Trail Riding: Train, Prepare, Pack Up & Hit the Trail

By Rhonda Hart Poe and Rhonda Massingham Hart

Book Overview

Hitting the open trail on horseback is the ultimate dream vacation for many people. And for the vast majority of established riders who do not compete or show horses, trail riding brings the greatest pleasure, whether on a three-mile loop around an open field or a twenty-mile trek up a rugged mountainside. A dependable, well-trained horse is the key to a fulfilling trail experience. In "Trail Riding," author Rhonda Hart Poe offers fundamental instruction and detailed advice on every aspect of preparing for and executing a pleasurable trail ride. This begins with selecting the most appropriate horse for the task and goes on to cover training, conditioning, trailering the horse, and selecting tack and gear with an eye on safety. No other book delves into such depth on how to prepare for and handle different types of terrain and potential obstacles and tricky situations, such as turning around on a narrow trail, stepping over fallen logs, side passing, and dealing with unpredictable distractions. Whether a rider is interested in a quiet afternoon ride or a five-day backwoods endurance event, "Trail Riding" is essential reading. Promoting the whole adventure, from start to finish, Poe also includes amazing trail stories from riders across North America, as well as a resource listing great trail rides.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1580175619
• ISBN13: 9781580175616
• Release Date: April 2005
• Publisher: Storey Publishing
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 2.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.1" x 0.8" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Be Prepared for Fun and Increased Safety!

I recently purchased Trail Riding by Rhonda Hart Poe to lighten some of the cold days of winter with thoughts of hitting the trails again in the spring. Though I am a long time mountain (and flat land) trail rider, I found many ideas of interest and fun though-out this book. I especially enjoyed the sections on camping or longer trails and set about repacking my saddlebags with suggested items. The author brings the reader through selection of a trail horse (and why), training for trail, conditioning, and packing to be prepared for a number of possible situations. She also introduces several related interests and competitions such as field trials or trail class showing. Trail Riding is a very comprehensive book that helps the novice or experienced rider prepare for the variety of experiences trail riding can offer.

For beginners and intermediate alike

This book is an excellent guide for an A to Z overview of taking a horse out on the trail. I only wish i had read it sooner! Makes a great gift for the beginning trail rider.

Trail Riding: Train, Prepare, Pack Up & Hit the Trail

This book was great to read. I learned alot from it and will continue using it as a training reference guide for my 13 yr. old Quarter Horse & my 4 yr. old Paint.

A Real Trail Rider's Guide

Trail Riding by Rhonda hart Poe is more then just what the title indicates. She takes you from getting ready to ride through the Trail Rider's Survival Guide and much more in the process. With only five years involved with horses and a few hundred miles on trails she leads you through every phase of trail horsemanship. There is not adequate space here to pass along how much I learned and will use in the future "on the trail". Ms Poe covers everything from tack and gear for the trail to preparing you and your horse, whether you ride for pleasure or in competition. Married to a true "Horse-Lady" with more then 20,000 miles on trails I suspected it was my inexperience until after she read the book. She enjoyed it and indicated that she had picked up a lot of tips that she had never thought of. That's from a woman who has a bookshelf full of books on trail riding. The book was very educational and fun to read with a lot of information for beginners and experienced riders alike. I have no doubt that I will be a better trail riders after my first read and intend to read it a few more times. I would highly recommend it for anyone who wants to be a better horseman, whether on trails or around the pasture.

An in-depth compendium and guidebook especially for horse owners and horse riders

Trail Riding: Train, Prepare, Pack Up & Hit The Trail is an in-depth compendium and guidebook especially for horse owners and horse riders. Written by horse owner and "The Gated Horse" magazine editor Rhonda Hart Poe, Trail Riding covers everything from how to use necessary trail tack and gear, to proper training, vices to avoid (in both rider and animal), survival tips for worst-case scenarios, advice for performing well in competitive trail riding, and much more. Black-and-white illustrations and numerous sidebars filled with tips, tricks and techniques round out Trail Riding, a definitive guide, which is enthusiastically recommended for riders of all skill and experience levels.