These additional users of the trail can complicate your riding plans, but there are multiple ways to prepare your horse for these unknowns. At the same time, it’s always a good idea to study trail etiquette to help you better cope with other trail users as well.

Acclimate at Home First

Think about all the practice and training you and your horse put into preparing for a class at a show: mastering that lead change, working on collecting, nailing a jump distance. You wouldn’t dream of tackling one of these skills for the first time in front of the judge.

It’s really no different with trail riding. Even though it may seem like a simple, low-pressure environment, you really need to employ the same “training-first” mindset to ensure enjoyment and safety for you and your horse. This includes preparing for whatever you and your horse may encounter while riding on a multi-use trail.

Try Equestrian-Only Trails

See if you can get your horse out of the arena and away from the familiarity of his everyday environment while still in a horses-only situation. Maybe this involves riding in a pasture your horse doesn’t normally access, or riding on some other part of your own property where the setting is unfamiliar but where possible surprises are limited.
Finally, you could experiment with trailering your horse to equestrian-only trails in your area, if they exist.

In any case, the idea is to make sure your horse is calm on the trail in normal circumstances before adding the possibility of encountering other trail users.

Ride with another seasoned trail horse and friend (or more than one!) and let them take the lead, which will help give your horse confidence.

ATVs and UTVs

ATVs and UTVs are naturally a spooking hazard for horses. Not only are they loud, but the engines on these machines also tend to accelerate rapidly from low to high RPMs, creating a startling noise. The good news is you can work to desensitize your horse ahead of time by exposing him to these sights and sounds in a safe, controlled environment.

Once on the trail, if you hear a machine approaching, try stopping, moving as far as you safely can to the side of the trail, and then waiting for the ATV/UTV to either pass or stop and yield to you.

You may wish to forgo trails that are heavily used by ATVs or UTVs. In addition to the noise and action, these trails may become worn or muddy from heavy use, especially during spring or autumn transitional seasons.

Bicycles

At first glance, it might seem like it would be easier to share the trail with cyclists than ATVs—after all, bicycles make far less noise. But some bikers reach very high speeds on a trail, and the lack of noise prior to their arrival may give you and your horse less time to react and prepare, especially around bends in the trail. Such a situation could really trigger the predator flight response in your horse.

Newer electric bikes are gaining in popularity, and you may start seeing them on trails. Although they have some motor noise to warn you they are coming, e-bikes move much quicker than traditional bicycles, and may surprise both you and your horse.

Again, desensitizing at home is wise, especially if the trail you are using is popular with cyclists. Communication with the cyclists can also be key (see below).

Hunters

If your trail of choice winds through rural areas or even crosses into wilderness regions, it’s quite possible you’ll find yourself sharing it with hunters of all sorts. Some of these you may never see or hear; the only indication of their presence may be a parked vehicle or ATV.

Others may have a more visible presence; you and your horse may see orange- or camo-clad hunters out enjoying nature the same way you are, moving in and out of the trail.

A good plan is to do your research. What hunting seasons are open in the area where you plan to ride? This information is easily obtained from your state’s Department of Natural Resources website and can have a meaningful impact on your plans.

Depending on the region, some hunting seasons for specific species are long and rather low-key, attracting few hunters and spreading out the action so that no one weekend is busier than another.

Other hunting seasons may be short and intense, attracting large numbers of hunters and creating plenty of trail traffic. You might wish to adjust your riding schedule to avoid the most popular hunts in a particular region. Again, it’s all about respecting other users of the trail and trying to work with everyone.

There’s also the matter of gunshots; responsible hunters won’t be using firearms when at close range to the trail, but the sound of a gunshot naturally carries a good distance. If your horse is particularly spooky about loud noises, it might be another thing to work on in training.

Dismounting if Needed

If something unusual is happening or your horse seems worried, you may want to consider dismounting until the situation has passed. It all depends on the comfort level of you and your horse, but you can certainly keep dismounting in mind as a safety option in some situations.

Communicate with Other Trail Users

Remember that other users of the trail probably aren’t horse people. Their horse-startling behaviors, such as revving an engine or suddenly moving a “scary” object, probably aren’t intended to be discourteous.

Along with putting in training time, you have a responsibility to explain what you need to other trail users when you come upon each other. The following are some examples of dialogue that help put everyone at ease:

“My horse is a little skittish about your ATV; if you could just slowly and quietly pass, or shut off your machine and I’ll pass you.”

“I think my horse is a little afraid of your hiking backpack, so if you could just talk softly as you pass it will help put him at ease.”

“Good morning, would you mind putting a leash your dog until I pass with my horse?”

Most people will be happy to comply with requests like these, and such dialogue encourages cooperation so that everyone can enjoy the trail.

Be Courteous

Also remember that people might be intimidated by your horse. It’s easy to forget that not everyone spends time around 1,200-pound animals regularly, so a passing hiker or cyclist may feel unsure.

Good communication etiquette is helpful here as well. Be courteous and friendly. Technically, other trail users must always yield to equestrians, but there may be plenty of situations where it simply makes more sense to stop your horse and let the other trail users pass.

Also, be sure to clean up after your horse; the next non-horsey hiker or cyclist will thank you. And you may want to avoid riding on soft trails after rainstorms where your horse will leave significant divots from his footprints.

Just like safe driving means being responsible and working with others on the road, sharing a multi-use trail safely just requires some planning and effort on your part, along with a little caution. There’s no reason that multiple types of recreation can’t take place simultaneously.

Happy trails!

This article about riding horses on multi-use trails appeared in the August 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Riding Horses on Multi-Use Trails appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Trail Riding Safety Factor: Your Horse’s Reaction

If you and your horse have ever come across a wild animal while you’re on the trail, the experience was either enjoyable or terrifying, depending on your horse’s reaction. My most seasoned trail horse has seen coyotes many times on our rides, and he will stop and admire them with me if we come across them hunting in a field or walking across the trail.

On the other hand, the first time we came across a deer, his reaction was anything but relaxed. He was unable to identify the four-legged creature with a head full of antlers, and every muscle in his body tightened. It felt like he was ready to bolt.

After seeing deer several times, my horse is no longer scared—he’s figured out they are harmless. But it’s nearly impossible to expose a horse to every wild critter he might come across on the trail in advance of that real-life moment.

Building Trust with Your Horse

Lory Walls and Jamie Dietrich are two experienced North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC) competitors and judges, with thousands of miles of trails around the country under their belts. Both have come across all kinds of wildlife along a variety of trails, and they concur that the secret to dealing with everything from deer to bobcats is teaching your horse to trust you.

“Building trust starts at home, and should be happening all the time,” says Walls. “You can’t expect the horse to be completely unafraid, but you want to be able to channel and deal with the fear. You do his by building that trust and not keeping the horse in a bubble.”

You can earn your horse’s trust by spending time in both the saddle and on the ground, showing him that you can handle anything scary that comes up. Your horse needs to know that you will keep him safe. Time on both the trail and the arena negotiating obstacles can help foster this.

Practice Obstacles

Start by tackling some potentially scary arena obstacles like wood bridges, tarps and poles. Help your horse understand that you won’t ask him to do something that puts him at risk.

Once he has mastered these inanimate objects, expose him to other animals like sheep, goats, barking dogs, pigs—whatever you have access to—while still in the arena. As you help your horse learn to adjust to these animals through regular exposure, he will start to learn to trust you.

Once you feel like your horse is relaxed around domestic animals, go trail riding with someone who has a wildlife-savvy horse for safety and education. Your horse will learn from his trail buddy that wildlife is nothing to fear.

Before you head out on trail alone or with a buddy, be confident that you can control of horse’s feet. According to Dietrich, you want your horse to listen to your hands, seat, legs and voice, even when he’s in a concerning situation.

You also want to teach your horse to wait and watch when he sees something that worries him, instead of just reacting. This takes practice and patience. If your horse stops when he sees an animal or object he’s concerned about, don’t push him toward it until you can feel him relax. It’s important to control you own reaction as well by not tightening your body. If you get nervous, you are likely to produce a fear reaction in the horse.

According to Dietrich, with most wildlife encounters, there’s a momentary startle, and the other critter goes on its way. Big birds like grouse and turkeys make a lot of noise and seem to appear out of nowhere. Even little creatures like rabbits and squirrels can come darting out of a shrub and startle both you and your horse.

In these situations, it’s important to have a good seat to make sure you stay on your horse during that initial spook, and then to work to calm yourself quickly so you can in turn calm your horse.

Dangerous Wildlife While Trail Riding

Most wildlife, like deer, brown bears, coyotes and bobcats, are only a threat if your horse freaks out about them. While these animals will likely freeze or run off when they see horses, a few species are best avoided because of their propensity for aggression.

Grizzly bears are one such animal, and are most often encountered in very remote areas in the northwestern states, Alaska and Canada. Riders in these areas often ride with “grizzly bells” attached to their horses’ saddles or breast collars to help warn bears they are coming and avoid startling them. Grizzlies don’t typically attack riders, but momma bears with cubs nearby can be unpredictable.

Another species that can pose a problem for riders is snakes, specifically poisonous ones. Coming across a gopher or king snake is no big deal, but stepping on a rattlesnake or cottonmouth can prove deadly.

Most venomous snakes only bite if they feel threatened, and most horse encounters with these kinds of snakes are accidental. That’s why it’s important to stay on designated trails and avoid going “off-roading” in snake country.

Many people are afraid of mountain lions, probably because our ancient ancestors were likely prey for similar large cats. But today’s mountain lions rarely attack adult horses, especially ones with riders, because they look even bigger than an unmounted horse.

Mountain lions are good at concealing themselves, and you are unlikely to see one when riding. If you do, your biggest challenge will be keeping your horse calm. Like humans, horses tend to have a visceral reaction to large predators. If this happens, fall back on your horse’s training and let him know he can trust you to handle the situation.

Use Common Sense While Trail Riding

It goes without saying that all wildlife should be given a wide berth whenever possible. Wild animals typically become aggressive if they feel threatened and will always opt for flight over fight if they can.

Keep in mind that female mammals such as bears, mountain lions, moose and coyotes may behave aggressively if they feel their babies are in danger. If you see a mother and her offspring along the trail, turn around and head in the other direction.

Encountering wildlife on the trail can be an exhilarating experience. It is something many trail riders hope for in their journeys, and something they remember for a lifetime. Establish an understanding of wildlife safety and work with your horse to build trust so when you come across a new animal while trail riding, you will both enjoy the moment.

This article about wildlife safety while trail riding appeared in the August 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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