horsebacktrips-blog

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Best Horses For Trail Riding

I could come out and tell you that appaloosa, quarter horse and Arabian are the best trail horses, but the truth is good trail horses come in all shapes, sizes and breeds meaning as long as the horse does not have a temper and you don’t get injured while riding or standing next to it. That is a good trail horse. Just like humans horses are different, as a consequence of that, telling you that one breed makes a better trail horse than the other is unrealistic. How a horse behaves depends on its trainer. Instead of looking breeds let’s look at characteristics that make a horse a good trail horse.

A calm disposition

If you are a beginner the best type of horse for you is one that is even-tempered, responds to commands and doesn’t spook easily. What you are looking for is what we call “warm-blooded horse”. Warm-blooded horses have a calm and versatile demeanor that allows them to adapt to different situations. The best examples are:

·       American quarter horse

·       Tennessee walking horse

·       Appaloosa

·       Quarter horse

Ability to get along with other horses

Just like humans, some horses don’t like each other. The good news is horses can be trained to get along with each other. Hot blooded horses just as the name suggests are full of energy, high strung and nervous. They can be difficult to control but with the right training, it is possible to turn a hot-blooded horse into a good trail horse.

Examples:

·       Arabian

·       Thoroughbred

·       Anglo Arabian

Cold blooded horses

A cold-blooded horse is a direct opposite of what you are thinking, by that I mean it is patient, calm and not easily startled. They are perfect for beginners and kids but they have less endurance. If your biggest concern is safety, you should go for cold-blooded breeds such as:

·       Shire

·       Percheron

·       Clydesdale

What to look for in a trail horse

Size

You don’t want to strain the horse with your weight especially if you will be riding over rough, rocky or muddy terrain. My advice is, the bigger you are the bigger/stronger the horse should be, look for a horse that has big bones or one that can comfortably handle your weight. Remember this is a living animal meaning it gets tired and that can affect its health and state of mind.

Temperament

Horse temperament is measured on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 indicates that the horse is extremely calm and has a cool demeanor. 10 or a higher number means that the horse has a temper. If you are a beginner, it is advisable to pick a horse that has doesn’t have a temper or one that likes you.

Experience

Experience means that the horse has seen a lot of things meaning it won’t easily spook when it sees other animals, vehicle, hikers etc. Experience doesn’t necessarily mean old, a well-trained horse won't spook at random.

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