Look for a horse with a good attitude, which dictates a horse's momentum. A horse with a willing attitude will walk down the trail looking at the world around him. He likes people and other horses. He just wants to please.
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Looking for
a good trail horse? The good news is that trail horses come in all breeds,
crossbreeds, sizes, shapes, and colors. Trail horses can be tall and lean or short and
stocky. A good trail horse is simply any animal
that safely takes you down all types of trails in all types of trail
conditions.
On the
other hand, this wide range of choices can make the final decision difficult.
Here, I’ll tell you what to look for, where to find a trail horse, and questions
to ask the seller. I’ll also tell you about my own recent trail-horse-buying
experience.
What to
Look For
Here are
five key characteristics to keep in mind as you shop for your next trail
horse.
Trail
experience. Trail-horse prospects aren’t necessarily bred for trail riding;
they’re “educated” to carry you safely in diverse trail situations. The more wet
saddle blankets that have come off a prospect’s back, the better he’ll be on the
trail. The less experienced you are, the more experienced your trail mount
should be. He’ll likely get you through tough spots.
Conformation. Look for balance over
beauty. Don’t rule out a Roman nose or an extra-thick neck if the horse’s
disposition and attitude demonstrate his trail ability. There are thousands of
trail horses that will never place in a conformation class, but that have proven
their worth by safely carrying a rider along narrow trails and across flooding
rivers. However, overall balance does affect trail ability. A short-backed
horse will be able to carry more weight than a long-backed one. A
short-coupled horse with long legs may tend to “scalp” his front
heels. A horse with an exceptionally wide front chest and wide base
(distance between hooves) will have power going uphill, but may stumble on
narrow trails, due to his width.
Disposition. When you test your trail-horse prospect
under saddle, look for a quiet, laid-back disposition. A quiet horse is one that
will put up with a lot of distractions. He’s forgiving. He may suddenly throw up
his head and snort at a plastic bag, but he won’t spook, spin, or take off to
parts unknown. He’ll think first, then react. He’ll give you time to reassure
him with a pat on the neck, a quiet word, or a nudge to keep moving. He won’t
waste energy. Conversely a nervous horse that frets and worries doesn’t always
make the best trail horse.
Attitude.
Attitude dictates a horse’s momentum. A horse with a willing attitude will walk
down the trail looking at the world around him. His ears will swivel to catch
trail sounds. His whole body language says, “I just love being a trail horse.”
Point his nose up a hill, and he’ll pick the best route through the rocks. He
likes people and other horses. He just wants to please.
Gender.
This is an individual decision. I like geldings for their even temperaments.
Mares, which have heat cycles, can develop trail-kicking problems; others will
whinny to every horse that goes by. Avoid stallions, which aren’t allowed in
some public parks, trails, and horse camps, and need expert management.
Trail-Horse
Sources
Now that
you know what to look for, here are several places to start your search.
Local
sources. Begin with your friends. Ask whether anyone has a good trail horse for
sale. Find out whether there’s a seller in your area, and ask who he or she
would recommend. Contact your state horse council for leads. Ask your farrier
and veterinarian. Look in local equine publications and The Trail Rider. Put up
a “horse wanted” notice in local barns, and tack and feed
stores.
Horse
breeders. Although most trail horses are made, not bred, there are breeders who
specialize in producing good-minded, well-conformed, athletic trail horses.
Gaited-horse breeders especially fall into this category. You can find such
breeders through their respective breed associations, print advertising, and the
Internet.
The
Internet. Speaking of the Internet, this can be an excellent search tool,
especially if you don’t mind traveling some miles to find just the right horse.
Just type “trail horse” into your favorite search engine, and countless sites
will come up. Once you find a horse you like, go see him in the flesh to avoid
surprises once the purchase is completed.
| My Trail Horse Quest |
|
I’d been looking for a gelding between the
ages of 9 and 14, with no spook, no buck, and that was happy to just walk down a
trail for over a year. He needed to have big bone, big hooves, and a big body
following a willing disposition. He needed an attitude that seemed to glow from
the eyes and it all had to be wrapped in horse hide about 15 hands high and
1,100-plus pounds.
The ad on Bay Area
Equestrian Network (www.bayequest.com)
simply stated. “trail horse gelding, ridden everywhere. He fit my age and height
requirements, and he was being sold by the folks who’d bred him. I headed out in
anticipation. This would be the
87th horse I’d gone to see.
I’d always known that
when I found the right horse, we’d just “click, “I “clicked” with this horse the
instant he looked at me. In the warm-up arena, he inched his way beside me and
nuzzled my shoulder. In my mind, the sale was final, and I didn’t even know the
asking price.
On the trail, the
horse long-strided through ditch water, up the road, and right past a jackhammer
without batting and eyelid. The price was right. I qualified as “a good home.”
Now, a new Paint Horse gelding I call Joe stands in the barn.
I’d searched for more
than a year for Joe. During that time I learned some important lessons. For one
thing, I found out that my trail-horse vocabulary and that of mort sellers were
different. Here’s what I mean.
“Big”. Mention “big” and
people think “tall.” I meant big bone, big body, big hip line – tank type big,
even if the horse is only 14 hand high. < “Tall”.
I
looked at one prospect just because I’ve never seen a 24 hand horse. He was
measured from ground to ear tips rather that withers
“Nice chrome”.
Color doesn’t make
the horse, but I found that eye-catching makings add a thousand dollars or more
to the asking price. The horse might not accept the bridle, but he’s still
“pretty enough to turn heads.”< “Good feet.”
One horse didn’t have shoes, because he
had “good feet,” according to the seller. Finally, the seller admitted that the
horse simply didn’t like ferries.
“Nervous.”
I
can understand a horse getting nervous when he’s walked up to a veterinarian.
But I don’t expect him to flip over backwards during the pre-purchase exam.
Another no sale. < “Crosses water.”
One
seller told me his horse would” cross water regardless of the wind.” It turned
out that the horse had never crossed real water’ he crossed blue traps held down
with rocks in an arena.
“Trailers.”I
found I had to specify that this included actually going into the trailer.
Another horse loaded just fine, but if the trailer didn’t move immediately, he’d
paw and kick the wall. Yet another had a problem unloading. As I drove away, the
owner was standing behind the horse shaking a can of oats to lure the horse out.On a more serious
note, I also learned that you should never try to replace a memory. When I first
started trail-horse shopping, I’d just put down Sig, my trail horse of 19 years.
The first horses I inspected reminded me of him. One day, I realized a prospect
looked a lot like Sig – but he wasn’t what I really wanted. Then it hit me; I
was looking for sing again.
After
this revelation, Joe (registered name, Diamonds Apprecio) was the third horse I
saw. Everything just seemed to fall into place. He’ll be an excellent trail
horse. He has the eye, disposition, attitude, and willingness to go where I
point him. My year-long quest has ended. |
Horse
brokers. Contact three or four brokers who offer trail horses for sale. Tell
them what you’re looking for in terms of age, price range, trail
experience, etc. Once you find two or three horses and have viewed photos via
mail or e-mail, drive to the respective ranches. Or, arrange to meet the broker
to look at the horses together. This route can save you time and
money.
Horse
auctions. If you know what you’re doing, check out an auction. Today, there’s an
increasing number of “trail horse” auctions where many buyers have found
success. However, such an auction doesn’t necessarily guarantee that you’ll find
a good trail horse. A ranch-horse auction isn’t necessarily a trail-horse
gold mine, either. I tried out two ranch horses that were great at moving
cattle, working gates, and roping — but when it came to trails, they were both
spooky and unsuitable. For a greater chance of success, read the horse’s catalog
description and watch him work. Ask the seller why he’s selling the horse and
whether the horse has been ridden on all types of trails.
Questions
to Ask
Before looking at a trail-horse
prospect, make a list of your needs and wants. Then write down all the questions
you want to ask the seller. Be sure to include the
following:
What’s the
asking price? Decide in advance what you want to spend, and stick with it. Don’t
be surprised if you say you want to spend $5,000, and every horse you’re
shown is $5,000. If your budget is $5,000, keep the paying price “in the
neighborhood of $4,500, maybe more,”especially at an auction, where prices — and
emotions — can rise rapidly.
How old is
the horse? As mentioned, a young horse won’t be as trailwise as an aged horse
simply because the youngster hasn’t spent as much time on the trail. Plus, an
older horse will be more settled than a young horse. But if you’re an
experienced rider, you might prefer the vitality, challenges, and training
opportunities a young horse offers.
What’s the
horse’s trail experience? Again, look for a horse with more trail experience
than you. Note that age doesn’t always dictate experience: Many aged horses from
other horse occupations are sold as “trail horse” just because they’ve soured at
their present occupation. Such horses can make excellent trail mounts, but know
in advance what you’re getting into.
Who
previously owned the horse? Ask about the prospect’s ownership history. If the
horse has changed hands frequently, he may have undesirable trail manners, or
behavioral problems related to trailer-loading, shoeing, stabling, etc.
Does the
horse have good basic skills? A horse with basic skills is one with good ground
manners; he’ll stand quietly when tied, and for saddling, mounting, hoof
cleaning, and shoeing and veterinary work. He’s easy to bridle, he’ll trailer
without a battle, and he gets along with other horses. He’ll go forward, stop,
turn, and back on the lead and under saddle. Of course, you can likely work on
minor problems, such as an objection to saddling or foot handling, if you feel
the horse will otherwise make a good trail mount, and you’re willing and able to
take on the task.
Can I take
the horse for a trial run? Make sure you can take the prospect onto a trail
before you buy. Plan a day for you and seller to trailer out and
ride together. Saddle and bridle the horse yourself to get a feel of how
the horse responds. Note how the horse trailers. If possible, pick a trail the
horse has never before been on. On the trail, lead, follow, lag behind, and even
split off from the other horse to see how the prospect behaves.
What’s the
horse’s veterinary history? Ask whether the horse has tied-up (experienced
cramped muscles) on a trail ride or has colicked when camping. Such a history
might mean the horse is prone to these conditions. Ask whether the horse is
taking (or has taken) any prescription or over-the-counter medications. Ask
about any alternative treatments and herbal potions. And ask to see all
veterinary records.
Is the
horse sound? Scars and blemishes, such as old wire cuts, usually won’t affect
the horse’s soundness. It’s hard to find an older horse without a couple scars.
And a blemish doesn’t mean a horse is unsound. To check for soundness, have a
reputable veterinarian perform a pre-purchase examination before the deal is
sealed. (See “What’s Up, Doc?” on page 30.) You might decide a certain degree of
manageable problems is acceptable to you. But bear in mind that it’s better to
buy a sound horse than to try and make do with one that isn’t sound.
Now, Ride!
Once you’ve
purchased your new trail horse, ride! At first, he may hesitate when you ask him
to go down a bank and into dark water. But he’ll become more willing to take you
where you ask once he learns that you’ll keep him out of danger.
And you’ll
learn that when your horse stops or wants to take another route, he’s not
refusing. Rather, he’s perceived that something isn’t quite right and is looking
for a way to keep you both safe. This mutual trust will grow the more you saddle
up and ride the trails.
Stumble It!
