TRAIN FOR TRAIL CLASS

By Cathy Hanson

Lesson One

Selecting a Trail Horse/Knowing the Basics

Learning to ride and train a show-pen trail horse is both fun and rewarding.

Riding and training a horse to navigate a course of obstacles by finding the easiest way through without touching anything, is definitely a challenge. To do it, you’ll need near perfect communication with your horse. And you’ll need to develop smoothness and grace if you are going to win your class.

Of course, you may just wish to learn to handle certain obstacles—opening and closing gates—because you encounter them when on for an enjoyable trail ride.

No matter your reason for training a trail horse, you’re going to find the task is “thought provoking”.

There are some things trail is not.

Trail is not a point and go type of ride. It is not just hoping your horse will know what to do when faced with an obstacle. (A horse will take the easiest path, which is usually around an obstacle, not over it!)

Trail is not forcing or demanding a horse to work an obstacle. (The horse will usually win this fight, or if he eventually does work the obstacle it will not be smooth with understanding, but rigid with anger or fear.)

Riding trail obstacles correctly requires a trusting partnership with your horse. You must work together!

This course will teach you how to communicate with the horse so he understands how to correctly negotiate any trail obstacle you may encounter.

Any horse can learn to ride over trail obstacles. Old Hank out in the pasture can be taught how to do show-pen trail…….but, how good Old Hank can be depends on several factors: his conformation, his soundness, his natural talent, his disposition and his heart.

How serious you are about competing in trail will determine how you choose your horse. How successful your horse will be will have a lot to do with how many of the needed “factors” are possessed by the horse you choose.

If you have a horse that currently competes in trail, his conformation is “fixed” so you’ll need to do some “evaluating.” If you are planning on purchasing a horse, let’s begin by selecting the conformation that will lead to a successful show-pen trail career.

“Correct conformation” based in efficiency of movement” is ideal.

Specialization and specific events often require conformation that is not necessarily “efficient”, such as a gaited horse, or dressage horses with elevated forehands. But “efficiency of movement” is an absolute for the great trail horse. (To learn more about conformation, take the course: Conformation and Selection for Performance---- www.horsecoursesonline.com/index/index_conformation_description.html

Correct conformation will in general refer to a horse which is balanced, has good feet, straight legs etc. The more “correct” the conformation for “efficiency of movement” the less stress on the horse’s joints, tendons, muscles, ligaments, etc. Balance helps make all types of movement easier for the horse.

A Balanced Horse

A horse that lacks balance will be inefficient in his movement and will tend toward soreness and injury. If the job is difficult for the horse, he will not enjoy his work and will often look for a way out of the job.

Trail competition, especially in more advanced levels, requires an athletic horse. The more difficult the level at which you choose to perform, the more necessary “efficient” correct conformation becomes.

A horse whose conformation produces a big stride will have more difficulty working show-pen obstacles. A horse whose conformation creates too short a stride will have difficulty making the proper number of steps required by some obstacles.

A bulky heavily muscled horse will find it difficult to wrap himself around obstacles. Bulk interferes with suppleness.

The height and weight for a highly competitive trail horse has some range. A 15 to 16 hand horse can usually step comfortably in the distances required. The horse that has a natural 3-foot trot step and 6-foot lope step will be comfortable doing trail.

There are some conformational shortcomings which can be overcome by other factors…disposition is an example.

A horse with a kind disposition which makes him “trainable” will be able to work around conformational weaknesses. A horse with a good disposition accepts his rider’s directions, usually has a good work ethic and is compliant.

A stubborn horse will cause difficulties in training.

A spooky horse will not be easy to train, and will usually fail you when you need him most. The horse must trust the rider; a spooky horse has trust issues. This type of horse, over a period of time, can learn to accept some spooky obstacles, but when anything new appears, this horse has to learn to trust all over again.

The curious horse will tend to have good expression over obstacles, and usually enjoys his job as a trail horse.

A completely numb horse that flops around will not be careful over the poles. A horse that does not like their legs to touch things will be very careful.

“Heart”, that desire to succeed, cannot be trained into the horse. “Heart” will make up for many other weak areas. A horse with heart tries even when he is not comfortable. A horse with heart tries when he is tired. A horse with heart trusts. A horse with heart will save the rider when the rider commits an error. A horse with heart turns himself inside out to get over the pole, despite poor directions from his rider.

A perfect conformation horse without heart is pretty, but useless, or “pretty useless”.

Talent is the ingredient we cannot train; we can only enhance it. A very talented horse can go to the top of the show world. Everything is easy for the talented horse. He is willing; his cadence is perfect; he is able to wrap his body around anything... He makes the most difficult obstacle look easy. This horse loves his job!

When evaluating your horse, think about his conformation, disposition, talent and heart.

Make a fair assessment of your horse.

This horse is tall, with too much leg, and an upright shoulder for a short stride. He’s also camped under behind which reduces his overall balance.

Now put your horse to work where he fits. (If you ask the horse to work at the wrong job, don’t blame the horse for failure.)

Putting the horse to work at a job that is easy for him, makes him happy, and it makes you a better trainer. Your horse may be an entry level show horse, a competitive trail riding horse, a ride in the hills on a Sunday morning trail horse or a champion show-pen trail horse. Whatever category your horse falls into doesn’t matter when it comes to learning to work trail obstacles--every horse is able to learn the fundamentals of trail. Every horse can side-pass, back, walk over a bridge, lope, jog, cross over poles, work a gate and serpentine through cones, but not every horse can do it easily.

BEFORE YOUR START TRAINING FOR TRAIL

Your horse will need some good basic training before you begin teaching the mastery of trail obstacles.

A green horse can be taught simple obstacles, but it will take a more advanced horse to negotiate more complex obstacles.

Your horse will need to understand leg cues, direct and indirect rein aids, know his leads and be relaxed in the walk, jog and lope, as well as know the basic concept of collection.

Before the horse can be taught anything, the rider must be in balance with the horse and using the aids correctly.

The horse is a reflection of the rider. The horse will be responding to what he feels from the rider. If the rider is leaning to one side, the horse will be trying to re-balance the rider by drifting or leaning.

The rider’s correct position is essential to teach the horse the aids needed for communication.

The rider will be teaching the horse a communication system which allows the rider to ask clearly for the horse to perform a certain maneuver. The horse will respond correctly because he understands the communication. The understanding is the result of trial and error on the horse’s part and repetition on the trainer’s part.

The rider will cue the horse for a maneuver and then proceed to open a door for the horse’s correct response. The rider helps the horse by closing doors that lead to the incorrect movement – leaving only the correct choice available. To open and close doors means to clear an opening or block a path for the horse. An example of closing a door is applying a leg to the horse’s side. We do not want the horse to move into leg pressure, which the horse must actually learn as it is an unnatural reflex. When the horse has learned not to move into pressure, and pressure is applied to one side, the door on that side is “closed.”

The horse soon recognizes he is blocked on one side, but not the other – so that door is open. The horse moves away from the pressure. This is why it is so important to be sitting correctly, so that the correct door is opened and the correct door is closed. The horse will move through the open door easily, and quickly learns to seek the open door as “the easy and correct way.”

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The rider’s position is very important if the rider is to communicate effectively. The rider must be balanced in her seat, and use her hands and legs correctly.

Your weight is a cue that is always involved, so it is extremely important to sit in the center of the saddle. Any weight shift or leaning will send a message (often an incorrect message) and can result in a miscommunication. The rider should be looking up and ahead. The rider’s shoulders must be square with the collar bones spread.

The stomach is held in and the back is straight. Avoid arching the back, as this tips the pelvis forward and the pubic bone down, driving the shoulders of the horse down and the horse will not be able to lift his back effectively.

The rider’s legs should hang down so the inside of the thigh is against the saddle. The knee should be slightly out, not pinched into the saddle. The heel will be in alignment with the rider’s shoulder and hip.

The foot should rest in the stirrup on the ball of the foot and with the weight distributed evenly across the foot. The heel will be lower than the toe, allowing the leg to be as long as possible to aid the horse. When the heel is lower than the toe, the ankle absorbs the bounce, so that the motion goes down the leg not out the top of the rider’s head.

The toe should turn out slightly to allow contact with the horse by the calf of the leg.

A Rider with Good Posture

When riding with two hands the arms will be bent at the elbow and the hands will be held in front of the saddle pommel. The hands will be held apart the width of the horse’s mouth.

Riding with Two Hands

Hold the reins lightly in your hand. Avoid gripping the reins tightly as this tension will be transferred to the horse. When making contact with the mouth, bend the elbow so the forearm moves toward your shoulder. Do not pull the elbow back behind your body.

When riding with one hand, the hand will be held in front of the saddle horn and just over the center of the horse’s neck. Make mouth contact through the reins by bending the elbow and lifting the hand straight up from the horse’s neck.

Riding with One hand

When using the leg, first apply the calf of the leg. If the desired response is not forthcoming, allow the heel to come into contact with the horse. Bouncing or bumping the leg will strengthen your communication to the horse.

If the horse is unresponsive, a pair of spurs may help. When using spurs, you first apply the leg and then the spur. Simply apply light pressure with the spur rowel. To become stronger with the spur aid, give small taps with the spur.

If the horse is stubborn or rebellious roll the spur on the horse’s side. This is to be followed immediately by a release of the spur when the horse complies. Always give the horse the benefit of any doubt about his response. You can test the horse’s understanding of the leg cue by going back to leg only. If you get a good response, the spur is no longer needed. However, if the response is just “so, so”, continue to use the spur lightly. Some horses will require the use of spurs forever. This is perfectly correct. As the horse gains understanding of the cues, you can be lighter and more accurate with the cue placement when wearing a spur.

The purpose of the spur is to allow the rider to use very subtle and exacting aids when communicating with the finished horse. The spurs will touch the exact the spot needed to maneuver the horse through a series of obstacles.

When training the uneducated horse, always go back to less pressure and a more subtle communication to test the horse’s learning. The spur used more severely is only to reinforce a message given, but ignored. The spur pressure is to be released the instant the horse complies.

Rider leg position when turning is very important.

When turning, the rider’s inside leg will be held just behind the cinch. This allows the horse to bend around your leg. The outside leg is held slightly back from the cinch. This is to support the horse’s rib cage and push the horse’s body around the turn.

When riding, the rider’s legs will be used to direct the horse, create impulsion and to support the horse’s body. The leg is used just behind the cinch to maneuver the shoulders. The leg hangs under the rider’s seat to support the rib cage and round the horse’s back. The leg is used farther back to direct the hindquarters.

You ride with your legs, and leg aids will be part of every maneuver. The degree of leg pressure will depend on the horse and what is being asked.

Too much emphasis is placed on the hands or bit to control the horse. In truth, the bit and hands only position the horse’s chin and bend the neck around. Without communication with the rest of the body by the rider’s legs, the horse will be lost. Communication with the legs and seat control the entire body, and prevent the horse from being left all alone. The touch of the rider’s legs makes the horse feel more secure and connected to the rider.

When asking for a turn, first position your legs, then depending on the response from the horse, you use more or less pressure.

When you ask for a turn, several things can happen. The horse may start leaning to the inside; more inside leg is needed to hold the horse up and allow him to bend around. The horse’s hindquarters may be swinging to the outside; more outside leg is needed to support and keep the horse on the correct track. The horse may not begin the turn; more outside leg is needed to push the horse around. Or the horse may be heavy on the forehand; more inside leg is needed to square the horse’s shoulders.

The rein aid plays an important role too.

Commonly riders tend to overuse the rein aid and confuse the horse. The rein aid is essential. However, too strong a rein aid will only hinder and confuse the horse.

When riding the young or green horse, you will most likely be using a snaffle bit. The snaffle bit is designed to be used with two hands. The bit rings pull on the side of the horse’s mouth and the mouthpiece presses down on the bar of the mouth.

When positioning the hands and arms with a snaffle, ride with one rein in each hand. Hold your arms at a 90-degree angle, with your elbows held at your side or slightly forward. The hands should remain in front of the saddle pommel. The hands will be spread approximately the width of the horse’s mouth.

When applying contact with the mouth, bend your elbow to lift the rein straight up from the horse’s shoulder until contact is established. This mouth contact is a barrier---a closing of a door. The rider then gives a leg aid which will direct the horse through the open door.

The barrier set by the hand straight above the shoulder is the closed door. By moving the hand away from the shoulder you open a door for the horse to move through.

The rein held against the neck closes the door.

It is very important to avoid crossing a rein over the neck. This action will counter bend the horse and cause the shoulder to lean incorrectly.

The rider’s position can be viewed in much the same way as the horse’s conformation. If the rider’s position is perfect and the horse’s conformation is perfect, things are pretty easy. On the other hand, when things aren’t perfect, we need other factors to help us.

We’ve discussed how the horse’s disposition can help overcome some conformation faults. The rider’s disposition is helpful in overcoming some rider mistakes.

It’s important you approach your horse’s training sessions with a “good disposition”. Be prepared to have an open mind. Be patient. Ask for help. Try to see the problem from your horse’s perspective.

If you find yourself getting frustrated and trying to intimidate your horse, your disposition may be “sour” at that moment. Step back, settle down, take a deep breath and think.

You will do more damage in your training program by losing your temper than by letting it go for one day and then approaching it again the next day. Hopefully, your “good disposition” has returned by the next day!

You now know the conformation of a good trail horse, and the “heart” we hope he has. Plus you know how to position yourself in the saddle. So, let’s go do some trail!

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