Trail Riding

How many die hard trail riders do we have here?? I mean where you have your favourite trails, and love to load up the trailer and head out for a few days, camp out under the stars and have fun with your horse?
I have been riding since I was a kid, and it was either find a trail or make one, and ride it because ain't no body buying a trailer for the kids to tie mom and dad down to hauling kids butts all over Ontario just to ride for a few hours on the weekends. But once I got to working and making my own money, then things changed. Now that I am retired, I find that I am always looking for new places to ride. There is no end to where you can go, camp, ride, and see N. America framed between two horses ears.
Who cares to share some of their trial riding experiences?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Shirley on June 20, 2009 at 9:06pm

This is a great photo. And it looks like a great experience. It would be a good shot for the contest to add captions. Where is Shingle Creek/Strawberry? The expression on this horses face is so interesting....

Permalink Reply by Linda White on June 25, 2009 at 12:53pm

I am a die hard trail rider too - just not keen on camping. My version of roughing it is to stay at a motel with an outdoor pool...But yes, I trailer my horses to lots of beautiful spots to ride. We're just 12 km from a fabulous conservation spot that welcomes horses - go there once a week. And I've made friends with lots of people who welcome company for rides on their trails. I think the best investment I ever made was my $2500 trailer. It's not gorgeous, but it does exactly what those $15,000 trailers do and my horse doesn't know the difference. You do get sick of your own trails, so we hit the road often. I am very grateful to OTRA because they work hard to open trails for equestrians - worth sending them membership money even if you can't go on their rides.
I don't think I'd be riding if I could only ride in a ring or an arena. Trails are good for horses and good for riders.

Permalink Reply by Eileen on June 25, 2009 at 3:58pm

Well I guess I like to camp as much as I like to ride. I find that there are so many neat places to park the rig, hang up the horses and ride out form for a few days at a haul. So many times I have found out of the way spots that one can park and camp and ride out from. But it is what ever yanks your crank for sure. If you dont like camping then why do it. Lol I started out riding all over hells half acre from the farm here when I was a kid. Well over the years that got kind of tired. So I had to do something. When I worked it was sort of pick and choose the vacation days very carefully and ride ride around that. Once I retired, I could go anywhere I wanted, for as long as I wanted. Now that works for me. It gets kind of expensive sometimes though.

Permalink Reply by Gail Morse on June 26, 2009 at 1:33pm

I am sitting in the Port Perry area of Ontario looking for a riding partner to venture out to some of the local forests. I have a horse a trailer and a truck and noone to go with as my husband no longer has a horse. Are there any over 40's out there with time during the week or weekend who would like to join me? Gail.

Permalink Reply by Eileen on June 26, 2009 at 1:48pm

Hey Gail, that sounds like fun. I am looking for some place to ride during Aug. July is booked, but August is pretty blank. Where do you usually ride. I am thinking Barrie area at a friends place. We usually camp out on her mothers farm. Or if you don't like the camping aspect I could probably meet you somewhere on my way to one of my rides.

Permalink Reply by Gail Morse on June 27, 2009 at 2:45pm

Barrie is not too far away from here . Likely about 2 hours by trailer. I have to learn to haul first. I thought you lived out west! Gail.

Permalink Reply by Fiona Hill on June 27, 2009 at 8:45am

This is a really interesting subject. In the UK we tend to call trail riding 'hacking', and my own experience of this has always involved crossing or riding along roads rather than 'trails'. So when I see the context of trails in N. America I realise we are talking about something completely different from anything I have ever known! How amazing to be able to get out into the wilderness and camp out under the stars with your horse!

Permalink Reply by Eileen on June 27, 2009 at 9:10am

Fiona, yes you would see quite a difference in our trail riding vs your "hacking" I hired a horse in Ireland many years ago to go on a "hack" and it was exciting for me, because it was in Ireland. lol But I would think that N. America has so much more "Crown Land" that anyone can park off to the side and ride out from till the cows come home. No fences, but lots of hunting trails, atv trails old logging trails, you name it. Crown territory is further north than I am so I don't always get a chance to do that. Thankfully I have met many great trail riders through the years and we always manage to find someone that has a hay field or wooded area that has access from the road that we can haul a trailer through. Remember that a lot of our horse trailers in N. America are quite big and low to the ground with the plumbing on the undercarriage.

Permalink Reply by Shirley on June 27, 2009 at 2:41pm

In the United States we have both trail riding and hacking. I live in Michigan and we have state parks that allow us to go out on trails through the woods and enjoy nature at it's best....from horseback. Some of these parks are designed for camping also but some only allow day visitors.
I have talked to others from other states that do call a similar thing, hacking . I was writing to a lady in California and she called it hacking and I had to ask what that was.
It's interesting how things get different names in different areas.
I was using the term 'cool, calm and collected' earlier and I realized that referred to the human and the horse.
Have a great week-end wherever you ride! Shirley

Permalink Reply by Fiona Hill on July 3, 2009 at 3:57pm

Shirley, you should listen to Chris Irwin talk about horse related terms, such as 'cool calm and collected'! There must be about a million phrases in common parlance that come from the horse world! It's amazing once you start to list them- 'level headed', 'don't put the cart before the horse', 'pass the buck', 'the buck stops here', 'tell - tail (yes, apparently it's tail and not tale) signs', 'bent out of shape', 'nose out of joint' to name but a few! :-)

Permalink Reply by Shirley on July 5, 2009 at 11:52pm

I'm sure I'd really enjoy that! I'm hoping one of his professional understudies is able to visit my area this fall. I haven't heard confirmation on that yet. Her name is Anne Gates. She's a BarnMice too. Shirley

Permalink Reply by Eileen on June 27, 2009 at 3:44pm

Shirley, I know exactly what you are talking about re the States having the special campground sites for horsemen only. I have my favourite "wrangler camps" to stop at either to ride for a few days or for an overnight stay on my way to another ride. The Trail riders in the United States seem to have a stronger voice with their government and officials as far as letting them know what they want and need and not letting the officials turn their backs on them. Most any state that you can name has at least one Wrangler camp that you stay at and ride out from, and those trails can be an all day trail (pack a lunch) or just a couple of hours.
I think that the term "hacking" is dirived from the English riding. I know that is where I hear it mostly. Apparently when they leave the barn on horse back and out of the area that means that it was a hack. I could be wrong, it would not be the first time. lol
MIchigan is a beautiful state and does have some great campsites for horsemen. I have covered a few in my travels. And they are not that far away.