From: Jennifer
Dr. Jahiel,
Thank you so much for providing this free resource! It is wonderful! I have only been riding for two months at a frequency of about twice a week- one lesson day, and one practice day without a trainer.
I had only been working with the canter for two rides when a young girl (she is 12--I am 26) asked if I wanted to go out on the trails with her. I ridden that particular horse in a lesson before, and I heard that she was a good trail horse, so I agreed, with the stipulation that we would not go any faster than a walk/trot. The only problem was that when we got to a particular part of the trail, both the horses took off in a full out gallop! I was totally unprepared and just did my best to hang on until the horses stopped. Tightening and releasing the reins didn't seem to help and a punishment circle seemed out of the question at those speeds. The girl was very apologetic and said that she always galloped the horses there and it didn't even occur to her that they would do it without asking. She had control of her horse, but my horse had jumped out in front and was just running like crazy.
I know it is not the horses fault, and that it was a bad situation because of my inexperience. However, now I am very nervous about riding out on the trails. If I had been more experienced and better prepared, I think I could have taken that situation and turned it around into a better, safer one. So, anyway, here are my questions: One, how could I have anticipated that my horse was expecting a gallop; Two, what should I do to stop a galloping horse; and Three, do you recommend going at a galloping speed on a trail ride? The girl I was with said she gallops most of the trail all the time, including crossing railroad tracks and jumping a drainage ditch. To me it just seems like a severe safety hazard, even with a helmet on (which I always wear). Am I just a chicken? Will I always be so scared?
Thanks for any help you can offer!
The Gutless Galloper
In answer to your questions:
One, how could I have anticipated that my horse was expecting a gallop?
You couldn't have. You weren't familiar with the trail, you were only slightly familiar with the horse, you didn't know that the horse ALWAYS cantered at that point on the trail and would therefore expect to do it again, and you haven't ridden long enough to recognize the position and balance shifts of a horse that is about to move into a gallop.
Two, what should I do to stop a galloping horse?
You did very well just to stay on board! As for how to stop a galloping horse, much depends on why the horse is galloping. If he is frightened and doesn't even remember that you are in the saddle, there isn't much you can do until he calms down (or becomes tired). If he's galloping for the enjoyment of it, or because he always gallops at a particular point on the trail, then there are things you can do. If you know the trail, you can point the horse up a hill, which will make him easier to stop. If there is a meadow or field where you can ask the horse to make a large circle, you can circle, sit up, and use a pulley rein (one hand holding rein and mane about halfway up the horse's neck, the other hand taking upward -- not down -- with the rein and then releasing, taking and releasing, over and over, until the horse responds.
Three, do you recommend going at a galloping speed on a trail ride?
I would recommend this ONLY if the riders are experienced, and the riders and horses know the trail very, very well. And even then... there can be surprises even on a familiar trail. For a first-time trail rider, the answer is NO. For a rider who has been in lessons for only a few months, the answer is NO. For a rider who isn't familiar with the trail, the answer is NO. And above all, for a rider who has SAID that she only wants to walk and trot, the answer is NO!
Horses that are always galloped at a particular point on a trail will automatically pick up the gallop at that point, just as horses that are always allowed to play in the water at a crossing will always stop and try to play in the water. It's a habit -- and like most horse habits, it's one created by the rider(s).
The child with whom you went out acted very irresponsibly -- but you have now learned a very valuable lesson. A child of 12 may indeed be a better rider than you, with more years of experience, but she is still a child, and apparently not a very sensible one. Riding skill is no guarantee of maturity or good sense, and anyone taking a novice rider out on the trail should possess riidng skill AND maturity AND good sense. The best company for your first trail rides would be your instructor or another competent adult who can explain what your horse is doing, and why, and what you can do about it.
The girl I was with said she gallops most of the trail all the time, including crossing railroad tracks and jumping a drainage ditch. To me it just seems like a severe safety hazard, even with a helmet on (which I always wear). Am I just a chicken? Will I always be so scared?
If she knows the trail and her horse, and feels safe galloping, and remembers to walk the first mile out and the last mile back, then perhaps this is okay for her. It is NOT okay for you. A helmet can protect you from some things, but won't save your kneecaps, your ribs, your arms, or your fingers (among other things) if you hit a tree at speed. Even at twenty miles per hour, a car can sustain quite a lot of damage if it hits a tree. A galloping horse can go considerably faster than twenty miles an hour, and if you come flying off the horse into a tree, you will sustain quite a lot of damage. A helmet is just a helmet, not an all-body force field! I am glad to know that you wear your helmet whenever you ride, but please realize that you were RIGHT to be frightened and concerned about your safety.
You are not a chicken. And you will not always be so scared -- but I hope you will always be scared when that's an appropriate reaction. When you have become a competent rider, you will be more confident. If you are willing to invest the time and effort it takes to become a truly good rider, eventually you will become VERY confident in your own skills. At this point, you will enjoy a gallop in the right circumstances -- but you will probably STILL not want to participate in unplanned gallops on unfamiliar trails. ;-)
I'm glad that you want to continue with your riding. Don't be ashamed to go slowly and master each step before you move on to the next one. Tell your instructor that you want a thorough grounding in the basics, that you want to become a REAL rider, and that you don't mind taking the necessary time. Sometimes instructors can take things too fast because they imagine that the student is in a hurry. Good instructors are always happy to hear that a student wants to learn to ride really well.
Good luck, and please let me know how you are doing!
Jessica
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