How often do you get out on the trail with your horse? There are no right or wrong answers to this question. However, I find it interesting how most riders fall into 2 categories when it comes to trail riding or hacking with their horse. They see it purely as a way to relax or unwind with their horse. And then you have a smaller 2nd group who understand that it’s a great way to work with and train their horse.
You can use trail riding to relax ‘or’ train your horse. The key is to become intentional about which option you choose on any given day when out of the arena.
Today, I want to encourage you to begin getting more intentional about your time on the trails with your horse. And to encourage you to see this as an amazing opportunity to build the connection with your horse; regardless of your focus on any specific day…
So, let’s first look at the benefits you can experience when you include more trail riding into your current training schedule or riding routine.
1. Improving Balance & Coordination
There’s something special about riding in a beautifully manicured arena. I can bet you will agree with me here. However, spending 100% of your time riding on perfect footing will actually do both you and your horse a disservice in the long run.
Navigating different terrains—such as hills, streams, and uneven ground—forces both you and your horse to adjust your balance and coordination.
This really helps your riding because it forces you to develop a more secure seat. Not to mention improve your balance – always a win. And all this while helping your horse to develop his own balance, and coordination while becoming more sure-footed and responsive to your aids. All really useful advantages to take back into the arena with you both :)
2. Build Confidence in New Places
A change is as good as a rest, right?! This is one of the key reasons trail riding can help you and your horse build your connection and develop your skills together.
When you’re both exposed to new and different things, such as varied terrains, new sights and perspectives, and even strange or different sounds, you learn to trust each other more.
Your horse will begin to feel more confident and less spooky. This is especially useful when you’re back in the arena and encounter unfamiliar objects or situations. And this ‘new space’ will help you, the rider, to better to become more mindful, especially in how you deal with unexpected challenges in a calm way.
3. Building Connection & Trust
When you allow yourself to really be present on the trail with your horse, something special happens. There is this feeling of ‘being in it together’. A true team working together.
You see, when you’re out on the trail, the clarity of your aids is often essential to guide your horse safely through the different obstacles, terrains, and potential challenges that can crop up. This builds trust and partnership.
You begin to trust yourself more and your horse learns to become more responsive to your aids. Of course, connection and trust are a two-way street. The increase in mindfulness on your part will also allow you to better “listen” to your horse’s cues and signals. Responsiveness is also a two-way street and trail riding is a great way to use it to strengthen the bond between you and your horse.
4. Mental & Physical Training
What’s better than a place where you can build stamina, strength, and endurance for you and your horse? Trail riding offers this and more. By intentionally varying the intensity of the ride and the exercises you use when out on the trail, this type of work can become an important part of you and your horse’s training program. And all this without the repetitiveness of arena work.
Here are a few simple ways or exercises you can use the next time you’re on the trail to work both you and your horse:-
A) Transition Work; Halt-Walk-Trot-Canter (if safe to do so)
Work on riding balanced, straight, and smooth transitions between gaits while on the trail. Transitions will help to further improve the responsiveness between you and your horse, which will improve the overall communication and conversation.
Transitions also encourage your horse to remain balanced and attentive, especially when transitioning on slightly uneven or varied terrain.
Start with halt-to-walk-to-trot and trot-to-walk-to-halt transitions. Again, work on maintaining the basics of relaxation and rhythm as you move up and down through the gears. From there, if safe to do so, you can begin to include walk-to-canter and canter-to-walk. But, again, make sure both the terrain and the surroundings are suitable to include canter in your training.
B) Lateral Work; Leg Yields and Shoulder-In
Granted, these are more suited to a wider trail or path. So if you can find a suitable part of the trail or an open area, lateral movements are great to work on. When you practice simple leg yields or shoulder-ins on the trail you are obviously helping your horse become more supple and responsive to leg aids.
I also think that the added complexity of the uneven terrain encourages a greater understanding of rhythm and how it is essential to these movements.
And of course, lateral work will also improve your ability to maintain contact and balance. I like to use whatever is around me, the trees, fencing posts, rocks, etc., as ‘markers’ for where to start or stop each movement. Accuracy is also important :)
C) Hill Work; Strength, Stamina, and Balance
This can be a little more tricky to incorporate as I do think that finding the ‘right’ hill is essential! But let’s say your riding somewhere with lovely gentle slopes and hills, use them strategically to begin developing your horse’s hind-end strength and improving his rhythm and balance.
Keep in mind that this does not mean galloping up and down hills! You can simply ride up the hills in a controlled walk or trot, encouraging your horse to engage its hindquarters.
And then, as you come back down, practice a collected walk to maintain control and balance. This exercise helps both you and your horse develop better strength, control, and stability.
D) Serpentines & Circles; Around Trees or Natural Obstacles
Again, this might require a little more planning when it comes to your route. But, if possible, look out for paths or open areas with trees or other natural markers. These are great places to practice serpentines (my personal favorites), figure-eights, or circles.
The benefits of these simple but essential exercises are endless. It will help you and your horse to develop suppleness, improve your bending, and increase overall straightness.
These ‘big’ obstacles also have a great way of focusing your horse’s mind and working on controlling everything more. Start with big or ‘sweeping’ circles. Then, once you both begin to feel comfortable, you can work on tighter turns as your horse becomes more supple and attentive.
E) Desensitization; “Scary Object” Training
Finally, you can use random, everyday things that you come across while on the trail as training tools to help desensitize your horse to new and different things. Simple everyday things like rocks, streams, or fallen logs can feel like a big deal to a horse who has never seen them before!
Remember to be confident and compassionate. Just because you know it’s a rock does not mean your horse does! Approach each object calmly and encourage your horse to investigate them at a walk.
When you make a regular occurrence of practicing calm approaches to potentially “scary” things, your horse’s confidence and trust in both himself and you grow. And these are essential for anything you want to do in the future with your horse.
Trail Riding for Training Your Horse
So, I’m hoping that this will encourage you to begin to incorporate more ‘out of the arena’ work into your training program with your horse. And remember, every trail ride does not have to be about training. Switch things up by choosing different days to ‘relax’ and others to ‘train’.
Trail riding is such an underutilized tool for so many horses and riders. Get strategic today by using the 10 audio horse riding lessons inside of Daily Strides Premium on your next trail ride. Simply join today, look for August 2024, and begin using trail riding to improve you and your horse.
Happy Riding
Lorna
Online Training to Help Your Riding
Connect with Lorna online:-
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