base camp at a remote lake. If I’d known what was in store for me, I probably would have walked. The outfitter gave me a sturdy palomino mare with pretty, round eyes and the devil in her heart. I’ve had an aversion to blondes ever since.

horse rider accessories for trail riders, benefits of waterproof horse rider gear, how to survive horse riding in the wilderness

In this article we will consider ideas for rider accessories that can make your ride smoother, safer, and more comfortable. Let’s begin with comfortable.

Stan Walchuk Jr, horse camping, equine camping, equine camping safety tips, packing for horse trail ride, stan walchuk jr

Enter trail riding. Rediscover the feel of the horse, its power, and its ability to go places — special places. It’s all about losing stress, not adding stress. It’s about contentment, happiness, and appreciation of good company and the beauty of the great outdoors. Rediscover your horse and yourself through trail riding and horse camping.

horse camping, packing for horseback trip, packing for horse trail ride, stan walchuk jr

Remember that all horse activities, particularly trail riding and packing horses, are safest if the horse is friendly and completely desensitized. This means that the horse stands calmly when noisy objects like tarps are rubbed along his back, and ropes are placed around his feet, between his back legs, and under his tail. Desensitizing must be done slowly, with caution, and be successfully completed.

Stan Walchuk Jr, horse camping, equine camping, equine camping safety tips, packing for horse trail ride

Horse camping is simply trail riding with enough gear to stay overnight. It adds meaning to your adventure: new country, new scenery, new trails, new challenges, and learning more about yourself and more about horses.

horse instincts reactions vs. Response, teaching your horse controlled responses, teach horse overcome bad habits,

The most basic instincts of the horse are related to its survival as a prey animal. First and most obvious is the fear instinct, commonly referred to the fight-or-flight instinct. Second is the herd instinct, the inborn desire to be inside the nucleus of the group, and the instinctive understanding of herd hierarchy, dominance, and how to fit in. Third is the horse’s acute awareness and sensitivity to their surroundings, including other horses and people.

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