# What type of trails do you perfer?



## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

So, which type of trail do you perfer?

Nice easy, quiet, laid back trails. Hardly any hills, and if there are hills, just tiny ones. Pretty scenery. Lots of fields and trees, no water to cross and nothing to jump.
OR
Quiet trails, lots of steep hills that you have to go up and/or down. Pretttty scenery. Sharp turns or else off cliff. Logs to jump. A creek to cross.

So in other language....
Do you perfer a nice, calm easy trail ride.....or an intese one? lol



Me, at first I liked the nice easy calm ones cause that is what I was used to....but since at the new barn, they have the intense trails and OMG I love them!!
Sonny seems to like them alot more also!


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I didn't vote because I prefer WIDE enough trails and NOT in open field. As for hardness of it - I don't care that much. In fact I do like having different obstacles on my way to teach my youngsters (I don't go for very long rides too because of back issues). 

Last month I tried a new trail and it was almost 90 degrees up (VERY-VERY steep). Going up was OK, however going DOWN was a real fun - my horse almost slide on her butt. It was fun but little too much (too rocky around). However the stream there was just beautiful - I spent 30 mins trying to drive my horse away from middle.


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

it depends on what kind of mood i'm in...:lol:

i voted for intense


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

kickshaw said:


> it depends on what kind of mood i'm in...:lol:
> 
> i voted for intense


I'm the same way, depends on what mood I'm in. I like going fast so I do prefer a groomed trail for that. We have too many coyotes here that dig really large leg breaker holes and armadillos that dig small hoof catchers. If I know the trail is hole free I can go faster. 
I like a challenge just to make it fun too.


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

i wanted a pet armadillo for the longest time...i was going to call him dizzy :lol:


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## wyleeluver (Jan 7, 2007)

I like the quiet relaxing trail rides! I am afraid of heights so I hate when were riding by a big drop off or going down a big hill. But I guess once in a while an intense ride is fun!


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

I voted intense as the closest to 'off the trail' rides that I prefer...through the woods without a trail you can come across almost anything...and our mares seem to love it too...I think they enjoy having their minds kept very busy.


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## Arrow (Jul 21, 2008)

Both--I like to mix it up.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Dos this answer your question?


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I like big open trails, that are relaxed & quiet.


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

depends on which horse I am on and the mood I am in LOL I like alitle of it ALL!!!


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Just like Painted's pictures, nice and easy (lol). I like both actually, easy for a mindless ride or a new horse but a challenging trail to get the "go" out (for me) on a seasoned horse.


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## servinator (Oct 13, 2008)

I thought I liked intense trails until recently....we ended up on top of a mountain and had to walk our horses down a decline for about 1/2 a mile, it was so steep the horses were sliding on their rear legs, a thunderstorm started and my knees hurt so bad from the pressure going down at such a steep grade I thought I wouldn't be able to make it. It was very scary. I felt an accomplishment having made it, but I wouldn't want to do it again! :shock:


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## RusticWildFire (Jul 6, 2008)

I like a combination of them both. Some nice easy stretches to relax with some pretty scenery but I love to cross a creek and climb a good hill here and there too.


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## Ottakee (Sep 26, 2008)

Well, I voted nice and quiet trails but I don't know if that is accurate.

Today I went riding with my riding instructor to a local county horse park. The trails were mostly quite narrow (tuck your feet in or loose your stirrups at many points), had some hills, lots of tree roots, lots of twists and turns, branches to duck and dodge, etc. At some points (not sure we were on the "real" trails though at this point) we had a narrow trail with trees on one side and a deep ravine on the other. We had logs we could have jumped but instead we just walked over them.

We took these trails mostly at a walk and trotted just a bit (saved the loping for the wider open trails) so I considered them nice and easy. We had to pay attention and the horses had to pay attention but there was nothing there that I felt was really intense.

I think it is a lot perspective. Some people would consider these trails intense (compared to the groomed, wide enough to ride side by side, etc. trails) while others would consider them a walk in the park and boring--compared with the intense mountain climbing trails they do.

For me leisurely as means doing most of the trails at a WALK--so we can just chat and enjoy the scenery. Taking the same trails today at a trot or lope, they would have been much more intense.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I prefer an intense trail. I really prefer to make my own and just decide where my horse can go down the hill instead of having a pre-set trail to follow. Sometimes, thought when I have a lot on my mind, I like to just ride with my eyes closed and think of nothing but the smell of the air, movement of the horse, and sounds of the prairie. By the way Vida, I didn't know that they had anything in Kansas but flat land and corn fields!!! LOL


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## newhorsemom (Jun 20, 2008)

Painted Horse - those are beautiful pics! Where is that? 

Thanks for sharing!


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Well I like to ride fast on a trail... Trot and canter mostly the whole time, with bits of walk to give the horse a breather. otherwise my horse never gets fit enough for the two day mounted games competitions. Where I ride it's mostly very wide green space, so just grass, tracks etc. there are a few creeks to cross, and a few good hills to gallop up. We rgularly ride through the suburbs, so along footpaths/roads you can't really go faster than a trot. And then the days I help dad with the cattle, I go up in the hills full of rocks, fallen trees and rabbit holes where the motorbike can't get to, and push the cattle down. There is one spot, where the sheep/cattle always bolt for the back of the hill and I have to do the "snowy river ride" (that's what we call it :]) Flat gallop down the hill through the rocks/trees/holes to cut the stock off before they reach the gate. If they reach the gate, you'll almost kill the horses and dogs trying to get them out again. It's very scary and very exhilarating. So I guess I like everything :]


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## megalsbegals (Sep 6, 2008)

Painted Horse- those are such cool pictures!! You are so lucky!!

I didn't pick one because I like both...I have been on a somewhat relaxing trail ride but intense with girl scouts. 
It was relaxing because the horses were so old and calm, lol, but intense because we had to go up and down very steep hills and we got to be on the edge-not _exactly_ on the edge but we were on a huge cliff thing and we could see so far out.
My friend in front of me kept pulling these big branches out in front of her then she would let go and they would whack me in the chest, I kept telling her to stop but she didn't she didn't understand she was killing me, lol. 
Haha but then later her horse was standing too close to me and mine so I go rachel you might want to get out of the way. And she was like nahh. and so my horse kicked her horse I was like ha, even though my horse totally missed her horse and kicked the air, but rachel still freaked out.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Some of it is Utah, Some of it is the Idaho/Wyoming state line area.

We ride the deserts of Southern Utah in the winter and the mountains of Northern Utah and Western Wyoming in the summer

San Rafael Swell of Central Utah


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## InBox (Dec 2, 2008)

A little bit of both depending on the weather and stuff


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## suniac (Nov 8, 2008)

I voted for quiet and relaxing trial but I like both. Sometimes it gets a little boring just walking down the trail but sometimes it's just what you need to relax. Depends on the experiance of the horse I'm riding to. Crossing water and jumping logs adds a little fun and excitement.


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## hrsjmpr32 (Nov 4, 2008)

I voted intense bc I think the horses have more fun too and mine seem to get lazy when on a leisure trail but sometimes that is great too!


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## SunshineAcres (Jan 3, 2008)

I voted for intense trails. I like lots of hills, twists and turns, water, bridges and other difficult obstacles.


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## Remali (Jul 22, 2008)

I love quiet and relaxing trails.....with some variety, thru woods, and also out in open fields....etc.


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## diamonr4ever (Jan 29, 2008)

I have never really trail ridden, but once i guess in a big feild with the barn owner. I would probably have to say both. I love a challenge!


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

We are at the foot of the Rocky Mountains so the list of trail rides available is endless. The big issue here tho, is not to go during the bear season which even when you don't go during the high risk season, you are still putting yourself at risk of getting eaten...welcome to Canada. There aren't really any trails nearby. Not a lot of traffic either just because it's off a main road so the only options you have is the ditch which isn't really that much fun. The fear of getting eaten in the mountains does not appeal to me either so...

When I lived back in Europe all it was there was trails. Trail rides you could not even dream of. They were amazing and you didn't have to worry about dangerous wild life either.


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## NicoleS11 (Nov 21, 2008)

a bit of both but it depends on the day. I usually cool my horses down after a good work out on an easy trail around the hay field and up the hill a bit. But i like the other trails as well!


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## LadyAshen (Dec 20, 2008)

A nice quiet trail.


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