# Hand walking on the trail.



## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

phoenix said:


> It's so beautiful out today and i really want to do something with my horse but my back is killing me (i don't get to see my chiro until the 10th) so the plan was to walk my horse on the trails today near his new house.
> 
> Obviously with the weather being so nice i anticipate seeing other riders/horses, so i'm assuming i'll just keep him off to the side and let others pass us. I want to take him out for the learning experience but also to help build his confidence.
> 
> ...


I think it would be a good experience for him. I wouldn't care if I saw a horse being walked. I would assume it was a training session & give them lots of room & pass slowly. Have fun.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I wouldnt worry about other people, you have as much right to be out on the trail doing your thing as they do theirs. I am not to proud to get off and walk on occasion in rough terrain, or near traffic, or sometimes just to calm the horse down. My current horse would get real nervous alone, and want to do the spin around and go back thing, Getting off an walking him seemed to click something in him that I was around and I was the herd leader and it was ok. I live near a large national park battlefield with great trails. Lots of people pony new horses.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Go for it. You can work on lots of manners for leading.

If he gets ancy, lunge him in circle around you.
Ask him to disengage both front and rear ends
side pass away from or towards you.

I often ask my horses to side pass over to me when I want to mount. Find a good rock or log and have the horse move close to me, so it's easier to get up.

Go and have fun


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## phoenix (Jun 7, 2010)

Thanks everyone, yeah i assumed that if people see me they'll think it's a training session which it really will be. He needs it too. I have a few exercises i was going to do with him once we get a bit further onto the trail and luckily he always feels so much calmer and i guess to him safer when he knows i'm right there on the ground with him.

This is going to be fun!


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## raywonk (Jan 9, 2011)

The only consern I have is the trail opien to ATVs. If no have a good time.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Who cares? If it's a trail you ride, the horses need to learn to cope with them. You might as well be teaching and desensitizing them while safe on the ground.


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## raywonk (Jan 9, 2011)

I was thinking of her safty. She said her back hurt and she may not want to deal with that.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

Oh you may want to get some IPOD earbuds,, you dont need the actual Ipod, Guarantee every single person that passes you will ask if you are ok, and tell you what you are doing wrong. Ear buds smile and nod works wonders.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

I say go for it!!! Since my horse is just now 18months....this is something we have been doing lately. We both get sick of the ring work day in and day out, and I like to switch it up. Go out and have a good time! Its great exercise for both of you, and for me anyways, serves a very important role in training, and eventually riding!!


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Expect a few smartass remarks about how you are suppose to ride them not lead them but I doubt you'll hear much more. That's about all I've recieved when hoping out of the saddle to lead them past a tricky area or just to stretch my legs for a bit.

Don't know if you were planning to saddle and bit up or not but I would. Saddles make a different sound when brush hits them vs your legs. Bitted up just to help them get a bit more used to being led around for a long period of time that way.


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## phoenix (Jun 7, 2010)

No ATVs allowed on the horse trails. No dogs either, although that sometimes does happen. Well i long lined him in the arena first and then took him over to the park as his cool down exercise. He was superb. Crossed the road like a champ and even squeezed through the stupidly tiny trail entrance to get to the main trail.

I had so much fun, Phoenix was so unconcerned that he was in the park, it was like he does it every day. Didn't spook, was completely relaxed and even stopped to have a bite to eat right next to the road for a bit of car de-sensitization.

The only real issue i had was that it was muddier than i though so i kept having to get him to pull me out of the mud, bless his heart he kept stopping and letting me hold onto his neck/back to get me through the deep parts. Also, when i go again i'll wear different boots, the ones i had on started to rub the back of my heels so i had to turn back sooner than i'd have liked.

I also didn't encounter any other riders which was slightly disappointing, i was hoping it would be good practice for Phoenix to see other unfamiliar horses and get used to passing without stopping. Oh well, next time!

Can't wait until my back is feeling better then i can ride him over now i know he's going to be quite calm. He surprises me, what i think he will find scary he really doesn't. Yet when i was long lining one of the horses outside swished it's muddy tail against the side of the barn and i'd swear my horse thought the world was coming to an end, silly horse.

All in all an excellent day.

Darrin, i didn't tack up this time but i definitely will next time. The tight squeeze trail entrance might prove more tricky with a saddle on so i'd like to see how he reacts. Although i doubt it would bother him. He definitely had fun, there's a part of the trail which is like a tiny creek, he waited until i'd gotten over it and out of the way before jumping it. He'll definitely enjoy his new trail job.


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## atomic (Aug 15, 2011)

When I first bought my horse as a 2 yo I took him for trail walks all the time. He really got bored with groundwork in the arena and it was good exposure pre-riding. I am happy to say that now as a 3 yo I took him for his first official group trail ride and he was a champ, even leading the pack. I have also taken him for solo rides with little issue. Go for it and have fun!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

phoenix said:


> It's so beautiful out today and i really want to do something with my horse but my back is killing me (i don't get to see my chiro until the 10th) so the plan was to walk my horse on the trails today near his new house.


I did it quite a bit of trail walking "in hand" in past with my paint. Especially when I couldn't ride due to some health issues. She obviously enjoyed it, and I think it's still a good desensitizing. Never did it with my qh though because she doesn't care for trails (and would be like "huh? Are you crazy here?").


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## Trails (Jan 28, 2009)

I walk my horse on the trail all the time. It's a great way to stretch my legs and gives him a break as well. 
Enjoy the walk!


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## phoenix (Jun 7, 2010)

Solo, good to hear your boy is doing well on rides.

I'm glad to know lots of other people walk on the trails too, i thoroughly enjoyed my walk with Phoenix, he's a bit like walking a huge dog. When we were crossing the road to get back to the barn an suv had to slow down because my slow poke horse was plodding across after me with this huge leafy branch dangling out of his mouth. We must look so funny when we're out together  (he's 16.1 i'm barely touching 5ft)


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Glad you had a good time - and I wouldn't care if I passed someone on the trails leading there horse! Sounds like good practice to me and no different than someone ponying their young horses to desensitize them to the trails.


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## phoenix (Jun 7, 2010)

Thanks, i'm definitely going to do it more often; i hope it makes a world of difference to his confidence.


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