# Taking your horse for a walk!



## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Have you ever taken your horse for a walk on the trail? And I don't mean you riding them and walking, I mean taking them for a walk like you would a dog! :lol:

My horse is just getting over an abscess and we've been doing some light exercise (riding bareback just at a walk and a little trot now and then). But I got the great idea with it being nice out today and the leaves turning and it being all pretty to take her out on the trail...but just to hand walk her so that I'm not putting unnecessary pressure on that hoof on hard terrain by being on her back. I'll post pics later on if I do it! 

Anyone else have pics of hand walking on a trail?


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## Pony~Princess (Aug 22, 2007)

I dont have any pictures but we (My mom and I) Always walk the baby's to get them used to the trails and when its time for them to be rode they are used to trails. I walk Norman almost 2x a week.


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## Lenuccia (Oct 3, 2009)

Yes, we (my boyfriend and I) sometimes take the girls for a walk if we don't have time to ride. It's a good exercise both for horses and human beings, and it helps the horses to be more relaxed when we ride them afterwards.
Don't have any pics, though...


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

yep maddy gets walked all the time .. it helps her stocking up and my hubby doesn't know how to ride but he can walk her


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Not me man. I am incredibly lazy by nature so if I'm going anywhere with my horse, I will be riding. I will even get back on to travel the 50 feet or so from the windmill to the gate. I think my main thing is that I am so clumsy on my own feet and the horse is so much more secure feeling.


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## paintsrule (Aug 20, 2009)

Yep, I have when i was hurt and couldn't ride but my horse needed exercise.


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## Cougar (Jun 11, 2009)

Yupp. I used to go jogging with the mini and shetland we used to have because my mom refused to let me get another dog. I got some funny looks as we were the only people who had a little stable in the middle of a suburb. "WHAT KINDA DOGS ARE THOSE?" "Spanish Heavy Coated Retrievers" 

I walk my new horse everywhere as I am not riding her yet nor am I even putting her to work. Just giving her time to settle in and us get used to each other. I also walk my POA a lot. Cougar not so much but I did yesterday. It's good fun.


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## Plains Drifter (Aug 4, 2009)

Yep..I do with Lillie. She's too young to ride, so we've gone on walks around the farm.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Nope, never. I own horses to ride them. 

If I had a young'un, I would pony it on the trail, but walking? No thanks! I'm with Smrobs, i'm too lazy :]


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## Lori1983 (Jan 9, 2009)

Cougar said:


> Yupp. I used to go jogging with the mini and shetland we used to have because my mom refused to let me get another dog. I got some funny looks as we were the only people who had a little stable in the middle of a suburb. "WHAT KINDA DOGS ARE THOSE?" "Spanish Heavy Coated Retrievers"


Oh....my....GOSH. That is too funny!! :lol:


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## wordstoasong (Jul 8, 2008)

Oh yeah! I take my boy on walks! It was the first thing I did before actually riding him on the road.


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

I hate walking, so no, I can't say I've done that. If I have a horse recovering from something, I'll hand graze them around the property. I love to pony my gelding on the trails, though.


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## ElDorado (Nov 14, 2008)

All the time. I have to! I have a palomino gelding that absolutly will not pee in his stall. I swear he would hold it for days if he had to. Thank goodness he lives outside most of the time. When he's in when the weather is bad I have take him for a walk every few hours like he's a big dog. At least he doesn't lift his leg up on anything.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Ok got some pics!! It was SO fun and I'm glad we did it!! Sandie had a lot of fun with it too, and it got my husband (who doesn't ride) involved so it was nice all around 































































http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs279.snc1/10623_281304410690_626405690_9385609_8140185_n.jpg


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

*gasp* Can I come steal Sandie and some of your green grass? Everything here is already dead and brown D:

Sandie is still so beautiful though. I'm jealous.


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## dreamrideredc (Apr 16, 2009)

Sandie is so beautiful! I love the third to last pic, it looks like she's a gift from above and chorus' should be going off! lol! =)


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

And here's a vid...


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

smrobs said:


> *gasp* Can I come steal Sandie and some of your green grass? Everything here is already dead and brown D:
> 
> Sandie is still so beautiful though. I'm jealous.


Dead and brown?? that's a bummer! And no you can't steal her! lol ;-) But you can have some grass I suppose...come on up to northeast Ohio and I'll pick some for ya! haha I'm sure that wherever you live if the grass is brown then it's got to be warmer than up here! It's already in the 50's here and it's been raining for like a WEEK (just stopped the other day)...getting sick and tired of the rain!!!


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

dreamrideredc said:


> Sandie is so beautiful! I love the third to last pic, it looks like she's a gift from above and chorus' should be going off! lol! =)


THANKS! I love that one too!!! I may have to get it framed in fact ;-)


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## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

I prefer to walk my horse around places we are unfarmiluar with, so i can guide her around a hole that might be covered up by grass or thats hard to see from the saddle. its a great way to despooke a horse, let them see that its ok by having the rider go first.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Well, it has been averaging in the 60's but cloudy and drizzly with about a 40 to 50 mph wind. Makes for a pretty nippy wind chill. 

Right now it is 61 degrees with a 25 mph wind (gusts up to 32) and 93% humidity. Bleh. I don't mind the cold soggies just so long as the wind isn't blowing. I HATE WIND!!!


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

I used to walk a young colt that I had. I would give anything to have pics of that! Not only did I have the horse, our two pigs (Red & Sheila), our two cats (Bill & Tiny), and our chocolate Lab (Bosley) always had to tag along! I was like some kind of weid animal Pied Piper.


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

I used to walk a young colt that I had. I would give anything to have pics of that! Not only did I have the horse, our two pigs (Red & Sheila), our two cats (Bill & Tiny), and our chocolate Lab (Bosley) always had to tag along! I was like some kind of weird animal Pied Piper!


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

wild_spot said:


> Nope, never. I own horses to ride them.
> 
> If I had a young'un, I would pony it on the trail, but walking? No thanks! I'm with Smrobs, i'm too lazy :]


Same here!!


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Well for those of you saying you never walk you'd always ride...let me say that I'm with you 99% of the time...but in this case, Sandie has an abscess and needs hand walked to get the circulation going but is too uncomfortable being ridden right now for more than a couple mins at a time. 

So this was my way of going trail riding with her when I can't go trail riding on her ;-) 

Here are some more vids by the way!


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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

When one of my mares was preggers I took her for walks instead of riding her, esp. in her later months. We both got our exercise.


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

I would take our young ones for a walk before they started their actual saddle training. It really helped once we got out on the trail in the saddle.

Also when Toby was recovering from EPM we use to do a lot of walks.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

I actually plan on doing that with Jynxy once I get her properly trained with the halter (still some stubborness issues, they trained her to walk DIRECTLY behind you and she's having difficulty understanding I want her at my shoulder). I'm on a weight loss "journey" (LOL, gotta love Weight Watchers!) and I figured it's a perfect way for me to enjoy getting my exercise while she's to young to really ride. Not to mention helpful getting her used to the scenery!


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Maybe a dumb question (but I'm pretty new to this, so bear with me), but could you reasonably expect to teach a horse to walk "off-leash", in the same way that a dog can be taught to heel?


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Yes for the most part. I would always want to keep some kind of security handle on my horse just in case of a spook. I teach my horses to lead so that they walk with no pressure on the lead rope and to ground tie. However, my horses will also follow me around when I have nothing on them or I can lead them with simply my hand on their poll. It just takes practice and a pretty calm horse (I wouldn't want to let go of a hot or jumpy horse).

And by the way, the only dumb question is the question that goes unasked. 

Welcome to the forum James.


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

I have many a time. First I take my mountian bike and with just a halter on the horse run down the side of the road. When I come to a hill I grab a handful of mane and he pulls me up the hill.
I tried the mountian bike on the bush trails but they proved too narrow for the both of us so I ditch the bike and just walk or jog beside him.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I walk the two yearlings I am training all the time. I also walk my new horse.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

I walk Lacey all the time. I'm super lazy so it's definitely not my favorite thing but it's good for us. =P


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## IheartPheobe (Feb 15, 2009)

Love the video.. She's just trotting along and she's like "hey, i'm hungry!" and just stops and eats... lol. 
Ah once D was out in the tractor shed field, which is gigantic and I walked for a mile or so until I found him and then we had to walk back.. oh the joy.


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## dynamite. (Jun 21, 2008)

I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this! My friends and I do this all the time. When I am not riding her every day (school year) I always take her for a little walk on the road and around the driveways because she is so spooky for some reason (only if shes not riden every day). It also gives me an opportunity to do some groundwork with her! When I am working with a young horse I also do this so that they aren't a freak show the first time they leave the property.


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## Cheshire (Oct 17, 2009)

I used to have a friend who had horses, and we would simply walk them with a halter and lead a lot of the time (one was a bit too old to ride and the other incredibly barnsour/pushy under saddle :/ something neither of us really felt like dealing with at the time...) We'd bring food or whatever and take these long walks in the hills which surrounded her property. They seemed to enjoy these outings. The old guy didn't even have to be led half the time, he'd just follow at my shoulder with the rope slung over his withers. It was quite fun.

I also used to periodically visit this lady's young arab gelding. He had been ridden hard waaaayyyy too early by a heavy individual and as a result had a super sensitive back that couldn't take a lot of riding. ): As part of his excersise I would lead him around the neighborhood a few times a week. He was so sweet though. We've since lost touch with his owner.

I think walking your horse or simply spending time together doing other things that don't involve "work" is an excellent way to deepen the bond.


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

I take Chinga for a walk once a week, I walk him to our lesson because its easier then floating him and its only around the corner, plus it is a great warm up for us both.


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## heyycutter (Sep 26, 2009)

i walk cutter on the sidewalk all the time, people always come up and ask to pet him, hes become quite the celeberty in my town haha


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

omg heyycutter I want to live where you do, in a place where I can take a walk down the sidewalk with my horse!!!!


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

Yeppers... I walk my two pretty often along the sides of the road and some trails... The farthest we've walked so far has been eight miles in a day... when we walk, we usually go about two or three miles.


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## Thatgirlsacowboy (Aug 17, 2009)

Holy crud, Hoofprints! Your mare is a BEAST! She's like "FOOD? FOOD??!?!?? FOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM!!!" She like... Flippin' SEEKS it out! No one shall escape the NOM MONSTER!!!! 

Dang... She eats as if she's been starved. It's hilarious! 

"Hello balde of grass... GOODBYE BLADE OF GRASS! GET IN MY BELLEH!" 

Our mares are two of a kind. LOL


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## Gidji (Dec 19, 2008)

Me and my friend take her two horses for walks along the streets. A lot of people give us weird looks and are like what the heck? but we think its funny. Most of the time we're too lazy to get the saddles, but we know they need work so we just walk them around.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Thatgirlsacowboy said:


> Holy crud, Hoofprints! Your mare is a BEAST! She's like "FOOD? FOOD??!?!?? FOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM!!!" She like... Flippin' SEEKS it out! No one shall escape the NOM MONSTER!!!!
> 
> Dang... She eats as if she's been starved. It's hilarious!
> 
> ...


LOL!!! yeah she is OBSESSED!! Probably because of where she came from (she is a rescue)...she was being neglected and starved there with basically a mud pasture from what I heard, and no hay. The people I actually bought her from were "foster" parents and let her eat all the grass she wanted but they told me about when they went with the SPCA to get her, poor thing :-( 

She has refused jumps in cross country and I fall off, and she takes 2 steps and starts grazing LOL!! she never runs away, esp. if there's grass underneath us! ;-)


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## ridesapaintedpony (Apr 14, 2009)

I walk Toby on the road on the advice of the farrier. He says just hand walking him on the road will help build up the toughness of his feet. I don't have pictures since I'm usually concentrating on him in preparation of his spooking.

I'm thinking of taking him through the trails now based on what everyone else has said. Maybe he won't be so spooky if he realizes nothing will happen.


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## Amir (Nov 18, 2009)

My cousin used to take her welsh mountain pony for a run all the time. The pony would founder easily and since she was a childrens pony and there were no children to ride her, she was always FAT. People driving past would give her the weirdest looks.
It's a great idea to take green horses on walks to get them used to traffic and trails. I plan on starting this with my baby soon.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

i love walking my horse ! especially when its nice & warm out =]


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

I have always walked my horses. I used to love to walk the old logging roads where I lived and would bring my Saint Bernard Jill for protection and my horse(whichever I had at the time or even my G-mas donkey Nester) for company. They made amazing walking companions, you didn't have to listen to them blabber the whole way and the fact that they were prey animals helped, they heard everything and let you know when something was near(we had black bears and mountain lions where I used to live) though It was usually just a dog or something or another person .

Plus when you get a little tired or get to a big hill you can just hop on and not have to walk anymore, though I rarely did that.


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## trIplEcrOwngIrl (May 13, 2009)

I have with my minis before. I tried misty and she starts bucking and action like a freak as soon as we got in the same area as her bf jake lol!! then I walked copper and about ripped my arm off. My horses have no manners


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## NevadaRides (Jan 15, 2010)

*Same here*



kchfuller said:


> yep maddy gets walked all the time .. it helps her stocking up and my hubby doesn't know how to ride but he can walk her


My hubby doesn't ride (had a couple of bad experiences) so he hand walks Sunny, our big Saddlebred/Appy cross and I ride Fox. Sometimes we hand walk them together when time is short.


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## HorsePride (Aug 29, 2009)

I 'walk' my horse all the time!  It's fun, i let him sniff the grass... And we wander along at our own pace, it's great fun!


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## Lonestar22 (May 22, 2009)

This makes me wanna take my poneh for a walk.


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## Smarby (Oct 27, 2007)

The only time i have taken Dougal for a walk off the land we keep him on was on Christmas Eve. It was too icy to ride and so we just lead the ponies around, hadning out Christmas treats.
Dougal was a total. idiot. It was like walking a tank. A fat, uncontrollable one. Not my idea of fun.


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## penylove8 (Feb 2, 2010)

ya i take my horse lady walking around and up to the arena near by and then i let her loose in the big arena to run around however she pleases because she does so much that i want her to do i feel thatr she needs time to smiply do what horses do...so we walk with her and a fellow horse named dude and then we let em loose(figureativly speaking )....

i also take my horse peny for walks as if she was a dog...she likes to show off a bit to her neighbor horse sophia..so she will look over at her and then look at me and i always laugh at her because she then starts doing a little strut thing haha..she walks wiht me to get the mail because its a bit down the rode to the mailbox .


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## Kashmere (Nov 30, 2009)

I do hope to eventually when I have a horse to just go for walks with it!
It just sounds so fun!


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## GoldRush (Dec 14, 2009)

When I first got Sunny, he was rail thin, and was not up for riding. I had been walking about three miles a day (I had lost 100 lbs and walking was my exercise of choice) One day, I decided to take Sun along with me, to help build up his muscles. The looks we got from people as we passed by was priceless! He was wonderful on the lead, and we actually bonded more by walking like this, as he came to trust me more and more.


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## Amir (Nov 18, 2009)

My cousin used to take her Welsh Mountain Pony jogging with her and her dog. That pony was prone to founder on just grass so had to keep the weight off her somehow!
I used to take my old horse for walks because I didn't feel like riding.
I'll be taking my 3 year old on walks just as soon as it cools down enough.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

GoldRush said:


> When I first got Sunny, he was rail thin, and was not up for riding. I had been walking about three miles a day (I had lost 100 lbs and walking was my exercise of choice) One day, I decided to take Sun along with me, to help build up his muscles. The looks we got from people as we passed by was priceless! He was wonderful on the lead, and we actually bonded more by walking like this, as he came to trust me more and more.


Hilarious! If I had my own place I would totally take her for walks down the street and stuff hahaha!!! (given there was enough of a shoulder for both of us to walk in the grass and the road wasn't busy of course!)  There are tons of trails around here, it would be so much fun to just go on one of the walking trails with the horse hahaha I can just imagine the looks on runners' faces when we come sauntering down the trail! ;-)


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## Dare2dream ersgirl (Feb 10, 2010)

YEa i allways take my horses on walks specially cuz my horse is only 3 so he doesn't know that much about riding yet  its fun to go jogging with your horse


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## HooverH (May 17, 2008)

I can't ride Hoover anymore, so we go for walks. Even when I could ride him, we still went for walks, especially on the trail before we rode it the first time. I'm planning a couple picnics with him out on it come summer.

I need to walk Gunner the trail a couple times before I take him out on it. It really helped Hoover be calm his first time out.


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## HooverH (May 17, 2008)

GoldRush said:


> He was wonderful on the lead, and we actually bonded more by walking like this, as he came to trust me more and more.


My trainer told me once about how Native Americans would "break" a horse. They would tie the halter rope around their waist and set out into the wilderness. The horse learned he moved when they moved, ate when they ate, drank when they drank, and rested when they rested. The same as an alpha in the herd, the horse came to depend on everything from it's master, giving the master alpha position, and trust to take care of it.


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## Brianna6432 (Jan 25, 2010)

I have not but one of my neighbors jogs with her pony every morning. Literally - she has the pony on a leash and they run side by side down a back road!


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## Phantomcolt18 (Sep 25, 2007)

i walk phantom a lot especially at the shows i dont want to get him tired before a pattern so instead of riding him we go for a walk.


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## Reiterin (Mar 28, 2010)

Yes. I take my horse for a walk when I'm meeting my trail riding group for our annual work party weekend. I usually get there hours before anyone else, and I won't ride without a buddy. (too unsafe) So I walk my horse all over the trails until people start showing up.
here's a crappy picture, but...








I had to loan her my jacket. the blood thirsty insects thought she was a free blood bank. (it didn't help!)


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## kathryn (Jan 16, 2009)

Aw that is so cute! I might have to try that with one of my nonhorsey friends who wants to do something at the barn with me!


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## Citrus (Feb 26, 2010)

I have not read all the reponses, but yes I have taken Citrus on a walk.... it is where he was introduced to a bridge and me, my daughter and the horse had a picnic..... I think it helped him bond with us. I will do it again asap


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Fun stories and pics everyone!! ;-)


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## PumpkinzMyBaby22 (Jul 5, 2009)

i take Pumpkin for walks down the road..... people look at me funny at the time. its like 'haven't you ever seen a horse being walked before?'


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## twh (Feb 1, 2010)

I took my boy for a walk once. Frankly, I think I'd rather hop on him.


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## PechosGoldenChance (Aug 23, 2009)

I have yet to do that, and I really want to. Maybe one of these days, here soon I will. I love to ride, but there are times where I'd just rather groom for a few hrs, clean stalls, clean arenas, and take my girl for a walk down the road. When I do, I'll let ya'll know how it went..


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