# Should I invite others on first our trail ride?



## ClearDonkey (Nov 27, 2016)

No - go enjoy yourself. Adding more horses and riders adds to the chance of chaos. Let your family enjoy your first time out, and then on a trip-by-trip basis invite someone if you want to (someone that you KNOW is enjoyable to be around, their horse too).

I always enjoy trail rides the most when it was me and close friends. Others tended to ruin trail rides with their poor behaved horses or poor attitudes.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Nope, go yourself and not have to babysit others and their animals.
You will have enough to handle just taking yours...
I am thinking you are going to haul out to a trailhead location?
Make sure all your vaccinations are UTD, coggins is in order and copy of in the truck and then on your person if in a park locale.
I would not take anyone else but your own family on a first voyage....
Make sure hubby has a comfy chair, good book or something to occupy him while you ride and go enjoy.
🐴...


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

horselovinguy said:


> Make sure hubby has a comfy chair, good book or something to occupy him while you ride and go enjoy.


Or good sneakers so he can walk along and help lead a horse through something tricky, or hold a horse if you need to dismount and get back on! 😉

I agree with the others, definitely set things up so all you have to focus on is yourself.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Yes, we're driving half an hour to a place where I have personally hiked before, so I know they have a great parking lot, tiny pens for tacking, water (but we will bring our own buckets!), and some nice trails.

I just printed out their Coggins certificates. I am planning on going hiking out there next week, so I'll ask, but I don't think they need anything else. They actually didn't even specify the Coggins tests, but of course I'll bring them anyways.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

egrogan said:


> Or good sneakers so he can walk along and help lead a horse through something tricky, or hold a horse if you need to dismount and get back on! 😉


Aside from the one very nice wide trail that has great visibility, I doubt we'll do anything beyond walking, so I was thinking he could probably keep up with us. Even if he had to jog a bit every now and then, honestly he could kind of use the exercise LOL.


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

I agree go as you are!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

If you have the ability to reduce your copy to index or wallet sized and laminate it....I would.
By me, our law actually states coggnis is to be carried on the person riding said horse / on the horse itself.

I would also tie your horses to trailer side not use public pens....that is where illness comes from along with communal water source, you are referring to a communal pen. 
*No*, get your animals to tie solid and dependable and far safer to use your trailer and if going to to be hanging out give them a hay-net to munch and do not scoop up the fallen pieces to take home...no.
Till you are sure the horses will not be reactive at the trailhead don't leave them by themselves for any reason.
Your daughter, you or your husband ..someone stays with them so if a issue arise, instant calm is restored with a calm word and touch...
One set of eyes and hands close-by while the other goes for tack...or take your tack out before you unload is what I do and prepared I am to tack and ride once unloaded, then I load at ride end and then put away my tack.

Just something to think about and prepare for...
🐴....


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I also agree - go as planned!  I wouldn't invite anyone else, especially if it's your first trail, you want a peaceful experience & adding a lot of others into the mix may not bring much!


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

The more horses , the more distraction. I personally dislike riding in crowds, unless I have a good trained horse. A crowd to me is 10 horses. I have gone on rides with a huge amount of riders and did not enjoy it at all.


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## MeditativeRider (Feb 5, 2019)

Sounds fun. I vote go just with your family.

I don't enjoy trail riding in a group but have to because I don't own my own horse. If I had the choice, I would not be inviting anyone along unless I knew both them and their horse really well and had ridden with them before.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

I think everyone agrees that for this ride don't make it more complicated. Just go by yourselves and enjoy, more riders, if you don't know how they or their horses will behave can make a pleasant ride difficult. 
One thing, if the parking lot is not really big, when you arrive, turn your truck and trailer around so you are pointing out in case others come in and park in the way.
Have a great day.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Adding to the thought of a easy out driving...
If at all possible make dirt be what you load/unload on for better traction for your horses..
Blacktop and concrete can be slick to our animals...dirt is so much safer and giving traction.
Grass can be slick if covered in dew or remnants of rain...
🐴...


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

I'd say, no. An exception would be if there's someone you know to be a good, experienced, calm rider with an equally good, experienced, calm horse. You could ask that person.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

If you take someone or ride with someone....
_How is that person to get to the trailhead??_
When you invite or make a suggestion of we are going trail riding you leave yourself in the position of supplying a ride...
Be very careful how you phrase any indication of what you are doing..
You're going to take someone else's horse/pony in your trailer on a maiden voyage of trailer, truck and you behind the wheel....that is a assumption many _would_ have with a mention or invite given.
Comment carefully or you will need extracation from a sticky situation...

Whether friends animals or not, make sure your insurance carrier knows you have others privately owned animals on your trailer and giving "rides" whether you take a dime or not...cover your butt in case there is a issue and notify your carrier to cover you with a clause to protect you or risk much if something bad happens...that is why they are called accidents and it not need to be hit by a car, just a injury occurs on/in your equipment. Accident attorneys are ruthless, all you need to do is watch commercials on TV to see that in $$$$$$$$ awards given.
🐴...


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

No, I wouldn't be hauling anyone else, at least not right now. I just have the two-horse trailer, and I'm taking two horses myself.

That's interesting about the dirt lot. In fact the big parking lot that's next to the little pens is gravel or dirt (I forget). I was kind of wondering why it wasn't paved like the other, smaller, parking lot. 

I was going to turn around and park facing out, and then put some cones down also. It's a Monday, so I don't think there will be a lot of other people there. I've gone hiking out there on weekdays and on a busy day I might see three other people. It's one reason I wanted to jump on the date -- it's a Monday that my daughter has off from school, not a weekend, so it should be really quiet out there, and I don't anticipate anyone else being in the big parking lot.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

Looks like you are doing everything you can to make this a successful ride, planning ahead and a good idea to go on a Monday.
I'm sure you are also planning on going in the morning. 1. probably fewer riders at that time. 2. you have lots of time when the ride is over to get loaded up and heading home without having to worry about a time factor, getting late.
Also a big thank you to that good Hubby of yours for going with you and helping to make the day as enjoyable as possible.


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