# Really needing some opinions



## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

I think it is rude. Some horses can handle that, some can't. That happened to me one day on my OTTQH. Straight stretch of level grass, woods on one side, slope down to drainage area on the other. They ALL took off at a gallop, hubby included. I wasn't that strong of a rider yet (bad accident year before) and I wasn't in my own saddle. My normally sweet darling somewhat lazy QH had a meltdown. He actually has a 98 Speed Index with an ROM in racing from AQHA. He is fast and in his horsey mind he was like "Girl, I can mop up this track with them" and I know he could but I had a whirling dervish on my hands. I had to finally dismount after nearly going down the slope a few times. It took a good 10 minutes to calm him down. I walked a mile and a half back to the camp when the group returned from their gallop. 

Sometimes it helps to know the people you are riding with. Hopefully, this won't happen again, as it never has with me. I have a different horse now and am comfortable cantering or holding him back but no, that was rude to do that especially when they saw it was cranking your boy up to do that. Sorry you had a ride like that. It sucks the fun out of trail riding!


----------



## CharliesMom (Jul 7, 2009)

It made it incredibly stressful, one rider in particular (the one who couldn't keep his horses bum away from mine) made it worse. I'm not trying to bash on the western cowboy style, because I've ridden with riders like that before, but this guy was a cowboy. At one point, and I'm not proud of this in the least, its terrible behavior, my horse kicked at the horse and kicked the rider in the leg. I apologized, said, hey man I think your horse might be a little much for my guy, but it was the riders fault. I wasn't mad at my horse in the least, he felt threatened and reacted, but it was a dangerous situation. One that I had never encountered before and really didn't know how to handle it.


----------



## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

My trainer and i like to let the horses stretch their legs but we always ok with each other before picking up speed. I do agree they were rude or rather they dont know basic etiquette which isn't uncommon. Next time ( if you go again) voice your opinion on the previous happenings and what you would like and if they can't respect you then don't ride with them anymore.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## CharliesMom (Jul 7, 2009)

I don't think I will be, I was invited to go with them, and I was so happy to because its a new farm and I haven't been able to trail ride with anyone and really wanted my horse to have some nice calm company to enjoy a ride with. It was just, not a good first go and now I'm a little worried that every time we go out he'll remember that and just lose it. :-(


----------



## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

Little advice don't think that he will remember it of you worry he is going to act up 9 times out of 10 he will, based on your body language. Just treat every ride as you would have before .
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Just them cantering up to you is not ok, in my mind. YOu don't know each other at all. I would not canter up to a horse, unless I knew for sure that horse/rider would be ok. I am not a super timid rider, but I also do NOT like to be riding an out of control horse. 

So, them galloping off on the flat stretch is also not very considerate of you.
I would have asked you if you wanted to, and offered you the lead. That way your horse would not be so panicked.


----------



## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Sounds to me like these guys are used to riding with each other and really don't know basic etiquette or have forgotten it. Not really unusual with a group of friends but pretty **** rude when inviting a stranger along.


----------



## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

Sounds like these guys didn't have very good trail etiquette. I'm always cautious when I ride with a new group for the 1st time. Not because I worry so much about my horse, but more because I'm worried about the other people's horses.
Since you can't really control other people, the only real thing you can do is control your horse better. As soon as your horse puts his ears back correct him, and let him know that behavior isn't ok. In Drill practice we weave in out of each other at a slow canter, it helps get the horses used to something coming towards them..
Even though Willow likes to ride in front, if we are in a large group I usually hang back and let everyone else go in front. Just so I can see them.
I sorry it was an unpleasant ride for you, but your horses will get used to each other the more you ride together.


----------



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Yes, that was very rude of them to do those things without at least letting you go ahead of them before they galloped. A lot of horses just can't handle that kind of excitement without reacting.

We have a 7 year old ASB who is very hot but usually a steady mount under the hands of an experienced rider. However, she always feels like she needs to be leading a trail riding group and works herself into a lather if she isn't. Other horses taking off without her or towards her would very easily cause her to go beserks.

I hope that both you and your gelding are ok and that you don't have less-than kind trail riding buddies next time!


----------



## Thunderspark (Oct 17, 2012)

I think they were very inconsiderate, especially not knowing you or your horse and how your horse would react with them galloping towards you. Thank goodness all the ones I ride with are very considerate of everyone riding. One evening in the fall I went out with two friends who ride two of my horses for me, they had been talking about racing.....I'm too old to race LOL I declined. They went to the other end of the field we were in and galloped towards my mare Spice and I.......Spice was excited, she danced around but was not out of control but then it helped I knew what was going on and I was ready for it......I prefer to ride with people who are considerate of all the riders, not just one or two....


----------



## Prinella (Jul 12, 2011)

I'd talk to them and then decide if you want to ride with them again. 
I agree they messed up but as Darrin said it could just be they've forgotten or never learnt trail ettiquite.


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

Hey Barrel Race arabs, you are not to far away from me!


----------



## montcowboy (Nov 11, 2012)

sounds to me like they were showing off for you. nothing more stupid then a cowboy showing off. its a sad sad affair..when riding with new people. and horses. you never ever do anything like that charliesmom. ever. if the horse can handle it the rider might not be able too. just sounds like idiots trying to show you how good they are.and how good there horses are. and make sure your not giving poor old cowboys a bad name...make sure he is..lol... ride safe..


----------



## peppersgirl (Aug 24, 2012)

RUDE! And how obnoxious to keep doing it after they SEE how your horse reacts..

I too like to stretch my horses legs, but sheezuz, I'll go to an open area away from other horses to do so! Also I was always taught to stay two horse lengths away from the horse in front of me...Ya know cause, most horses do not appreciate an unknown (or even a known) horse crawling up their butt..

trail and arena etiquette seems to have gone out the window in this day and age.. I absolutely hate most warm up arenas', as people think its ok to dive in and out of the crowd, or better yet going the opposite direction through a crowd instead of moving to the inside..

ugh people.


----------



## peppersgirl (Aug 24, 2012)

Oh and I have found thast real cowboys do not do that crap... as montcowboy said, the idiots where just trying to show off most likely.. 

If you have to "show off your skillz" obnoxiously, it usually means that you dont have many


----------



## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Well...I think it was rude and thoughtless. They are probably all used to doing this together but it would have been nice to be more thoughtful of someone new. And at least have some consideration when they saw your horse was nervous...unless they are so goofy they didn't notice. There are a lot of riders who are not horsemen or horsewomen.
Hopefully you will be able to get acquainted with some of the other borders on an individual basis and find someone you are more comfortable to ride with,at least until you and your horse are more familiar with the group.


----------



## FlyGap (Sep 25, 2011)

YUCK. 
I agree with Dustbunny, was there anyone there you liked? (After the whole getting to know you gallop? LOL!) The two of us ride alone and most days I don't mind, but it would be super nice to have a friend to ride with once in a while! 

Glad you stayed safe! (Sounds like you were the only TRUE cowboy there!)


----------



## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Some people out there think that a horse is a motorcycle. Most of them end up getting ditched and losing interest in horses. You don't need riding companions like that. They are rude and ill mannered. I hope that you can find some nice people to ride with.


----------



## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

I havn't had my horse on many rides yet and only about 1/2dozen people riding with me so far. But early on in my riding my horse before I bought her i figured out she has a bubble, so now I tell everyone that she has a bubble, I will try to warn you but if you let your horse get too close I make no promisses.

so far the only horse to recieve anything is my wife's, feel bad yes...but she nows my mare's bubble just gets relaxed/daydreaming sometimes lol


----------



## goodhrs (Dec 30, 2009)

Rude & very poor trail etiquette IMHO. That's why we quit riding with groups. We have a couple good friends we ride with and that's it now. People just dont think of anyone else but themselves these days.


----------



## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

It's rude and I'd never ride with them again.


----------



## thenrie (Sep 10, 2012)

For my style of trail riding, there is never any need for my horse to go at any gait above a trot. The only time I ever go above that is for training purposes in an arena or a level field, because I think a horse should be well-rounded and know how to handle himself and obey commands in all gaits. Having said that, my late uncle exclusively used his horses in the mountains of southern Utah. His horses didn't even know what a canter was, under saddle. He had no reason to even train them to do so. On the trail, I never want my horse to get so excited he can't keep his mind on the trail and my commands.

I have found that most novices like the excitement of a good gallop, and I admit, it is exhilarating, but I've grown out of it. I ride with one lady who just loves to gallop up hills. I try to convince her that on a trail ride that can be a dangerous habit for a horse to develop, but she loves it because all she has ever done was ride at a canter around in an arena as she took English riding lessons. It is tough to get her horse to walk up an incline now. Her husband likes to get out into a field and gallop around and get the horse all fired up. It's fun to him, but shows he's a novice and isn't good for the horse (20 years old), who doesn't get enough exercise even at a walk.

As for the "cowboy" who wouldn't control his horse...he'll probably think better next time. Go ride with other folks. It was good you could keep your horse under control. No horse wants to be left behind when the others are galloping away.


----------



## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

Stevenson- thats surprising I'm in the middle of nowhere it is hard to find people who are close haha.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Radiowaves (Jul 27, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> Just them cantering up to you is not ok, in my mind. YOu don't know each other at all. I would not canter up to a horse, unless I knew for sure that horse/rider would be ok. I am not a super timid rider, but I also do NOT like to be riding an out of control horse.
> 
> So, them galloping off on the flat stretch is also not very considerate of you.
> I would have asked you if you wanted to, and offered you the lead. That way your horse would not be so panicked.



It's just a matter of courtesy! Unless they knew your horse's personality and probable behavior, it really would have been a better thing to do to be a bit more low-key in their approach. Also, asking before jumping into a lope or gallop when picking up the pace would have been a good idea as well!

Just my opinion...


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Rude and potentially dangerous. I would not ride with these folks again.


----------



## Beatrice9 (Jun 30, 2012)

When he wants to get scared and take off like he did when they cantered up to you, pull him into circles instead of straight forward. He's scared, and he needs to get it out of his system, but he needs to be as uncomfortable as possible for the wrong behavior. Same with wanting to catch up to the pack, circles! He is new to the other horses, he wants to be in their herd, and he doesn't want to be the lowest man on the totem pole. All the behaviors you described lead to that simple thing. The people you were trail riding with should understand common horse behavior, and been courteous of that to your horse and you. I have a very young gelding, and when the other horses are cued to canter, he decides he wants to join. As they fade into the distance, he's running in circles.  Can't buck or rear when bent into the circles either, yay! My gelding also is a nipper, he will stretch his neck out as far as possible to nip the butt in front of him. I hate it, but it's just who he is, he's not being mean. He's very very very playful. I take that into consideration and keep out of mouths reach whenever possible (or we stop and back up a few feet). He does it to me too when I'm cleaning his pen, he will trot up and nip me and trot away. Never bites hard, he will just grab my shirt (never skin) and give it a little tug. This usually means he wants to play soccer, and it consumes the rest of my day because he has bountiful energy like a puppy.


----------



## goodhrs (Dec 30, 2009)

Elizabethan87 said:


> he will trot up and nip me and trot away. Never bites hard, he will just grab my shirt QUOTE] That's not playful, that's a dominance trait.


----------



## Sharpie (May 24, 2009)

Definitely rude.

That said, what do you want to do on the trail? Do you want to go for a nice relaxing horseback walk and some time outdoors with good friends (horse and human) or do you want to have some speed and adventure? You've gotta find folks on the same page. Ask what sort of things they like to do before you agree to meet up.

I like doing both, at different times, and usually it depends on who I'm with and their horses. With some folks, we're happy to walk and maybe trot a little if everyone's up for it. Other times we'll race another horse and rider on the beach. It just depends what someone's comfort level is, and the group should be respectful and ride in a manner that is safe for the least experienced/trained horse and rider. Save the more 'exciting' stuff for when everyone in the group can do it safely and WANTS to. Stop and think and ask. 

I once cantered towards someone across a field (big field, takes 10 minutes to walk across) but slowed down the moment I saw her horse getting nervous about it. Took forever to get there, but better than getting someone killed. It's about respect and safety.


----------



## SeeyaLater (Jan 12, 2013)

You seem like a nice person. They would have done that to me just once ... Lol. Stick up for yourself and your safety. You set the ground rules or find new buddies. The behavior sounds careless on their part. Good luck!


----------



## LisaG (Nov 11, 2012)

You could just talk to them about it. I can't imagine anyone set out to cause injury (though I certainly agree it was careless of them).

Or maybe you just need to find a group with a different pace.


----------



## ArretelaBWs (Jan 20, 2013)

Hmm ..I would say let's try and look at this in a positive light. Take it as a training opportunity. Though other riders can sometimes be frustrating, the reality is we need to be able to control our horse in stressful or anxious situations because we can't always control the environment. And this trail ride gave you the opportunity to improve your skills and build confidence in both you and your horse. I would agree that maybe it was a little 'rude', I always let others know if I'm coming up on them, or if plan to trot or lope, but some people really just do not know any better and do not realize the importance of it. Although these types of rides may not seem ideal, they will probably teach you more and improve your horsemanship a lot more than a simple walk down the trail, not to say there's anything wrong with an easy relaxing ride, those are always nice.  But challenges are what really make you grow and get better. As we all know, there's always room for improvement when it comes to our horsemanship skills. :thumbsup:


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Whenever I am around other riders I don't know, I will err on the side of caution... I assume they are novice riders and act accordingly. That is the safe thing to do.

On the other side of the coin, there are "experienced" riders who like to baby their horse and except everyone to tiptoe around them because they either have a perceived problem with their horse, or refuse to address a genuine training problem. I am NOT claiming the OP falls into this category. Please don't misinterpret this as any type of attack on anyone.

My point is that this is a two way street. Riders should not be running up on unknown horses. It is not safe. At the same time, riders (especially trail riders) have the obligation to train for the unexpected and learn to deal with it. 

You could be riding down a trail and a runaway/loose horse(s) could come riding up on you. A deer, moose or bear could come out of a side trail. A tree could be blocking a normally clear trail. There are an infinitely number of variables and situations that are completely out of our control.

People should observe "trail etiquette" but the reality is that sometimes they do not. Best bet is to observe it ourselves and prepare for/expect that that no one else will.


----------

