# Fundamental traits of a trail horse



## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

Good list!

But if you're discussing general traits, I would also add _sound_. My friend bought a great horse. Lots of sense, smart, careful on the trail, very aware. She loved him so much that she rushed to buy him and didn't get him vet checked. Turns out he has stifle problems, and he'll never be sound for anything more than a little walk on the woods. You can work on training issues; you can make a horse more independent, trail savvy, careful, and calm with miles. But you can't do a _thing_ with a lame horse. 

And if you're a serious trail rider, _conformation_ is important too. Straight legs, big bones, good feet, powerful hindquarters... Again, you can have a horse with plenty of sense, but if his legs are crooked and he's constantly interfering or sore... Nothing you can do for him. 

When selecting trail horses, it's not just the brain. It's the body too. People thing anything with four legs can make a good trail horse, but trying to make a trail mount out of some horses is just going against nature.


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## Maryland Rider (Jul 2, 2013)

Good article and to the point 
As far as a sound animal the agility topic pretty much covers that.

I have always had to complete training while on the trail.
No luxury items like an arena or riding ring.
Miles and "been there done that" brings em around.

Just did a second read of the article, really liked it!

I would like to add something but not sure how to put it.
Time is the topic of interest, expectations of the rider are not met quick enough.
Some of these things take time, not resolved in a few short rides
or even in one riding season.

At one time a horse trader/seller I know saw me with a new horse(5 year old).
He said he liked the horse but it would take about three years till we really had it together.
I think he was right, don't get me wrong I enjoyed this horse from day one.
Great rides, headstrong, forward, and extremely agile but to harness this energy and for
us to always work as one took three riding seasons.

Although you did state "Are you willing to put the same time and effort into your trail horse? "
Maybe I should say some people don't realize the amount of time, miles and
patience that are required.


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

I liked it! I would add though trustworthy. Maybe this is personal preference or would be covered under Calm, but I want a horse that I can ground tie and know it will stay. I look for a horse that will plod along if I just sit up there and take me back to the trailer if I say "Go home" (I'm just using that as an example lol). My mare is like this and it has saved my butt a few times! I one time had to leave her groundtied for thirty minuets and came back to see her standing there. Another time she just up and followed me back to our trailer when her bridle broke (as did the rope halter we had  ). I really liked the article!!!


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## horseluver250 (Oct 28, 2009)

Wonderful article!



Brighteyes said:


> Good list!
> 
> But if you're discussing general traits, I would also add _sound_. My friend bought a great horse. Lots of sense, smart, careful on the trail, very aware. She loved him so much that she rushed to buy him and didn't get him vet checked. Turns out he has stifle problems, and he'll never be sound for anything more than a little walk on the woods. You can work on training issues; you can make a horse more independent, trail savvy, careful, and calm with miles. But you can't do a _thing_ with a lame horse.
> 
> ...


^ This too. This absolutely describes what I did this May. Found a horse, she was absolutely perfect, dead dead quiet, broke out of this world, etc. I rushed and bought her... and she is absolutely not sound, I have had about 6 total rides on her since owning her (at a walk only) and have not been able to ride her at all that last 3 1/2 weeks because she is so unsound.


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## thenrie (Sep 10, 2012)

Nicely written. Good sense.

Magazine articles are inherently shallow. Each of those five characteristics could be expanded to be a chapter of a book...or future articles.

There is nothing in any of those things that cannot be accomplished by the average rider. It just takes miles of riding and paying attention, with a little bit of horse savvy (which you learn as you go as well) tossed in.

Conversely, you can't get any of those things by babying a horse any more than a roper, reiner, cutter, barrel racer, or jumper can get performance out of his/her horse by love alone. It takes work and sometimes requires one to be a bit of a stern disciplinarian. One shouldn't expect to jump on their horse once every couple of months and expect the horse to have these traits built-in. It takes a lot more riding and training (at least at first) than just when we go for a weekend outing.


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## G8tdh0rse (Aug 14, 2012)

*Traits and training are different.* Traits are somewhat inherent. Traits can be affected by training. For instance, a more reactive horse can be trained to be less reactive. But in a unusual situation or one that you have not trained for, how is the horse going to behave? If he is alert and reactive, even trained, he is still highly tuned in to his environment. That is an inherent trait. Soundness is somewhat inherent based on good conformation but injury can affect that. Surefootedness depends on a lot of things, hoof trim or shoes, as well as inherent things like conformation and balance.


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## Trails (Jan 28, 2009)

Thanks Tony, a lot of people don't realize that there are word counts for magazine columns that have to be followed lest the write lose his column. Never a good thing to annoy your editor!

I rode with a this summer who had a great saying. "it takes 500 miles to make a trail horse" Goes back to the wet blanket theory of horse training that I tend to follow. Lots of work, lots of sweat. 




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## Jolly Badger (Oct 26, 2009)

I agree on the "time" thing.

While you _can_ go out and "buy a trail horse," and find a horse with a sound body and good temperament, you can't buy the partnership and trust that comes from lots of hours in the saddle with that horse. 

They all have their quirks. Some are good, some are bad, some are just. . .quirky. And those quirky-quirks are the ones you may not know exist until you find yourself in unique situations.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

Regarding the willingness thing, I really believe this is earned. A horse needs to learn you are worth following as a leader, not just blindly accept it. A few very broke, been-there-done-that saddle horses might just accept what any human tells them, based on many years of being ridden by experienced riders, but most horses need to learn to trust the human.

For example, when you start riding a new horse, you ask it to do something it is unfamiliar with, say crossing a large puddle. From previous experience that horse knows you are the leader, and that it must listen, but out of uncertainty it hesitates. You insist, cross the puddle successfully, and the horses confidence in your leadership grows. Eventually, you develop trust in each other, and you have a willing mount. This type of relationship also requires listening to your horse. My mare stopped going across a steep hill covered in thick brush that we had ridden many times in years past. It was out of character for her. I looked carefully in front of us, through the thick brush, and found that the spring rains had washed a 2' wide, 4' deep gash in the hillside, hidden by plants. It would have been an awful wreck if she had walked unquestionably into it. Riding another gelding when I was younger, I trusted him, but when he refused a river crossing I assumed he was being stubborn. I made him do it, and he stepped off a ledge(that wasn't there the year before), into very deep, fast moving water. It ended well, but could have been disastrous.

that said, there are a few horses out there that are naturally unwilling. These are a pain in the butt. The vast majority of horses are not in this category.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

lots can be fixed with wet saddle pads, 
on the other hand lots of good can get flushed down the drain with a shortage of them. see that alot too. Decent trail horse, purchased, set out in field all winter spring and summer , fal rolls around time to ride and horse is nuts. Owner blames crazy horse, puts it on craigs list, buys another. does some fall rides. Repeat.


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## thenrie (Sep 10, 2012)

Jolly Badger said:


> I agree on the "time" thing.
> 
> While you _can_ go out and "buy a trail horse," and find a horse with a sound body and good temperament, you can't buy the partnership and trust that comes from lots of hours in the saddle with that horse.
> 
> They all have their quirks. Some are good, some are bad, some are just. . .quirky. And those quirky-quirks are the ones you may not know exist until you find yourself in unique situations.


I call that, "reaching an understanding" with your horse. He has his quirks, I have my quirks, and after a while together, we get our quirks together and we understand each other. I don't ask him to do stupid stuff and he doesn't act stupid and we do fine.


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## FlyGap (Sep 25, 2011)

Great article, agree agree agree.

I've said many times if I find something a horse ******s at, guess what? They are going to have to live with it, eat out of it, or wear it. I think mine know better by now!

I've also had horses that just weren't cut out for the trails when it comes to being sure footed. In an arena with soft even footing, ok, but try working them on the trail and they'd about kill you. Some just don't have it, even after working with them.

I'm gearing up for the fall rides, many wet blankets required before we go "out". I have 4 or so miles of trails on my property that we leg up on, it's up and down too. I can't stress enough how imperative it is to get a good handle before venturing out. But also there is the daily work I put in. I go out two or more times a day and really handle them. I cant ride as much as I'd like, but I move them, boss them, toss ropes around them, make them woah, back, respond to pressure nose and sides. Generally remind them on a daily basis that even though we are off for a bit, I still rule.
This really helps speed up any refresher course I may have to do.

Always enjoy! Thanks for sharing!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## CowboyBob (Feb 11, 2013)

Great article, I agree totally. Training in a round pen or arena is great, but I find the best "training" is done when riding on a trail. Get a good foundation in the arena then get out on the trail and ride. 

Some of you know I work at a summer camp and I do lots of trail rides for kids. So trail riding is a big part of our horses daily job. It is common for camp horse programs to use 4 year olds in their horse programs. I find, IMO that 4 year olds are not the best horse for kids, I won't even think about using 4 year olds in my program because I feel they need more time working before I start putting Kids on them. Its not so much that they don't have the training at 4 years old, I just feel that they need more time being ridden. I have ridden some good 4 year olds but the good 4 year olds I have ridden are even better at 5 with really nothing more then just time in the saddle. 

I know you had to keep it short. But, I would have added that a good trail horse should stand tied or hobbled. Also, able to pony or be ponied by another horse.


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