Wilderness Adventures
Posts tagged trail riding
Great riding in Golden Ears
Jul 28th
Sorry it has taken me so long to write you. We’ve been really busy. I just was telling a friend again about what a great ride we had with you. She may be up in your area next month and if her schedule works out, I will give her your information so she can call you.
Paul and I are well and continue to improve as riders. Paul rode in my lesson this morning (its so hot here in Chicago we’ve been doing lessons early in the morning rather than in the evenings) and he jumped his first line of his life today (not bad for 55). I was really proud of him. It’s been an long and eventful year for us. When we were up in Vancouver I was just starting to ride my blind Appy, Eddie again. Now are back in group lessons on the flat and Eddie and I are even group cantering with one or two other horses at the same time. I’m finally sitting up straight again (as I’m sure you’ll be glad to hear). It’s been a long road back for me, dealing with the changes in Eddie and gradually getting my confidence back after a my fall with him and the bad fall I took after I had started riding another horse. Paul and I worked really hard with Eddie this past winter helping him gain his confidence to be able to enjoy turnout, navigate the arena, and ride again. Eddie is an amazing horse, and continues to surprise me with his ability to adjust. I don’t remember if I shared a picture of Eddie when we were up there, but I’ve attached a picture taken about six months before he went completely blind.
I’ve found a horse at our barn, a paint named Picasso, who is quiet and patient and very good at helping me get back into show form. My girlfriend (who had to retire her horse about a year and a half ago) and I have a full lease on Picasso and are starting to jump again as our confidence and fitness improves. Picasso takes a lot of leg, so Pat and I are thinking about showing under the name “Thighmaster.”
I’m attaching a couple of pictures from our ride. They aren’t the best pictures, but they remind Paul and I of how spectacular the mountains were and what a great ride we had with you. We are looking forward to getting back to Vancouver soon to ride with you again. We’re hoping we can get a couple of the others from our barn to join us to give you a very “horsey” group for a couple of rides.
Talk to you soon. Hope you and the horses are well. Kiss Maverick and Thor for us.
Susanne M. Papas
Splish splash, they were taking a bath
Jul 11th
Horseback riding birthday celebration in Vancouver area despite the pending rain
May 31st
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- drizzle hasn’t ruined your do
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- the purse – just in case of a needed touch up
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- ok – so he’s not one of the birthday party
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- good thing Peppy is looking where he is going
Horseback Riding near Vancouver
May 29th
Sunday May 30th, we are horseback riding in Golden Ears Park located 90 minutes from Vancouver. Rides commence from the Main Horse Corral located 500 meters after the park entrance on the left hand side. Limited space left available. Reservations are recommended.
Horseback Riding – Trail Riding Safety Tips
May 29th
•Walk the first half-mile or so to warm up the horse’s and your muscles
•Ride with awareness. Know where problems might occur—such as a water crossing, bridge or passing by a obstruction.
•Keep two horse distances apart to avoid kicking.
•Go the speed of the greenest horse or the most inexperienced rider.
•Walk along rocky terrain and down steep hills.
•Know the local wildlife. If bears are a concern know how to prevent an encounter.
•Avoid riding along roads if possible, especially at peak traffic times or in darkness.
•Don’t pass someone going a slower pace.
•Warn riders behind you of low branches, stumps, holes or other hazards.
•Hand signals for horseback riders are the same as for cyclists. Use them to signal riders at the back of the pack and along roads.
•Ride well-known trails when the light is poor.
•Most of all, pay attention to your horse’s condition. Don’t override him so that s/he continues to enjoy going out.
Happy Trails.
Sitting the Trot
May 26th
Among the many riders I have come across over the years, having a good solid seat at the trot seems to be one of the most difficult to learn. The reason for this is more to do with our mental state than the difficulty of the motion. We try to mentally “sit to the trot” thus trying to force our seat to stick to the saddle and this actually causes the exact opposite effect of what we want to achieve. When you try to force your seat down, you actually tighten up your back and leg muscles. This creates resistance, and a hard surface so to speak, which in turn will cause you to bounce against the saddle. The other problem I have found from among my students is that you rely too much on your stirrups. At the sitting trot the stirrups really serve no purpose other than a resting place for your foot. When you rely on the stirrups, you create tension in the leg which again creates resistance and hence bounce.
To learn to sit to the trot you must think “soft”. Imagine yourself sitting in a couch, not in a saddle. Then imagine your upper body as a sign board stuck on a stick, which stays upright or slightly forward and square to the saddle. Then imagine your lower body is a bowl of jello and your legs like wet spaghetti. Your seat moves with the saddle and the movement of the horse just like jello wiggles in a bowl. Squeeze slightly down in your core, belly button, to anchor the jello and everything from your waist down should be as soft as you can imagine getting it. The softer you are the more you stick to the saddle. Watch the video and pay particular attention to his body posture, upright but relaxed.
(video provided courtesy of istock)
At the ranch we teach our students to sit the trot bareback because then you have no stirrups or saddle to rely on, your body naturally centres itself more quickly and legs remain soft more readily when you let them hang or wrap gently around the horses belly. When the knees start creeping up, you start to bounce so you learn to let those legs hang loose. The weight of your legs will naturally help keep your seat in the saddle. Also, the more relaxed you are the more relaxed your horse will be and thus will have a smoother trot. Remember, soft legs, soft seat equals a good sit. Enjoy your next trot in the saddle.
Advanced Riders – do you really qualify?
May 25th
We get a lot of enquiries about faster paced rides. We do offer 2 hour, half day and full day walk trot canter tours for experienced riders. What do we mean by experienced riders? This does not mean that you have ridden horses a couple of times on past holidays in Mexico. This does not mean that your uncle had a farm umpteen years ago and you got to summer there and ride old Nelly around the field once in a while. It means that you know how to post and or sit to the trot without bouncing. If you don’t know what post to the trot means then you are not an advanced rider. Ask for some lessons first. If you bounce at the sitting trot you are not a qualified rider. Ask for some lessons.
Why do we request these as qualifications? First of all it is for safety. If you are bouncing, you have no balance. When you have no balance, if the horse makes a swift deek to avoid a rock or something, your chances of coming out of the saddle are pretty high.
This brings us to the next item of concern – balance. If you have not got the proper balance at the trot, whether sitting or posting, your saddle is more than likely to start shifting to the heavy side (the side you tend to lean on more). If you don’t have balance at the trot, you won’t have balance at the canter either. At the walk we can easily correct a shfiting saddle back into position (if you are paying attention that is and do it before the saddle rolls under the horse’s belly). However, at the trot people seem to pay less attention to this factor, and at the canter almost none at all, and before you know it, rider hits the ground. This is bad news. These trails are hard ground and rocky. Not a good place for a bouncy landing, or a landing of any kind for that matter.
The second reason, and just as important, is the well being of the horse. If you are bouncing, it is extremely hard on the horse’s back. It’s hard enough walking around with all that extra weight on your back, especially if the weight is not centered and balanced, much less having it bounce around your back. And because the health and well being of our horses is first and foremost, bouncy riders don’t get to trot and canter. We didn’t rescue some of these horses from one sad circumstance so they could be tortured in another.
If you are not totally confident about your qualifcations as an advanced rider as described, sign up for a couple of lessons. You can learn to sit and post to the trot in a safe environment before taking it out on the trail. Safer for you and better for the horses.
Long Weekend Riding Special in Golden Ears
May 21st
The first long weekend of the summer is upon us. Yea!! What better time to enjoy the beauty of Golden Ears. This long weekend will find the park at full capacity with campers, boaters, hikers and of course horseback riders. We will have horses available for guided tours starting at the Main Horse Corral located near the park entrance. There is an 11:00 am 2 hour walk trot scheduled for experienced riders. 1 hour rides start at 11:00 am and run every 1.5 hours. Please call 604-376-0203 for reservations.
Present a printed copy of the coupon for your long weekend discount.
Ride in the 2010 Guinness World Record Attempt June 13
May 18th
The American Competitive Trail Horse Association urges all trail riders across North America to particpate in a ride on Sunday June 13 to make history and a difference for horses in need. LARGEST TRAIL RIDE ON RECORD! A turn out of more than 5,000 riders across North America will set a new Guinness World Record. “This is also an opportunity to help a record number of horse rescues,” says ATCHA founder Carrie Scrima. Proceeds go to help horses like Marty at Healing Horses Sanctuary. Many of the horses used on Equutrail rides are rescue horses from Healing Horses Sanctuary and can use your help. All riders, regardless of experience, are invited to participate and have fun in this event. Help Save A Horse and ride with us on June13th. Watch for more details coming soon.
Monday Sunset Ride
May 17th
Started our ride this evening in a clould of bugs. This had the horses in a bit of a tizzy as they desperately tried to ward off the onslaught despite the bug spray. This in turn got Danielle and Shane a bit nervous as the horses couldn’t relax until after we got under way, into the trees and out of line of fire. Once in the woods, everyone relaxed, horses and riders alike. After that the riding was smooth and effortless. We had a wonderful time even if we didn’t get a nice sunset this eveing due to the overcast skies and haze.
Happy Birthday Shane.