Horse Directory

Trail Riding

When riders take their horses out onto natural, outdoor trails it is called trail riding. This is different from taking horses onto roads or into different riding arenas. There are basic forms of trail riding that include someone guiding you down the trail (or you guiding yourself) – but there is also competitive trail riding.

In competitive trail riding different riders go over a marked trail every day for one to three days. Each trail is 12 to 35 miles long. There are many different types of competitive trail riding which include endurance riding, pace race, and judged trail ride.

Some rides are on private lands – but most are performed on public Forest Service lands or BLM lands. When you ride in a normal trail ride you can expect to ride over terrain that is smooth and easy to for both you and your horse. However, during a competitive trail ride you can expect both smooth rides and bumpy ones. The terrain is never specified so you should always be prepared for the worst.

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