Trail Riders for Green Trails, Inc.
A not for profit corporation


Trail Tips

Alphabetical Index
Chronological Index
Heat and Electrolytes November 1999
Hoof Problems December  1999
Know Your Horses Limitations January 2000
Preparing for Your Ride February 2000
Winter Care March 2000

Trail Riders for Green Trails Inc. is a Not for Profit Corporation formed to help develop Public Horse Trails and to provide Education for the Horsemen who are seeking to learn about safe Trailriding. Our Goals are to develop trails  for riders and buggys and ensure they are well marked.

We have memberships available and offer monthly trail rides and clinics for learning more about trailriding and your horse.

Our memberships ensure us all that there will be Horse Trails on Public lands for us to enjoy. The funds received from memberships are used for trail markers, tools, club outings, and education supplies. Your membership plays and important part in ensuring future trails.

For more information e-mail Trail Riders for Green Trails, Inc. or Call us at 555-555-1234

Annual membership fees are $15.00 for single, $25.00 for families.
 
 



 

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Preparing for your Ride

Trailriding is a very enjoyable, relaxing way to spend a day. Preparing for the ride ahead of time can assure you such a day.  Take the time to check over your gear and tack to prevent the thoughts of a fun filled day turning into a disaster.

Take time to check over your horse trailer. Look for worn tires, check the floor, make sure all the lights and electric brakes are working. Check over your vehicle for worn tires, check the water level, oil level, transmission level, and gas level.  Make sure all lights are working and brakes are good.  Checking wheel bearings and both your trailer and vehicle at least once a year is a good safety measure.  Make sure you have spare tires for both trailer and vehicle and a jack that will work on both.
Go though your tack. Check your bridle and reins for loose Chicago screws, worn and weak leather, rusty or worn bits that may pinch your horse's mouth.  Check your saddle for nails underneath the tree area, make sure your girth straps and in good order and your girth.  Look over the leather on the stirrup leathers to make sure they aren't cracked and worn.  Check over your saddle pad look for sand burs, shavings, weeds or twigs that may have gotten tangled in the fabric. Look for worn or knobby spots on the material.

Make sure you have grooming supplies, hoof pick, and a blanket for emergencies for your horse, carry water and make sure your jugs are full before leaving.

Taking the time to go over these items can make the difference in how a day can go.  Get in the habit of checking things over. By doing so you can most likely prevent a disaster and possible harm to you and your horse.  A few minutes can save hours.
Alphabetical Index   

Chronological Index
Winter Care

Winter is knocking on our doors, after a summer of sweat and heat it will feel great. Something to remember this winter is care of your horse after a ride. Florida weather is unlike any other area of the country. It can be frosty one day and in the eighties the next. Some horses still tend to grow winter hair as if they were up North, this can cause problems. 

It is wise to carry a horse blanket or sheet with you during this time of year. If the day warms up and your horse gets sweaty it may not dry by the time you are ready to haul home and if you have an open trailer your horse could easily catch a chill being hauled wet with cold evening wind blowing on it coupled with the speed of air from traveling down the road. Covering with the blanket or sheet will help and may prevent your horse from becoming ill Give them care and consideration they carry you around so you can enioy a day away from the woes and worries of everyday life, make life for them comfortable too. 

Blankets and Sheets are a must during winter months when traveling and trail riding. If you body clip your horse it will still be necessary to have your blanket or sheet with you. The horse may not sweat as much during the outing because it is clipped but as the evening air cools and your horse has no coat to protect it on the ride home you will be skirting with chance of illness if you don't blanket it. Please care for your horse during the following winter months and enjoy many happy outings together. 

Alphabetical Index

Chronological Index
The Heat and Electrolytes

Summer is approaching fast! Start your horses on electrolytes now and help them make it through the summer without stress on their systems.
Many people think electrolytes are for just Competitive Trail and Endurance Riders well this is not true. In the South electrolytes are a must during the summer months. Horses deplete their systems with sweating during the heat of the year and electrolytes will help prevent this.

Remember to carry water with you at all times no matter how short a period you intend to be gone. You never know when you may break down, get caught in traffic, or be longer on a ride than you thought cause you got turned around on
the trails. Carry a bucket and sponge in your trailer so upon returning from your ride you can sponge your horse off. Always carry some drinking water with you on the trail. Summer heat takes a toll on riders also and sipping water along the way will help prevent you from becoming depleted from the weather.

Try to plan your rides early during the heat of the summer and watch the heat index. High heat index readings will do a horse in quick. Listen to the weather before you head out on your ride, get the heat index and rain chance for the day. Go early and get back around noon before the worst heat of the day sets in.

Alphabetical Index 

Chronological Index
Hoof Problems

Ever heard the saying "No Foot No Horse"? Well this is oh so true. The foundation of the horse is hishoofs. If your horse has a hoof problem it can end your trailriding. Taking proper care of your horse'shoofs is very important. Make sure you keep them trimmed on a regular basis. Look for a wellbalanced trim on your horse--a horse with to much toe will trip and stumble alot. Taking off the heel ishard on your horse's muscles and tendons and can cause soreness in the hind quarters and shoulders.

Florida ground is fairly soft and many horses can be left barefoot with no problems especially if notrode hard or often. If you are a frequent rider and cover many types of terrain you should considershoeing your horse to prevent undue wear and tear on it's hoofs. Get into the habit of cleaning yourhorse's hoofs before and after a ride. It can help prevent bruising from objects stuck along the frog andsole area.

Take care of your horse's hoofs and have many happy comfortable miles of trailriding.
Alphabetical Index 

Chronological Index
Know Your Horses Limitations
Knowing your horse's limitations is a sign of a good horseman. Many people get caught up in the fun and social activities and forget to take into consideration their horse's limitations when going on some outtings. They are more concerned of doing the social thing and overlook the fact that just cause their friend's horse is in shape for the ride they are planning doesn't mean that their's is and because they want to
go so much they put their social desires over caring for the welfare of their horse.

It takes time to build and condition a horse to be able to do long rides, rides with crowds, campouts, and big social events. These are all stressful situations for a horse that is not in shape or has not been previously subjected to these conditions.

Don't go planning a four or five day campout and ride with a large group if your horse is only used to small outtings and small groups. Slowing build up the amount of activity around your horse. Take it to some local shows just to ride it around all the commotion, it is good training but after a few hours you can leave and thereby subjecting the horse to stressful areas but leaving before it over comes them. Gradually increasing the time spent at functions helps your horse to handle large
crowds that will be found at most Benefit Rides making it a lot easier for them to handle. When trail riding gradually add more riders to your group enabling your horse to have time to adjust to more horses along with learning about trailriding.

Make your outting not only a fun one for you but also for your horse.
Alphabetical Index 

Chronological Index

 



 

Please stop back again
If you have ideas for this page contact the webmaster

Get your own site on the Trail-Riders Web Server

This is a SAMPLE INTERNET WEB SITE put together by the professionals at LeSalt. All trailgraphics were provided by BD Bugg Enterprises. LeSalt provides INTERNET WEB SERVICES for Professionals, Bussinesses, Clubs, Non-Profit Groups and Individuals. Visit LeSalt's Internet Site for more information.

Powered by LeSalt with BDBUGG Graphics