# When to Ride Alone?



## AllThePrettyHorses (Dec 15, 2010)

I know I just posted a thread in this section, but anyways...

If you read _that_ thread you'll know that we recently acquired a fantastic trail pony, and now I'm ready and prepared to get my confidence back up while riding my pinto mare, who I've had some less than fun trail experiences with simply because I wasn't confident enough. 

I have my friend coming over in a couple weeks to trail ride the pair of them together (her on the pony, me on my paint) to increase my confidence, and give my mare at least a few calm trail experiences with a seasoned older buddy. 

I was just wondering: how many buddy rides should I go on before heading out alone with the paint? I want her to get some confidence and experience as well as myself, but I don't want to teach her to rely on another horse to be calm. She has ridden out alone (and with a group, for that matter) a number of times, so she's not completely new to it, but she's nowhere near as trail savvy as she should be at this point because I haven't taken her out nearly as much as I should be.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

You will have to evaluate that. Nobody can second guess your confidence and your horse.

I find my horses are a handfull if I ride in the field close to the house where my horses know they live. But If I load them in a trailer and haul them off someplace, They are much easier to deal with. It's all part of the herd bound issues. But if they can't see another horse and if they don't know where they are vs the herd. Mine are much more willing to listen to me than is they are just over the fence. Where every time I make a loop in the field, they are rooting at the bit to go over near their buddies.

Your horse may have excellent manners being riden close to home. Or he may not. You will have to evaluate on each ride and make your own decisions.


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## AllThePrettyHorses (Dec 15, 2010)

Painted Horse said:


> I find my horses are a handfull if I ride in the field close to the house where my horses know they live. But If I load them in a trailer and haul them off someplace, They are much easier to deal with. It's all part of the herd bound issues. But if they can't see another horse and if they don't know where they are vs the herd. Mine are much more willing to listen to me than is they are just over the fence. Where every time I make a loop in the field, they are rooting at the bit to go over near their buddies.
> 
> Your horse may have excellent manners being riden close to home. Or he may not. You will have to evaluate on each ride and make your own decisions.


That's exactly the same way as my pinto is. I can load her up and take her anywhere, alone or with other horses, and she's spectacularly behaved, but yes, when she can see the other horses and knows where home is, she's a lot more likely to be unfocused and calling to them. I don't really have a choice though...I don't have my license yet (let alone one to haul the trailer) and my dad doesn't see much point in taking her away when we have so many places to ride around here.

I guess it all depends on when _I _feel comfortable and confident. Whenever I'm ready, she'll be too..


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## SailorGriz (Nov 28, 2010)

Well, it's an individual thing. I can tell you that there are ONLY TWO times I ride alone. Ever.

1. When I don't have anyone who wants to go with me.

2. When I don't want anyone to go with me.

Unless one, or both, of those conditions are met, I ride with a partner. Always.

;-)


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## AllThePrettyHorses (Dec 15, 2010)

SailorGriz said:


> Well, it's an individual thing. I can tell you that there are ONLY TWO times I ride alone. Ever.
> 
> 1. When I don't have anyone who wants to go with me.
> 
> ...


I'm often the only one around to ride, and my dad's more into driving horses. He can't really ride, so I go on my own all the time. I really don't mind it. I honestly would rather ride alone than in a large group of strange horses, because it usually ends up that someone else's horse acts up and behaves like an idiot and then starts influencing my horse. Even on our worst rides, my pinto's behaviour was still more manageable and safe than an alarming amount of other horses that I see. It's a lot more relaxing and stress-free to only have one horse to worry about, and it's a lot more peaceful.

Of course, riding with both my horses, who I know are sane and not likely to do anything, is another story, but rare is the opportunity a friend can come out and ride with me. Now that we do have two horses, I'm hoping it'll happen more often, but I still really want both my horses to be great at riding alone, because that's the most common scenario for me. Besides, you can always join up with another horse and have them both be calm-teaching them to ride alone seems to take a lot more time, patience and work.


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## Nokota (Jan 6, 2011)

SailorGriz said:


> Well, it's an individual thing. I can tell you that there are ONLY TWO times I ride alone. Ever.
> 
> 1. When I don't have anyone who wants to go with me.
> 
> ...


98% of the time I meet one or both of the criteria you stated above. So i guess you can say most of my rides are solo. As PH said, you have to evaluate yourself. If your horse can handle it but you are too tense and nervous, that is as much a problem as a confident rider and nervous horse. Either one could cause trouble. I would suggest you start slow and take short rides. easy trails. the more you go out, the more confidence you will gain.

Good luck and stay safe. Dont forget your phone......just in case!


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

AllThePrettyHorses said:


> I was just wondering: how many buddy rides should I go on before heading out alone with the paint? I want her to get some confidence and experience as well as myself, but I don't want to teach her to rely on another horse to be calm. She has ridden out alone (and with a group, for that matter) a number of times, so she's not completely new to it, but she's nowhere near as trail savvy as she should be at this point because I haven't taken her out nearly as much as I should be.


First off, remember that your horse gains experience and confidence with miles under saddle, so never pass up an opportunity to ride her just because you don't have anyone to ride with. If you ride her alone, just set your expectations and goals differently, but every mile out in the world helps.
Second, if you have enough confidence in your trail pony and your riding, consider learning to pony your paint. If has all the advantages of taking her out with an experienced horse without needing someone to ride with you (I always start the young ones by ponying them off our go anywhere lead mare instead of riding with someone else).
To answer your question, I would take the young ones on 5-10 long rides with our lead mare to as many different places as possible. After that, I would start alternating going out together and going alone, then making the 'together' rides less frequent, and finally switch to always going alone. Riding together (or ponying) is great for building confidence at the start, but the only way to take that last big confidence step in being out alone is to ride alone.


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## SailorGriz (Nov 28, 2010)

PaintHorseMares, I like your tag line! I sometimes say something similar since I ride a registered paint. But I add a final line: "Mine wasn't good enough to get very much paint." ;-)


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## AllThePrettyHorses (Dec 15, 2010)

PaintHorseMares said:


> First off, remember that your horse gains experience and confidence with miles under saddle, so never pass up an opportunity to ride her just because you don't have anyone to ride with. If you ride her alone, just set your expectations and goals differently, but every mile out in the world helps.
> Second, if you have enough confidence in your trail pony and your riding, consider learning to pony your paint. If has all the advantages of taking her out with an experienced horse without needing someone to ride with you (I always start the young ones by ponying them off our go anywhere lead mare instead of riding with someone else).
> To answer your question, I would take the young ones on 5-10 long rides with our lead mare to as many different places as possible. After that, I would start alternating going out together and going alone, then making the 'together' rides less frequent, and finally switch to always going alone. Riding together (or ponying) is great for building confidence at the start, but the only way to take that last big confidence step in being out alone is to ride alone.


Good idea! BUT...is ponying safe? I have considered doing it, but I was always picturing the horses getting tangled in the lead, or the ponied horse breaking free and running off...all manner of nasty things where horses could end up hurt. The pinto has excellent ground manners, and yields to pressure, ties, and leads very well, but regardless-if she got excited or something and spooked or pulled away, she'd be loose and running around all over the countryside (or, you know, book it straight for home and get herself tangled in a wire fence).


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

AllThePrettyHorses said:


> Good idea! BUT...is ponying safe? I have considered doing it, but I was always picturing the horses getting tangled in the lead, or the ponied horse breaking free and running off...all manner of nasty things where horses could end up hurt.


Yes, ponying is safe, but you do need to have a trusted mount that you can ride with one hand and have absolute confidence in (a good pony horse is worth its weight in gold)...and yes, just like leading in hand, you need to keep that lead short and not looped around your hand, or that rope will be your worst enemy. There have been at least a few threads discussing ponying that you may want to visit and if you want to try it, do it first in a ring/corral to get some experience and not have to worry about the ponied horse running off. If you can manage doing it, it is a tremendous training tool.


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## SailorGriz (Nov 28, 2010)

PrettyHorses, every pack string in the country is nothing more than a series of ponied horses (or mules) carrying baggage. It's done all the time in country that ranges from flat and open to vertical and covered with trees. 

As PaintMare says, you and your saddle horse have to be ready for it--but that's just a matter of training and confidence.


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## AllThePrettyHorses (Dec 15, 2010)

I knew others did it. I just meant is it safe for _me_, who has never ponied a horse before ;-) Nor, as far as I know, have either of my mares ponied others or been ponied before. But yeah, I can practise it around the farm first, where risks are minimal.


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## SailorGriz (Nov 28, 2010)

PrettyHorses, everyone has a first time! Start in a controlled environment and practice it a bit! Y'all'l be pro's in no time!


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## AllThePrettyHorses (Dec 15, 2010)

Will do =)


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