# Rules of Trail Riding??



## rosie9r (Dec 1, 2008)

Sometimes when I go out on the big trail rides my stables sometimes has on the weekends ("big" being like 10 people), there is always someone (always the same person) who gets in a tizzy because another rider isnt following "the rules of trail riding"....are there actually established rules or is it just the normal courtesy things we do anyway?

I am mainly wondering since the chick that is always complaining is an old stick in the mud and I would love to be able to tell her to shut it. :lol: (It usually seems like she is complaining about other people because she cant control her own horse if she's not nose to butt with the horse in front of her.)


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

There is definitely trail riding etiquette -

*When you are coming from behind say - on your left (or right) to let the person/horse know you are passing.

*One horse length between you and the horse in front

*After passing, wait an appropriate distance before you pick up the pace to ensure the rider you passed has their mount under control.

*Red ribbon for known kickers

*Individuals riding known kickers/green horses/mares in season should move horses rear to side of trail to allow safe passing

*Ride the speed of the least experienced rider

*When you meet another group on trail - all riders go to the same side of the trail to allow oncoming group to do the same.

*Bikers yield to horses/peds, Peds yield to horses


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

I think mls has it right - they're not really "established" rules per se, they're just kind of "known" the same way you know to call "inside" or "outside" when approaching or passing someone in the arena. What is this "stick in the mud" complaining about exactly?


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

mls said:


> *After passing, wait an appropriate distance before you pick up the pace to ensure the rider you passed has their mount under control.


A very good summary, and I would add that similar to this one, you should slow the pace when approaching another group, i.e. don't lope up upon a group walking.


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## rosie9r (Dec 1, 2008)

we already do everything mls said (thanks!) except we dont put ribbons on tails, we just say hey hes a kicker or whatever else we warn each other about. (we have all been riding together with the same horses for months)

we have some pasos that ride with us, they are little high strung but have no problem being out with the nongaited horses... she says first, that she cant ride her 15.3 qtr horse with the pasos because her horse wants to run all the time since the pasos legs are moving faster even when we are walking. 

then sometimes part of the group will want to trot instead of walk. so the people(its usually just me on the TB and the pasos) that want to move faster, move waaaay ahead of the group before trotting or cantering. this is when she really starts going on about the rules of trail riding. the last time we all rode together, we moved way in front of the group almost over to the other side of the hill so their horses couldnt see us go faster. the whole time she is yelling (literally screaming) at us to stop because her horse wants to run after us and she cant keep him under control. (her way of keeping him under control is baby talking to him btw) so right now everyone avoids rides with her or either of her horses. grr stick in the mud. sorry for the rant. p


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## rosie9r (Dec 1, 2008)

she basically says if we arent walking as slowly as possible, nose to butts , never stepping off the trail (no bush whacking) the entire time, we are not following trail riding rules and yells about it the entire ride.


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

rosie9r said:


> we have some pasos that ride with us, they are little high strung but have no problem being out with the nongaited horses... she says first, that she cant ride her 15.3 qtr horse with the pasos because her horse wants to run all the time since the pasos legs are moving faster even when we are walking.


 

That's just ridiculous. What does she expect you to do about it?


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

It's not unusual to have 'walk only' groups of riders, and the best solution IMHO is to break into two groups that have slightly different start times. That way each group can pick their pace and trail difficulty.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Ick, why do you even ride with her? I would talk to her about it and give her another chance and not invite her again if she kept it up. Trailriding is supposed to be fun. Frankly I'm suprised she goes with you guys, she cannot be having a good time! It sounds like her & her horse need some individual work before they ride with other people.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

MN Tigerstripes said:


> Frankly I'm suprised she goes with you guys, she cannot be having a good time!


I agree. I can see having an issue the first time but to keep banging her head on the wall?

Some horses are highly competitive and need to be in front. I have one of those. When he gets too antsy dancy, we two track - A LOT. He is starting to understand dancing is work. But he is also the type I can circle to the back of the group and he has such a big (not fast - big) walk that soon he is back up front again.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I have one of those too mls. We ride at the back of the group and do lots of back tracking. Usually by the end of the ride she is walking with the group. She is gaited and we ride with folks who are on ponies and sometimes a group of older folks who ride in a pony pulled wagon. Its tough for us to go that slow but we manage. 
Another rule we follow is everyone stays behind the trail boss.


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## orangetictac (Nov 4, 2008)

rosie9r said:


> we already do everything mls said (thanks!) except we dont put ribbons on tails, we just say hey hes a kicker or whatever else we warn each other about. (we have all been riding together with the same horses for months)
> 
> we have some pasos that ride with us, they are little high strung but have no problem being out with the nongaited horses... she says first, that she cant ride her 15.3 qtr horse with the pasos because her horse wants to run all the time since the pasos legs are moving faster even when we are walking.
> 
> then sometimes part of the group will want to trot instead of walk. so the people(its usually just me on the TB and the pasos) that want to move faster, move waaaay ahead of the group before trotting or cantering. this is when she really starts going on about the rules of trail riding. the last time we all rode together, we moved way in front of the group almost over to the other side of the hill so their horses couldnt see us go faster. the whole time she is yelling (literally screaming) at us to stop because her horse wants to run after us and she cant keep him under control. (her way of keeping him under control is baby talking to him btw) so right now everyone avoids rides with her or either of her horses. grr stick in the mud. sorry for the rant. p


For a group of 10 or so where everyone knows everyone and can kinda keep track of which horses kick...just saying "hey...mine is a kicker" is enough. In this area the ribbons are more for big trail rides with a couple hundred people. We have one coming up and even though everyone will kinda go in their own little groups...sometime you come up to and pass groups...and you need to know what horses in the other group you should watch for. 

I agree that it sounds to me like this lady needs to be doing more work with her horse. The people I ride with don't mind when we do stuff like going up ahead and then picking up a faster pace...*so long as we give a warning.* We do it to work on our horses so when we meet other groups at a big ride, our horses are paying attention to us, not to the horses going ahead of them. I think if it were me I would either get the group's approval to leave the lady behind or not ride with her at all. Or maybe have a talk about working with her own horse. There's a lady at our barn with three horses (two pasos and a drafty looking pony...can't remember what he is). She's really scared of them. She doesn't ride them. One day she was pulling one out of the stall and the owner's dog and a boarder's dog (both are HUGE dogs) came running down the aisle. Our barn is very laid back about dogs so long as they don't fight or hurt any horses or kids. Anyway...the lady's horse flipped out and she complained about how much money and TIME she puts into them to be having something happen because someone let their dog out. 1. the owner doesn't let the dog out if he know's someone's that has a problem with it is there. 2. She didn't try to find him to tell him she had a problem with it...just complained to his daughter in an email later that evening. 3. Her horses are lucky if she comes out once a week...and she doesn't work with them on anything. She just sweet talks them "oh...poor thing...that dog scared you...here have a treat." People that have problem horses and don't do anything but complain about other people's animals annoy me.

I think the next time she had her horse's nose in another horse's butt I'd complain about her not following the "rules of trail riding" and keeping her horse back at least a full horse length!


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## rosie9r (Dec 1, 2008)

orange tictac...wow, you said it  its pretty much agreed within the group to not include her in the trail rides. 

side story: once we had to cross a creek in a pasture. i got first, my Morgan I leased LOVES water so we are off to the side playing in the creek and everyone is crossing. the ol stick in the muds horse refuses to cross the creek so she gets off (big training no no IMO) and attempts to walk/lead him across. baby talking the whole time of course. but anyway the horse eventually does cross so she decides to lead him across multiple times. except every time she comes and leads him to cross right on top of where I am! i have my back to her, she leads the horse across and the horse nearly jumps on top of me. I was so ****ed she got an earful. 

our barn is pretty low key about dogs too. they also have a pig that wanders around.


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## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

rosie9r said:


> we already do everything mls said (thanks!) except we dont put ribbons on tails, we just say hey hes a kicker or whatever else we warn each other about. (we have all been riding together with the same horses for months)
> 
> we have some pasos that ride with us, they are little high strung but have no problem being out with the nongaited horses... she says first, that she cant ride her 15.3 qtr horse with the pasos because her horse wants to run all the time since the pasos legs are moving faster even when we are walking.
> 
> then sometimes part of the group will want to trot instead of walk. so the people(its usually just me on the TB and the pasos) that want to move faster, move waaaay ahead of the group before trotting or cantering. this is when she really starts going on about the rules of trail riding. the last time we all rode together, we moved way in front of the group almost over to the other side of the hill so their horses couldnt see us go faster. the whole time she is yelling (literally screaming) at us to stop because her horse wants to run after us and she cant keep him under control. (her way of keeping him under control is baby talking to him btw) so right now everyone avoids rides with her or either of her horses. grr stick in the mud. sorry for the rant. p


Oh my gosh Rosie9r, I believe I've ridden with that woman!!!:shock: Or maybe there is one in every horse community.  

I took this woman on a trail ride since she said no one ever took her on a controlled trail ride before. So there I was in the lead, her husband (bless his heart, very nice guy), then her, a friend of theirs and riding drag a good friend of mine. We kept it at a walk, and every minute this woman talked, screamed and carried on to herself about the roots or rocks or change of footing ect.... I was speechless. Needless to say at the mid point of the trail ride she called me a very inappropriate name and that was it!!! I have a lot of patience and tolerance but I have my limits. 

Have since run into many other people that have experienced this "nut"!

My advice to you, ride without her and if she decides to ride with you guys, tell her either learn to control her horse or stay in the arena!


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

I swear every group has one of these... I went out twice with one lady and I told everyone else that if she's going, don't bother to invite me. She has a different way of attacking, and usually blamed it on her horse, but in a nutshell it is the same problem your rude rider has -- not competent, not willing to learn, probably not confident... these people don't want to see their own faults and therefore never get better.


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## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

The list of "rules" already posted is what I have always understood. Some other things to add to that list:

- when stopped to get a drink (stream, etc.) or stopped because someone dismounts... wait until everyone is ready/mounted before moving off.

- when crossing an obstacle like a stream, wait until everyone crosses before speeding up.


Usually, the "rule" are for groups of strangers. When riding with a regular group, the "rules" can be anything that is agreed upon. I used to ride with someone and either one of us would randomly lope off is a different direction whenever we felt like it (part of the reason it started was to make sure our horses' never became buddy sour). In other words, the "rules" can be whatever the group agrees to.

Another hard and fast rule of riding (and life) is that you can't please all the people all the time. When you ride in a larger group, there will always be someone that is unhappy with something. Too fast, too slow, whatever. 

A corollary to that rule is that the amount of complaining is usually inversely proportional to either the amount of training the horse has, and/or the ability of the rider to control that horse.

Best thing is to identity and avoid those people.


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## Zab (Oct 4, 2008)

In sweden:
* Don't harm the ground where you ride; avoid wet paths and so, in rainy periods you use the roads.
* Don't ride in peoples yards or too close to a house, don't ride on planted fields or newly planted tree-flield thingies. 
*Close gates if you pass them, don't disturb cattle or so if you go through a pasture (but normally you stay out of pastures anyway since you never know whet there might be and if ''it'' scares or attack your horse)
Other than that, ride where you want.

When you meet people, slow down to a walk.
When you meet cars; stay out of the way as much as posible and stand still or walk (whatever the horse is easier with), don't trot.
Say something before you're too close to people if you come up from behind, and don't trot, unless they've seen you and is okay with you trotting.
Try to keep the horses butt out as far beside the path/road as possible if he 'has to go'.

When riding in a group:
Don't ride too close and use the horse in front of you as a stop.
Don't let the horses muzzle each other.
Make sure everyone is ok with changing gait/speed.
Try to keep the same speed as your friends.
If one want to canter while the other one want to walk, let the canter-person stay behind and canter up to the walking person. That way the walker won't get troubles. 
But those last few rules can of course change if you know each other well, as long as you agree about the change. Common sense is normaly enough.


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## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Zab said:


> If one want to canter while the other one want to walk, let the canter-person stay behind and canter up to the walking person. That way the walker won't get troubles.



Hmmm. In some circles, that practice is not considered a good thing. Not so much for the "walker" but it teaches the other horse to "run" whenever they fall behind. Sort of encouraging the "buddy" instinct. Of course, YMMV.


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## Zab (Oct 4, 2008)

I know that's a risk.. but as long as it's the rider who decides when they start cantering, it's not a problem. And if the horse starts getting ''hot'', stop doing it and instead practice to stay behind and walk calmly to the other horse, or have the other rider coming back before you move. I usually practice on both, plus I'm not letting the horse go if he gets too excited and can't stand still, and havn't yet had any problems. But that kind of stuff can always be agreed upon within the group you ride with. At least that method only risk your own horse instead of putting your fellow-riders that by some reason doesn't feel comfortable with a higher speed.


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## rosie9r (Dec 1, 2008)

walkamile, maybe it IS the same woman...meandering from stable to stable looking for riders as miserable as her hehehehe  Ours is married as well, I have often wondered what her husband was like putting up with her antics hehe.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Tazmanian Devil said:


> - when stopped to get a drink (stream, etc.) or stopped because someone dismounts... wait until everyone is ready/mounted before moving off.
> 
> - when crossing an obstacle like a stream, wait until everyone crosses before speeding up.


Yes!

And:

- do not pick the pace up until everyone is at the bottom of the hill.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Yeah, rules are extremely important. We actually have another side of the problem: often people may just take off because they see the straight pass, so they consider it to be fun. Not so much fun for others especially if not everyone is a great rider. I hear stories all the time about people falling off because of these "fly away". So for me rule #1 is to ride as fast as the least experience rider can handle (or separate in 2 groups if someone wants to ride faster). 

I have greenies, so I always try to choose carefully who I ride with, and not too many riders in group. Accidents happen, you know. Plus one of my horses is a kicker, so she REQUIRES others in nasty way to have her space and not bother her or me. However I noticed people are pretty ignorant even about the warning or red ribbon and still try to pass you on higher speed or tailgate you from behind. I had her kicking horses in sides several times, so now I mostly ride by myself - just much easier on both of us (I don't have to be under pressure to track her each movement and ears position for the mood).


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## rosie9r (Dec 1, 2008)

You know, I did a little survey at my barn and only myself and one other person knew about how to us ribbons. WOW. Well. they do now


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

rosie9r said:


> You know, I did a little survey at my barn and only myself and one other person knew about how to us ribbons. WOW. Well. they do now


Just about everyone I know is aware of the ribbon thing.... but they still don't use them often. I always joke about tying a red ribbon on Soda's bridle cuz he's a bit of a biter! But usually I just warn ppl and watch him. He's very obvious with his "****ed off" signals right before he goes in for the kill.


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## Kianne (Jan 10, 2009)

i think another rule is that if another rider is having trouble with their horse, then you should stop until they get their horse under control.


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## kershkova (Jun 25, 2008)

I was not even like that and my 4 year old outlaw whent on his first trail ride today. he galloped up the hill with the other horses. we had to meet our friend half way inbetwwen the barn and are firends house because they don`t know how to get through the woods and when he saw the one horse he started bucking because he was exited so he had to get tied to my friends horse on the way back. ok i could ride in my one friends butt thought the one outlaw got tied to because he dosent kick and their best friends.


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## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

kershkova said:


> I was not even like that and my 4 year old outlaw whent on his first trail ride today. he galloped up the hill with the other horses.


You may already know this, but running up that hill was a bad idea for a first trail ride. I know too many people that _always_ run up hills. Their horse is basically "trained" to run up a hill at this point. That is not a good thing.

It is very possible that the run contributed to your horses excitement when meeting the other horses.

Like almost everything else, a horse should be trained to a new task at a walk. Once he learns that, move to a trot and only then to a lope. Starting new things at a gallop is not a good idea.

As this relates to the original topic or trail rules... the other riders should have been more aware of the "new" situation and not enticed your horse to run up the hill by doing so themselves.

I don't mean to lecture, but I just know too many people (and horses) that think uphill and speed are the same thing.


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## rosie9r (Dec 1, 2008)

I agree with you Taz...I often let my horse trot up hill UNLESS he starts out trotting on his own without my cue. If he starts at a walk, I cue him to trot but not otherwise. And I hate trotting down hill


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## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

rosie9r said:


> I agree with you Taz...I often let my horse trot up hill UNLESS he starts out trotting on his own without my cue. If he starts at a walk, I cue him to trot but not otherwise. And I hate trotting down hill


I actually think trotting up hills is very good - helps build muscle in the horse. A trot is also a very controlled gait, so it still instills "restraint" in the horse - he is listening to you and not just running wild.

When I first started riding, everyone I ever went on trail with ran up hills. Then went as fast as there horse could go (although they were not really on fast horses). I mistakenly fell into this habit because I thought is was the thing to do (and it was fun). It took me a while to realize what a mistake it was and that I was teaching my horse a VERY bad habit.

It drives me crazy when you come to a hill and a horse starts dancing and snorting. The slightest brush of the leg gets interpreted as the starting bell at the track. When the horse gets used to the trail and know where the "running spots" are, they get antsy a while before you even get there! 

My horse, like me, loves to run. But I try to teach him that running is a reward for listening and staying calm and under control. Hills, with some exceptions because I like to keep things varied, are generally for trotting and building those back end muscles.


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## kershkova (Jun 25, 2008)

aculy it was his second my trainer took him on one before and i rode him in the pasture`s and around the barn. The hill they all most have to because it is so steep and he was in the front he was not following when he loped. We think his old owner did because he is unspookable on trails. We do that to strethen there legs for jumping and barrels.


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