A BABE IN THE WOODS or Don't Be A Tree Hugger pt 2

A large part of this is to remind them you are still in the saddle, if you a plodding along with horse half asleep give them a nudge, voice, pet, whatever, to make them aware. Equally as large a part is to be aware of the surroundings, is it windy, do moving branches spook your horse, etc. If you are riding a trail and there is a tree with broken branches on one side and a large bush on the other, you want to pay attention. A squirrel jumping out of the bush could drive your ( unprepared ) horse sideways into the tree. Are there branches on the trail.?..I had a horse that would jump three feet into the air if he stepped on one end of a branch and caused the other end to rise. If it was by the back feet…Rodeo!!.

Horses may start at the noise of their weight breaking a branch, or twigs brushing your jacket, or saddle. If pushing through thick undergrowth allow them a reasonable speed. While it may be fun to bust through at a fast speed you must remember that they may not see a hole, rock etc until they are on top or in it. Also be aware that you and your horse may not be the only ones who like the bush and trees. Other animals may be there hiding, eating, or just living and may rush off from under your feet.

It is generally best to let horses and riders experienced to be the lead as you can judge by the fact that if they made it through that you “should” be able to as well. Many horses will follow other horses into areas they would not go into alone. In the same way that horses may be scared of wide open areas , some horses ( and people ) may get claustrophobic in thick trees. Try riding in areas that have a sparse or wide area tree growth, allowing more than enough area for a horse to pass through. Areas with 8 to 10 feet between trees and low or no growth between them would be a good start. ( Also helpful if they have no low branch growth like certain pines etc.) . When you and your horse are comfortable with this move into slightly more dense growths. Areas with trails through them are to be preferred but I would also like my horse to be comfortable to go between trees without trails. There could be various reasons you want this, blocked trails, other horses having issues ahead, or dubious situations on the trail. These may be motorized vehicles, fallen trees, leaning root broke trees, or even other parties on the path. If possible allow your horse to pick a speed compatible to both of you as pushing your horse too fast may in the bush, drive him into a panic run. ( Panic run: As in that one area ( room, woods, street, lane...etc.) where as a kid you would speed up because you were nervous and when you did whatever boogeyman your imagination thought was behind you got faster and closer causing you to speed up more and so on)

Horses when trained to ride can very much become a creature of habit. Whether their habit or yours depends. A horse that runs through rocky areas and hurts his feet might have his own habit of slowing down and picking his way through the rocks. Whereas a person not liking to jump streams or small ditches slowing and walking their horse through them will instill their habit onto the horse.

SITUATION: A pack rider instead of going around trees with branches about head level while on a horse would just duck and go under them. He and his horse got very good at gauging the right height to pass under. One day something spooked one of the rear packhorses causing it to rush into the next one, it kicked and snagged its pack, ripping the canvas very loudly. This spooked his horse into a run, the rider was caught off guard as he turned to see what happened behind him. Off balance and bouncing he did not see or was unable to duck in time and crashed into a branch at chest level. After he awoke he very prolifically and in two languages started cursing his horse for running him into the branch. Then he was reminded that he always took that path and he always ducked under it before and the horse saw no reason why he wouldn’t this time ( if the horse even thought about it at all ). The point was that the horse even spooked followed his habit on the trail which was going under that branch.

Riding through trees is not really any different than riding in the dessert, plains or mountains, in that, at any time you may have a situation. Whether it is a large issue or a non-issue depends on you, your horse, the training, and the familiarity / trust you have with each other.

GHOST WRITER GORDON WIKS
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