Book Review of Trail Training of the Hors and Rider by Debbie Wilson
Pegasus Equine Express
Most of you know I have been an avid trail rider and that one of my favorite passions in life is packing into the backcountry. Nothing is more pleasurable then a relaxing ride with your favorite horse and enjoying the beautiful scenery and the challenges of the great out of doors.
While doing research for this trail edition, I came across something new and different, an e-book by Judi Daly, Trail Training for the Horse & Rider.
An e-book is a book that is purchased over the Internet. This allows the reader to purchase the book at a much lower price than a hard copy edition. The author can pass on these savings to the buyer without added publishing and printing costs. You can either read it on screen or print your own copy. You will definitely want to print a copy of this book to have on hand in your library for reference.
I have heard it said many times over the years, “Oh, I am just going to use my horse for trail riding.” That is comparable to “Oh, I am just a house wife.” Both statements imply that these endeavors are not to be taken seriously. The implication is that neither of them takes any special training or abilities. We all know that a housewife’s job is actually several jobs combined and it is one of the hardest jobs of all. A good, safe trail horse has to be very willing and experienced at many jobs also.
A trail horse can often require more training than a show horse. Your horse must be very willing, versatile and levelheaded. If you don’t believe this, think about riding on an 8,000-foot high mountain on a trail that is 10-inches wide. Then you ask your horse to move onto a hillside rather than tap dance on the ledge or even to turn around on that 10-inch trail. This is not the time or place to have him refuse or throw a tantrum. This, my friend, is basic dressage.
When packing or trail riding, your trip and possibly your life will depend on your horse being trust worthy and responsive in every conceivable situation. He must be calm when encountering new trail obstacles and situations trusting his rider to keep him safe. These days we share our trails with not only other equestrian riders, but also hikers with big scary packs, mountain bikers, 4-wheelers, dogs, and what ever else might happen along on to the trail. What would your horse do if it saw a llama being lead down the trail or if a deer came crashing down the hillside in front of you? Can he be ground tied or tied to a tree (with a tree saver of course) for hours or overnight? Would he pull back or have the tree dug up by morning? If you were injured, would he listen to you or run home without you? Does he care if you leave the group of riders you started out with? Or is impossible for you to ride out by yourself?
These are just a few examples of the training your horse should have to be a good trail horse. You ask, “Well, how do I prepare my horse for trail riding?”
This is exactly why Judi Daly wrote Trail Training for the Horse & Rider. When she acquired her first horse, she found very little available to help her. There were all kinds of books available for training a show horse, even an endurance horse. But very little for training trail horses. Through trial and error and using lots of common sense, Judi has learned a great deal over the years. All the while she compiled notes keeping track of what methods worked and what did not. Judi came to the conclusion that, “A good trail horse is made, not born.” Judi has developed a very methodical approach, which includes starting foals early in their trail career. Her book covers all aspects of training, safety, attire, weather, obstacles, manners, feed, and any conceivable situation you might run into out on the trail. Judi balances the need for safety with it’s supposed to be fun.
Trail riding for many of us is escapism from the pressures of everyday modern living. “There was a time when owning a horse was a symbol of freedom. It was a way we could travel great distances, visit friends and see the world, much in the same way the car is today.” Daly continues, “Now the horse is still a symbol of freedom but it is a freedom to get away from the world as we know it.”
In Daly’s Pro’s and Con’s of trail riding she points out that, “Trail riding decreases boredom in the training routine. Boredom can become detrimental by causing resistance and lack of impulsion.” She rightfully points out that all riders and horses can benefit from trail work. Included in her writing are training tips on retraining the older or spoiled horse. Judi also provides exercises to work on and train your horse in a way that is fun and beneficial for both horse and rider. She also provides information on training horses for several disciplines. But, what impressed me most about this book was how Daly takes the reader through the entire thought process with first hand experiences and observations. She tells it all, from good results to the mistakes that she made. In every step, she used a common sense approach with the human and equine psyche in mind. Any horsemen of any discipline could benefit from her logical, patient; “Rome was not conquered in day” philosophy.
