Trail Ride

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Been getting bugged by friends to come on the local trail ride. I wouldn't mind going, but not with a super green horse. Son (11) is looking forward to going. He has started riding his horse so they are both ready.
Last time I went on this trail ride, my horse almost threw me on a steep hill because the people behind me were 3 abreast and right on my horses tail.
My concern is how careless these people were around other people and horses. I wouldn't mind taking a well broke horse, but I am now having second thoughts about letting my son go. I planned to take my husbands horse. He has refused to go again. We only went once.
There were people moving horses on the picket line, racing their horses by other riders, drunk riding and other stupid things going on.
 
Tie a couple red ribbon on your horses tail, and when someone rides up on you to close,tell them that she kicks.that's what the ribbons are for.Red ribbon is a warning of a kicking horse.They should back off.
 
That has already been discussed amoung our group. There are maybe 10 of us together.
Last time we went we did not tie our horses on the picket line. One poor lady had her horse moved and it ended up severally rope burned and she couldn't ride it.
This is a three day trail ride.
 
Do you have any information on any local stables or other riders that might have some broke-back horses your son might ride? Out here the local stables have some seriously heavy ridden horses for rent that I don't believe are even capable of bucking. If you could get ahold of a horse that like that for a couple of days he might do alright. Though, there is no answer for other people's stupidity.
 
I led trail rides for the summer, and have been on some at other ranches... wouldn't recommend sending your son with a bunch of irresponsible green riders and their horses. Recipe for disaster. Especially in a setting where it doesn't sound like you have a guide leading the ride and setting rules... sounds like an "every man for himself" ride and that's not safe for an 11 y/o no matter what kind of horse he's on. Innocent bystanders get hurt, too. Tell him you've changed your mind about that trail ride, and make it up to him some other way. JMO.
 
Sorry I must have said this wrong.
My son's horse is a coming 11 year gelding.
My horse is a coming 4 year old green gelding.
I trust his horse. He rode him on a half day trail ride and they both did fine, even when my son's hat blew off and hit the horse in the hind quarters.
There is suppose to be a wagon master who tells everybody the rules, but not everybody listens to them and that is where the problems are showing up.
Myself or my husband would be riding along with him. I'm not that stupid to leave him alone with those loose nuts.
 
I hate going on organized (big crowd) trail rides just for the reasons you have mentioned. I like to enjoy the ride. I like to just walk along and enjoy the scenery with maybe a friend or two and no more. The more people and horses in one place means that there are more chances that someone will do something stupid. Especially those that think trail rides and excessive amounts of beer go good together. Then you have your extreme riders that like to climb up and down rough country on hills nicknamed "widowmaker" and such. Fine if they want to do that but I hate it when they are barrelling down an ultra steep hill at breakneck speed and hit the trail at the bottom right through the middle of those of us that like to take it easy. Upsets the horses and I have seen them knock others off their mounts by running into them. I go during the week when I can when there are no other riders.
 
I know what you mean Hoss. There is always alot of riders around the wagons that are packing the ice chests. They are slugging down beer like crazy. Was already warned to not pack any well liked drinks of any kind or you would find it all gone by the end of the day.
Had a bunch of guys race their horses by us the last time we went and I almost got dumped. Was three months pregnant at the time. After that and someone moving my horse and getting her tangled up in her lead line I rode on a wagon for the rest of the ride.

There is a place called "Mad Woman Creek", they no longer camp there after two different wives on two different years laid out their husbands there with empty bottles.

This is a three day ride starting Friday morning and ending on Sunday afternoon.
 

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