# Trail riding help



## mbender (Jul 22, 2009)

Your horse is not confident and has become buddy sour. This can be fixed. First question: How well of a rider are you? Next: Are you confident enough to fully go through retraining this horse?
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## horsedreamerforheartland (May 21, 2011)

i am a novice rider so what am i meant to do?


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Welcome to the forum.

As a novice rider you may not be equipped to retrain your horse properly. I would strongly suggest getting a trainer - at least in the beginning. As for bucking when asked for a canter, that has nothing to do with the fact that he was just used to trail ride. All my horses trail ride and we canter a good deal without bucking.

What it sounds like is you have a horse that has been allowed to get away with a lot and really needs a knowledgeable rider who knows how to anticipate and counter your horse's faults before they happen. To paraphrase a famous trainer, training is knowing what to do before what happens, happens.


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## mbender (Jul 22, 2009)

I agree
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## pintophile (May 18, 2011)

This member posted this in another thread.



Cherie said:


> We now train nothing but trail horses. We have tried many different ways of doing it and have settled on a way that has been very successful for us.
> 
> We never pony a horse and we never ride with another horse. Usually by 4 or 5 rides around the ranch (mostly the barn-yard, the horse knows how to go forward well and is guiding pretty good, will walk and jog nice circles and lope pretty decent ones in the open -- not in a round pen.
> 
> ...


But yes, I agree with iridehorses-if you are a novice, perhaps you should look for help from a trainer/someone experienced.


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## FledgeOfNarnia (Apr 18, 2008)

iridehorses said:


> What it sounds like is you have a horse that has been allowed to get away with a lot and really needs a knowledgeable rider who knows how to anticipate and counter your horse's faults before they happen. To paraphrase a famous trainer, training is knowing what to do before what happens, happens.


I agree and excellent quote.

If you can't get a trainer, look into methods presented by various "popular" trainers . . . I don't want to say "professional" because there are plenty of professionals that don't publish books or TV shows.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

pintophile,
While I love that post about never babying the trail horses in training, I know that not every rider has the confidence to ask a horse that is acting silly to speed up. I know that I myself will not feel strong enough to canter out a horse that is spooking at stuff , like spinning or doing sudden stops. I just dont' have the backbone.


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## pintophile (May 18, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> pintophile,
> While I love that post about never babying the trail horses in training, I know that not every rider has the confidence to ask a horse that is acting silly to speed up. I know that I myself will not feel strong enough to canter out a horse that is spooking at stuff , like spinning or doing sudden stops. I just dont' have the backbone.


And that's fine. I was just tossing that quote out here to give the OP an idea.

That's why I say, if she's inexperienced and lacks confidence, it really would be better for someone bolder and more knowledgable to get the problems worked out.


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## Reiterin (Mar 28, 2010)

I like the idea of that quote pintophile. (thanks cherie) that is something I wish I could do. My mare is a very good trail horse... to a point. but she can also be reactive. I think the biggest problem (with her.. well, and me) is just not getting out enough. but anyway.
back to the OP
like others have said, If you are not confident/experienced enough to retrain/work with your horse(s), it would be best to find a friend or trainer who can. It sounds like you probably have a really good horse. He just has a few kinks to work out.


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