Selecting a Good Trail Horse
Our take on what makes a good trail horse.
Living in cowboy country, I’ll have to admit that trail horses get a bad reputation in my neck of the woods. Cowboys and ranchers who work cattle every day don’t necessarily see the charm in a good trail horse. They need to run down a sick cow, rope the hind feet, doctor the critter, and not spend all morning doing it. They need an athlete who can swing around to cut off a cow when they are sorting. They need to be able to run down a yearling when it breaks from the main bunch. Basically, they need something snappy and athletic to get their job done. The horse’s job is to help get the work done, and they make horses to fit that mold.
In my world, however, the horse’s job is different. I’m usually not under a time crunch, and I don’t necessarily need to be zooming all over the place. Instead, I’m using my horse to see the world and expand the distance I can travel. As a result, my horse doesn’t need to be as snappy and responsive. However, I’ve learned that trail horses have an important job that requires more than the ability to walk in a straight line.
Before describing what makes a good trail horse, let’s first get clear about what a trail horse is not. A trail horse is not a dude horse. I grew up on a dude ranch. When I was younger, I also worked as a wrangler and ran a dude string. A dude horse is a horse that will stick its nose in another horse’s tail and follow it wherever it may go. If you’re outfitting dudes (people without horse experience who want to ride) they are priceless. Sit somebody in the saddle, hand them a set of reins, and lead out. The horses pretty much handle the rest. These horses have their place, but that’s not what I’ve got in mind when I think about a good trail horse.
Personally, when I think of a good trail horse, I think about the old-time horses of the frontiersmen. These were horses that could travel alone or in groups over all kinds of terrain. They had to control well at all gaits, be confident enough to cross a surging river, and sure-footed enough to stay upright on steep up and downhills. Also, they can’t come unglued when something unexpected happens. You might be miles and miles from anyone, and you can’t have a horse hang you out to dry when an elk jumps out of the bushes. Basically, when I think of what makes a good trail horse, I think about a versatile horse that is confident with the rider and the world.
So, with the basic understanding of what a trail horse is, and isn’t, here are some characteristics that we look for in a trail horse.
Mind
As already noted, the horse has to have a good mind. This means confidence and willingness to follow the rider’s commands. Well-traveled trail horses are going to be in a wide variety of environments and situations. Instead of knowing what to do in every situation, they need to have faith in the rider that everything is going to be okay.
This buckskin colt I’m riding can get watchy. Over time, he should improve with experience.
A big part of a good mind is hanging with you when things get tight. You can’t have a horse that will quit you when it gets scared. This can be taught, and it is how I try and approach desensitizing. When (not “if”) the horse gets scared, I want it to react by stopping its feet and thinking. I’m ok with a watchy horse as long as it doesn’t blow out. In fact, I’m riding a colt right now that is a little watchy. Over time, I think he will develop more confidence, and he won’t feel the need to get so bothered. But for now, I’m comfortable riding him because he has not shown the habit of selling out. He gets scared and stops his feet. As he grows, I’ll expect him to mature to the point where he doesn’t get so bothered. Part of that will come with experience, which is my responsibility to provide him.
Conformation
A trail horse’s conformation matters, but perhaps not as much as in some disciplines. Essentially, you want a balanced horse. No need for extremes in this discipline. Also, the horse should have a body that a saddle will comfortably fit. A horse with too high withers, or no withers, can lead to saddling problems. This will cause too many problems if you plan on using your horse for long periods of time.
Many people seem to like shorter horses because they are easy to mount. That’s fine, and I’ve ridden some pretty short horses and liked them. However, a horse that is too short may run into some issues. A short horse may tend to have a shorter neck and be more compact. Short-necked horses have a harder time flexing at the poll and don’t tend to bend as well through the neck. Shorter horses also have shorter legs which may impact their ability to travel (next section). Personally, I find horses close to 15 hh to be a nice balance. They are easy enough to mount, yet can still cover travel.
A horse with good muscling, fairly straight limbs, and no extreme angles is a good candidate. Horses with a shoulder slope of about 45˚ to the ground are also ideal. Also, a sloped pastern is also a good trait, as those horses tend to be smoother to ride.
Travel
When many people think of trail horses, they may tend to think of a duller horse, or a horse without life. This isn’t necessarily what you want. A good trail horse needs to get out and travel willingly. They don’t need to have the energy or desire to run the Kentucky Derby every ride, but they need to be motivated to walk. You can train this into them to some extent, but some of it is just a natural motivation. If you rated horses on a scale of 1 to 10 in energy, with 1 being the lowest, you want to stay away from 1s and 2s. Personally, I think a 5 is perfect, but would prefer a 4 to a 6 in this regard. Of course, this is personal preference and anything from a 3 to a 7 in this category is probably acceptable.
In addition to a natural motivation, a good trail horse should be able to transition smoothly between the walk, trot, and lope, and be smooth traveling at each gait. Again, training can certainly improve this, especially the ability to transition between gaits. However, the horse’s conformation and natural ability come into play when you talk about smoothness within a gait.
Bone and Foot
An animal with good bone and feet will make a good trail horse. Horses with a solid skeletal structure are simply less likely to develop problems from extended use. Also, a good foot, meaning one with some size and free of defects, tends to stay healthier and cause fewer lameness problems than a dainty foot. This is one trait that modern breeding has seemed to neglect. Maybe it’s an old wives tale, but many of the older horsemen I know talk a lot about how small the foot of a modern horse is compared to the ones they grew up around. Perhaps related, they also talk about how horses today are not as sound as horses of yesteryear. Something to consider.
Training
Finally, another thing that makes a good trail horse is the training. Horses have to understand all the different signals a rider may give them. Personally, I also want one that is “broke clear through.” To me, that means one that will bend in the face, poll, withers, ribs, and move shoulders and hindquarters independently. They should be able to soften in a circle and ride straight when they need to.
In addition, a good trail horse needs to be familiar with all the equipment and gear the rider will be using. Some examples are hobbles, picket ropes, pack-saddles, rain slickers, cell phones, lariats, tarps, and, or, high lines. They also need to be able to load in the trailer, cross logs, bridges, water, and stand tied for long periods of time. A good trail horse has a lot to learn if they are going to be an ideal traveling companion.
Like anything, there are certainly exceptions to all of these guidelines and everyone has different tastes. Deciding what makes a good trail horse is really something each person needs to decide for themselves. However, if you are talking about riding horses over a variety of landscapes and terrains, putting them in a variety of situations, and traveling at different speeds, these are some points you might consider. A good trail horse doesn’t just stick its head in another horse’s tail. Instead, they are well-rounded traveling companions that you can use to see the world safely.