Trail Ride

For: level 4+ students Equine Science 1

Cost: $25.00 cash (due the day of)

Day: 1^st Saturday of each month, September - May

Time: 2:00 PM to approximately 5:30 PM

Trail Rules:
ONCE YOU HAVE PASSED LEVEL III IN THE RIDING ACADEMY’S HORSEMANSHIP PROGRAM, YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO GO ON OUR TRAIL RIDES. COST: $25.00. YOU WILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS NECESSARY TO HAVE CONTROL OF THE HORSE AND WILL LEARN TO LOOK AHEAD AND BE PREPARED FOR WHAT IS ...DOWN THE TRAIL.
IT IS NECESSARY THAT YOU LEARN THE RULES OF THE TRAIL FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY, AS WELL AS FOR THE SAFETY OF THE HORSE AND OTHER TRAIL RIDERS. MANY EXPERIENCED TRAIL RIDERS HAVE FORGOTTEN THE FEARS OF A NOVICE, AS WELL AS HIS INABILITY TO CONTROL THE HORSE WHILE TRYING DESPERATELY TO STAY IN THE SADDLE. TOO MANY RIDERS ARE JUST PLAIN INCONSIDERATE OF OTHERS AND THE RESULT IS A STRESSFUL AND MISERABLE EXPERIENCE.
THE FOLLOWING TRAIL RULES WILL MAKE YOUR RIDES MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE:
1. THE HORSE SHOULD BE WALKED THE FIRST 10 MINUTES OF THE TRAIL RIDE TO WARM HIM UP AND THE LAST 10 MINUTES COOL HIM OFF.
2. ALWAYS WALK THE HORSE WHEN YOU ARE WITHIN SIGHT OF THE BARN.
3. WALK THE HORSE ON PAVED ROADS, ROCKY ROADS, OVER BRIDGES, AND DOWN STEEP HILLS TO ELIMINATE THE DANGER OF THE HORSE FALLING AND TO REDUCE THE WEAR AND TEAR ON HIS LEGS.
4. DO NOT LET THE HORSE EAT ON THE TRAIL.
5. KEEP AT LEAST ONE HORSE’S DISTANCE BETWEEN HORSES FOR SAFETY’S SAKE. THREE LENGTHS IF THE HORSE HAS A RED RIBBON IN ITS TAIL.
6. DO NOT BEGIN A FAST GAIT WITHOUT WARNING OR CONSULTING YOUR RIDING COMPANION.
7. NEVER CANTER PAST A GROUP OF RIDERS.
8. DO NOT MOVE ANY FASTER THAN THE LEAST EXPERIENCED RIDER IN THE GROUP CAN MANAGE WITH EASE.
9. WHEN A STRANGE VEHICLE APPROACHES, IF POSSIBLE, TRY TO MOVE OFF THE ROAD. IF NOT POSSIBLE, ON A COUNTY ROAD IT MAY BE SAFER TO TAKE UP THE WHOLE ROAD. THEN, AFTER THE CAR HAS SLOWED DOWN, MOVE IN A SINGLE FILE, TO THE SAFEST SIDE OF THE ROAD, TO LET HIM PASS. IN ANY CASE, BE PREPARED FOR THE HORSE TO SHY.
10. DO NOT HOLD BRANCHES BACK. IT IS DANGEROUS TO THE NEXT RIDER TO HAVE TO ATTEMPT TO DUCK UNDER A SWINGING BRANCH WHICH MAY SWAT HIM IN THE FACE.
11. WHEN RIDING WITH A SUPERVISED GROUP, ALWAYS FOLLOW THE TRAIL BOSS AND ALL DIRECTIONS GIVEN.
12. WARN OTHERS OF APPROACHING TRAFFIC.
13. WHEN CROSSING AN INTERSECTION, OR WHEN CROSSING A BUSY ROAD, THE GROUP SHOULD ALL CROSS AT THE SAME TIME.
14. A GROUP OF RIDERS SHOULD ALWAYS RIDE ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE ROAD.
15. HALT THE ENTIRE GROUP OF HORSES IF ONE RIDER MUST STOP.
16. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR HOLES WHEN RIDING IN A STRANGE FIELD. DO NOT LOPE IN A FIELD UNLESS THE GROUND IS VERY FAMILIAR AND THEN KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR NEW HOLES.
17. DO NOT RIDE IN FIELDS WITHOUT THE OWNER’S PERMISSION, AND DO NOT RIDE IN FIELDS WITH GROWING CROPS. NOTHING WILL MAKE HORSES AND RIDERS MORE UNWELCOME.
18. ALWAYS BE CONSIDERATE OF THE HORSE AND COURTEOUS TO YOUR COMPANIONS.
19. THE HORSE MAY BE WATERED IN A STREAM. IF HE IS WARM, HE SHOULD BE KEPT MOVING SLOWLY AFTER HIS DRINK. BE CAREFUL HE DOES NOT TRY TO LIE DOWN IN THE WATER TO COOL OFF!
20. IF THE HORSE IS TO BE TIED FOR A REST STOP, HE SHOULD BE TIED BY THE HALTER AND SHOULD NEVER BE TIED BY HIS BRIDLE. THE GIRTH/CINCH OF THE SADDLE SHOULD BE LOOSENED ALSO.
21. IN A GROUP TRAIL RIDE DO NOT ALLOW THE HORSE TO LAG BEHIND AND NEVER FALL BEHIND THE DRAG.
22. DO NOT LITTER, HELP KEEP OUR TRAILS CLEAN.
23. IF THE HORSE IS KNOWN TO KICK, A RED RIBBON MUST BE PLACED IN HIS TAIL.
24. TRAIL RIDERS SHOULD NEVER SMOKE WHILE RIDING.
25. LEAVE ALL GATES JUST AS YOU FOUND THEM OPEN OR SHUT.
26. NEVER TRESPASS OR RIDE ON SOMEONE’S LAND WITHOUT PERMISSION.
27. AFTER RIDING NEVER TAKE OFF THE HORSE’S BLANKET/PAD UNTIL THE HORSE HAS BEEN COOLED OFF AND THE HORSE’S BACK, UNDER THE BLANKET/PAD, IS COOLED ALSO.
TRAIL RIDING CAN BE A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR BOTH HORSE AND RIDER, IF THE RIDER USES COMMON SENSE.

Note: The trails rules have been compiled several years ago using several books. Since, this was done over 20 years ago I am unable to give credit to the authors.