Summertime Fun On the Trails

For those of you who are heading out the trails this summer, this article is for you. As more and more of our forested areas are being shared by bikers, hikers and horses, it is more important than ever that all horsemen understand the rules of the road.

We did a video called “Trail Riding, Rules of the Road” which focuses on safety in the saddle and when riding with other horsemen. Below are some additional tips that will make your next trail ride safer and more fun for everyone:

1. Invest in a good fitting helmet for the sake of your horse. For the die-hards out there who refuse to wear a helmet, answer this question; In the event that you get dumped and hit your head, who is going to keep your horse from causing a problem for other trail users or worse, from getting hurt? Frankly, I don’t think wearing a helmet is as much about keeping you safe as it is about keeping everyone else, including your horse safe.

2. Never ride alone on the trails and be sure to choose riding partners who are safe, responsible and considerate. I have always told people that I will horse show with Jack the Ripper, but I am very picky about my trail-riding companions. The reasons are simple; horse shows are designed to be a controlled environment wherein the ring is dragged, fences are in good repair, the ring crew is there to make sure all is well, but on the trails, anything goes. It is because of the unpredictability of nature that I only trail ride with people that I trust.

3. Be sure to warm-up your horse before you head out on the trails. This includes making certain the brakes, steering, verbals and gas pedals all work and check your girth at least three times before you head out on the trails.

4. Carry a cell phone with you. In the event that you encounter a problem, a cell phone can make all the difference and it is also essential for ordering a pizza if you get hungry! One word of caution, however, keep the cell phone turned off until you need it. One of the funniest stories I ever heard was from a friend in California who decided to take one of his green cow horses out with him for a full day of riding fence. They were out for hours, just the two of them, enjoying the peace and tranquility of the area, when all of a sudden, his cell phone started ringing. The green horse completely lost his mind and started spinning in circles. Because the phone was in the saddlebag, there was no way to shut it off, no way to calm the horse down and he didn’t dare fall off in the middle of nowhere. Eventually the phone stopped ringing and he shut it off! This particular friend is a wonderful rider with a million miles of experience under his belt. He is the last person I would have ever expected to buy, let alone carry a cell phone and that is why the story was so funny!

5. Only carry in your saddlebags items that you WON’T need if your horse heads for home with your saddle. I find it funny when I hear from people who say, I was careful to pack a cell phone, first aid kit and a flask of water on my trail ride just like you suggested. However, I stopped to wee in the bushes and my horse headed for home, leaving me with nothing because all of those items were carefully packed in my saddlebags!

6. If you agree with the romantic concept that trail riding is spending time in God’s country, then that makes you a guest. In the same way that hikers, bikers, families and other horsemen are also guests on those same trails. No one has precedent over anyone else. One of the veterinarians that I interviewed for our video, Trail Riding, Rules of the Road told me that whenever he is in the backcountry trail riding and stops to visit with hikers or bikers, he dismounts his horse. He does this because he said that it is intimidating for most people to have to look up at a rider.

7. As a horseman, you are the ambassador for the entire industry. Remember that hikers and bikers may never have been this close to a horse in their entire lives. The way in which you handle yourself during that encounter will either teach folks that horsemen are friendly, helpful trail lovers, or that they are rude knuckleheads. What they decide is largely up to you!

As Tom Stovall of Back Country Horsemen so wisely pointed out in the video, the goal of responsible trail riding is to leave no trace. Tie your horses in a way that does no damage to the trees. Set up and clean up your campgrounds so that there is no trace when you leave. If there are cut trails, stay on them to avoid causing erosion problems in the area and above all, remember that you are a guest!

I want to hear from you! If you have any questions, comments or suggestions that you would like to share with the rest of us, drop me a line at:

Bonnie Marlewski-Probert
P.O. Box 548
Yellville, AR 72687

Or you can reach me on the Net at BRMP@AOL.com

For more information on any of Bonnie’s books,

A Parent’s Guide to Buying That First Horse
Debugging Your Horse
The Animal Lover’s Guide to the Internet
Horse Tales for the Soul, Volumes 1 – 5
Dog Tales for the Soul, Volume 1

Or for her videos,

Debugging Your Horse and
Trail Riding, Rules of the road

Visit, TheCompletePet.com.

Bonnie Marlewski-Probert is an internationally respected writer and speaker. In addition to her work in the horse industry, Bonnie has also written for some of the top magazines in the world including Good Housekeeping, Science Journals, RV and Travel publications and a variety of Animal-related publications. She taught college courses on the art of writing and getting published and wrote a teaching guide called, “If I Can Do It, So Can You!” Bonnie has published more than 1000 magazine articles, ten books, two how-to videos and two syndicated columns. She is an internationally respected speaker for her content and for her humorous presentations. For more information on Bonnie, her work and her books/videos, visit her website at TheCompletePet.com TheCompletePet.com or e-mail her at mailto:brmp@aol.com brmp@aol.com. Bonnie is also the founder of Whitehall Publishing. You can learn more about that by visiting Whitehallpublishing.com.

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