# How to get started



## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I've ridden a lot by myself over the years. Often with two horse. ( Ride one, Pony One). Accident happen around horses whether you are by yourself or with friends. I had a 3 yo I was ponying head butt me one day when he got spooked. It knocked me down and I blew out my tendon in my wrist. I had to ride 3 hours holding the lead rope of the horse I was ponying with my bad hand. It wasn't enjoyable, But I made the trip home OK.

A good friend of mine last year was out by himself. Horse slipped in some mud and went down. he broke his pelvis and ruptured his bladder. Laid on the trail for 14 hours before he got help. If his wife had not gone looking for him, it could have taken lots longer before he was found. It was in February and temps dropped to 16* that night. He lucky to be alive.

Another friend had a horse stumble and go down. He broke his leg. He got back on and went home. ridding in pain. But he made the trip home. Spent 5 months before Doc would let him get in the saddle again.

Things will happen, You take the risk. Try to be prepared in case something does happen. I keep a space blanket and matches in my cantle bag and carry a cell phone. But a lot of the areas I ride, cells phones don't work. So ultimately, if I'm to survive, it's up to me.


----------



## Haulinbass02 (May 7, 2010)

I don't mind the risk, it is just the other half that tends to worry a little bit. I guess it is just the cowboy in me that doesn't mind taking off on my own and getting a little adventure and alone time.......


----------



## Trails (Jan 28, 2009)

Welcome to trail riding you'll have a great time!

I ride alone more than the wife likes but, like you , sometimes it just needs to be. 

Like PH said carry a cell phone and emergency kit and enjoy. 

Here's a list of gear I carry in my saddlebags.


----------



## Chella (May 23, 2009)

Attatch the cell phone to you not a pack on the horse - if horse dumps you you want the phone on you not your saddle. I don't like to trail ride alone either but sometimes I need to just get out so on those occasions I let a friend know when I am leaving where I am headed and when I expect to arrive back. If I don't call them at said time then at least I know someone knows to come looking.


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Yup-agree-cell phone (on YOU) and "flight plan" are a must. However, I am not truly in the backwoods........I also like mecate reins-just easier if I need to tie the horse or lead the horse.


----------



## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

I've ridden more alone than with company. I always attach a bell to my saddle, gives the wild critters out there a heads up. Also carry an emergency pack always attached to the saddle and let the hubby know where I'll be , unless the moment takes me down another trail! Cell phone, but don't always get coverage.

I love riding alone, but also enjoy being with a few good friends. Either way, keep your wits about you and have a wonderful time. Oh yes, hubby insists that I wear a helmet, and for him I do. Small thing to do to show my appreciation for all the things he does to help me with the horses.


----------



## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Haulinbass02 said:


> I don't mind the risk, it is just the other half that tends to worry a little bit. I guess it is just the cowboy in me that doesn't mind taking off on my own and getting a little adventure and alone time.......


I ride alone 99% of the time, often ponying another horse like Painted Horse, and ride anywhere my heart takes me, from the fields and trails to town and the grocery store. Accidents can happen anywhere and at any time, but we're lucky to have three good, sane mares that I have a lot of trust in to keep me safe. My wife worries a bit, too, but I do take a cell phone, give her a general idea of how long I plan to be out, and tell her not to worry unless the horses come back without me.


----------



## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

I love trail riding! Come ride with us in Jasper, Texas at Ebenezer Park. It is an equestrian park with camping. Woot! It is a blast. I do not ride by myself, I am too big of a sissy. I generally ride with a trail group, the person I bought my horse from who is now my dear friend or my husband. 

I take my cell phone, water, sometimes a lead rope.


----------



## haviris (Sep 16, 2009)

If I wasn't willing to ride alone, I'd never get to ride. So I ride alone quite abit, haven't had to much in the last year because my nephew started riding w/ me, but before that I only rode alone.


----------



## knickerb (Apr 22, 2010)

Haulinbass02

I ride exclusively alone. To make my wife feel more comfortable I let her know the general area I am riding in and always put my cell phone in my pocket.

Ben


----------



## Silvera (Apr 27, 2010)

I love riding by myself. It allows me to think and let some of my stress out without having to worry about other people. Because I am a riding instructor I have a hard time riding with other people. I have a habit of worrying about them (even if they are a good rider), I just can't help myself. It takes away from my injoyment of the ride.

I have a 3yr old Morgan x that I broke last year and we have been riding by ourselves for about 8mths. We do ride with other people when they are around, but that doesn't always happen.


----------



## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I don't live near you so I wouldn't know, but welcome to the land of Trail Riding! Watch out for wild animals and tree branches that you can be rubbed off on. 

I ride alone and in groups. I offer the idea of a trail ride to the people I know and tell them departure times and if they aren't there by that time I leave and go alone. If they are that determined to come, they can catch up with me.

Oh, and try bushwacking. It's more fun


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I rode alone for years and years. Now, in the summertime I have a friend or two who ride with me, but in the winter I am still usually riding alone. 

As another person said, if I didn't ride alone, there would be a lot of times I couldn't ride. 

Is it safer to ride with someone? Of course, but I won't let lack of a riding partner stop me. 

It also depends on how much confidence you have in your horse. I really trust my horses with my lives. Yes they could spook or something bad could happen, but I trust that my horses would never dump me or otherwise hurt me on purpose. 

I always carry a cell phone, at least one bottle of water (more in summer), granola bars and some emergency supplies. Oh, and a GPS too (because I ride in the woods and often off trail). 

So I don't think it's too daring to ride alone.


----------



## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

I would like to one day have the cajones to ride by myself and that is on my agenda for this month! A short ride by myself in a local park that has a wooded trail that is nice. We rode there twice last weekend and if it isn't too nasty will ride there this weekend too. Maybe one day next week by myself and I will have cajones then.


----------



## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

Haulinbass02 said:


> We have recently gotten our first horse and he is very broke and gentle. I am ready to start riding him on some trails. How many of you ride on trails alone? My wife isn't too keen on the idea but I usually don't have the same days off as other so getting into a group isn't always going to happen.
> 
> Also, I would like to find a group near me that trail rides together so when I DO have the time off, we can join them for the camping, riding and fun.
> 
> What are some good trails near Weatherford Texas to begin riding? I know about the Fort Richardson trail and will probably do that one first or a few times. The LBJ Grasslands are also close and not too bad. Any others out there?


Go to HorseTrailDirectory.com and look up Texas trails. I'm in Tarrant County and will always try to get down to the Hill Country Natural Reserve. It is really fun. Depending on how experienced and fit your horse is, it might be a good idea to rent a horse for the first time that is used to the terrain. I think there are places down there where you can do that. Let me know if you find a group in the north Texas area... I haven't had much luck with that and will be riding with whoever I can drag along most of the time, and everyone around here does the same.


----------



## gratifite (Jul 8, 2010)

I ride alone frequently too. I always take my cell phone, a bottle of water and a small first aid kit. I have a white board in my tack room on which I write the general direction I'm heading (ie N, NE, NW, SE, etc). That way even if I wander off the 'designated trail,' my husband won't be looking in the entirely wrong direction . The one thing I need to do, and haven't yet, is put some identification in my helmet and on my horse - just in case.


----------



## SarahRicoh (Jun 23, 2010)

Wanted to add something but everythings been said... Just let someone know where your going(roughly) and how long youl be gone. So they can look for you if anything goes wrong. Phones cant always get signal =/


----------



## They Call Me Pete (Oct 27, 2009)

What about spot gps locator. Never out of range and I believe it alerts help. Just a thought


----------



## ender (Aug 28, 2010)

Your first horse? How much horse experience have you had? I'm an experienced outdoors woman, and have hiked and hunted in remote camps for years, but I got my first horse just last year and am just learning where the "equestrian" trails are in our area. Plus, my horse is fairly new to trail riding. I don't feel comfortable yet trusting that I will be able to handle any situation the horse brings to the mix in back country. What if it goes dead lame? What if the horse gets a cut or is otherwise injured? What if it steps on a hornet's nest, goes nuts and runs over me to escape (true story, happened to a friend of mine).

I went out to the mountains near our place 5 or 6 times this summer. For the first year or two, until I'm more familiar with the terrain, the horses, etc. I'll go where at least one other person is along. I don't want to risk my neck or my horse going alone. Where I ride, a cell phone is useful once you're back in the truck and about an hour from the staging area or trail head....so I rode with someone else. I would have loved to go more often, but I have lots of time when my horse and I have had a bit more experience in the hills! Just my thoughts, maybe your trails aren't as remote as what I'm thinking of in Kananaskis country, Alberta!!

After a few years of experience, I'll ride alone. I do around our place with no problems, but that's within cell reception and I can basically walk home if something happens!


----------



## ender (Aug 28, 2010)

Hey, re-read OP's post, and realized you were asking how we got started - not just if we ride alone!

I joined a local trail riding group. Great people, met lots of contacts. I quickly realized that the "organized" rides with 30 people along weren't for me. I like "back-country" where there are no people around - LOL. But still, met some people there that also like smaller groups and just arranged to go with them.

Also, asked friends to let me know if they (or their friends!) know if they were going out, and met them at the trailhead. Worked a charm. That way, I could go "myself" and still ride with another person. Even if I didn't know them well, we'd set it up by phone or email, meet somewhere at 9:00 a.m., ride all day and part ways in the evenings.

Finally, took a trail riding/roundpenning clinic. Hauled my mare for a long weekend, we rode every day (sometimes organized, sometimes just a few people) and were taught how to set up high-lines, worked on teaching our horses to hobble, some back-country etiquette, was great!


----------



## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

_<<I'm an experienced outdoors woman, and have hiked and hunted in remote camps for years, but I got my first horse just last year and am just learning where the "equestrian" trails are in our area. Plus, my horse is fairly new to trail riding. I don't feel comfortable yet trusting that I will be able to handle any situation the horse brings to the mix in back country.>>
_
Ender, you could have spoken for me. I am an experienced outdoors woman, extensive hiking and backpacking, and have always dreamed of exploring the beautiful outdoors with a horse. Haven't bought one yet, am going to look at one this week, with my trainer. Have leased horse(s) for a year now to learn to ride better, and see my life and free time going to horses... I learn everything I can from several sources, and yet realize (with my experience with mother nature) that anything can happen at any time. Nevertheless, the risks (calculated ones, at that) are so worth it for the good times that happen 99% of the time! 
People at my barn are into western showing and performance training, so I am really going to have to try to find my "peeps" for the kind of trail riding I want to do. The big organized ones around here are not gonna work for me. My ideal scenario would be 5-6 riders...


----------



## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I have on occassions, looked up local riding clubs. Back Country Horsemen, Utah Foxtrotters, Eastern Idaho Gaited trailriders. These clubs amost always have a monthly trail ride for the group. They post their calendars on their website. I have attended a few of these organized rides. They give me a chance to meet some new folks. I am also pretty friendly around trail head parking lots. I stop and talk to others who are loading or unloading their horses. 

Both of these methods have helped me to find other friends to join for rides. I've learned about new trails. And while I still do most of my riding with my regular friends. If a day comes when nobody can go riding with me, I do have a list of phone numbers that I've collected that I can call or just drop in on one of the club rides.

Because of some of my post and articles in magazine, I get the occassional email/phone call asking me about a trail or area. Sometimes I'll join a stranger for a ride. If I enjoy their personality, I may ride again with them, If I don't don't enjoy being around them, I cut the ride short and head in another direction.

I also competed in NATRC competitive trail rides early on. I got to know lots of folks from across several states. I saw trails that I wouldn't have sought out on my own. It was a good experience. some of the folks I met at NATRC rides lived in my general area. We would meet up closer to home and enjoy a saturday ride. 

The main thing is just to get out and go. You will make friends and get to learn about new trails.


----------



## WinstonsMommy (Oct 22, 2010)

I trail ride alone almost every day when I'm not schooling for a show and weather permitting. I always wear a helmet and carry my cellphone on me. I'm at a hunter/jumper barn and NO ONE else trail rides. I get bored in the arena and want to ride outside, so I just do it! I actually have found that my horse is much better when he's alone, he wants to be naughty when there's another horse around and we're outside. I'd also like to think it helps our bond  But maybe that's just me being a girl who loves her horsey


----------



## Rosalle X (Oct 31, 2010)

i love trail riding so much, tbh i prefer to ride alone, i get the true sence of freedom then, but there are only a few horses i trust to ride alone like my 30 yr old although we can go far now =( or my old pony he was naughty but i stuck to him like glue, i just had to keep him off roads as he liked backing into cars and sitting on their hoods lol ... the farmers didnt like me or him much though, hes gone now though RIP sparks.

anyway i always carry my phone with me.

and i sometimes take the risk of riding the sprightly ones alone but only if ive had a bad day and need cheering up.

but tell your wife you should be fine on ur guy as long as you take a phone, use your head, dont do anything silly, deal with things calmly and you will be fine.


----------

