# Preparing for Group Trail Ride



## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

My husband, daughter and I ride together 2-3 times each week. We have ridden with friends occasionally but never more than 5-6 horses at one time. My husband would really like to go to a St Jude's charity ride that is close us, the issue is that there are usually more than 100 horses on that ride. As much as I hate to admit it my gelding can be a snot when another horse gets between him and one of his mares. I have never come off but have had to do some creative riding when he gets like this. He is the only gelding with 4 mares and is not proud cut just the herd boss. We do leap frog on the trail so he is not always the leader, other horses can pass us on the trail with no issue. But I want the ride to be enjoyable for all of us and if we get separated I want everyone (including other riders) to be safe. The mares do not seem to have as much of an issue riding away from him as he does when they ride away from him.

Any suggestions on training for a group ride?


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

He may be the boss but it sounds like he's herd bound. If you have room on your property, split him off the herd into a separate run until he learns he doesn't have to be right there with the mares. Even better if you have a spot where he can't see them. Be prepared for some hollering. Secondly, start riding him by himself. He also has to learn when he's taken away on a ride that eventually he'll get to come back again and that leaving wasn't the end of the world that he thought.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

Do you ride any of the other mares? Maybe leave the gelding home and take a mare with your Husband and Daughter's mares if it makes for a more pleasant ride.


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

not sure where you are, but i would contact either the organizer or others that have ridden at the event of interest.

the st jude's ride here in upstate NY is a marked trail that you and your group go out on at your own leisure. There were probably only 20-40 horses at this year's ride and I never felt crowded by the other groups.


One thing I have found that works very well with my mare, take her on walks just the two of you. If you are confident at home or away solo rides, then when with the group if you walk on the front of a building/brush pile/trees the others go around the back and they meet up again. My mare would get very antsy if the others in the group started to get worked up so I got to the point if she wasn't behaving how I wanted her to, we would ride away and meet the group elsewhere (now I have to take my wife's horse with us but still not a big deal except she has to come with me instead of hanging out with her friends since her horse is young and has other obstacles to overcome before we fight the herd bound issues too hard)


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

1. If you don't have a spare mare you can ride, by all means put a red ribbon in your gelding's tail. That indicates you don't trust him not to kick.

And hope some ninny doesn't ask why the pretty red ribbon, like once happened to me:icon_rolleyes:

2. When the ride leaves the trail head, keep all your horse's at the back of the ride, until all the horses on the ride settle in. Hopefully once your gelding settles down he may accept one or two of the mares leaving him.

If he gets too bully-ish, tell whomever is on his favorite mare, sorry but that person will have to stick with you the entire ride, even if it's at the back of the ride. I don't like giving in to that kind of gelding behavior but, when on a big organized ride, do what you need to keep peace.

This is not the time for hard core separation lessons.

3. Don't lose your focus, cool or calm. The gelding will seize on that. 

I have one that sounds similar to him (*NOT* the precious horse in my avatar. It ended up the bully gelding was too unpredictable in the company of more than ten horses so a couple times on huge rides was all I did with him ----

4. You will most likely stop for lunch, so bring halters and lead ropes. Be sure to ask if lunch is provided, or if you need to pack your own sack lunches.

5. Don't forget to have a great time and get some pictures


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

Just a note - I don't have another mare to ride - the others are retired (one is suffering from cancer and cannot be ridden at all due to weak hind end from the cancer)

I have ridden my gelding with other horses when his mares were not there and he did OK - I have also ridden him by himself and he does OK (not great - OK) I know this is a respect thing but it is hard to reinforce riding away when the only people I normally ride with are my husband and daughter. We have tried having 2 riders go ahead on the trail and let the other horse stay back but honestly this does not always work and has caused some bucking on all horses part. Walking the walk thank you for the good advice. We will have a couple of months or riding before the St Jude's ride so we plan on working on seperation issues but group rides are really something hubby wants to do so we need to do it safely until they get used to more than a few horses riding with them. I think as long as the ride goes at a walk and no one takes off cantering as a group we will be OK

I quit riding on group rides many years ago when a large group took of cantering and I saw a little girl get bucked off and trampled - she was in a buddy seat behind her Mom and when the group cantered from behind and past the horse bucked really high the little girl went flying and was run over by a couple of other horses. They had to call a helicopter to come and get her - I cried for days and I never knew what happened to the little girl. it just soured me from group rides and irresponsible riders.


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