# Are trail rides "fun" or "work" for your horse?



## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

I just have a question, or rather, I have an opinion, and I want to know your opinions.

My horse and I typically school [dressage] in the pasture. It's pretty sandy, kicks up a lot of dust, and is deep in some spots and has a few bumpy spots, but it works. So every once in awhile, we go on a trail ride. When we go out, I throw her western gear on, give her her head, and just walk or run or whatever. We don't work on collection, bend, anything, I just like to let her get out and not have to worry about carrying herself. I think it's important to go out and do something that isn't "work," you know?

Now, I have a friend, and she doesn't trail ride much, because her horse doesn't collect on the trails. She wants her to walk through the trails like she's in a dressage test. We went out together and we went for a trot, and while I just got in two point and let my pony trot, my friend was struggling with her mare to lower her head and collect. She said if she doesn't, her horse's trot gets too rough to sit or post or two-point to. Personally, I thought she should have got in two point and let her go, trail rides are supposed to be fun, right? After all, the not being able to post or two point to her trot is a rider error, and how better to work on it than do it? But it's her horse, so I didn't say anything.

On the way back, I was letting my horse have a run. My friend didn't want to run her horse, and she said it was okay for me to go, so I ran up the trail and back to my friend a few times, it was really no big deal. So eventually, my friend apparently decided to let her horse have a run. And her horse bolted, took off, my friend couldn't stay on and ended up falling off. She's fine, she landed on her feet, she didn't loose her horse, it all really is fine.

But I think her horse bolted like that because she hadn't been allowed to have fun the whole ride, and when she finally got the chance to go, she really went. Granted, there's a lack of training involved, I understand that. "Whoa" should always mean "whoa" no matter what the horse is doing. 

Later on, I suggested that my friend work on transitions, LOTS of transitions, and drill in her horse's head that "whoa" means "whoa." I'm not sure if she took me seriously or not, I'm pretty sure she just won't go out on the trails with me anymore, and I hate to admit that it really frustrates me. But that's my issue, I won't do or say anything, it's her horse and it's her decision.

My question to you is, what do you think a trail ride should be for your horse? Do you think your horse should continue down a trail in a frame and carrying itself correctly, or do you think your horse should just get to walk and trot as it would in the wild? I don't let my horse go crazy, she always stops and turns when I ask, so that's not what I'm getting at. So rather, do you think your horse should be allowed to go on a loose rein and relax and have fun? Or is it another "schooling" session like it would be in the arena?

Thanks for reading my novel, and thanks for any replies with your opinions. =]


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## Mira (Aug 4, 2008)

Trail rides for my horse are for fun. He's a show horse but when we're trail riding I don't have those kinds of standards for him, he can just chill. My friend used to always ride her horse like she would "schooling in the arena" out on the trails and he ended up hating showing.


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

Well, I've only been once on my horse, but it was just fun. We couldn't walk on a loose rein because he's 16.3 and I was with two 13HHish ponies, but except for keeping pace with ponies he was just allowed to wonder around and have fun, no working on bending or using his butt, etc.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

I suppose I should have explained what I meant by loose rein. I didn't mean holding your horse back while walking with a slower horse or anything, or simply maintaining contact. I just meant "loose rein" like you aren't working for a frame.

There are plenty of times when I want my horse to move slower, my mare typically walks a LOT faster than anyone else. =]


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

Here's a really bad picture of Ben and "his girls" right before our trail ride  I was in show clothes because it was at a show and I just finished my class


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## savvylover112 (Jul 17, 2009)

well i do showjumping with phoebe so i do alot of flatwork schooling and once a week jumping work but i would think of trails as fun and i tend to take her on them as much as i can


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## Sophie19 (Apr 13, 2009)

I usually let him do his own thing on a trail ride. So long as he stays in the gate I have asked him for I let him go whatever pace he wants, and carry himself naturally. I usually use the trail ride if we worked really hard the day before and I think he might have a little muscle soreness, or if I just don't feel like working.


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

Trail rides should be fun and relaxing for the horse. That doesn't mean you can't say "I wonder if I could do a haunches in down the path?" You can play with things every once in awhile, but it's not a place to work. 

My horse loves trail rides. He doesn't like too much consistancy, he gets bored pretty fast, so it's my job to keep variety in his life.


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## toadflax (Jul 14, 2009)

Interesting question. I trail ride exclusively and much of our terrain is demanding, rocky, steep, muddy or wet. It's very often wisest not to interfere with a good, sane trail horse, but rather let them find their own balance and way, not mess with their mouths or ask for collection when it might not be at all the best way to handle a particular trail. In long stretches of trotting or cantering I'll ask for a little rounding up and i expect my horse to be flexible and responsive and move away nicely from my leg in tight quarters, but normally it's hands off the mouth.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Nelson absolutely loves to hack! LOVES IT, LOVES IT, LOVES IT!

I think it is a wonderful avenue for horses to beable to reach in order to clear their minds and relax after being drilled non stop in an arena. Actually, if I do too much arena work with Nelson, he gets bored, bitter and sour.

Hacking is the best way as well for Nelson and I to condition up for our Eventing Season, you get the best of everything out there. Hills, walk work, trot work, canter work - I cannot suggest anything better.

Nelson and I love to Fox Hunt, do Hunter Paces and just hack in general. We have fun, while working - without realizing we are working. 

We do collection work, extention work, rhythm work, responsive to aids work - doesn't matter, it's all still fun. We do half passes on two tracks, or serpentines. We jump anything jumpable, we gallop up hills, we gallop through water - bah - Nelson has no clue he's working.

At all times, his ears are perked up, he wants to go, go, go, go. 

If I tack him up and lead him to the arena, he slows down and becomes pokey. If I lead him to the mounting block that is in the general direction of the starting trail for a 2 hour hack - he wont stand still. I put my foot in the stirrup and he's already taking off.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

When I was able to take Lacey on some actual trials she adored it. I let her go on a loose rein and choose where she wanted to walk. That's one thing that irritates the heck out of me when I ride on trails with other people, a lot of the time the other people will try to tell their horse where to walk, like as in not letting the horse go look over the edge if it wants to or whatever, as long as the horse is behaving itself, why not let it go where ever within boundaries you set? For instance I have boundaries with Lacey about how far ahead she can get from the other horses (she's a power walker) and about how far into either side of the trail/road she can go. As long as she stays with in those boundaries she can meander as much as she wants.

At home however Lacey doesn't seem to be as much of a fan of road riding. I think once we get out there and do it more she'll get better but currently it's a "OMG, I wanna go but I'm scared... Maybe my momma will get down from up there and save me if I act scared enough? But OMG I luuuuv being off property...I'm scared" sorta situation. So at home on the trail I make her work significantly harder since she has issues than I would if she was being calm, just to keep her mind on me and focus instead of spazzing.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

For me, it really depends on where the horse is at in their training and how they are behaving. On young or green horses, EVERYWHERE = drilling and training. I work on stops, transitions, one-rein stops, trot and lope circles, etc. On my older, more broke horses, then the trail is fun unless they are less than perfect. When they misbehave, then they get schooled just like a young horse until I feel they have had enough, then it goes back to being just for fun


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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

I like to think of it this way: going for a walk outside on a trail or through a park is wonderfully relaxing and much more enjoyable for me than walking on a tredmill at a gym. I'd like to think it's the same for a horse. Going for a trail ride instead of working in an arena is a way to escape and relax. 
Now I know all horses aren't acclimated to trails, some have never been on a trail. So obviously their reaction to the trail environment is going to be different than a horse who has been ridden on the trails several times. But I think that once a horse realizes that the boogy man isn't out to get him around every corner he will learn to appreciate a nice trail ride.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Like several others, we exclusively trail ride. There was a time I allowed Vida to just do whatever and she started to refuse to collect up and go into gait. Since then I only occasionally allow her to go out of her 4 beat gait. We have to cut loose once in awhile  Its too much fun not to. 
With my younger filly, its a constant lesson until she gets more broke.


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## HannahandAda (Jul 11, 2009)

I view trail rides as fun, but Ada puts herself into this beautiful frame as soon as we get on the trail. It's sort of like she senses she needs to use herself properly and trust me more. I think she enjoys it mentally but it's definitely work for her muscles!


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I give my horse his head on trails. He works hard enough for me in the ring. Trail riding is his fun time. Riding on a loose rein on uneven ground helps me improve my seat dramatically and helps him both think and balance for himself. I only take a little contact of his mouth if he starts to get a little goofy or is looking to me for input if we encounter something challenging. Even then I just take up enough slack where I can control his head by just a tug of my ring finger.


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## SoMuchManureSoLittleTime (Jul 6, 2009)

I think most horses think trail riding is great. It certainly is not boring like going round and round an arena.

I think if your horse is in good condition, trail riding would not be hard on them unless the terrain is very rugged. Then you'd have to limit them so they don't get too tired.

We used to ride a lot of trails in the summer, ending at a river where we'd pull off the saddles and take the horses in for a swim. Boy, those horses loved that when it was hot. When they got in sight of that old, lazy river, they'd want to run right in before we got the saddles off. Never occurred to us there might be snakes or bad bacteria in the water. But we all lived through it.


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

I think after a horse has actually done real, hard work trail rides are fun. But if a horse is specifically ridden only on trail rides, I think it becomes work.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Well, I don't have an arena, so all I can do is trail ride, unless I'm at PC or a competition. Which means that I have to get my horse competition, show-ring ready while riding trails :]

My rides are a mix of fun and work. I'll ask for a few steps of collected trot/canter/ here and there. I'll sometimes randomly stop, haunch turn/rollback/spin and keep going. I'll leg yeild him through trees, jump bollards, etc. If I find a nice flat spot, i'll do some circlework for a while then continue on. When not doing the above, I give him all the rein he wants, and the only things I insist on are straightness, and maintaining the gait I ask for until I ask for something else.

I also agree with letting ANY horse have a good run every now and then. Most rides I will let Bundy have a good full-on gallop. It stretches him out, and works muscles that otherwise don't get worked. I also need him to have a level head during fastwork, for campdrafting and working classes, so doing it regularly just makes it part of a ride; Nothing to get excited about.


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

Again, as I stated above(provided with a lovely example from wild spot, might I add), it all just depends on the work the horse is used to.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

^ Exactly. Although the majority of riding I do is trails to condition my horse/drop weight/build muscle, so lots of long trots up hills etc. I actually don't do a real lot of actual training... But funnily enough I seem to always do fairly well. I think having a happy, well-adjusted horse who enjoys being ridden is as much a part fo a good performance as training.


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## FlitterBug (May 28, 2009)

I personally like to think of work as fun for my horses. Self carriage is something to be taught to and embraced by a horse. If it is done correctly, the horse does not need to be held there, but simply guided into what actually feels best for the horse.

I ride in both the arena and the trail. Riding is riding, its either done well, or its not. With horses that I start, they begin to learn how to carry themselves from the beginning. When I bring them on the trail, they maintain what feels best to them, what makes them feel strongest. I allow them to stretch the topline on a loose rein, but if they fall heavy in the front and drop their back, I do encourage them to maintain their posture to the point where it becomes habit and helps them with long term soundness.

I also have a pretty "hard core" dressage friend. Her horse was lame for several months. I knew she wanted to get back in the saddle, so I took her on a trail ride and let her ride my gelding while I rode my 3 yr old. We had a nice ride, she was very impressed by how my horse moved without her assistance. The proper movement increases stability and security in the horses mind as well. She was also impressed by the movement of my foundation QH filly that I was riding. Once her horse was sound, she suddenly wanted to start getting out of the ring a bit.
I brought my gelding to her barn to go with her, as the horse never gets out. Our ride was short and limited on where we would go due to the comfort level of her and her horse, I respected that. She wants to get more confident on the trails on my horses so she can be more comfortable getting her horse more experienced outside of the arena. I have no problem with this, I will be with her the whole time until they are just as comfortable on the trail as in the arena.

Trail riding builds trust and experience, I don't think of it as work, but I don't think of our arena time as work either. I'm pretty sure that my horses view teaching lessons to beginners as work for them, but hey, we all gotta eat, right? Everything that I do with them on their back is intending for them to feel better, whether we are on the trail or in the ring. When a horse finds correct posture and what it does for their body, they look for that feeling with whatever they are doing. If they need my guidance for that, I will give it, wherever we are.


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

I don't really think trail riding is "fun" for horses. I mean its more interesting than flat work, and I imagine horses find it better than flat work but I don't think its "fun" for horses. If they had a choice to sit in their paddock and eat grass, or go on a trail ride, I am pretty sure they would not choose the latter. They may appear more enthusiastic about it, and more alert and more forward moving, but I don't think that is fun. They are walking, or going faster, up and down hills on hard dirt with something heavy on their back. 

People say horses love to jump, but if you put 10 jumps in the paddock the majority of horses don't go around jumping them. And if you had a huge paddock with trails in the them the horse wouldn't go an explore them all. They would find grass, eat said grass, then go find more grass. 

I think too many people mistake alertness, or speed, for eagerness or fun. Remember a horses natural instinct is to run, and to me, if a horse is much faster on the trail it doesn't mean that they are having fun.


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

I disagree. Yes horses mostly just eat grass in the pasture, but they also play, run and have fun. You can see the same signs of fun (bright expression in their eye, ready to go but relaxed (as in not tense) ears forward, bounce in their step) as when they play in the pasture


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## HLSxsj (Aug 25, 2009)

I usually bring my horse to hack after a few shows to let his mind ease a bit and also to just be a horse. My horse is a very mental ride, and not as in he's a nutter. But the challenge mostly for him is mental riding compared to physical. He's always thinking, so it's good for him when things get changed up. He doesn't mind going by himself, and when he sees that we're at the local park he knows there's nothing going on and relaxes. There's a big field that I'll just work him in with light contact then we'll just walk on the trails for the rest of the time we're there. 

I also consider it a break and relaxing for myself as well! Haha.


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## IheartPheobe (Feb 15, 2009)

The horses in VA really loved to go on trails. Babe, one of the ponies I rode, was usually a beginner pony and had SO much fun running through the trails and not having to be careful. She was so glade to have a rider who knew what they were doing! She and I had so much fun cantering up hills and threw fields and everything.  I took Rowdy out on trails before shows sometimes to have fun and he'd get so excited and just be like "WOO!" Definately not the lazy guy he is in the ring!


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## RiddlesDarkAngel5 (Jun 2, 2009)

my horse loves to trail ride and i use it as a reward for a hard week of ring work. i usually let him ride on a loose rein and dont ask for the usual head carriage i would. he gets to stretch his neck out and just enjoy walking with maybe a little trotting and cantering for endurace. the only thing i ask is that he maintain the speed i ask. he has to go the gait i want, when i want. other than that, its our chill time and he loves it!!


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

When I trail ride, I usually don't train as much as far as what I would normally do in the arena. It's what I consider "down time", even though we're still going for a ride. 

I just go out and have a good ride; will walk, trot, canter, etc, but not extremely concerned about head set, or how collected he is; as long as he is paying attention to me, paying attention to his footing, and not getting over excited, or trying to evade cues, I am not too particular. Now, if he decides to pick a 'fight', say he starts head tossing and prancing, then I might do some circle and serpentine work, and general bending and flexing to get his attention back; but it's only if he 'asks' for it on a trail ride...I will train if I have too, but for the most part, it's a good time for both of us.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

For us, there are different types of trail (or off trail) rides.
First, there is casual group of horses/riders having the typical walk/lope down the trail...just a laid back relaxing day for everyone.
Second, there is the trail ride workout for conditioning, lots of hills and changing gaits.
Finally, the off trail work where we excercise their _mind and body,_ try and build 'trail sense', and mutual trust. For example, I turn off the trail into the woods and want to reach the top of a hill 1/2 mile away. I look at which route the horse picks to get me there, so I can (try and) understand how this horse 'thinks' on the trail and the horse can learn what I want...will it blindly take the direct route through/over anything in the way (banging my knees against trees or dragging me through thickets)? or carefully 'make a trail' around obstacles?, etc. A horse can see, smell, and hear better than I can, and I want a trail horse that I can trust to keep me out of that unseen (to me) ditch or rusty old barbed wire fence in the middle of the woods.
I don't pretend to know what is 'fun' for the horse, but if I gauge it on alertness and willingness, I would say the 'thinking' ride is certainly on top and the laid back, lazy walk down the trail at the bottom (though certainly enjoyable on a hot, 90+ day).


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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

Saskia said:


> I don't really think trail riding is "fun" for horses. I mean its more interesting than flat work, and I imagine horses find it better than flat work but I don't think its "fun" for horses. If they had a choice to sit in their paddock and eat grass, or go on a trail ride, I am pretty sure they would not choose the latter. They may appear more enthusiastic about it, and more alert and more forward moving, but I don't think that is fun. They are walking, or going faster, up and down hills on hard dirt with something heavy on their back.


I completely disagree. I have mare that absolutely begs to go out. And when it comes time to head back home (and this she knows), she always tries to head straight instead of turning towards the barn, she could go all day long without a complaint, and then all night too.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Most of you seem to think the same way I do. When I say trail rides are "fun" as opposed to "work," I just mean we don't really do anything we would typically do in the arena out on the trails. A horse needs to be stimulated mentally, and if you go in the arena 5 days a week and do the same thing over and over, it becomes "work" and eventually, the horse will resent it. It needs to be mixed up. The trail ride is a reward, my horse doesn't have to carry herself like we're in a dressage test, she just gets to walk. Or trot, or canter, or jump. My horse loves to be ridden. She actually gets really depressed if I go more than a few days without riding, but I make sure that I take her out whenever I have time, whether it's a long trail ride up in the hills, or just a ride behind the pastures after an arena ride.


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## LeosAmericanShadow (Sep 5, 2009)

i think horses love trail riding!


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## ClassicalRomantic (Jun 2, 2009)

definite fun for us  i usually work Classy in the arena first doing her normal work then we will go out on a short trail for her cool down/ reward..she really likes it and it breaks up her "work" hopefully she will stay happy with me switching it up like that


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## Kentucky (Aug 2, 2008)

I have never thought about it. I don't know. Hercules was relaxed and enjoy me rubbing his face after the ride on Monday.


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## reveriesgirly (Aug 17, 2009)

that picture iss soo cutee


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## reveriesgirly (Aug 17, 2009)

1dog3cats17rodents - i love that pic


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Definately fun. It never ceases to amaze me just how incrediably LAZY my Arab mare can pretend to be when we're schooling in the yard. We don't do much serious, as we don't show, but she gets so bored going in circles. I do little things on the trail, like I work on her leg yielding on the road and stuff but still just fun things.

It bugs me when people always have to be "schooling on the trail". Horses need some downtime. I understand a young horse needs focus and schooling on a trail is beneficial, but if you have a finished showhorse just let him enjoy the relaxation and not have to think!

I realize some horses dislike trail riding, but in that case, have fun rides in the arena then. I think all horses should have some "downtime" where they aren't constantly being asked to do something while being ridden. I find it keeps them fresh and happier at their jobs.


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## o0hawaiigirl0o (Aug 8, 2008)

Trail rides for me and my mare are fun with a little bit of work. For the most part I don't ask her to be in a frame or collect herself or anything like that. In fact most of our trail rides are spent just walking or galloping madly up every hill we can find. =P I do, however, expect her to behave and will occasionally ask her to get on the bit or stretch.


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## SallyRC123 (Aug 22, 2008)

I find my horse likes to put her head down and really look where she's going while out on a trail ride, especially going over rocky terain or anything like that. If never put her in a frame over difficult terrain, she tends to trip and lose her balance because she cant stretch out and move her body.. 'naturally' (for want of a better word) and balance accordingly over the terrain, because she can't get a good look at the ground. I do however think "okay, I will put her on the bit untill I get to that tree" just to keep her mind working and doing different things, then i'll let her stretch out again. I think trail rides provide a break from schooling in the arena and keep both the horse and riders mind fresh.


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

I like your Ben - I guess he has some Irish blood in him.

From your description of the ride out, my guess is that your friend is very nervous out on a trail ride. She feels happy in the arena but she can't relax and enjoy it out in the open. Maybe she is anxious not to discuss her fears.
Hopefully the mini fall did nothing to dent her confidence further

Riding a trail ride calls for a slightly different technique than for riding in the arena with a dressage test in mind. If you don't already know the difference then ask the tutor. You should do both types of riding. 
Your horse no doubt can handle both environments, that's his job.

But the idea of horse riding is to have fun all the time not just occasionally.

Barry G


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## HooverH (May 17, 2008)

Our whole teaching at my ranch is trail rides should be fun for you and the horse. We ride on a very loose western one hand, and have spots in the trail we let them stop to eat. Notice I say let them, it's not their choice. We're still in control, but the feeling is relaxed. The horse isn't allowed to act up, but can pick where he wants to put his footing and how he wants to move in the gait asked. We do the same trail (we used to offer trail riding) so we never wanted the horses to hate the trail. It's work for them, yes, but it's meant to be enjoyable work. 

Hoover would -prance- when we started the trail, and he never does that outside of the field with his buddies. We would do the trail, and he would want more- bump my elbow when I tried to take his bridle off. His face would light up when we turned out past the barn.


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## equine fanatic99 (Oct 1, 2009)

Trail rides are just to get ur horse "out there" once and a while and give them something different insted of just paddock-arena -paddock-arena. When im on a trial ride i have FUN, i let my horse have her head and have a canter with the other horses. Natually, wild horses live in a herd and canter together (obviously without having someone making them work in a frame).
My answer; trail rides r ment 2 be fun and relaxing for the horse just as u said


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