# Trail riding (or other "off property" riding) by yourself? Safety?



## Animalia (Nov 10, 2019)

I never considered this issue until recently. I've ALWAYS done trail riding, or road riding, or whatever, by myself without a second thought. You get on a horse and you go--and I always liked being out there with just me and the horse and nature--or the sights of the road. Now, however, I am realizing the safety concerns inherent in this behavior. LOL My husband is reluctant to let me "go off" into the woods on my own. Even the best horses can spook at something and in thick woods, there's always the chance of getting knocked off by branches overhead, doing something stupid yourself, etc. 

We thought we have this problem licked by having my husband on the farm property, in the car, while I ride with either a walkie talkie or cell phone on me. But then he said the other day--what if you fall off and are knocked unconscious? Ugh, too much logic! 
I know to many of you, this may seem like a ridiculous topic. Every TV show and movie your watch with horses ("Heartland" comes to mind) the people are out on a trail or in the back country on their horse--alone--it's just the norm. So I'm curious if any of you have thought of this? Do you have plans in place? Do those of you over 40 (or 50) still go out there with a renegade cowboy attitude, and it's always been fine? 

I do have a couple people at the farm that I can do trail riding with, occasionally, but not consistently--we are not always going to be able to be at the barn on the same day. My husband might hike with me while I ride. But that just seems silly. Is horseback riding just one of those things where you know it comes with inherent risks and you accept them and carry on? 

I mean--I DID walk into tigers' and lions' cages every day for 3 years. When you have a 500lb predator rubbing against your legs is NOT the time to be squeamish about safety. I mean, you do things as safely as possibly, and with precautions in place--but there's only so much you can control and you just accept those risks as part of what you want to do with your life. Is this was trail riding by yourself is like? 

I am having Spring Fever really bad. The trails at my barn are closed October/November-April because the family hunts on them--regularly and often. It's disconcerting for me. And it sucks that there will be no beautiful Fall trail riding. I'm itching to get out of the darned arena!! But I want to be sure I'm also not being a reckless idiot.


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## marymane (Feb 2, 2020)

I think it comes down to personal choice. If you're okay with the extra risks of going it alone then that's your decision to make, as long as it's an informed one. T.V. shows can show all sorts of things we shouldn't do in real life (gotta love that Hollywood magic...most of the actors in a lot of shows I've seen don't even know how to ride anyway...I mean _what_ are they even _doing _with their _hands_?), so I wouldn't really judge what is the norm based on those.


Riding with other people is fun and can be safer because there's other people there to help if something goes wrong but it also requires scheduling rides with those people and having them around in the first place. Some people simply don't have that luxury, perhaps they're at a boarding barn that doesn't have any other trail riders or doesn't have the same schedule as the other barn goers or any other number of conflicts (perhaps they don't board and so don't even have the option to try and get people to go with them) and they're left with the choice to either ride some trails alone or not ride them at all.


Again, I think it's personal choice. If you're informed about the risks and decide to do it anyway it's really up to you. Ideally we'd all like to be as safe as possible but any number of things could go wrong even on a group trail ride. That being said things can go wrong in an arena too. The only difference is your horse doesn't have a chance of escaping in the woods in that scenario.


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

My sister thinks like your husband, and I think like you. I've not ridden alone often, but thought nothing of it until talking with my sister about how nice my ride was. Her response was to tell me how foolish I was to ride alone...' if you fell off and were unconscious it might be hours or days until someone found you'. I did have the presence of mind to tell a friend what time I was riding out, where I was, and to raise an alarm if she didn't hear back from me in 4 hours...for a 2 hour ride. That wasn't good enough for Sister....'if you have a broken neck or a bleed, and no one looks for you until after 4 hours, you could die before they find you". Sigh.....All true, but there is risk inherent in anything we do...I could go off the road on a rural road and be in a ditch and not found for hours. I have only ridden once alone since Sister told me how FOOLISH I was, and I didn't enjoy it nearly as much,,,I kept thinking how I'd never hear the end of it from her if something happened and I lived thru it. Guess she has me spooked about it now. I did post on here pretty much like you are now, after I was told how foolish I was. Can't remember all the responses, u probably will get about the same results and I will follow this thread as well. I think the bottom line is for each of to decide if the risk is worth it, and to minimize the risk as best we can if we decide to do it....wear a helmet, have a cellphone on us , not on the saddle, tell people where and when. I dunno, Sister spooked me pretty badly.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

I've debated this a LOT lately. Not for a lack of having riding partners, but because I realllly want to see how Mr. Trigger will act in a setting where it's just him and me, away from home, with no barn, no pasture buddies, to hurry back to.


There's pros and cons to it... I am VERY close to trying it, just to see how he does.



The way he's acted lately, I think we'd do just fine, maybe better than ever. Maybe WORSE than ever if we ride up on another group, and he tries to stay with the group. I'll have a fight on my hands. I know how to deal with his spastic self these days but anything can happen.


I'd make sure I rode where I had a solid cell signal, keep my phone and a good knife on my belt, not in the saddle bags, and expect the best but be prepared for the worst and adjust accordingly. Let your spouse know when you arrive at the trail head if you haul away from home, let them know when you're about to ride out, when you take a break on the trail, when you head back to the trailer, and when you're loaded and heading home.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Hmm...I never thought of riding alone as unusual. I'd say I'm out alone on rural roads/trails 80% of the time I ride. There are some woods trails I don't tend to go if I'm by myself because the footing can be tricky (feels more risky) but there are other places I don't mind. If I didn't ride alone, I'd only ride on the weekend! Generally if I go out alone and no one is home, I will text my husband when I'm leaving with a rough plan for where I'll be, and text him again when I'm back. I use an app where he is added as a user and can log in and generally see where I am (though unfortunately most places I ride, we don't have cell service so it would be a rough approximation of the trail/road I've taken). So to answer your question, yes, the vast majority of my trail miles are solo.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

There are riding apps that will send a distress signal to alert someone if you have not moved for a set amount of time. There are inherent risks in riding and any other sport. You have to determine if you are willing to accept those risks. I trailer out and ride alone a lot. I do not have the vision limitations you do and cannot say if I would ride that way or not. It really is a personal choice. You should walk the trail you plan to ride on with your hubby - if there is a spot he can park the car near to watch out for you then that would help ease his mind. Being familiar with the trail on foot may help your confidence level as well. I personally do not ride a horse I would trust to carry me safely on a technical trail if she did not have me to help her navigate. Don't get me wrong she is a lovely horse but seems to have no sense of self preservation! She will gait or walk down the steepest hills with not a second glance and go between trees that only allow for her and not for my knees - so I need to help her "choose" her trail for my safety in mind


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## QueenofFrance08 (May 16, 2017)

I ride alone often in the spring/summer/fall. I always go to the same park and my husband knows I'm going and when to expect me back. Thankfully there's only 9 miles of trails there ( a 6 mile loop and a 3 mile loop that I almost always do in the same order) so he should be able to find me pretty quickly if something were to happen. I only ride 2 (possibly 3 this year as my 4 year old has been proving herself pretty reliable) of our horses alone which are generally the more trustworthy ones. I do wear an Apple Watch that has fall detection on it which should presumably attempt to call emergency services if it detects a fall and no motion afterwards. Obviously it's not fail safe, but it is a nice accessory to have. 

My husband also rides our horses alone but always tells me when/where he's going.


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## Animalia (Nov 10, 2019)

mslady254 said:


> My sister thinks like your husband, and I think like you. I've not ridden alone often, but thought nothing of it until talking with my sister about how nice my ride was. Her response was to tell me how foolish I was to ride alone...' if you fell off and were unconscious it might be hours or days until someone found you'. I did have the presence of mind to tell a friend what time I was riding out, where I was, and to raise an alarm if she didn't hear back from me in 4 hours...for a 2 hour ride. That wasn't good enough for Sister....'if you have a broken neck or a bleed, and no one looks for you until after 4 hours, you could die before they find you". Sigh.....All true, but there is risk inherent in anything we do...I could go off the road on a rural road and be in a ditch and not found for hours. I have only ridden once alone since Sister told me how FOOLISH I was, and I didn't enjoy it nearly as much,,,I kept thinking how I'd never hear the end of it from her if something happened and I lived thru it. Guess she has me spooked about it now. I did post on here pretty much like you are now, after I was told how foolish I was. Can't remember all the responses, u probably will get about the same results and I will follow this thread as well. I think the bottom line is for each of to decide if the risk is worth it, and to minimize the risk as best we can if we decide to do it....wear a helmet, have a cellphone on us , not on the saddle, tell people where and when. I dunno, Sister spooked me pretty badly.


Yeah, way to ruin someone's equilibrium hey?  Hope you find your inner balance again! And me too.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I prefer to ride alone for the peace and connection to nature. As an older rider, my bushwhacking days are gone, if my younger self saw my older self riding I'd be floored! I feel that the benefits to health - mental and physical - are worth the risks. 

Yes, walk the path with your hubby. Be prudent, and get a feel of what your horse likes and dislikes about the trail. Some horses will run home if you fall off, some will take off to parts unknown, some will just stick with you. All these things will dictate how you go about it, but yes, it's well worth it.


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## Animalia (Nov 10, 2019)

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> I've debated this a LOT lately. Not for a lack of having riding partners, but because I realllly want to see how Mr. Trigger will act in a setting where it's just him and me, away from home, with no barn, no pasture buddies, to hurry back to.
> 
> 
> There's pros and cons to it... I am VERY close to trying it, just to see how he does.
> ...



Well, I'm just riding on the farm where my lease horse is boarded. The trails are not extensive. I've been told it's about 45 minutes if you do the entire trail circuit. But it IS dense woods, unless I ride the edge--along the edge of the woods and hay fields. There is not much cell service out there at the farm in general, so that's why we got the walkie talkies, which are working great for communicating between the arena, barn and car. Don't know if you know, but i'm legally blind and can't drive anymore so my husband is always on property with me b/c he drives me. 

I think small visits to the trail to see how the horse does and how far the walkie talkie range is would be ideal here. Ride to the trail head--callback to hubby. Ride 10 minutes in and come back--do more the next time, etc. My horse has never been on these trails either because she was new to this barn last Summer and no one was riding her then. I hand walked her on the trail in early October (when I didn't know they were closed), but only about 10 minutes in b/c of mud. That's all we've seen. And hubby was along.


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## Animalia (Nov 10, 2019)

Great responses! Thanks everyone. I look forward to reading more. I'm realizing that yes, there's a risk, but these are not extensive trails. My hsuband and I can walk them together--with horse in hand (then WE get some exercise too) so we know the layout. He can come looking if I'm not back in an hour. The car is parked only a few minutes walk from the trail head. And if the walkies reach each other the whole way, then I can just keep checking in.  I'm sure we'll talk about it more. It really does help to hear other people's experiences and thoughts on this!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Animalia said:


> Great responses! Thanks everyone. I look forward to reading more. I'm realizing that yes, there's a risk, but these are not extensive trails. My hsuband and I can walk them together--with horse in hand (then WE get some exercise too) so we know the layout. He can come looking if I'm not back in an hour. The car is parked only a few minutes walk from the trail head. And if the walkies reach each other the whole way, then I can just keep checking in.  I'm sure we'll talk about it more. It really does help to hear other people's experiences and thoughts on this!


I think your above plan is excellent. Take it slow and see how the horse does. Maybe walk the trails first with the horse and hubby. Or, you can ride and hubby walks along. If no issues, then next time he can stay behind and you can try a short solo ride and keep in touch by walkie talkie. But make sure the horse is calm about it first. Because you don't need any accidents. 

I ride alone quite a bit, at least 1/2 the time, because I only have one or two other people to ride with and they can't always go. I prefer to go with someone because I love talking horses with a captive audience, but riding alone is good too!

To me, the most important thing is having a horse I can trust. I trust my current horse. If you have total trust in your horse, riding alone is fun. If you have some fear, it can be a nightmare. I had the most beautiful, big, sturdy young gelding I raised from a foal and I ended up rehoming him at about age 8 because I just didn't feel safe on him. His only fault was an occasional spook, but after coming off him several times I began to dread riding him and rides were scary instead of fun or relaxing. 

So.....make sure the horse is reliable going out without another horse and isn't spooky. Any horse CAN spook, but some are more prone to it than others. I like the idea of you riding and hubby walking just to see how the horse is out on the trails. And then, if she proves reliable, try it with hubby waiting nearby.

I always carry a cell phone on my body and let my family know when I am going. If the don't hear back in a couple of hours, they usually call to check on me. Then, when I get back home, I always call from the barn to say I am home so they don't worry, because I usually take even more time to unsaddle, groom, and sometimes feed or do other chores. I do wear a helmet. I know it can be argued how much good they do, but I would be wearing a hat anyway, so I might as well wear something that helps protect my head. 

If I ever did come off and get badly injured, finding me may not be quick because there is a lot of land out back and I ride all over the place. They might have to call a friend who knows the trails to help find me because my family aren't horse people and haven't been out in the woods a whole lot. But if I trust the horse (which I do) I LOVE riding out in the woods, even alone. Sometimes I will pack some snacks and have a "picnic" with my horse, things we can both share, like apples, tangerines, carrots, etc. :Angel:


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

This might sound obvious, but test the walkies talkies around your horse from the ground first, then when seated in the saddle, and then finally when you're out in the open riding. I don't know how modern systems work but I'm picturing the old ones we had as kids that beep and squeak and static a lot. Don't want to catch her by surprise if you make a strange noise when she's in a new environment.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I always ride alone. Whether I'm just riding in the pasture, or field, or on the trails. I'm just used to it. I don't have anyone to ride with, so I always venture out alone. I do keep my phone on me, & if I go on a big trail, I make sure my BF has my location (I can set my phone to send my location to him) in case I were to have any issues.

I enjoy riding alone because I don't have to worry about anyone else/their horse & it's just peaceful. But some horses do better in groups, my mare is fine alone OR in groups, but just be sure the horse has the confidence to go out alone. It can take time.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

Over the years, if I didn't want to ride alone I would not have done much riding. In fact I would rather ride alone than with some people that I have ridden with in the past, with them, riding alone would be the safer option.
Now in my old age I am fussy about who I ride with as I am not interested in careening about the countryside at top speed;

I ride with my sister most but often alone as I ride more than she does. She know all the trails I would take and if she is home I will tell her which direction I will be heading for. I now carry a cell phone with me and I have a first aid pouch attached to the pommel of the saddle.

In my younger days I never even thought of safety until I was riding an extremely spooky horse that had dumped so many riders that if I couldn't do something with him, he was headed for the knackers as the owner was afraid he might kill someone or injure them badly. At that time I was living alone so I started to take I.D. and hospital info with me. I also left a note on the table where I was going in case I didn't return home.

As others have said take a cell phone or your walkie talkie and it seems your husband is supportive and will be around when you ride and if you are only on a certain part of land and a 45 min ride you should be ok. Is your horse a dependable type that is not into bad spooking or bad behavior when you are out by yourself? This would be important for your peace of mind while riding.

good luck and many pleasant rides to you.


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## ksbowman (Oct 30, 2018)

I've always ridden alone more than with someone else. Used to have a neighbor lady that I rode with but, she has got out of horses. Never really felt it was any more dangerous by myself than with others. I guess I have been spoiled by having some pretty good mounts. Closest I've ever came to getting thrown riding was when I spooked some deer once at a neighbors and after they took off I decided to chase them. Nudged my yellow horse and the race was on, all was good till we caught them and when she got a nose full of whitetail deer she broke from a run into a pretty good bucking fit. LOL, still remember that as a lot of fun.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

99% of my riding is alone. I always carry my cell phone with me (on me, not the horse) and both hubby and I have the "find my iPhone app". If I am laying unconscious somewhere, as long as I am in service, he can "find my iPhone" to locate me. 



He also knows when I am riding, when I expect to be back, etc. This year will be new territory for us b/c I will have the horses at home for the first time! I probably won't always tell him where I am riding, but there's only so many places I can go. 



Yes, there is risk. But I'm okay with that.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

Animalia said:


> Well, I'm just riding on the farm where my lease horse is boarded. The trails are not extensive. I've been told it's about 45 minutes if you do the entire trail circuit. But it IS dense woods, unless I ride the edge--along the edge of the woods and hay fields. There is not much cell service out there at the farm in general, so that's why we got the walkie talkies, which are working great for communicating between the arena, barn and car. Don't know if you know, but i'm legally blind and can't drive anymore so my husband is always on property with me b/c he drives me.
> 
> I think small visits to the trail to see how the horse does and how far the walkie talkie range is would be ideal here. Ride to the trail head--callback to hubby. Ride 10 minutes in and come back--do more the next time, etc. My horse has never been on these trails either because she was new to this barn last Summer and no one was riding her then. I hand walked her on the trail in early October (when I didn't know they were closed), but only about 10 minutes in b/c of mud. That's all we've seen. And hubby was along.



I think little rides out and back would be a perfect way to test things out. I'm wondering if there's such a think as hands free type walkie talkies, like a blue tooth. I'm guessing you wear a helmet to ride, right? Wondering if there's something like a blu tooth that would strap onto your helmet?


Also wondering if they make a safety alert thing... IDK... now I'm thinking about Life Alert for Equestrians... HELP I'VE FALLEN and can't get up! 



I'm just spitballing here... seems like there _should _be something not cell phone dependent, y'know? Someone needs to get on this and invent it!


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## Saigold (Mar 21, 2019)

Same here, more often than not it’s alone. In addition to letting someone know where and when I also take our GSD with me. He’s intimidating enough that would make people think twice about approaching too close. A horse I trust. And a riding tracker which also shows my location to my husband. 

The more you ride the trail, the more comfortable you’ll get. Try shorter rides at first and only go further when you’re ready. 

For me a lot depends on the weather and the feel i get from my horse, as far as how far I venture out.


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

> Is horseback riding just one of those things where you know it comes with inherent risks and you accept them and carry on?


Ever since I was a child, I have ridden alone, long before there were cell phones. It never occurred to me to tell someone where I was going. I still ride alone quite a bit, and one of my horses can spook big. I've had long walks home a couple of times, and a few injuries. I figure it just comes with riding.


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## Kaifyre (Jun 16, 2016)

I do the vast majority of my riding and driving alone. With my lack of schedule, I never know when I'm working, so I tend to ride at sporadic times as well. It's not uncommon to find me tacking up at 2 am, 8pm, 6am, noon, midnight, you name it. Obviously at night we stick to the arena so I can see what we're doing … yay for lights … and all trail riding is done during daylight hours. But I frequently make trips out and do day rides by myself, far from any road, in forests and mountains and things. I always leave an itinerary with Rodney, and print out one of TrailMeister's trip itineraries https://www.trailmeister.com/trail-ride-itinerary/ and leave a copy in my windshield as well, for any park/forest rangers or well-meaning strangers out there. 

If I'm going alone in an area without cell service I carry one of these with me - https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/561269 - so if necessary I can send texts or an SOS even without service, which is nice. And if I'm soloing in the backcountry, I always carry (on me, not on the horse) food, the ability to make fire, a good knife, a paper map in case the Garmin dies, and a LifeStraw. This way if I part ways with Dreams I can at least survive long enough to make it back to the trailhead. lol But it sounds like the trails that I frequent are a bit more rugged and removed than what you're looking to do, so you probably don't need all that. 

I made the choice years ago to put myself in danger. Let's face it, horses are very large powerful animals that can move very quickly and have much faster reaction times than we do. They aren't that smart and they're scared of everything, so being around them can be dangerous sometimes. You can dodge injuries for a very long time, years even, but I don't know of a single person who's spent a lifetime around horses and never been kicked, bitten, stepped on, fallen off, etc. Eventually it'll happen. My love of horses is greater than my fear of injury … and every day I climb aboard I do so knowing the risks. 

But every person has to weigh the risks personally. What I consider worth it, might be totally bonkers for someone else - and vice versa. Only you can tell you that you don't feel safe. I think the stuff you outlined above sounds pretty reasonable, to be honest, and I don't think you're doing anything overly crazy - but I'm not you. 

-- Kai


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## Animalia (Nov 10, 2019)

Fun responses--thank you!! To answer a few questions, my horse will trail ride alone--at least that's what I've been told. So far she seems to have no problem riding anywhere alone around the farm and I've ridden her twice out in the back 40 right up to the trailhead. She is a little spooky--for me and that's why I want to take it slow. I think her owner thinks I'm a total novice because she has never known this horse to spook in the 7 years she's had her--or so she says. But I think D is a good horse and most of the time safe. Her "spooking" is more of the heavy flinching variety or a few little dance steps, except for once when she did twirl and take off the other direction, but while rattled, I didn't come off or anything. 



And the walkie talkies we have are very good quality sound. I've been using them around D for a few weeks. There are no beeps or anything--just voices, like a phone on speaker. I think Equestrian Life Alert is a riot--and also not a bad idea! I wonder if those medic alert buttons will work independent of wifi or phone service? Everyone should have one if so! LOL 



And yea, I never even thought about this stuff in the past. But I think I was also very lucky to have really dependable mounts. How did that happen my whole life?? The worst I rode was a paint mare that my friend had just purchased, mostly for breeding. We took her out a few times--always together and she was a nightmare, always trying to scrape me off by going under low hanging branches and equipment--on purpose, and just general mayhem in the saddle. She ended up selling her pretty quickly. Then there was a draft mare I rode sometimes--a Suffolk Punch--and while broke to ride as well as driving (her main job) she didn't like to always go out on long rides. She would sometimes just refuse to go and then start backing up without stopping--right into a ditch, down a hill, whatever. But she never spooked or took off or did anything that would make me fall off. And the Arab mare I usually rode for many years was as trustworthy as they come. I took her everywhere--alone. All over the 150 acre property in the woods and fields, on long trail rides to the next town over on a rec trail with bicycles, atv's walkers and other horses. And on the road all over. It never occurred to me that you couldn't just a tell a horse where you wanted to go and "go". LOL Now, I realize what an absolute GEM that horse was! And she wasn't "dead broke" either--a lot of spunk and personality, but just very trustworthy and brave. I miss her. 



But, this little Icelandic is fun too, we just have to "find our groove" here, and we are making progress, now that she doesn't seem to be in pain anymore. 



All of your stories are telling me I can also tell my husband to relax! LOL He will be able to find me if anything happens and I don't return. And the walkies will probably cover the whole trail area, so I think we're good. Especially if he walks with me the first time so he knows where we'll be. I like walking my horse in hand too--like a dog. She loves to follow along and go on walks like that, so we might do that a few times too--that way I also get exercise and I can bring my dog along too.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

You have had some good horses to ride in the past and I'm sure once you get going with this one, you will have good rides with her. just be sure she has had a good workout before heading out, less inclined to act up then.
Happy rides.

It is a lovely winter day here in Southern Ontario today and sis and I went out for a very nice hack, not windy or cold just perfect riding weather. We went on about four different farms, through the corn fields and a couple of woods.
If Sis can't ride tomorrow I still plan to, we should make the most of this good weather and enjoy.


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

I'm 70 years old. I ride Arabians in the wooded trails of the Mark Twain National Forest and most my rides are solo. I think the first thing you have to do is take an honest appraisal of your riding skills. How good a rider are you really? If a driver gets into a fast car and drives fast around a course, it is a lot riskier if that driver doesn't know what he/she is doing. But if this driver is knowledgeable of performance driving, knows how to enter and exit a curve, knows when to slow down and when to speed up, then it is obviously not as risky. Are you more likely to stay on the saddle, or fall off is a deer jumps out of a bush and startles your horse? Believe me, your horse will react to the deer before you see it. As far as whether it is safer or riskier to ride with others, it depends. If you ride with riders that can control their horses as well as you do, no problem. But if your human company cannot control their horses as well as you do, it will more likely be more difficult for you to control your horse in case of something that spooks the horses.


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## Animalia (Nov 10, 2019)

I guess for most of us it really is just that we have our eyes open. There are inherent risks in different activities. We have to be smart, and be brave and trust in our chosen horse companion. I wouldn't ride a horse on the trail that I thought would spill me so badly that search and rescue had to be deployed. LOL 



I guess if I can do THIS, then a domestic horse shouldn't be such a huge concern:


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## Jolien (Aug 19, 2019)

maybe somebody already mentioned this, but there are equestrian apps that ping your location constantly and you can share your route with friends so they know exactly where you are.


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## ChasingDreams (Nov 14, 2017)

Like many others, I am pretty much forced to ride alone...or cut my ride time in more than half. My husband knows to check in if he hasn’t heard from me in a while, and I carry my phone on my person while riding. Our trails are about 5 miles total and well-known so I wouldn’t be too hard to find. I wear a helmet, and appropriate attire/footwear, and I know my horse well and how he reacts in “scary” situations.

All that said, if something is going to happen it’s going to happen... and the unfortunate truth is many times it won’t make a difference if there is one other person or 1000 people standing around when it does. Yes, you may get help sooner... but it won’t prevent something bad from happening.

I know the more relaxed and confident I feel, the more my horse will feel relaxed and confident... so I try not to dwell on the “what if’s”. Take reasonable safety precautions for sure, but remember at the end of the day...the risks are what they are, and you might someday find yourself in a situation beyond your control. And, all you can do is react instinctively and pray for the best outcome [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

Where I do most of my riding, Cole Creek, is a series of interconnected loops, almost all of it wooded and isolated. Rarely, do I meet another person on the trail and only occasionally do I see someone at the trailhead. There are somewhere between 25-35 miles, counting unofficial trails (this National Forest). Maybe it is because I'm male, grew up in tough neighborhoods, am athletic and have the utmost confidence on my horses, but that something could go wrong is never in my mind when I'm saddling up. Or it could be that I'm just absent minded. LOL.


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## Dixiesmom (May 26, 2013)

63 and almost always ride alone including back when I had a trailer and went to new places. I do wear a helmet - where I board now you HAVE to. Something a hiker friend does is carry a loud whistle so if he's hurt he can blow that. Don't know the lay of the land you ride on, but if the sound of a whistle would carry, you can always alert anyone who might be at the barn that it would be a distress signal.

A lot also depends on the horse. If I had a nervous horse, I'd prefer company. But Dixie has been a very safe/dependable mount. Her big spooks are either the 4 legged spread which I call the elevator drop, or run a few feet and stop. And it's been years since she did either.


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## weeedlady (Jul 19, 2014)

I love to ride alone. I have one or two friends that I truly enjoy riding with, but most group trail rides are not fun for me (or for my horses).

Both of mine do much better when alone if we trailer off property, away from their friends. In fact, I won't even attempt to ride the trails behind our barn alone anymore.

If I take them out and about they are very well behaved. Both are a bit spooky and I sometimes get nervous, but it's worth it to me. I breathe deeply and sing quietly. Helps both of us, lol. Solo trail rides are the reason I own horses. Nothing makes me happier.

I am always sure to let someone know where I will be, and I call or text my husband or a friend when I start and when I get back to the trailer. My husband has finally accepted that this is how it's going to be.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

Animalia said:


> I never considered this issue until recently. I've ALWAYS done trail riding, or road riding, or whatever, by myself without a second thought. You get on a horse and you go--and I always liked being out there with just me and the horse and nature--or the sights of the road. Now, however, I am realizing the safety concerns inherent in this behavior. LOL My husband is reluctant to let me "go off" into the woods on my own. Even the best horses can spook at something and in thick woods, there's always the chance of getting knocked off by branches overhead, doing something stupid yourself, etc.
> 
> We thought we have this problem licked by having my husband on the farm property, in the car, while I ride with either a walkie talkie or cell phone on me. But then he said the other day--what if you fall off and are knocked unconscious? Ugh, too much logic!
> I know to many of you, this may seem like a ridiculous topic. Every TV show and movie your watch with horses ("Heartland" comes to mind) the people are out on a trail or in the back country on their horse--alone--it's just the norm. So I'm curious if any of you have thought of this? Do you have plans in place? Do those of you over 40 (or 50) still go out there with a renegade cowboy attitude, and it's always been fine?
> ...


LOL Not that it's not a valid concern, but pretty much anything we do with horses will have a valid concern. I've been doing down the roads since I was 15 and riding the fifteen miles to town since I wasn't much older. Never had company, always rode alone. Today it's still the same. I go on camping trips, riding down the roads and highways (having people stop to get a photo LOL or talk to me about riding with all my gear and feed loaded on a horse). Is there a risk? Absolutely. Have I had the a horse runaway with me? Everyone horse I've ever owned has done it at one time or other (sometimes more). Does it worry my children (and get me chided for it)? Constantly. Am I going to ever stop? yes (some day I will die...eventually...and I'll certainly have to stop then). But if I die while riding it's the second best way in the world for someone like me to go (the best way is not an appropriate topic LOL).

Now that's me. Every person has to make their own assessment of what risks are or are not acceptable. Anytime you put your foot into the stirrup you take a calculated risk. Even if you're someone just riding circles in an arena (which for me the risk would be death by boredom or if I was on my older mare, her killing me after the first loop because she was bored...she hate hates arena or even pasture riding unless she can go where she wants in the pasture....in an arena she's just gong throw you off and be done with it).

All just boils down to what you want to do and do want it enough so that the risk is acceptable. Is it better to have someone riding with you? Almost certainly. If you have that option then it's a great one. If not, then you back to accepting or not accepting the risks involved.

I love the road too much to give up my riding camping trips and so far I've always had to do them alone for the last 45+ years


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## gottaquarter (Jun 8, 2012)

I’m like others, been riding by myself for years before cell phones. And I also think it’s a matter of circumstances such as where you are riding( way out on private land vs just within a 1/2 mile from home base) and also the horse you’re on. True, even the most dependable horse could spook at something, but I really feel like i know my horses well enough to trust them on a well known trail. If I go off site with the trailer at least one other person is riding with me. I’m almost 59 and even as a young girl have always loved being out on a trail riding my horse and just enjoying the solitude of nature, not having to speak or worry about the pace I want to keep. But I also enjoy the company of others because that’s fun too! I’m allergic to wasp stings so I always ride with my phone and an epipen in a saddle bag or a fanny pack and I don’t think twice about saddling up and going alone...... but there again, our riding trails are on property right next to the barn and there are houses through the woods, so I never actually feel like I’m far from help if I needed it.


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

I have reached the stage where I feel safer riding on my own!


I ride in very gnarly country, steep hills, bulldozed tracks on razor back ridges, not one of the creeks and rivers that I have to ford are clear enough to see the bottom so dropping down into them is always a real leap of faith. The tracks get very slippery when wet and slips are very common.


I have been riding with too many people who accept ill behavior from their horses to be comfortable out and about with them. This is made doubly so as I begin to ride my green girl out in the world. Some of the s**t that I have seen has just about made my hair curl - horses that have spooked right off the track! Horses that lose their heads when they turn for home and start jig jogging in the most inappropriate places - there are some tracks you do not want to be going down side ways! Broken ribs for one guy whose horse wouldn't ground tie, he got off his horse to negotiate a path across a dirty creek with the intention of letting the horse find it's own way across but the horse wouldn't stand and jumped on top of him before he reached the other side - he was bloody lucky that it was only broken ribs and we weren't to far from home!


I believe that I am much safer on my own, my concession to this is I always tell my husband where I intend to ride and roughly how long I will be. I do take my cell phone with me but there is very little coverage anyway. I trust in my ability to judge where my horse is at and ride accordingly - ride to build confidence and don't over estimate her abilities. I think that is the best I can do for safety.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I too was a child before cell phones and expected to be outside, horseback or not, until dark when not in school.



> I'm just spitballing here... seems like there should be something not cell phone dependent, y'know? Someone needs to get on this and invent it!


I know this seems pretty simple and is also dependent on other people coming to check, but one place I worked we wrote down on a chalk board what allotment/s we were riding. So if we didnt make the dinner bell there was a place to look.

ETA: I ride mostly by myself so I text my husband before, what horse and what I'm doing so he knows what amount of time it should take. And I tell him when I am done.


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## NSpoolstra (Sep 12, 2012)

I think about all the same things you do. I have been riding in a helmet ever since I started my daughter riding with me... if SHE had to wear one, I would wear one. And then lately (about a year ago) I bought a Hit Air vest. My fiance also wears a helmet and vest. I spent two years riding in the Rockie Mountains, and I OFTEN went by myself. I did have a Garmin GPS with a two-way radio option that allowed me to reach the park ranger frequency if I got into trouble. But I realized I didn't have any identifying or medical info on me, or any info on my horse. If we became separated and he headed home without me, would anyone know what happened? Or if I needed medical attention and had First Responders on the scene, would they know who to call? What I was allergic to? What medications I was taking? So now I have a helmet AND a vest AND a medical alert tag with an ID tag on my horse. I hope NEVER to need any of it, but it is pretty cheap insurance all things considered. I'd ride by yourself if you have taken all the precautions you can. I am 63 and, while I mostly ride with my fiance these days, I will STILL go off by myself on my Steady Eddie. I rode another horse for a couple of years while my fiance rode my great trail horse. I would NOT go off by myself on that guy! Finally realized he wasn't trail material. Sold him, got a mare for my fiance that is awesome, and took back my awesome gray. I get my tags at www.id-myhorse.com. I would HIGHLY encourage you to keep doing what you love! But also kudos to your hubby that he does such a good job of looking out for you! My fiance has me check in with him when I'm by myself.


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## vonlora (Mar 28, 2011)

I also ride mostly alone and have for most of the 45 years I have been riding. I board off of a nice river bottom full of trails and it is beautiful. I have been dumped a few times, you are not a rider until you have fallen off a hundred times (think I have LOL). My current mare has only dumped me once and she ran home. The ranch manager came out and found me and I had to provide cupcakes the next day (tradition here). My husband has never said anything, but I think it is because he has run out of gas in the ATV or rolled it more than I have been dumped. It is the risk we take to enjoy our hobbies.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Woodhaven said:


> Over the years, if I didn't want to ride alone I would not have done much riding. In fact I would rather ride alone than with some people that I have ridden with in the past, with them, riding alone would be the safer option.
> Now in my old age I am fussy about who I ride with as I am not interested in careening about the countryside at top speed;


Couldn't have said it better!

Also, along with the cell phone, always carry a whistle. The sound carries well!!!! As long as you are conscious enough to blow into it.


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

its lbs not miles. I, and I think my horses, are with you on arena riding. The same with lunging.
Two thirds of my miles are solo. I like it that way. The only other person I ride with is my wife. But last Spring we had an AERC sponsored endurance ride on "our" trails of the National Forest. After the race, I volunteered to go with another lady rider to clear one of the loops of all the markers that had been put up to guide the competitors. We are going down a steep hill and my horse stops at the very bottom to drink water from the stream. So his rear feet are way up on the hill and his head is way down, giving the sensation one is going to go over his head. My lady companion says, "I don't let my horse do that. It feels like you can go over." It doesn't bother me. If I were thirsty, I wouldn't like someone forcing me not to drink water. My horse knows what he's doing. I just have to cooperate with him and everything will be fine. Then, later on, my horse was all sweaty and he gives a good body shake. My companion says, "I hate it when they do that! You feel like you're going to come off the saddle." It doesn't bother me. In between, she had a few little arguments with her horse. She was good at collecting the ribbons off the trail and it was better than doing it by myself. But still, how we related to our mounts was so different, for a pleasure ride, I'd rather go solo.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

@charrorider, I've done some unmarking after endurance rides here, but always on a part of the "trail" that was actually dirt road I could access in my car. What did you do with all the ribbons when you took them down? And, was your horse irritated that instead of "going" you were stopping and starting every few minutes to get the ribbons? I've thought about offering to do unmarking on true trail next endurance season but also thought it might make my horse nuts to have a ride be full of so much stop and go.


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## Animalia (Nov 10, 2019)

its lbs not miles said:


> LOL Not that it's not a valid concern, but pretty much anything we do with horses will have a valid concern. I've been doing down the roads since I was 15 and riding the fifteen miles to town since I wasn't much older. Never had company, always rode alone. Today it's still the same. I go on camping trips, riding down the roads and highways (having people stop to get a photo LOL or talk to me about riding with all my gear and feed loaded on a horse). Is there a risk? Absolutely. Have I had the a horse runaway with me? Everyone horse I've ever owned has done it at one time or other (sometimes more). Does it worry my children (and get me chided for it)? Constantly. Am I going to ever stop? yes (some day I will die...eventually...and I'll certainly have to stop then). But if I die while riding it's the second best way in the world for someone like me to go (the best way is not an appropriate topic LOL).
> 
> Now that's me. Every person has to make their own assessment of what risks are or are not acceptable. Anytime you put your foot into the stirrup you take a calculated risk. Even if you're someone just riding circles in an arena (which for me the risk would be death by boredom or if I was on my older mare, her killing me after the first loop because she was bored...she hate hates arena or even pasture riding unless she can go where she wants in the pasture....in an arena she's just gong throw you off and be done with it).
> 
> ...



Too funny! Thanks for the great response. I'm with you on this one. If my husband can leave me at home and go off in the car, at night (he tends to get very sleepy behind the wheel) AND while it's snowy and tell me not to worry, then I can go off on a short trail ride on a dependable horse! 

LOL, and my Icy doesn't much like arena work either--me too. So boring. But good for getting the basics down and when there is nowhere else to ride. I'll take the arena over not riding at all, which in Winter, at the farm we're on, is the only option. 



That is a LOVELY horse you are on! Is he a Friesian cross? So lovely and upright and sturdy!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

egrogan said:


> @*charrorider* , I've done some unmarking after endurance rides here, but always on a part of the "trail" that was actually dirt road I could access in my car. What did you do with all the ribbons when you took them down? And, was your horse irritated that instead of "going" you were stopping and starting every few minutes to get the ribbons? I've thought about offering to do unmarking on true trail next endurance season but also thought it might make my horse nuts to have a ride be full of so much stop and go.



I'm not charrorider, but before Halloween I like to hang ghosts on the trails, and at Christmas, ornaments. My "new" horse was pretty impatient with this until I made it worth her while. I would rider her into position (great, practical side-pass practice) and she would of course be antsy but I would tap her on the neck and give her a treat when I got her where I wanted her and did this at almost every stop. Pretty soon she is side-passing herself into position and standing nicely! She remembers it too, sometimes she wants to stop and park by those "special" trees on regular rides. :lol: 

So like anything else, they can be trained for it. How patient your horse is will also be based on his personality too though. Some are more naturally whoa than go. But if they are food motivated, even a "go" horse can learn to wait patiently.


PS. Had my ornaments hanging in a cloth bag off the saddle horn.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

@trailhorserider, thanks for sharing that! And I love that idea. That exact strategy has made my horse lovely to mount from any kind of random object on the trail. She is very responsive to little treats and I think she'd pick up on it quickly (and I could totally picture her offering to stop at a "special" tree :rofl. I think the key would probably be to volunteer for just a short section of trail (e.g., a mile or two not 5 miles) so she didn't get too frustrated the first time trying it. Thanks!


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

Riding is inherently dangerous. When/where/how you do so is personal preference. 

My 2yr old's 10th ride ever was a solo trail ride across the street from the boarding barn. He's currently 9yrs old and living on my own property where we can ONLY ride solo. Realistically, I could be injured just as badly falling in the pasture as on the neighborhood bridle path, one just has a shorter walk home. I give a casual head's up to my spouse regarding when/where I expect to ride and I wear my cell phone on a running belt, but cell service is spotty even on my own property.


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

egrogan. Ibn was fine. Ibn is my short horse and I often ride him if we are clearing trails. Easier to get off and on. lol. So it wasn't something completely new for him. When we are clearing trails, if we come upon a stretch that has a lot of fallen big limbs, I normally get off and walk, picking up limbs and casting them aside as I go. Ibn just follows behind or stays put (I'm not going to be tying him off and on). He did wonder why I didn't get off the first couple of times we stopped. But after the first couple of times, he figured it out. It was the first AERC sponsored endurance ride in these trails in 20 years! It is coming back in 20220.


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

Sorry. 2020. Not 20220. That's a long way off.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

Animalia said:


> That is a LOVELY horse you are on! Is he a Friesian cross? So lovely and upright and sturdy!


Thanks. Georgian Grande, but they do have Friesian in their bloodline (along with Saddlebred).


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## newtrailriders (Apr 2, 2017)

I'm working my way up to riding alone - been working my way up to it since I started riding about 8 years ago LOL. I did everything the hard, slow way - got a 6-month-old as my first horse, got thrown from a lesson horse and broke my pelvis in five places, nearly ruined my mare (Ona) by teaching her bad habits, etc. etc. etc. I bought two old dependable geldings to learn on while Ona and I were getting things figured out. Things have gradually been getting easier and my mare and I are finally getting along great. We've been doing group trail rides for a couple of years now and I feel safer on her than I do on either of the geldings. This was the first year I was able to put Ona's first ride of the spring on her myself. 

The only person I've had to ride with when there's not a group ride is my husband, and he doesn't like going on long rides or doing much trotting at all. I'm really wanting to get into competitive trail riding and maybe some endurance, and the only way I'll be able to get my mare and myself in shape to do it is to start hacking out alone.

Today I saddled her up and rode her around our property with the geldings screaming for her. We rode around the pasture and gradually further away from the boys, going out of their sight for short periods of time and then down the road a little bit. I rode her until she was relaxed and settled. She did seem like she might be willing to keep going further down the road but I thought I'd end it on a good note.

I'm quite nervous about something happening on a trail alone and not being able to make it back. She's turned out to be a very dependable, trustworthy horse but she's a horse. I think I might get one of those equestrian life alert things before I start going on long rides with her alone.

We just moved to a new home and every neighbor is an equestrian. All but one has their horses on their property, and there are lots of private trails etc. Maybe I won't have to go out alone much once I get to know people.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Animalia said:


> I never considered this issue until recently. I've ALWAYS done trail riding, or road riding, or whatever, by myself without a second thought. You get on a horse and you go--and I always liked being out there with just me and the horse and nature--or the sights of the road.



Me too. Probably really started riding alone a lot around age 13 or 14, as in several horses in the same day, all riding out alone on each one. 



I still ride alone 99% of the time, but now I ride with a cell phone attached to me. I didn't have my own cell phone until I went to college, so never rode with a cell phone prior to that. 



Only had one accident in all those rides. Sweet filly I was riding (best we can piece together) just tripped over her own feet at a lope, and rolled completely over. She didn't spook. She didn't do anything wrong. She just tripped. I don't know how long I was knocked out and I don't remember walking a certain distance. My first memory I was already walking home. (I was 20 and about 1/4 mile from home)
Yeah, I obviously had a concussion. No broken bones though. Had some dizziness the next day but all in all, I was okay. 



So yes, accidents happen. Even on the best horses. But you can get hurt in the arena too!


It's obviously up to you (and your husband) on what is right for you.





Animalia said:


> We thought we have this problem licked by having my husband on the farm property, in the car, while I ride with either a walkie talkie or cell phone on me. But then he said the other day--what if you fall off and are knocked unconscious? Ugh, too much logic!



If you get in your car alone to go drive somewhere, same thing could happen! Does that mean you don't ever drive alone?


Not proposing an answer to that .... just thought.


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## Light (Mar 4, 2012)

Hi. I mostly ride alone and almost always on trail. There is no phone reception where I ride. 

I will usually let the ranch manager know what direction I am headed but sometimes I do change my mind mid ride. I do wear a helmet. 

I hope that if hurt my horse would go back to the barn, but who knows. Might snack first. 

I do take my phone with me in case of emergency I think dialing 911 would still work. 

That is the only precautions I take. Probably should do more but....


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## 2muchcoffeeman (May 29, 2011)

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> I think little rides out and back would be a perfect way to test things out. I'm wondering if there's such a think as hands free type walkie talkies, like a blue tooth. I'm guessing you wear a helmet to ride, right? Wondering if there's something like a blu tooth that would strap onto your helmet?
> 
> 
> Also wondering if they make a safety alert thing... IDK... now I'm thinking about Life Alert for Equestrians... HELP I'VE FALLEN and can't get up!
> ...


Bumping up an old thread … how about this? https://smile.amazon.com/Garmin-Exp...ator-Navigation/dp/B01MY03CZP?ref_=ast_sto_dp


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## Animalia (Nov 10, 2019)

Cool gadget, pricey though! Thanks for sharing!  Actually we've figured out our walkie talkies have at least a two mile + radius. So I take that when I ride on the road on the new horse. But I've also been going out with a buddy almost every ride now--the 14 yo daughter of the owner. It's a win-win because she has fully working eyes and can mount and dismount from the ground easily (which came in handy one day when my saddle pad slipped 2 miles from home and she could get off to fix it while I sat on the horse's rump. LOL) and she's too young and not a polished enough rider for her mom to let her go on the road without an adult. And I like kids, so it's all good. For the Winter I may be leasing a different horse where there are trails on property, but I doubt they will get me more than two miles away from my husband on the farm--most of those trails are winding usually.


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## Jolien (Aug 19, 2019)

Next year I will probably lease the horse I learned to ride on. We will head out on the trails. Alone... I will take with me: my cell with an app. And I will attach my phone number and that of the owner of the horse to the tack. I'm guessing my horse wouldn't leave me alone when I fell off or had an accident but you never know so... Let's just pray I don't get hurt. My dad who used to ride since he was 3 said to me: as long as you're riding on a reliable horse I am not that worried. Problem is I have never been alone with the horse in the woods. So we'll start to build it up with short rides and we'll see how he does.


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## Animalia (Nov 10, 2019)

Jolien said:


> Next year I will probably lease the horse I learned to ride on. We will head out on the trails. Alone... I will take with me: my cell with an app. And I will attach my phone number and that of the owner of the horse to the tack. I'm guessing my horse wouldn't leave me alone when I fell off or had an accident but you never know so... Let's just pray I don't get hurt. My dad who used to ride since he was 3 said to me: as long as you're riding on a reliable horse I am not that worried. Problem is I have never been alone with the horse in the woods. So we'll start to build it up with short rides and we'll see how he does.


That all sounds very reasonable! Safety is important--glad to see you are wearing a helmet AND a mask! LOL


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## Jolien (Aug 19, 2019)

Animalia said:


> That all sounds very reasonable! Safety is important--glad to see you are wearing a helmet AND a mask! LOL


 yeah, this picture was taken at a time when it was obliged to wear a mask everywhere, even in the pasture riding and taking care of the horses....


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## mustang1 (Mar 9, 2017)

I used to ride by myself in places most people would never go because I was doing endurance riding and I needed to train and no one to ride with so I just did it. Never gave it a thought. I told my husband what trail I would be on just in case.... I had a phone on me (true, you might not get a good signal depending on where you are). Then we moved to a place where there was SO MUCH going on around - bikers, hikers, other horses, you name it, it was on the trails and I didn't feel confident riding alone anymore. My horses needed to be basically re-trained or at least get used to all that "stuff". So my husband started riding with me since he was retired by then. LONG story but I did get a new horse at the time and was bucked off a few times, kicked once that landed me in the hospital. Sold that horse to a trainer that wanted him. But then I had that dreaded FEAR of riding a horse. Sort of got that under control but I didn't want to ride alone after that. That's been at least 10+ years now. Tomorrow will be the first day out by myself! My older horse needs the exercise, I need to get out and my husband has a torn inner thigh muscle and can't ride so....... here goes nothing! She's a good horse - we should be ok. Sagebrush type country so no trees or woods to go thru. I miss the days of riding alone but I feel you need to trust your horse and be super comfortable on that horse. ANYTHING can happen - even on a been there, done that horse.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

I think if you are on a good, solid horse, have a way to communicate on you and let someone know where you are going and how long you expect to be then call if you are running over. I have set the time on mg phone a a reminder as I get lost looking at plants and lose track of time. There are also the different notification devices in case of a fall. Apple I think has an app you can put on your watch.


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## newtrailriders (Apr 2, 2017)

I'm glad this old thread got revived!

@QtrBel @mustang1 do you have any suggestions for when you first start going out alone on a horse, to build trust and prevent anything bad from happening?


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Animalia said:


> I know to many of you, this may seem like a ridiculous topic. Every TV show and movie your watch with horses ("Heartland" comes to mind) the people are out on a trail or in the back country on their horse--alone--it's just the norm. So I'm curious if any of you have thought of this? Do you have plans in place? Do those of you over 40 (or 50) still go out there with a renegade cowboy attitude, and it's always been fine?
> 
> I mean--I DID walk into tigers' and lions' cages every day for 3 years. When you have a 500lb predator rubbing against your legs is NOT the time to be squeamish about safety. I mean, you do things as safely as possibly, and with precautions in place--but there's only so much you can control and you just accept those risks as part of what you want to do with your life. Is this was trail riding by yourself is like?


If I didn't ride by myself most of the time, I'd either not ride or I'd have to ride in the arena probably 85% of the time. I don't take unecessary risks when I'm out riding. I wear a hard hat and carry my cell phone ON ME, not in a saddle bag. I keep ID and insurance info on me, and ID in the saddle bag. I don't ride the most difficult trails alone nor do I ride a green horse, I stick with one of the "Steady Eddie" horses. I either find a group to join up with once I get there or I ride simpler trails that are pretty flat and not real exciting. The harder trails are very steep, narrow, rocky and sometimes right through the trees. I leave a note or phone messg with my husband telling where I'm going, what trail I'll ride, what time I leave the house and when I expect to be back. If something happens, I call and let my husband know that I'm running late. Oh, I belong to MASA (Medical Air Services Association) just in case I need an airlift, it won't bankrupt us. MASA INFO

You can buy geo trackers that you can enter your ride info into and it tracks your location and if you don't check out within a certain amount of time, it will call your emergency contacts and then roll out the cavalry. The good ones are satellite driven, so if you don't have cell reception, you can still be found. I haven't bought one because I haven't ever ridden where I didn't have cell reception.

If you worked with the big cats, I can't imagine you'd even think twice about riding out on trail by yourself.


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## weeedlady (Jul 19, 2014)

I need one of these geo trackers @Dreamcatcher Arabians. I've looked on Amazon and there are so many choices. Can you recommend a good one that will work without cell phone reception? My husband is convinced I am going to get lost.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

weeedlady said:


> I need one of these geo trackers @Dreamcatcher Arabians. I've looked on Amazon and there are so many choices. Can you recommend a good one that will work without cell phone reception? My husband is convinced I am going to get lost.


I really can't. I know they exist but have never really researched them. I've talked to a couple people on trail that had them and they range from very simple, not real powerful to pinpoint a fly on your horse's backside at 5000 ft. I know some have a monthly service for monitoring and some that just send a signal.


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## MeditativeRider (Feb 5, 2019)

There's a device called RidersMate that does GPS tracking for riders (of all types: horse, bike, etc.). I am not sure what it is like to use or how expensive it is but I just remember coming across the website one time. I think I was searching for a GPS tracker for my husband who does gravel biking (and I worry about him out on random gravel roads with the way some people drive).


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## Animalia (Nov 10, 2019)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> If I didn't ride by myself most of the time, I'd either not ride or I'd have to ride in the arena probably 85% of the time. I don't take unecessary risks when I'm out riding. I wear a hard hat and carry my cell phone ON ME, not in a saddle bag. I keep ID and insurance info on me, and ID in the saddle bag. I don't ride the most difficult trails alone nor do I ride a green horse, I stick with one of the "Steady Eddie" horses. I either find a group to join up with once I get there or I ride simpler trails that are pretty flat and not real exciting. The harder trails are very steep, narrow, rocky and sometimes right through the trees. I leave a note or phone messg with my husband telling where I'm going, what trail I'll ride, what time I leave the house and when I expect to be back. If something happens, I call and let my husband know that I'm running late. Oh, I belong to MASA (Medical Air Services Association) just in case I need an airlift, it won't bankrupt us. MASA INFO
> 
> You can buy geo trackers that you can enter your ride info into and it tracks your location and if you don't check out within a certain amount of time, it will call your emergency contacts and then roll out the cavalry. The good ones are satellite driven, so if you don't have cell reception, you can still be found. I haven't bought one because I haven't ever ridden where I didn't have cell reception.
> 
> If you worked with the big cats, I can't imagine you'd even think twice about riding out on trail by yourself.


LOL, yea, you'd think so. But it takes different kinds of courage to walk into a tiger or lion's cage, on your own two feet, in a controlled space with another person on the outside. On a horse, you are literally off your feet, up off the ground and riding a prey animal. And off by yourself on a trail, the horse can slip and fall, dump you in a river, knock you out by running into an overhaed branch, in some areas, cougars or bears could be an issue, or even unsavory people. LOL I know, I watch too many movies!  

The good news is, for now, the only trail rides I can go on are with my lease horse's owner and other people she brings along, becase we have to trailer to the trails.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Animalia said:


> LOL, yea, you'd think so. But it takes different kinds of courage to walk into a tiger or lion's cage, on your own two feet, in a controlled space with another person on the outside. On a horse, you are literally off your feet, up off the ground and riding a prey animal. And off by yourself on a trail, the horse can slip and fall, dump you in a river, knock you out by running into an overhaed branch, in some areas, cougars or bears could be an issue, or even unsavory people. LOL I know, I watch too many movies!
> 
> The good news is, for now, the only trail rides I can go on are with my lease horse's owner and other people she brings along, becase we have to trailer to the trails.


That'll buy you time to find a good GPS device and/or service.


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