# First Trail Ride!!



## Horse Dreamer (Oct 24, 2009)

I am going on my first trail ride tomorrow!! I am super excited about it. I will be riding to two instructors and another student. Any advice?


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

enjoy the scenerey!

You will have a blast.


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## WalkerLady (Jul 22, 2010)

If your horse walks between two trees that are very close together, watch your knees! I got my kneecaps smacked pretty good a couple times before I learned to keep a firm grip on the reins, slow Molly down, and micromanage her at those times. Otherwise, if you trust your horse and your guides, just try to relax and enjoy yourself.

(Oh, and if you have to pee, face uphill. :-o)


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

WalkerLady said:


> If your horse walks between two trees that are very close together, watch your knees! I got my kneecaps smacked pretty good a couple times before I learned to keep a firm grip on the reins, slow Molly down, and micromanage her at those times. Otherwise, if you trust your horse and your guides, just try to relax and enjoy yourself.
> 
> (Oh, and if you have to pee, face uphill. :-o)


 
DO WATCH YOUR KNEES! I have a bad knee cause of smacking it on things while riding...long story and painful..lol..but make sure you have fun...and always keep an eye out for things even if your guides are before you that way incase somethign spooks your horse you are alert and know what to do.


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## Frankiee (Jun 28, 2010)

*(Oh, and if you have to pee, face uphill. :-o) 

omg I can just imagine how that one would end up lol 

Just have fun  trail riding is a blast !!!


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## WalkerLady (Jul 22, 2010)

Not to try to scare you, but something did happen to me once that I wish someone had warned me about. My horse was second over a nest of ground bees that the first rider (my husband) stirred up. I didn't realize it at first, all I knew is that she was suddenly crow hopping and trying to run back down the other side. It was only my 3rd trail ride, my first one on this horse, and I panicked. I kept her from running away but I lost control and she tried to jump a bush on the side of the trail, which she ended up literally straddling with all 4 feet off the ground, and I lost both reins and a stirrup. My husband kept his head (easy for him, he'd gotten away and wasn't sitting on a horse on top of a bush with no reins and only 1 stirrup with bees swarming him LOL) and yelled at me to dismount and lead her out. I kind of rolled out of the saddle and she kind of rolled off the bush and we ran right back through the bees. Amazingly I was only stung once but poor Molly was stung at least 15 times, I was pulling bees off of her left and right. She is an incredible horse to have done nothing more than a few crow hops and one attempt to run away, which she stopped when I yelled whoa. She only tried to jump the bush because I was panicking and giving her no leadership whatsoever.

My point to this long-winded post is that I later learned that the only thing to do in that situation is to make your horse move forward. Keep control of the horse's head and make it move forward as fast as possible right through the bees. I guess maybe the horse doesn't care which direction its running in, as long as its running from the bees, so don't let it run back the way it came if it's going to separate you from the riders who've already made it through. It sounds hard but it's what my husband did, and later, we ran into some other riders who'd encountered the same nest and it's what they did - one of them was on a 4-yr. old Arab stallion!! Moving fast, the bees will only follow you for a few seconds, and leave you alone as soon as they've driven you off their territory. 

And don't panic - easier said than done, I know, and something I only learned because I panicked. I failed my horse in that situation and I'm grateful nothing worse happened because of it.

Anyway, I really, really hope you don't encounter any ground bees!


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## Horse Dreamer (Oct 24, 2009)

Thank you for the advice! It is hard to know what you will do in a situation until you are faced with it, but I can keep all this advice at hand, and hopefully overcome any obsticles that may arise.


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## WalkerLady (Jul 22, 2010)

Horse Dreamer said:


> Thank you for the advice! It is hard to know what you will do in a situation until you are faced with it, but I can keep all this advice at hand, and hopefully overcome any obsticles that may arise.


I only brought up the bee story because I truly wished someone had warned me ahead of time. But barring any unforseen catastrophes, I think you'll have a wonderful time. I had a fantastic time my first couple trail rides - then came the bee story - then I've had 2 dozen more wonderful experiences! So . . . . . be alert for the bad, which is always possible, but mostly just enjoy the good, which is always there! I think you'll do great. Write after tomorrow and let us know how it goes.


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## Horse Dreamer (Oct 24, 2009)

Trail ride was a blast!! It was only about and hour and a half ride, but for beginners that's probably best. Got to encounter both open trail and tight woody areas. This was something I was thankful for, becuase it gave me a chance to ask some questions on what to do if trouble arises in those types of atmospheres. Thank you all for the advice. I did most certainly have to watch my knees. I never needed to pee, but couldn't help but laugh at the thought of trying to find a good uphill spot, lol!! Looking forward to many more trails in the future!!


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## WalkerLady (Jul 22, 2010)

So glad it went well!


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## jdw (Mar 17, 2011)

I have heard awful stories about horse impalling themselves and such on sticks and things on the trail. Any wild things like this happen to yall? How often do you suppose terrible things like this happen?


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Glad you had a good time. Trail riding is a blast...bees aside though. Haven't ran into that and hope I don't


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