8 Life Saving Tips for Trail Riding

Kate
Oct 20, 2016
3 min read

Fall has officially started! This means the perfect weather for group trail rides and camping trips with our horses will start soon.

Before you hit the trails though, be mindful of some quick tips that could save you and your horses life. Accidents happen in a split second, so it's super important to spend a few extra moments before you head out to make sure things run smoothly.

Wear a helmet. This one is so important. Even if you have the most broke and calm horse, anything can happen while riding. I mean, they are called accidents for a reason. Head injuries account for about 20% of riding accidents... Please do not risk injury or your life. I know I am guilty of going helmetless too, but the risk does not outweigh anything. Wear. A. Proper. Helmet.
Dress appropriately. Wear pants, no shorts, period. Keep your legs protected and prevent saddle burns. Be sure to dress for the weather too... Bring an extra jacket so you aren't caught in a sudden rain shower or chilly wind. Remember to check the weather before you head out as well. And here is the obvious one: wear boots! Tennis shoes are the best alternative for those who aren't regularly around horses and don't have boots. Open toes shoes and sandals aren't acceptable though.
Tighten your girth. Before you hit the trail, make sure your girth is tight. The best way to check it's tightness while ensuring it isn't TOO tight is to fit two fingers behind the shoulder, and snugly fit a finger directly underneath the chest. A lot of times people check behind the shoulder and tighten it up a lot but don't check under the chest, and they over tighten. Another thing to remember is to stop after a short distance of your ride and retighten the girth. Horses and ponies may pick up a habit to hold their breath when you are saddling so the girth isn't so tight on them. Moving around a little bit loosens the saddle up as well, so be sure to jump off and retighten your girth.
Be alert. Always keep an eye and ear out while you are out riding and be aware of your surroundings. Always keep an eye out for where your horse is about to step, listen for any kind of trouble, and be sure to watch the sky too. Bad weather can surprise you at any time and roll in. It's also important to be aware of your horse too. Always check on your horse's breathing and behavior to ensure he is still safe and healthy and enjoying the ride as much as you are.
Bring water. There may not be fresh water available along the trip for you and your horse. Having fresh water with you that you know is clean and safe is always a good idea. This is especially important on hot and/or humid days or when the ride will be more strenuous.
Take a first aid kit. This one is probably the most obvious, and you will see this in every single other horse post ever written, but I want to do my part and remind you. First aid kits are crucial. It's better to be safe than sorry. (I will make a post here soon of what to include in your kit, and how to make a travel sized horse first aid kit.)
Tell someone where you're going. As with anything else, it's a good idea to let someone know where you are going before you leave on your ride, whether you are going alone or with a group. Bonus points for telling them an approximate time frame you will be gone. This is so important if there is an emergency. If something happens to you and someone needs to come find you because you passed out or something worse, they will get to you much faster because you let them know your anticipated route.
Be smart. Overall, just have common sense. If you have been around horses even for a couple of hours, you know that you always have to be aware around these huge animals. Just don't do anything stupid on your ride.