I am a trail guide part of the day and am continually shocked by the complete ignorance of most people when it comes to horses. Casual trail riders often present you with the most DOH! problems, and this is not to judge or belittle in anyway... just to put some basic guidelines out in the open.
1. If you've never been on a horse before, tell your trail guide. No need to ask for a quiet horse/brown horse/ small horse your guide can, and will place you properly. Size does not determine temperament and neither does color.
2. If your riding experience is limited to a handful of trail rides, do not say you are an experience rider... your guide just may take you seriously and give you more than you can handle. Of course they might also just make fun of you on the inside and put you on the quiet old gelding and tell you he's a killer. We all have our little jokes.
3. If the stable you go to is walk only... they won't break the rules for you, insurance means more than your hour trail.
4. Shorts, flip flops, skirts, tube tops, big gold earrings worth 60$ etc... all things to avoid when going for a trail. This seems like common sense- a big horse with a lot of leather between you, unless you like big raspberries shorts are just stupid. Wear trousers/jeans/pants and close toes shoes... horse hooves hurt, ask someone to show you what a big toe looks like when a horse is done with it.
5. Don't. Scream. Horses are prey animals and they run fast. A screaming flailing banshee on their back is perfect motivation to take off and run like the beasts of hell are after them.
6. When your the last horse on the trail and stop your horse and run to catch up... you're not being sneaky, we know what your doing and it really makes us hate you.
7. When you want to stop your horse... pull to your belly button not to the sky, you look like an idiot and you piss the horse off. Don't piss off the animal carrying you.
8. Sunglasses and hats aren't attached, they will fly off, dangly earrings will too. Cell phones don't stay in pockets well either. Nobody really wants to stop the trail so we can pick up your junk.
9. Riding double is dangerous/a no no on insurance applications and very few trail barns if any still allow it. Most horses won't tolerate it and really... if you can't control a horse confidently on your own, why add a small child to the equation?
10. TIP YOUR TRAIL GUIDE. It's a hard job, we have to brave more weather than a postman and deal with larger animals... plus we have the fine task of showing you a good time... so show your appreciation.
To some people, these things will seem a little bit like common sense, but you'd be suprised how many screaming, flailing skirt wearing riders there are.
1. If you've never been on a horse before, tell your trail guide. No need to ask for a quiet horse/brown horse/ small horse your guide can, and will place you properly. Size does not determine temperament and neither does color.
2. If your riding experience is limited to a handful of trail rides, do not say you are an experience rider... your guide just may take you seriously and give you more than you can handle. Of course they might also just make fun of you on the inside and put you on the quiet old gelding and tell you he's a killer. We all have our little jokes.
3. If the stable you go to is walk only... they won't break the rules for you, insurance means more than your hour trail.
4. Shorts, flip flops, skirts, tube tops, big gold earrings worth 60$ etc... all things to avoid when going for a trail. This seems like common sense- a big horse with a lot of leather between you, unless you like big raspberries shorts are just stupid. Wear trousers/jeans/pants and close toes shoes... horse hooves hurt, ask someone to show you what a big toe looks like when a horse is done with it.
5. Don't. Scream. Horses are prey animals and they run fast. A screaming flailing banshee on their back is perfect motivation to take off and run like the beasts of hell are after them.
6. When your the last horse on the trail and stop your horse and run to catch up... you're not being sneaky, we know what your doing and it really makes us hate you.
7. When you want to stop your horse... pull to your belly button not to the sky, you look like an idiot and you piss the horse off. Don't piss off the animal carrying you.
8. Sunglasses and hats aren't attached, they will fly off, dangly earrings will too. Cell phones don't stay in pockets well either. Nobody really wants to stop the trail so we can pick up your junk.
9. Riding double is dangerous/a no no on insurance applications and very few trail barns if any still allow it. Most horses won't tolerate it and really... if you can't control a horse confidently on your own, why add a small child to the equation?
10. TIP YOUR TRAIL GUIDE. It's a hard job, we have to brave more weather than a postman and deal with larger animals... plus we have the fine task of showing you a good time... so show your appreciation.
To some people, these things will seem a little bit like common sense, but you'd be suprised how many screaming, flailing skirt wearing riders there are.
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