# Going down inclines on a trail



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Most horses are capable of trotting down a hill without falling, given that the rider just stays out of their way and doesn't do something to compromise their balance, but I always teach my horses to walk down a hill because I feel that it puts too much stress on their front legs to trot down unless absolutely necessary.

What I do is whenever a horse starts to trot down a hill, I immediately stop them and keep them stopped for a minute before asking them to walk. Every time they start to trot, I do it again. When they finally start to _walk_ down the hill, then I just let them go.


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

Yeah, I think you are right....I'm going to do the same thing, stopping her and backing then making her walk. Won't it build better muscle then too?


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Smrobs, that is what I do as well, and may also back up or turn and go back up the hill. 

While it's not impossible for a horse to trot or lope down a hill (Had a baby take off on me with ZERO remorse at fully speed down an incline..But, how about NO thank you to that one right?) but it does put a strain on them. 

Going up and down hills are great ways to build muscle, though I prefer to long trot up hills than down.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I always ask my guys to walk down hills. I never purposely trot down hills. But sometimes if it is just a little dip in the trail and I am not paying close enough attention they will sneak a trot in. :lol:


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

How much of an incline are we talking about here? I've always been told it's a bad idea on anything but a really gradual slope (but that might just be for inexperienced me). On some of the steeper ones, where the horse is working to keep from sliding, I certainly wouldn't even want to try.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

We walk down hills, too. The fields that I ride can have groundhog holes so we generally let the mares pick their path, but I would hate to be going downhill faster and have one catch an unseen hole.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I sometimes will make them zig zag a bit also to slow them....if there is room. Plus-for my older guy with some arthritis-it is easier.


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## Tracer (Sep 16, 2012)

I ride my horse around a track that is on a slope, and sometimes I will trot him down the hill, though it isn't steep. I only ever do it once he's been working long enough to get all his muscles working, and I do it to work any muscles that don't get worked as hard at other times. Steeper, rocky slopes though, I walk.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

If it is an extreme hill, I make my horse walk because I am paranoid that she will step in a hole and tumble on down. If it is a wide open area with only slight incline, then I am not too worried what gait I am in just so I get to choose.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Celeste said:


> If it is an extreme hill, I make my horse walk because I am paranoid that she will step in a hole and tumble on down. If it is a wide open area with only slight incline, then I am not too worried what gait I am in just so I get to choose.


Same here, we often ride in some pretty steep places. 

The more difficult it is the slower I go. I think another thing worth mentioning is to leave plenty of room between riders when negotiating obstacles.


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

The inclines I rode on yesterday were on a winding, narrow trail. Lots of brush, trees and bushes on the sides. They weren't extremely steep, since I am not yet comfortable riding down anything too steep with her yet. I imagine her tumbling with me down them if they are too steep.

Taking what Gunslinger said too and not getting to close to horse in front of me. Mine would trot and catch up to the horse's butt in front of me where I had to pull back on the reins and keep her back. I figured she would know better than to do that, but it didn't seem to bother her that she was so close. Good thing he was a good horse for us and didn't seem to mind. However, I feel like if we would have waited to give more room, that would have sped her up more in order to catch up to him? These parts of the trail were winding around and had vegetation all around to where she may not see him if we stayed back ten feet or so. I guess she will just have to learn.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I will tell you that if the horse is a little bit unfit, they will find it exceedingly difficult to back up a hill, especially if it's very steep. Most the hills where I live that actually require paying attention to are relatively steep so I just stick with holding them in a stop for a minute.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

In my opinion, if you stay balanced and not hindering the horse there should not be any issue with going down an incline that the horse can not handle himself. 
You have to develop a feel for what you horse is capable of. 
There have been times I have rode a horse through a spot and the next time with a different one I got off and lead through. That feel comes through experience and knowing what your horse is capable and being able to ask for any gait required.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

gunslinger said:


> The more difficult it is the slower I go. I think another thing worth mentioning is to leave plenty of room between riders when negotiating obstacles.


This is my strategy. 

A lot also depends on your horse and your own experience going down hills. I can tell just by the feel of my mare's stride going down if she is balanced or is starting to get a bit ahead of herself and needs to slow down to regain her balance. If ever a question, err on the side of slower!!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Steep! This guy LAUGHS at steep!










Italian cavalry, around 1920 or so IIRC. It was a test of nerves for both horse and rider. Me? I'd have flunked. Don't think they would like guys who peed in the saddle...:shock: :lol:

_"NOTE: This is  a photograph of a descent known as the descent of Mombrone. This descent was done more as a test of nerve than anything else, and in pre-war days every officer had to go down it before he left the School; but accidents were not unknown and occasionally rather serious, and the practice has rather died out since the war.  Mombrone is an old ruined castle about 3 miles from Pinerolo, and the descent is made from what was once a window about 20 feet from the ground, but earth is piled up a little at the bottom and now the drop is only about 15 feet.

 __As can be seen in the photograph, there is a slight bump on to which the horse can put his fore feet and just steady himself a second while he gets his hind legs off the ledge, so that he can slide. If this bump was not there, the horse would simply have to jump from top to bottom, and horses which do this almost invariably fall._"


http://www.lrgaf.org/military/cavalry-italian.htm


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Just depends on how steep the hill is. Really steep, I want them dragging their butt and sliding


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

bsms said:


> Steep! This guy LAUGHS at steep!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


HOLY SHHEEEEOOOOTTTT!!!!! THAT won't be happening with me....EVER! Thanks for sharing...very interesting read.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

bsms said:


> Me? I'd have flunked. Don't think they would like guys who peed in the saddle...


Don't think you'd have to worry: at that angle, the saddle wouldn't even get damp


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

Gosh, how do you know when they are stable enough to go down something like that?

There is a mountain across the street that has this narrow, steep little trail going up/down it. I hiked it on foot.....I had a hard time......then I saw horse prints on it.....oy.


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

You can see the mountain slope in the background.....the trail actually follows that silhoutte that goes off to the right and gets steeper out of the picture. Doesn't look like much, but I couldn't imagine ever riding up or down it....it is also very narrow with no room for error. But, some horse did it apparently.


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## Jolly Badger (Oct 26, 2009)

Taking into consideration the footing type/trail conditions, I might _gait_ down a gradual slope. 

If he is balancing himself, and not getting rushy, and paying attention to his feet, and the overall terrain is just kind of rolling, I don't have a problem with maintaining an easy, consistent forward-moving gait rather than bringing him back to a dog-walk at the top of every hill before we descend.

To clarify - this is not something I "let" my horse do - just as I don't "let" him take off running up hills, either.

He has to be balanced, keeping his weight back and thinking about where he _is_ and not where he _wants_ to be, not heavy on the forehand or rushy. 

If in doubt, slow down and walk it. Especially on unfamiliar trail.

There is no shame in that. . .and you and your horse will stand a better chance of living to trail ride another day.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

If you have a ditch, your horse needs to be trained in hand to never rush up or down slopes. Your horse must listen to "walk on", "halt", and "back", and be very light to this in his halter and lead. A somewhat shallow ditch makes a great training tool. Always lead to the side and never in front. You demand that you horse walk down and halt after only a few steps at a time. Same going up. Repeat until he is obedient. It is possible for a horse to trip and flip on you going downhill under saddle. Maybe it won't happen, but most of us don't ride horse in any better physical shape than ourselves. This is an obedience exercise and your horse will be more fun to be around if you train him to it. =D


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

At this point in the year our girls have had a long time off over winter and they take it steady down hills by their own choice - seems like they know best and often have more common sense than we credit them with
Once they're fit they will go a lot faster if asked depending on the actual slope - but the 'if asked' is the thing to focus on. Our 2 drafty types cope way better with steep hills than the others.
We had a pony that could gallop down anything with total balance though the thing *bsms* posted would have slowed him down - he'd have probably tried to jump from top to bottom and landed in a big heap


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Zig-zag down steep inclines, but always at a walk..Other wise it becomes a habit to want to trot all the time down or up hills..(I love to trot and canter up hills - and have to stop that because it does create habits if you do it all the time) My horses would see a hill and think trot/or canter automatically. So now w/my new guy it will be always at a walk unless I ask otherwise.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Love the photo - you guys are all making me want a draft bad!


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Hills should be ridden zig zag style as it's much easier on their hocks.


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