Where to find a good trail horse?
I often receive messages from people looking for trail horses. In this article, I want to touch on a few key points that seem important to me, hoping to spark some ideas for you to find the perfect trail horse. I won’t talk bout confirmation or breeds, as these topics are widely covered. I am trying to take a bit a different approach.
The following statements are real and have been shared with me:
- I bought a great-looking trail horse, and after a few rides, it went lame.
- I bought a filly at an auction, raised it to be a trail horse, and at three years of age, it started to founder on every occasion.
- I just can’t find a horse that performs well on the trail for me.
- I have a solid looking trail horse, but he won’t step over a log.
- I took a rider with an experienced trail horse on a harsh pack trip. After a week, his horse was exhausted. The rider ended up walking back, slowly leading the horse. The horse never recovered from this trip, mentally or physically and was put down a year later.
There is no clear official definition what a trail horse is. It may mean something completely different to each rider. In contrast to a sport horse, where everybody is looking for the same kind of skills. Here is an example: In 2009 I decided to take reining lessons. I wanted to expand my horse knowledge without intentions to compete. I bought a young reining horse that didn’t make the cut. I was very clearly informed by the seller, what the horse could do and what he couldn’t do. Reining is a clearly defined sport. I bought the horse to a reasonable price and took him to lessons. He was perfect. He did exactly what I was told he would and had challenges with exactly the things I was told he has challenges with. Later I used him for Horse Archery, where he became a widely thought after horse. (on the trail btw, he was useless!).
This is my Jim's Last Caddie. He is retired now.
My point with the story is this:
For one person trail riding might be to take an hour ride once a week on the community trail. For another it’s 3 rides with the back country horsemen buddies, and for the third it’s a week long trip thru the mountains and for the fourth it’s a grueling hunting trip way up north lasting for 3 weeks. It's not clearly defined like what we expect from a sport horse.
However....
Trail riding and horse packing require skill as well as mental and physical fitness from both the horse and the rider. Just like a sport horse. Training a trail horse requires patience and time, similar to training a reining horse.
When a trail horse approaches a river, stops, looks for the trail on the other side, then slowly steps into the river, carefully placing its feet and crossing the water with full confidence, it's akin to a reining horse spinning on a dime, perfectly crossing its front feet. It takes years to achieve this level of training.
When a trail horse embarks on a spring ride and a grouse unexpectedly flies out of the bush, and the horse only flinches an ear but never interrupts its stride, it's comparable to an arena horse performing a flying lead change. It might take years to reach that point.
If a pack horse is so well-trained to ground tie that when the rider has to let go of the pack horse’s lead, and the pack horse immediately stops so the rider can turn around and grab the lead rope again, I admire that as much as a perfect sliding stop.
Don’t underestimate what it takes for a horse to become what we would call a great trail or pack horse. I could provide countless examples of what a trail horse needs in order to be great. It fully compares to what a trained reining horse needs to know.
Trail riding levels
It is crucial to understand which category of trail riders you belong to. This will clarify what kind of horse you need.
- The recreational trail rider:
This rider enjoys local trails, anywhere from 2 hours to a day-long ride. The trails are well-used, and the strain on the horse is small to moderate.
2. The recreational rider who does one or two multiday pack trips in addition to regular rides:
The strain on the horse(s) is moderate to extensive.
3. The outfitter, hunter, or highly adventurous trail rider:
This rider uses horses extensively all summer long and embarks on at least one hardcore pack or hunting trip. The strain on the horse(s) is extensive to extreme.
This shows that we can’t just look for "a" trail horse. The level of fitness, conformation, and capabilities depend heavily on what you intend to use it for. If someone in category 2 buys a horse from someone in category 1, they might encounter the issues described at the beginning. Depending on your level, you need to ask the right questions to determine if a horse will suit you.
As you move from category 1 to 3, the importance of the breed, conformation, and feet of a horse increases. Other traits like calmness, trust, and willingness to work are equally important at all levels. A list of traits found in a good trail and pack horse is provided at the end of the article.
Be very clear about which type of trail rider you are or want to be. Be aware, that different terrains pose different challenges to the horse and the rider. It’s like with a truck: if you pull a 10 horse trailer once a year, and a 2 horse trailer every weekend, you will still need a one ton truck. If you do 20 easy horse trips a year and one heavy duty hunting trip, you will need a horse suitable for that one heavy duty trip.
How to find the horse that suits you
Here are four ways to obtain a trail horse:
1. Breed and raise your own:
This is my favorite way of getting what I want. You need a brood mare with good feet, strong bones, and a mellow character, and a stud with the desired conformation. Without going into training details, the easiest way to raise a trail colt or filly is to take it for walks. First with the mom, and once it is weaned, take it with other horses or on its own. Make these walks a habit, like with a dog. The young horse will develop trust, and you will have the opportunity to expose it to various experiences. Take it on trail rides or pack trips. Cross rivers and streams with it, take it swimming, load it into trailers, climb over logs, anything you can think of.
At one year old, you can put a pack saddle with no weight on it. At two years old, you can start pulling small logs with it. And at three years old, it will take you on it’s first ride like it is the most normal event.
I understand that this is not for everyone, but it is an enjoyable process with a lot of time available to develop the horse of your dreams.
Kaba at 4 month of age with his mom Princess and his buddy Bali.
2. Buying a Filly or Colt between 6 and 12 Months old
When considering purchasing a young horse, the question often arises: where should one look? My favorite sources are reserve horses and ranch horses. These horses are typically a cross of many breeds, bred for hardiness over generations. Born outside, they naturally develop a feel for the bush. While they may be wild at first, they can be tamed relatively easily at that age. Once tamed, you can follow the same steps mentioned in option 1 to raise them. It is incredibly rewarding to raise a horse in this manner.
I don’t recommend buying horses from auctions. While the low prices at times might be tempting, the background of the horses is often unknown. Remember, you will invest three years into raising this animal, and discovering hereditary issues later can be very disappointing. (see example at the beginnig of the article)
3. Buying a Seasoned Trail Horse
If buying a seasoned trail horse is your best option, it’s crucial to be very clear about what you are looking for. You might have to be very patient and look at countless ads. Ask the seller thorough questions. Create a question sheet and ensure you get detailed answers.
Here are some example questions:
- Based on the horse's age, what has it mainly been used for? Does it fit into category 1, 2, or 3?
- Does the conformation and condition of the feet fit into category 1, 2, or 3?
- Body condition: Avoid fat horses unless you are willing to invest the time to not only get the weight down but also to improve the fitness. Usually, fat horses are not in shape, and if they have been that way for a while, you need to take your time to build them up to avoid health issues. Such horses might also be lazy due to long inactivity.
- Similarly, avoid skinny horses. "I can feed it back up" might not be enough, as malnourishment can cause permanent damage.
- Has the horse ever bucked someone off? Bucking is unacceptable in a trail horse.
- Does the horse have a calm nature? Can you approach it and put a halter on without any fuss?
- What exposure has the horse had? Can it cross a log, walk straight on a trail, cross a creek or a puddle?
- Is the horse willing to work?
- Is it herd bound? Can you take it away from other horses and go for a ride?
- Does it drop its head when you start riding? Or is it carrying the head high, being worried about all kinds of things.
- Does it give all four feet without any fuss?
- Does it smoothly bend its head to both sides?
- Does it yield to pressure on the shoulder, belly, and flank?
- Can it lunge?
- Does it willingly move in all three gaits?
- Can you throw a tarp over its back?
- Is it hobble and bell trained?
Creating a question sheet about the things you want is a worthwhile exercise. After making the list, prioritize the points. Which ones are non-negotiable, and which ones are you willing to compromise on? For instance, if a horse has never had hobbles on, are you comfortable enough to hobble train it?
- The “Show Up” Horse
I also refer to this as a “life happens” horse. You may have experienced this with dogs and cats, but it happens with horses as well. They just show up. Sometimes an opportunity for a horse presents itself unexpectedly, and it just feels right, even if the horse has some flaws. I have obtained two very good trail horses that came to me that way.
The first one I got from the local reserve by trading it for a wood splitter. I got to choose from a pen of wild yearlings, which made me having second thoughts, but then one of them walked right up to me, so I took him. (these horses came straight off the range, and one walked up to me….would you have taken him?) When I got home, I noticed that he looked awful and was heavily pigeon-footed. Nevertheless, he became my main pack horse, and today, 22 years later, he shows no sign of age. He is a tank, tough as nails with an astonishing will to work. The pigeon-foot never bothered him.
Sam chose to live with me, I took him. Toughest horse I have.
The other horse came to me at six months of age from a rancher I know. This rancher has been using Saddlebreds for two generations. Not my preferred breed for trail horses, but knowing the rancher and his hardy herd, crossbred for years, I took the colt. His Saddlebred gene is very dominant, and when I look at him today, I would never buy him as a trail horse. But he is the best lead horse I have ever had. He is the type of horse that comes to a roaring river, stops, looks, then crosses it without hesitation, and the entire string follows him.
When I picked up Bali at 6 month of age, he came off the range, but walked into my trailer like he knew where he wanted to go. Today he is a highly intelligent trail finder and lead horse.
However, I do give both horses special attention where their weaknesses are. Sam gets his pigeon-foot done regularly by a farrier, and Bali, the Saddlebred ranch cross, I hardly pack and avoid riding him down long steep hills.
Here are both ground tied, patiently waiting. On this picture Bali is 2 and a half years old, carrying a light load. Sam is loaded to the max.
Regular Use and Fitness
Regardless of where your horse comes from, it is crucial to use them regularly. Regular use keeps horses emotionally and physically fit. Fit horses, like fit humans, have fewer issues. Horses that are used regularly are willing to work and even seem to enjoy it. Every time we go out, they get better. Every time we go on a ride they get more confident, and every time they trust us more. Even if you ride frequently on the same trails, conditions often change. Horses see, hear, and feel things we don’t. That’s why a horse can stall on a familiar trail because something has changed that we never noticed. When you calmly and confidently lead the horse through that, it just got better. And one day, just like the reining horse eventually spins perfectly on a dime, the trail horse will calmly walk through a storm, intelligently look for the trail, or stay unaffected by the presence of a black stump.
(…..I know what you are thinking: “and there is that horse that just never gets it”…., yes, they exist as well, but I find they are the exception)
Time
We all are struggling for it, but when we keep horses, we need to make time for them. Daily. We don’t need to work them daily, but we need to spend time with them. That is how they get better, how they develop trust and confidence. On a busy day, a quick hello is better than ignoring them. A trail horse needs to get on the trail on regular bases, that’s how it becomes a great trail horse.
Conclusion
To wrap up the article: It is crucial to have a clear idea of what kind of horse you need for your ambitions, ideas, or dreams. Ask many specific questions about the horse that interests you. If you are interested in breeding yourself or buying a young colt, I want to encourage you that by simply spending time with it, you can develop a great trail horse with little effort.
And most importantly: spend time with them every day, even if it is just for five minutes.
Traits of a Good Trail and Pack Horse
- No obvious, unforgiveable conformation flaws
- The thickness of the bones and size of the feet should match the type of trail rider you are: 1, 2, or 3
- Good feet. Pay a farrier to examine the feet of the horse you are interested in (I prefer that to a vet check)
- Easy to trim and shoe
- Some withers (a fat horse might “hide” them)
- Calm, stoic mind
- Willingness to work
- Starts the trail at a moderate speed and maintains it all day
- Doesn’t run back home on a loop trail
- Hobble trained, therefore stays calm when the feet are caught
- Trusts the human to go where the human wants to go
- Trusts the human when something goes wrong, waits calmly for the human to fix the situation
- Persists when the going gets tough
- Rests when the opportunity arises (no prancing during a stop)
- Easy keeper, can live on rough feed
- Can pull logs or another horse via a rope around the saddle horn
- Can be packed with anything, boxes, bales, hay, tarps, meat, antlers, propane bottles
- Can handle a rifle shot (shot from the ground)
- Stays on a trail, no wandering
- Respects higher-ranked horses (doesn’t fight for herd status)
- Can be tied to a highline all night long
- Ground ties
- Stays with the human, doesn’t wander off while being packed or saddled
- Stays with you for a bit after taking the saddle off
- Is easy to approach and halter. No grain bucket rattling needed
- Respects my space
- Ponies well behind a riding horse, no pulling or pushing forward
- Walks across a creek without jumping over it
- Steps carefully over a log
- Swims
- Can lead a string
- Is not herd bound, can be taken out on its own
Thanks for reading! Please add your comments and expand on the list.
Keep riding!
Donat