Cross training: Trail riding?

A forum for discussion of training in dressage
Avola
Herd Member
Posts: 90
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Oregon Coast

Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Avola » Tue Oct 13, 2015 2:19 am

I figured I'll kick this off.....who does trail riding as cross training or because they just like it or.....???
I'm a former jumper, did some eventing, consider dressage a great tool but my actual love was endurance. Since I'm old and out of shape, I'm trail riding. A lot. Love it. Anyone else?

User avatar
Spotted at X
Greenie
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:57 pm

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Spotted at X » Tue Oct 13, 2015 3:41 am

I used to hack through the Jennings State Forest which is accessible from my parents farm, now that I'm moving back I will definitely be doing this again! I think it's great for building muscle, and fantastic to get them out of the ring so they don't sour.

We used to ride 8-10 miles, mostly walk/trot with some cantering, and practice shoulder-in and extending and collecting gaits.

Being surprised by the random turkey, boar or deer always added excitement as well! O.o
Leopard and Spot fanatic! :mrgreen:

mari
Herd Member
Posts: 446
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 7:57 am

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby mari » Tue Oct 13, 2015 4:16 am

We're in a built-up area, so we don't have access to good trails. But we go for walks on the quieter roads, and sometimes we box out to trails or big venues where we can go for walks.
The aim of argument or of discussion should not be victory, but progress. ~ Joseph Joubert

Ryans Friend
Greenie
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:50 pm

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Ryans Friend » Tue Oct 13, 2015 5:34 am

Trails in my area means tackling big hills, walking up a (boring) dirt road, or crossing a REALLY busy local highway. So I opt for the hills. Depending on our mood and the weather, we will tackle all or part of the hills, working on FORWARD for the uphill and placing weight on the hind for the downhill. (I like to think that Cannon enjoys the break from arena work.) I must admit that I am jealous of thosewho can walk out your door and have miles of flat grassy land to traverse!

MidgetMustang
Greenie
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 6:38 am

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby MidgetMustang » Tue Oct 13, 2015 9:55 am

I'm lucky enough to live about 4 blocks from Forest Service land and a river. I try to take everyone out at least once a week. The terrain can get pretty varied (banks, ditches, lots of downed trees...), which I feel helps the horses with coordination and gives them a better sense of where their feet are in space. Plus it's so good for their mental health...and mine as well. I think I'd go nutty if I didn't have a break from working in the ring occasionally. Well...more nutty.

clanter
Herd Member
Posts: 100
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 9:49 am

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby clanter » Tue Oct 13, 2015 10:10 am

Just be prepared for some funny moments when you take your tried and proven show horse out into the wilderness for a trail ride.

We had one who after four of five years of going a round and around in a show ring became bored to tears so we thought she should be exposed to a new life: Competitive Trail Riding.

I clearly remember Foxie at her first Pulse and Respiration (P&R) check on that first ride... you ride into the check point, the vets and P&R staff are there to appraise the condition of the horse to make sure you are not out there to kill it. The veteran horses knew the drill, saddle is removed, drop head to the could breath better, and calm down to decrease heart rates (how they learn that is beyond me but ever horse we rode in NATRC learned this in short order by watching the others) in order to lower the pulse and breath rates (depending upon ride the counts had a specific do not exceed counts-- over that and the horse was pulled, if very high then truck back to base camp)

Well, Foxie, the show horse thought well since they have stripped me of my saddle this must be a championship line up. Head Up, Ears Forward, Square Up...Stand PRETTY.... Every One just looked at her.... then the lead vet asked ... "What's She doing?" .... I had to laugh and they did also when I told them she thinks this a the judging line up for "the class".

She learned to enjoy the rides even being one of the top competitive trail horses in the country.
Last edited by clanter on Tue Oct 13, 2015 5:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

demi
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2218
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:02 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby demi » Tue Oct 13, 2015 3:20 pm

Not all of my horses have been good trail horses (two OTTB's that never could settle on the trails) but most of them have benefited greatly by regular trail work. The little mare i have now needs the trail at least once a week right now to keep her happy in the arena work. I started ponying when she was three, before I even started riding her, so she gained confidence on the trails very early. Now when she starts to get frustrated in the arena, I have the option of taking her out on the trail to get relaxed again.
We have our own trails that we made on 30 acres, with lots of variety. I also have a friend with several hundred acres nearby that i can trailer too. The trailering bit takes more effort than i want to put out most of the time but it is a nice change of routine occasionally.
So I would say that if possible, trails are a very good thing.
ALSO: Clanter, thanks for the pics. I love foxie and remember her from ToB. I especially like the last picture!

User avatar
Fatcat
Herd Member
Posts: 373
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 4:36 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Fatcat » Tue Oct 13, 2015 3:44 pm

I love love love trail riding, more than dressage! Usually about half my rides are trail riding, I work on things on the trail too, leg yields, s-i, canter lengthening. We have some trails off our property, but only about 45min worth. However, 5 min via trailer I can get to hundreds of acres of research forest and a park/green space both of which have trails you can ride all day on.

P.s. And then there's horse camping which is double fun!

Avola
Herd Member
Posts: 90
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Oregon Coast

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Avola » Tue Oct 13, 2015 4:12 pm

And then there's horse camping which is double fun!


YES! Love, love, love camping with the horses.
Mine all enjoy the trails.
I always hacked with some regularity but my Arab who was 9 at the time was truly hating arena work so we started trail riding more "seriously" and next thing you know we're doing endurance and loving it. He's 23 now so no more endurance but definitely trail riding. Of the two OTTBs, one does very well on the trails, the other....depends on the day. Most times he's good, but there are times when his brain is AWOL, which can make it for an interesting ride. The MFT mare does well with DH. Her gait is comfortable enough but she's so darn wide I hurt every time I get one her so she's DH's trail horse. She fills his long legs really nicely :)

kande50
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1781
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:28 pm
Location: Williamstown, MA

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby kande50 » Tue Oct 13, 2015 6:50 pm

Fatcat wrote:
P.s. And then there's horse camping which is double fun!


We used to do that frequently, and even had a covered wagon that our team of mules pulled. I couldn't stand sitting in the wagon all day so we got a bigger trailer so that I could take a saddle horse, and a truck big enough to put the wagon in the back. Can't believe we did all that work just to go do more work, but we did see lots of places that we never would have seen if we hadn't gone on so many trail rides and wagon trains.

I currently have no interest in camping, but have gotten back into trail riding this fall. We usually only go once a week and I don't always look forward to it, but do it so that I can do it. But now that the weather's cooled off I've been getting out at least twice a week and having some super rides.
Attachments
omalleys00_00004.jpg
omalleys00_00004.jpg (23.21 KiB) Viewed 29549 times

M&M
Herd Member
Posts: 277
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 4:08 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby M&M » Wed Oct 14, 2015 12:14 am

demi wrote:ALSO: Clanter, thanks for the pics. I love foxie and remember her from ToB. I especially like the last picture!


What pictures?
Image

Code3
Herd Member
Posts: 297
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 12:41 am
Location: Oregon

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Code3 » Wed Oct 14, 2015 1:45 am

I love trail riding. I have to trailer out but my Arab is becoming a solid trail pony and is a blast to ride. He definitely prefers trails to arena work. My WB prefers the security of an arena, at least at this point in his life. I honestly hope that changes. I love getting out and I think it is so good for the horses to get out.

Avola, we're overdue for a trail ride! :-)

Avola
Herd Member
Posts: 90
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Oregon Coast

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Avola » Wed Oct 14, 2015 2:13 am

Yes we are!!!! Truck is back in action. Just say when and I'll be there!

clanter
Herd Member
Posts: 100
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 9:49 am

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby clanter » Wed Oct 14, 2015 2:45 am

M&M wrote:
demi wrote:ALSO: Clanter, thanks for the pics. I love foxie and remember her from ToB. I especially like the last picture!


What pictures?


oh I am sorry... when I made that post early in the morning I placed several pictures of our horse Shamrock Foxie Joy. Foxie was one of those wonder horses that would do whatever you asked of her. Later in the day, I looked at the post and the photos appeared do be a distraction to the content of the thread so I removed the photos.
.

Kelo
Herd Member
Posts: 388
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 5:42 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Kelo » Wed Oct 14, 2015 12:50 pm

clanter wrote: so I removed the photos.


Pictures of Foxie are NEVER a distraction to any thread. It could be a discussion on cookware, and then there is a picture of Foxie, and it would be OK. She was that awesome. :lol:

But, anyway, I love trail riding. It is harder for me to do frequently, though -- requires a 30-45+ min drive one way to get to a decent trail riding spot. So not doable unless I have most of a day to spend on it.

I think it freshens my horse's mind, gives us both an opportunity to move and see new things. And, yes, I can even work on some training points, but without the "drilling" aspect that often happens in the ring. Of course, my other horse still can't go on a basic trail ride without losing his damn mind, so YMMV.

Camping with them and just riding is wonderful, too. Very relaxing. I also do the NATRC CTR's, which are about 25-35 miles over two days. I don't do them really frequently, because they're too far to get to, but they're wonderful and the people are really nice. I also want to try an endurance LD (25mi) once, just to say I did.

clanter
Herd Member
Posts: 100
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 9:49 am

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby clanter » Wed Oct 14, 2015 4:53 pm

Kelo wrote:
Camping with them and just riding is wonderful, too. Very relaxing. I also do the NATRC CTR's, which are about 25-35 miles over two days. I don't do them really frequently, because they're too far to get to, but they're wonderful and the people are really nice. I also want to try an endurance LD (25mi) once, just to say I did.


We never did endurance as we wanted to learn how to take care of our mounts and both of us come back alive. CTRs taught us a lot about how to care for the horses,

NATRC CTR's, which are about 25-35 miles over two days


Competitive Pleasure ? Foxie was Region 6 champ and a National champ Competitive Pleasure horse (as note most all of the rides in that class here were near the max distance of 40 miles) but she was also used as an Open horse doing the 50/55/60 milers

for others this link will explain in-depth what we are talking about
http://www.natrc.org/what_to_expect_Competition.htm

here is the Fox during NATRC ride

Image

this is Foixe's half sister Shamrock Sashay
Image

M&M
Herd Member
Posts: 277
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 4:08 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby M&M » Wed Oct 14, 2015 11:37 pm

Kelo wrote:
clanter wrote: so I removed the photos.


Pictures of Foxie are NEVER a distraction to any thread. It could be a discussion on cookware, and then there is a picture of Foxie, and it would be OK. She was that awesome. :lol:


Agree.
Image

User avatar
quinta
Herd Member
Posts: 90
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:18 pm
Location: Ottawa, ON

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby quinta » Thu Oct 15, 2015 12:11 am

I am lucky enough to board on 120 acres with trails through the woods and a large XC field. I trail ride each of mine at least once a week. I often ride down through the woods to the show arenas at the other end of the property, school there, and ride back. It's a great warm up and cool down. I think it is really good for them to get out of the arena, and they both seem to enjoy it. Learning to lead on the trail has definitely helped Autumn be braver (and learning to be behind is good for Ms Quinta Boss Mare!). Plus, the trail is the only place that we get that Big Road Trot, which both mares much prefer to cantering.

Trail photo from last fall:

autumn_trail.jpg
autumn_trail.jpg (69.52 KiB) Viewed 29478 times

clanter
Herd Member
Posts: 100
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 9:49 am

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby clanter » Thu Oct 15, 2015 12:37 am

quinta wrote:I am lucky enough to board on 120 acres with trails through the woods and a large XC field. I trail ride each of mine at least once a week. I often ride down through the woods to the show arenas at the other end of the property, school there, and ride back. It's a great warm up and cool down. I think it is really good for them to get out of the arena, and they both seem to enjoy it.


We do not have that kind of acreage personally so I spent several years volunteering on oversight boards for the United States Department of Agriculture who has oversight of the LBJ Grasslands here in north Texas so people could have places to ride and enjoy their horses. The LBJ Grasslands has a total acreage of about 38,000 which is divided into two sections Caddo and Decatur .... together over 150 miles of interlocking trails have been constructed in the two divisions

Also I spent time in the early 1990s helping to craft the Rails to Trails funding appropriation that was attached to the Transportation Act of 1991 which lead to an appointment on the committee that was advising the Corps of Engineers in their development plans for lands they control in north Texas... a system of nearly 600 miles of interlocking trails is being constructed a piece at a time that will range from Mineral Wells 60 miles west of Ft Worth to Dallas, then north to the Red River

My wife and I were also on another Dept of Ag committee in I think it was 1993 that rewrote the 4H Equine program, changing the requirements for the beginning levels to allow borrowed or loaned or even no horses to be the required and developed a parallel program using model horses for intercity children

(The way I got on these committees was because of me being a regional youth director for the American Morgan Horse Association...and my wife's uncle under Lyndon Johnson had been a deputy director of the US Department of Ag)

PaulaEdwina
Greenie
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 9:16 pm
Location: Fayetteville, PA USA

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby PaulaEdwina » Thu Oct 15, 2015 4:25 am

I am very lucky in that my barn is about 85 acres with a mile-long hilly hack and a 1/3 mile exercise track. I use the farm alot. If I had my own trailer I'd be out in my woods near my home all the time (Michaux State Forest). Hacking out and trail riding have done wonders for our relationship -Fella is confident and athletic, and I am confident and...well...less unathletic :lol: The first time we went on a trail ride it lasted about 3 minutes. We were both terrified. This was artillery ridge. The second time we went on a trail ride I was scared, drove my friends crazy, but we made it. This last time we went out Fella was a BOSS. He attacked that trail, took the lead over my friend Laura's mare (I went out thinking we'd have to follow the mare who seems braver, but she balked at going into the forest so we had to take the lead). He attacked the trail -and it was Michaux forest so all kinds of terrain -goat trails, wash outs, you name it. Like I said, if I had my own trailer I'd be out in the woods every week.
Attachments
Carbaugh Reservoir Laura on Roxie Paula on Fella 8-10-2015.jpg
Carbaugh Reservoir, Michaux Forest, PA. USA
Carbaugh Reservoir Laura on Roxie Paula on Fella 8-10-2015.jpg (101.59 KiB) Viewed 29468 times

clanter
Herd Member
Posts: 100
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 9:49 am

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby clanter » Thu Oct 15, 2015 9:32 am

PaulaEdwina wrote: but she balked at going into the forest so we had to take the lead). .


reminds me of the time I had Sashay at the LBJ Grasslands testing trail routes.... we stepped from the tree line into a clearing, on my right about 75 feet away a deer had stepped out at the same time matching us step for step... we got about 40 feet into the clearing when my horse slowly turned her head to look at the deer who had done the same to look at the horse... they both realized at the same time "wait a minute that's NOT one of my kind" ... this was one of the funnier moments on the trail to see both the deer and the horse's expressions.

kande50
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1781
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:28 pm
Location: Williamstown, MA

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby kande50 » Thu Oct 15, 2015 10:33 am

quinta wrote:Plus, the trail is the only place that we get that Big Road Trot, which both mares much prefer to cantering.


I love to trot and always wanted to get a trotting Standardbred so I could do it right! Oddly enough, our Halflinger has a great road trot, although both of her mule kids would rather canter. I ride one of the mules out on trail and he's just learning to extend his trot a little more, but still can't even come close to keeping up with the Halflinger. My Trak has a pretty good road trot just because his legs are so long, but he doesn't really want to extend it much, either. (Working on that.) We've had Morgans who could trot, and I rode a large pony/small horse for years who had a great road trot, but they're gone now.

Kelo
Herd Member
Posts: 388
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 5:42 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Kelo » Fri Oct 16, 2015 12:12 am

clanter wrote:Competitive Pleasure ?


Naw, just novice. Ain't no one gonna confuse us with a national champion NATRC horse :lol: you have to win 3 to be forced to move up, so I will stay as long as I can - I am not serious about competing, I just like the rides. The novice and CPs ride the same trail, anyway.
Attachments
image.jpg
image.jpg (114.96 KiB) Viewed 29448 times

clanter
Herd Member
Posts: 100
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 9:49 am

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby clanter » Fri Oct 16, 2015 12:40 am

Kelo wrote:
Naw, just novice. ... you have to win 3 to be forced to move up.


As you can guess it has been a few years since we last did a ride...I forget.. is it three wins for the rider and three for the horses?

as note the intro page to NATRC... the panoramic photo in the upper left corner is from a ride we did in east Texas on a ranch that has three herds of Mustangs ... if that is not my photo, some one took one from the same spot I did... mine was pieced together form three photos overlain to produce the panoramic of how a base camp looked

http://www.natrc.org/newbies_index.htm

clanter
Herd Member
Posts: 100
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 9:49 am

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby clanter » Fri Oct 16, 2015 12:41 am

hit incorrect button
Last edited by clanter on Fri Oct 16, 2015 7:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

clanter
Herd Member
Posts: 100
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 9:49 am

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby clanter » Fri Oct 16, 2015 12:41 am

clanter wrote:
Kelo wrote:
Naw, just novice. ... you have to win 3 to be forced to move up.


As you can guess it has been a few years since we last did a ride...I forget.. is it three wins for the rider and three for the horse?

as note the intro page to NATRC... the panoramic photo in the upper left corner is from a ride we did in east Texas on a ranch that has three herds of Mustangs ... if that is not my photo, some one took one from the same spot I did... mine was pieced together form three photos overlain to produce the panoramic of how a base camp looked

http://www.natrc.org/newbies_index.htm

Kelo
Herd Member
Posts: 388
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 5:42 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Kelo » Fri Oct 16, 2015 1:05 pm

clanter wrote:I forget.. is it three wins for the rider and three for the horses?


I dunno, honestly. We won one overall, but mostly finish 2-4th place. Guess I'll look it up if I ever win again. But I spend exactly 0% brainpower on trying to play the game (i.e. setting up for the best PnR numbers, trail strategy, timing, etc). And winning at NATRC requires very close attention to details.

I go, I strive to stay on the trail, I do the obstacles, I take photos of the scenery, I have fun, I enjoy camping with my horse, and then I buy every single picture of us they'll sell me! :mrgreen: Actually, at the ride this year, I volunteered as a drag rider -- still got to ride, enjoy the scenery, and buy a pic, but without having to fake being interested in the actual competition...so maybe that is what I need to start doing?

gypsy still flies
Greenie
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 11:30 pm

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby gypsy still flies » Mon Oct 19, 2015 1:46 am

I love trail riding. This summer's goal was to get Rustle on the rail trail across the street from the farm and he's been awesome. I can't get him to cleanly walk over poles in the ring but he'll pick his feet up to get over a downed tree. He's either too smart for his own good or gets bored easily.

User avatar
Fatcat
Herd Member
Posts: 373
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 4:36 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Fatcat » Mon Oct 19, 2015 6:25 pm

I love that big road trot! My now deceased 14.2 Arabian would put it in cruise control down the trail at the trot, all.day.long. He loved it. He was once clocked at 9 mph by someone biking next to me for a while. Not bad for a little guy.

User avatar
Chisamba
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 4452
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:33 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Chisamba » Tue Oct 20, 2015 1:23 pm

i go trail riding because i love it. I think it is good for the horses, both their legs and their minds. it is definitely not as pleasant to do on a certain type of horse. i try to make sure i have a good trail leader and a good trail caboose when i am taking a reactive horse out at first. at times, if i have a really sensitive and reactive horse, i will pony them from a good old trail hand some times even dozens of times, before actually riding them.

It has long been a training technique of mine to take young horses out led from a sane horse, even before they are old enough to ride, so they can get some exercise, miles and exposure on the trails. then i will tack them up and pony them.

when I lived in africa, i did not have a round pen, and often had the task of starting young horses with no assistance. many is the time the first time i got on their back was about eight or nine miles from home after trailering them from the back or a good trail horse. then i would swap horses and ride the green bean back. I might have started about twenty young horses that way, and only ever had one take off bucking, but since we were eight miles from home, she got tired long before we ran out of trail and finished the ride sensibly.

i think most of the value of trail riding is mental well being, proprioception ( horses that have spent most of their life in a paddock and an arena do not know how to watch their feet) i do not think that the muscles develop in the same way for dressage as they do on the trail, so i think perhaps the development of muscle is not particular valuable. I do think that its excellent for fitness, both of horse and rider, if you do long trots and some pipe opening canters.

When we lived in Zambia it was absolutely the best way to see the wildlife. Once i was riding a mare in heat and was followed for some distance by a lone zebra male. I did wonder if i was going to have to try and outrun him if he decided he wanted my mare, lol.

My brother and I were riding along a fire break once, through very dense bush. lo and behold, coming in the opposite direction was a stunning male leopard with mutated spots... very unusual. He strolled toward us along the middle of the path, and Rory decided it was safe to continue so we rode toward him. when we got close he moved to the far left of the fire trail, and we moved to the far right, and we passed each other like suspicious travellers, i turned my head like an owl and watched him continue to walk in his direction as we walked in ours til he was hidden by a bend in the path. it was awesome, closest i ever was to a wild leopard.

In New Jersey its the wild cyclists you have to watch for on the trail, :) although everyone shares the trails well, in my experience

kande50
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1781
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:28 pm
Location: Williamstown, MA

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby kande50 » Tue Oct 20, 2015 2:24 pm

Chisamba wrote:In New Jersey its the wild cyclists you have to watch for on the trail, :) although everyone shares the trails well, in my experience


The strollers scare the crap out of me. I'm always afraid that my mule will spook at something and end up running one over, or getting too close and kicking out at it. I'm so worried about it that I always take a route through the woods next to the trail to avoid them if I can. Once we get out on the trails far enough there aren't any more strollers, but we've been to places where there were way too many kids and strollers on the trails near the parking lots.

Avola
Herd Member
Posts: 90
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Oregon Coast

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Avola » Tue Oct 20, 2015 3:52 pm

Before moving to Oregon I used to ride at a state park very close to my house that was full of cyclists and I have to say, the vast majority of them share the trails very well. Here is the darn ATVs. Most people are relatively considered, slow down and some even pull over and turn the engine off, but there are some who actually rev the engines and laugh if the horses react. I'd trade them off for some mountain bikers any day of the week.

kande50
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1781
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:28 pm
Location: Williamstown, MA

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby kande50 » Tue Oct 20, 2015 4:51 pm

Avola wrote:Before moving to Oregon I used to ride at a state park very close to my house that was full of cyclists and I have to say, the vast majority of them share the trails very well. Here is the darn ATVs. Most people are relatively considered, slow down and some even pull over and turn the engine off, but there are some who actually rev the engines and laugh if the horses react. I'd trade them off for some mountain bikers any day of the week.


We've never had any problems with other trail users, but the mtn bikes do sneak up behind us so silently that they startle both us, and the horses. I don't expect other trail users to know how to best approach/pass horses, but whenever I've gotten in a pickle (ponying, usually) and have asked other trail users to stop they've always been cooperative and helpful. In fact, I was on the bridge on the highway last week and got in a pickle and all the traffic slowed way down and gave me plenty of room, so maybe most of them are more observant than I thought they were, and just weren't slowing down because it didn't look like there was any need?

Niki
Greenie
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 12:43 pm

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Niki » Wed Oct 21, 2015 12:57 am

Where i board now there is very limited trails - and all accessible only by busy roads. Thankfully my mare is good about cars but we've still had a few idiots to deal with.

When we move though we will have access to lots of trails again - can't wait. No arena either so schooling will be out in the open which i feel we've really missed. My mare is quite bound to the arena fence some-days where we currently are. And i'll be able to set up my own archery run - that i really can't wait for :)

piedmontfields
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2735
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 4:41 pm
Location: E Tennessee USA

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby piedmontfields » Wed Oct 21, 2015 11:12 am

I love seeing the photos of everyone's terrain!

I am fortunate to board on a large farm (~120 acres) with hills, fields and wooded trails. I try to do active hill/aerobic conditioning work at least twice a week and will often school out in the fields, too, if the weather is nice. I would love to trailer to other locations, but at this point I have a truck but no trailer so I am dependent on the offers from others.

Quinta, I loved riding at the farm you are at in NC. I also used to board next to Hill Forest in Rougemont---that was truly fabulous (3000+ acres with miles of trails). My dream is to move back to NC near the Moss Foundation!

hacking_in_summer.jpg
hacking_in_summer.jpg (76.25 KiB) Viewed 29266 times

Pique
Greenie
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:45 pm

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Pique » Tue Nov 03, 2015 12:28 am

I love riding at the Moss Foundation, Piedmontfields - we were just there 2 weekends ago for their halloween ride/fund raiser.

I also just completed my first 25 mile LD ride down in the sandhills of SC, and had a blast. TREC (includes obstacles, control of paces and horseback orienteering) is also a ton of fun. I do so much trail riding that dressage is actually the "cross training" for me now.

Image

PaulaEdwina
Greenie
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 9:16 pm
Location: Fayetteville, PA USA

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby PaulaEdwina » Tue Nov 03, 2015 1:25 pm

That is so cool, Pique!

Today I have no evening class so I'm hoping to take Fella out around the farm for about 2 hours. We have many places to ride outside the ring and the ring has a rodeo chute on it so I can actually ride the farm and the ring together since I won't have to stop to open and close the gate. I plan on warming up with a couple miles walk around the farm, schooling in the ring, schooling on the hills and the corn fields, schooling back in the ring, and then going right back out onto the hack. I have a feeling I will have a more up horse in the ring if I can do this.

Paula

greenholmeshandy
Novice
Posts: 73
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:34 pm

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby greenholmeshandy » Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:11 pm

$RZNXUGJ.jpg
$RZNXUGJ.jpg (190.05 KiB) Viewed 28890 times


I do competitive cross training, trec, orienteering on horse back, control of the paces (slowest canter, fastest walk over a 300 meter track) and obstacle course. Love it. I mainly compete with a pair who has a matching Fell pony.
formerly UDBB user known as Brychensmum

Dapple Field
Herd Member
Posts: 115
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 11:44 pm
Location: NorthEast Kingdom, VT

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby Dapple Field » Wed Mar 16, 2016 12:01 am

We are in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and have many miles of trails off of the property as well as dirt roads. My DH is in the process of mapping some local trails and we also belong to the Green Mountain Horse Association (GMHA) which is about an hour and 45 minutes from us which has 300 miles of maintained trails. Vermont is trail riding heaven with substantial hills (mountains) and pleasant summer weather. Winter is another story. We rode out on a dirt/mud road for the first time since November two days ago. Our biggest problem has been encounters with black bears who won't generally bother you but the horses are terrified of them.

kande50
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1781
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:28 pm
Location: Williamstown, MA

Re: Cross training: Trail riding?

Postby kande50 » Wed Mar 16, 2016 9:47 am

Fatcat wrote:I love that big road trot! My now deceased 14.2 Arabian would put it in cruise control down the trail at the trot, all.day.long. He loved it. He was once clocked at 9 mph by someone biking next to me for a while. Not bad for a little guy.


My favorite kind of ride. I always wanted a trotting Standardbred so that I could go even faster, although some of our ponies are really good trotters.


Return to “Dressage Training”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 46 guests