# What to look for when purchasing a trail horse?



## SunnyK01 (Mar 15, 2010)

Hello all,

I'm looking for some advice on what to look for when purchasing a horse specifically for trail riding purposes. I have been riding for about 16 years, and have owned my mare for 12 years. Her companion recently moved away, and I'm hoping to purchase a new horse buddy for her that my boyfriend and other family can ride. The problem is I don't know how to evaluate a horse for this purpose! I do trail ride with my mare, but most of our background has been in the show ring. If I were looking for a new show mount, I'd be fine 

I guess my main questions are:

1.) How do you know that the horse will actually behave on trails the way they do in a ring? I'm assuming most sellers won't have trails on their property for test riding purposes.

2.) The people I would let ride this guy will mostly be advanced beginner-intermediate riders. I will school him regularly, but will continue to ride my mare on trails. When I try out trail horses, will I be able to tell how they'll react to a less experienced rider? Do I ride them to the best of my ability during trial rides or try to be kind of unbalanced, etc. to see how they'll react?

3.) What are the most important questions to ask a seller?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated - I feel embarassingly lost on this subject!


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

What I look for is an overall calm demeanor. You should be able to crack a stick by her, jump down off her without her spooking, and ride her without having to direct her every move. I like when a trail horse can make his own decisions and not rely on my verdict all the time, personally.


----------



## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Well first off, make sure you ask the seller how the horse is on the trails & be sure to mention that is what you want the horse for. Some people pasture ride their horses & think they can sell them as trail horses but then you get them & they're no good.
The horse should be calm & not flighty or want to run all the time.
It should be good with gravel, mud, snow & water. It shouldn't panic if it gets wacked with a stick or if branches brush against it. 
It should WALK down hills (most horses prefer to charge down or up hills) Running up hills isn't necessarily a bad thing as some horses have an easier time getting up the steep banks if they're running, but they should be easy to control/stop & not run into others or ram your leg into a tree.
It should also be good with traffic, quads, dogs, cattle & other horses.
I prefer mine to be willing to ride out on their own without throwing a fuss. NOT herdbound.

As for test riding, i hate when they want you to ride a horse they say is "well-broke" in an arena or round pen. It's impossible to determine whether the horse is good on the trails or even out in the open if you're in an enclosed space.
You should be able to take it out in the yard & even ride it down the road. Maybe suggest the seller saddling up a horse & going with you.
Good sellers will make a point of proving if the horse is as good as they say.


----------



## Gus (Oct 22, 2010)

O man I suggest a weeks trial first off

and I agree with lilruffian


----------



## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

A good trail horse should be calm,smart, and confident. My grey is actually turning out to be a good trail horse. She is really smooth to ride and wants to go. Her first reaction to new things is usually curiousity not fear. She is really aware of her body & is good on her feet. I would also make sure the horse has strong feet. The harder the better. You should insist the seller let you ride the horse on the trail before buying it.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

calm demeanor is a must. Non spooky, rock solid kind of guy. 

My new boy is very calm and goes up and down hills quietly. He is not a perfect trail horse but we are working on it.

A horse that will stand still for you to mount in different places without getting upset. A horse that will cross streams, creeks, or slews without freaking out or even leaping it. Will pass the odd toilet that pops up!!! We were riding in Ebenezer on day and another rider's horse blew up at a toilet someone had dumped!!

The should not spook at a deer that springs up, birds that blow up under their noses. Get along with other horses and not crowd them or kick, bite, snake their head at them. 

One that will be happy in the front, middle or back of the group. 

And it goes without saying one that doesn't buck, rear, run off!!

Good luck on your search. A good trail horse is a treasure. Not all horses are cut out to be trail horses. My husband's horse is a doll but I think he thinks trail riding is for sissies. He likes to ride up and down hills if he is "working" but following the tail of another horse is boring to him!!!

I found with my other horse that one that has a higher butt than withers doesn't make such a good trail horse on hills!! Make sure they they have rock hard feet!!


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Make sure it rides alone and isn't dependent on another horse for security. Even if you will never ride the horse alone, a horse that rides alone will be more confident and secure. And it is a huge pet peeve of mine to ride a horse that won't separate from the herd and is herd bound.

I would also try the horse out on trails. Even if it's just around the neighborhood or some open area away from it's home turf. But try it somewhere outside it's living area and outside of an arena. How can you possibly know it will be good on trails if you never ride it outside? There is only one way to find out. 

Also, a trial period would be an excellent, excellent idea! I did that with my Mustang. Got him on a two week trial and knew after one week (of trying him out in every way possible) that he was the horse for me! But of course not all sellers will be willing to do that. So you have to decide how much of a chance you are willing to take. My last horse I didn't get a trial period on, and I lucked out. But I also bought a couple of lemons that way too. 

Actually, the only reason I bought my last horse without a trial period was because my neighbor promised she'd buy the horse if I decided I didn't want her. She had that much confidence in her horse-judging skills. I don't, and without the reassurance I don't think I would have bought her. I don't feel I can know much about a horse in just a 10 minute ride around a pasture, and that was the situation I was in. Kind of a "buy it or it's going to auction" situation. I got lucky, but that's *NOT* the way to buy a horse.

Also, soundness and health is a must, but that goes without saying.


----------



## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

Make sure you know what kinds of places you trail ride. If there are no rivers or streams, then it might not matter if they walk through them or not and if you aren't riding anywhere near a road being "car" safe might not be important.

Ride the horse how you normally ride and then try and ride down to the level you need them to be able to go at. For my mom's first horse I tried to see how she would react if I only used my reins to steer her, fall on her neck, swing my leg, ride slightly and then totally unbalanced, I dropped the reins at the walk, trot, and canter. I simulated falling off at the trot with an emergency dismount and I pulled on her mouth to try and stop her. We were looking for a very broke, dead beginner horses that could take someone from walking to cantering.

Even if they do have a trail you can test ride on I would suggest doing a trial period. I would 100% recommend you write up a contract for the trial so both you and the owner are protected. Even if the owner seems like the nicest, most calm personal you've ever met, get everything in writing. 

If they don't agree to a trial, and many people don't, see if they are willing to drive to you or another neutral property and do a trail ride with them with you on their horse and them following on either another horse they bring or on foot. Or write a clause in the buying contract that you can return within a week if horse to preform as presented.


Also, something I do that everyone says is unneeded. Drug test the horse, even if you don't feel like a full PPE is needed. Not everyone is honest.


----------



## AQHA13 (Apr 19, 2017)

One very important detail to keep in mind is to know how well they load! That can ruin your day right there if your horse gives you issues.


----------



## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

I completely agree with everyone.

However, I do want to mention that whatever horse you eventually get will be what you make it. My previous trainer liked to say that if you went in with a mindset of "will she do it?" or "I don't think this is going to work" it most likely won't. But, if you sit up there and say "ok, I'm going to take this horse out by herself and we're going to have fun (and not give up or get worried about whatever happens)" it most likely will work out fine.
For instance, my mare, when I got her, was basically bonkers. She was the spookiest, most badly stereotypical Arab EVER. She would jump out of her skin at everything and freak out, without stopping, for seemingly no reason. She was basically the last thing I EVER thought could be trail horse (I had no aspirations of doing much trail riding with her at that point, so it was ok). There are even threads on this forum from a year or two ago where people encouraged me to try her on trails and I flat out refused because she really was terrible on trails.

However, you know what? She's basically the best trail horse EVER now. Watching her, you'd have no idea that she used to be a spooky sociopath. She now goes up to things that scare her and she "spooks" (her spooks are really tiny jumps in place) maybe once every 6-7 rides, even in completely new places. We even had a freaking BOMB go off while we were riding towards it and she just jumped a little, stood for a moment assessing things, and kept going forwards. We've also encountered deep (2-3ft deep) water that she willingly crossed, even though she doesn't like water very much. 
She's currently an only horse and we go out on trail rides 2-3 times a week, alone, and she's just as steady as ever. Of course, she enjoys going home but she's perfectly willing to go where ever I ask. For instance, today we went on a 2 mile trail ride in the woods with lots of little creeks to cross and we had a great time.
Her only fault is that she doesn't like following other horses. She wants to be in front at all times. However, she's so steady that whenever we ride with other horses she is generally put in front since she is so "seasoned" and she's a great role model for the other horses. But if you had told me two years ago that I would have basically the worlds best trail horse in a few years time, I would have scoffed in your face.

Now, I'm not recommending that you go find the craziest horse ever and turn it into your trail horse, but I am saying that with the right attitude on your part and the right training for the horse, pretty much any horse can be a great trail horse. 


Anyway, story time is over. Haha Sorry for the novel!

Good luck in your search!


----------



## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

One thing nobody mentioned and mostly never do - Make sure it is decently educated. Make sure it will give it's head both ways laterally, and will move sideways off your leg. Essential skills for the trail - Wether it is avoiding obstacles or yelding to get their brain back in gear after some idiot backfires or a rabbit jumps out from underfoot.


----------



## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

To add to everybody else, be sure you have the vet out to assess him/her. Just because the horse will be used mostly for pleasure doesn't mean that you can go without the vet check. If at all possible, have your farrier go and take a look. That way you will be sure how the feet are for your type of terrain. The two of them can give you a good idea if you're going to have potential problems later down the road because of the confirmation.

GOOD LUCK IN YOUR SEARCH!!!!!!!


----------



## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

another is surefooted!!! Hubby's horse rarely puts a foot wrong! He is a terrific little guy full of spunk, but gentle. We rode at Cypress Trails and there was a drop off to the creek that was 30 or 40 foot down in some places and the trail went right to the edge. Surefooted is a good thing!

Another thing I like about all of the horses I either owned or tried is that they would stand still while we stopped to smell the roses. Biscuit will stand quietly while we talk, wait for others to catch up or look at something.


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

wild_spot said:


> One thing nobody mentioned and mostly never do - Make sure it is decently educated. Make sure it will give it's head both ways laterally, and will move sideways off your leg. Essential skills for the trail - Wether it is avoiding obstacles or yelding to get their brain back in gear after some idiot backfires or a rabbit jumps out from underfoot.


I agree with that except I don't find lateral movement a prerequisite because I didn't even have that button on my first 3 trail horses. I don't know if they would do it or not, but I was green myself and didn't know to ask. :lol:

But my last two horses didn't come with a "move off my leg" button at all, and I was able to teach them that pretty quickly. Because now I am better educated myself and I know that is a button I want on a horse. But before then I rode for years and years, none-the-wiser.

It seems pretty common in my neck of the woods to find otherwise nice trail horses that don't know how to sidepass. But I have been able to teach them that without much trouble. So that wouldn't be a sticking point for me personally.

Duh, I forgot about being able to trailer! I mostly ride out from my house, so I didn't even think about that, but if you have to trailer out to ride, then trailer loading is very important!


----------



## Cowboy Ken (Oct 28, 2010)

trailhorserider, thats a great pic of your horse. Actually he looks like mine! Foundation bred!

My third horse, the roan, is big boned, black footed, and has cannons that measure 8.5 inches! SOLID. She has excellant ground manners, and STANDS


----------



## SunnyK01 (Mar 15, 2010)

Thank you all so much for your responses! There's loads of good info here that I just couldn't manage to think of. My search won't start in earnest until spring most likely, but I want to be as prepared as possible!


----------



## Amlalriiee (Feb 22, 2010)

Okay, first of all, if you CAN find a seller that'll take you on a trail ride, that would be ideal! I got to take my mare on two 3 hour trail rides on separate occasions before I bought her. The owner was more than willing to take a trail ride with me...that's the thing about trail riders, they are usually just happy to have someone to ride with and to give themselves a chance at a sale is a bonus!

Other than that, obviously you can ask how the horse is on trail, but who knows how accurate the answer will be. Some things to look for wherever you do get to try the horse out are spookiness, control(do you feel that you need the arena walls to contain the horse or do you easily have control?), and size(can you get on without a mounting block?) Obviously the size thing is a preference and you can always find something to stand on on a trail, but it's something to consider I think. I'm sure it's been mentioned but it's good to look for good, sturdy legs and sure-footedness! 

Obviously, most horses COULD become good trail horses with X amount of work put in. However, it sounds like you're looking for a horse that's already a good trail horse so that you can trust it with less experienced riders as well as yourself? Just keep in mind that whatever concerns you in an enclosed area will most likely be multiplied out in the open, so don't settle for less than what you need in a horse especially if you have to try them out in an enclosed area. Good luck on your search! There are a lot of good trail horses out there for next to nothing!


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I was looking for a trail horse last spring, and was fortunate enough to find one through a network of horse people I know. Although I did not know the seller myself, she was in a reliable network, so I knew I could trust her. The horse had been exclusively trail ridden for the last 4 years. She put beginners on him, etc. I went, (drove 8 hours to see him) rode a long trail ride and he was a dream. Now-here is the catch. Yes, he will pack a monkey and follow perfectly. He will also go out alone. However, if you ask him to really DO anything but follow, or anything he really considered work, he pinned his ears and got ****y. It has taken us 6 months of training to get past that, and he still gets ****y at times. He IS the perfect guy, if following blindly is what you want. Know totally what you want and what your capabilities are, then know what the horses vices are, how they spook (they all have vices, and they ALL will spook at something), and make sure the vice and the spook are not deal breakers for you, that you can deal with them. When either of my guys spook, they simply plant their feet. Perfect, at least in my mind. Rarely one will slightly veer to the side. Frankly, huge horse flies are my worst enemy. Worse than ANY spook.
Even once you get the perfect horse, remember, you have to work to keep them like that. Take them out in varying circumstances, sometimes alone, varying terrain, sometimes, lead, sometimes follow, etc.
Good luck and have fun with your search!


----------



## Indyhorse (Dec 3, 2009)

I find a good practice is also to familiarize yourself with many of the trail riding facilities/locations around your state, and then find out WHERE the horse has been ridden, and how often. This can give you an idea of what the horse has/hasn't faced in terms of terrain, water crossings, lots of wildlife or very little, etc. If you plan to do any overnight camping in conjunction with your trail riding, you need to make sure the horse also ties or pickets well, and will continue to eat/drink well when off property. For example, if I am looking at a horse and am told she has ridden extensively at Brown County or Harrison Crawford, I am familiar with these places and the area, so I know she is fairly well prepared for about anything I can throw at her, as there is some tough riding in these places. But if I'm told she's been ridden once at Potato Creek only, then I am aware she probably hasn't faced much in terms of obstacles and probably hasn't been ridden longer than a 2 hour stretch. This isn't an option everywhere and a lot of people ride only on private land, but it can give you an idea.


----------

