Gender

I don’t like to get hung up on which are better, mares or geldings, because I think it comes down to personal preference and the individual animal. My first choice is a gelding, but I would never turn down a mare if she had the right qualities. I would, however, avoid a stallion for the trail. He could be the best horse on the ranch, really well behaved and always good with you. But you never know who you might meet on the trail or how well they can control their horse.

Try Him Out!

Ideally when you find a horse that has the qualities that you desire and you think would make a great trail horse, you will be allowed to try him out for a week or see how he is in at least a couple of different situations. Hopefully, this will tell just what level of experience he truly has and whether all those traits you saw at the barn are still there on the trail where you really need them. And if the owners won’t let you try the horse out, it might be a bad sign.

My Favorites

After many years and many mounts, there are two that really stick out in my mind as having been some of the best. Elmo was most likely a registered Quarter Horse, but I never knew for sure. He was steady, willing and loved people. We had four great years together before he retired with a little girl nearby. Moose, however, was NOT a people horse. But he was a terrific trail horse once you caught him. He was a good looking Paint who knew he was the leader, and so did the rest of the string. He was agile, strong and he always paid attention to where he was going and where he put his feet. I miss them both.