While I am as much of a training nerd as the next dressage person, I dislike getting stuck in the sandbox too many days in a row. And while alternating days in the field doing strengthening exercises or cavalletti is great for adding variety to your routine, sometimes there’s no substitute for a relaxing day on the trail. But how does your horse feel about this?

As humans, we see a trail ride or hack as a great time to chill with our horses, chat with friends and get out of the arena atmosphere. Your horse, however, may have different ideas. If his “natural” environment is now in the dressage court, being outside that safe space could feel like walking through a dangerous jungle, full of predators waiting to devour him.

Living on my own property, I often trail ride alone. To make this as safe a venture as possible including always wearing a helmet and carrying my phone, I try to use familiar tasks from the dressage ring to help my horse stay with me, keep his attention and to give him confidence that I will get him through the unfamiliar territory.

Remember that as prey animals, horses are hard-wired to be on the alert for danger at all times. The threat could come in the form of wild turkeys, deer, a lizard hiding in the bushes, a bicyclist, loud truck or a menacing dog. Giving your horse the confidence to go out—and come back—with you will not only foster a better partnership between you two, but it can also help refresh your time in the arena. Plus, it will help prepare your horse for other new environments.

Here, I’ve compiled some tips and exercises I use when riding on trails or out in the field that you can incorporate on your next dressage ride in the wild. Keep in mind that none of the movements you ask of your horse on trails should be new to him; only incorporate exercises and movements that you’ve already mastered in your training. Introducing them to your horse in a familiar space will help bring the “familiar” with you out on the trail.

Slowly Expand Your Horse’s Comfort Zone

Horses are large homing devices. When they get too far from their comfort zone, they can lose focus due to their overwhelming desire to get back to their safe place. This is why I advise you to introduce riding away from the arena in small bites, paying attention to when your horse’s attitude begins to shift from confident to cuckoo. It can also help to start out by riding with others; many horses feel more comfortable having buddies with them.

At first, your horse might lose focus over a shorter distance than you expected but be respectful of his comfort zone. After walking from your arena to the front gate a few times, you’ll see how quickly his comfort zone expands. When he puts his confidence in you first, he’ll trust you to go farther and farther away.

Be Present

While it’s fun to hack out with a friend, it’s also easy to lose focus on our horses while we chat about the latest dish. When exposed to unfamiliar environments, many horses experience some degree of anxiety. But in an effort to be “good,” they might not show what many consider to be obvious signs of nervousness like jigging or snorting.

For example, some horses might feel dead to your leg or tight in their backs, and riders who aren’t paying attention might miss these subtler indications. Unfortunately, these smaller signs are often followed by reactions of much greater proportion like bolting or rearing, so it’s crucial that you pay careful attention to your horse’s body language.

Think about how focused you are in the arena. Your focus on your horse’s every movement in that environment is a part of your his comfort zone, and when he senses a lack of that high level of attention, he’s going to feel less supported. 

As you start riding away from the arena, make a point to check in on your horse frequently. Note where his ears are pointing, whether he answers an aid when applied or simply halts when asked. If he feels like you’re paying attention to him, he’ll feel better about staying with you, wherever you happen to be.

Redirect Your Horse’s Attention

You can’t necessarily stop your horse from looking at something, but you can redirect his attention away from it. This is a premise put forth by natural horseman Harry Whitney and has helped me in many situations. Horses look at unfamiliar things because they’re scanning for danger. You, however, know there aren’t any predators in your zip code, so it’s your job to remain confident to prevent further worrying your horse.

When he needs to look at something, try to regain his attention for a moment with a slight leg rub (not a kick), a neck rub or, if necessary, a change of direction. Don’t be surprised if he needs to look again, but if you can get his attention for a moment, you can get it again, and that’s the beginning of trust.

Occasionally, you might encounter “predators” on the trail like deer or a bike rider. By getting in the habit of changing your horse’s thoughts when faced with a situation like this, you’ll be better prepared to bring him back if he panics. 

Remember that forward momentum is a horse’s defense mechanism, so providing him with the opportunity to move will give him comfort. Plus, keeping him under control will make you feel comfortable.

Dressage Exercises You Can Do on the Trail

As you get more comfortable riding on the trail, try incorporating the following exercises to create better balance between you and your horse, so you’re prepared for anything you might encounter in the “wild.”

I hope these exercises are useful for you and your horse and help get you out of the arena and on the trail to enhance your partnership and introduce new training opportunities.

Thigh Resistances

Thigh-resistance exercises are a great way to better stabilize yourself in the saddle and draw your horse’s attention back to you in unfamiliar places. Doing these repetitions helps attach your seat to your horse in case he makes a sudden movement. Additionally, the act of doing these exercises creates subtle engagement in your body that your horse feels, which draws his attention to the middle of his body—where you are.

As you do these, watch your horse’s ears; when they flick back, it indicates he’s focused on you. Run through them any time you feel your horse’s attention drifting away or when you feel worried. 

Exercise 1: With your thighs laid equally against the saddle from groin to knee joint, push your feet away from the saddle so your ankles are the farthest point from your horse. Think about using small movements to do this, as if you were pushing against weights or a wall (or like pulsing repetitions you might do while strength training) to engage the outside of your thighs. Do three or four reps of this. (You can think of it as doing one rep per stride for three or four strides. Keeping the repetitions short also helps you stay present for your horse.)

Exercise 2: With your thighs in the same position and the same attachment in your seat as in Exercise 1, pull your thighs in against the saddle trying to engage your muscles equally from groin to knee, without allowing your knee to pinch and the thigh to stay unengaged. Do 3 or 4 reps of this. 

Leg Yields

Leg yields are a great way to test your horse’s ability to “hear” your aids. If you’re on the trail and your horse is worried about something on either side of him, leg yield away from that direction. This puts your aids between your horse and the trouble, provides him with instruction to follow and gives you an idea of how much of his attention is with you.

If your horse has general anxiety about a new environment instead of one specific area, alternate leg yielding in both directions to help bring his attention back to you, while still maintaining some forward momentum. 

Shoulder-In

If you’re on a narrow trail and there isn’t a lot of space to move from side to side, leg yields can become difficult to perform with any value. Bringing the shoulder in is another way to redirect your horse’s thoughts while still allowing him to move forward. 

With shoulder-in, it’s about the angle first and the bend second. If you simply bend your horse’s head and neck around, he still might be able to see the scary thing. You want to bring his shoulders over while keeping his haunches straight, but remember a little goes a long way.

The Seesaw

From a competitive standpoint, the “Schaukel” is a high-level exercise that involves alternating rein-backs and forward walks, usually for a proscribed number of steps, without pausing between the transitions. It’s not usually seen until the Grand Prix level but being able to back your horse up isn’t only for the upper levels. This is an essential skill to develop with your dressage horse, so we’re going to hijack it for our use out on the trail.

Don’t be surprised if you’re met with resistance at first, because backing isn’t a movement most horses do willingly. Stick with it and only ask for one or two steps at first. As you both get more familiar with it, back up a different number of steps to keep your horse’s attention. 

Turns on the Forehand

If stopping to allow your horse to investigate the scary object makes him more anxious, it’s good to have another way to close the door to forward momentum. You can use turns on the forehand to redirect his momentum by encouraging him to take smaller steps with his front legs than his back legs.

In a fairly open area, ask your horse to move his hindquarters over, while keeping his front end on a smaller turn. Even a ¼ turn can be useful to redirect his brain and help him forget about the scary object. Try a ¼ turn, walk straight a few steps and then ask for another ¼ turn in the same direction. If you do this a few times, you’ll end up facing the original trouble spot, but with a much more focused horse.

Introducing Water and Other Natural Terrain

Once your horse has gained confidence on trails by showing he trusts and is in tune with you at all times and after you’ve successfully mastered the above exercises, you can start introducing him to new challenges like water or varied terrain. Unless your horse has previous experience with water, he will likely want to investigate before he goes charging through it.

Allow him to smell, paw or even drink it. Once he seems relaxed (he might sigh or lick his lips), try encouraging him to take a step or two into the water. Once he does, ask him to just stop and hang out there so he can get used to the sensation. Some horses take to water right away and and enjoy going through it; others are more hesitant. So take baby steps; if you can only get him to dip a hoof in the first time that’s perfectly fine. Work on his timeline.

For More:

• For more top training tips and riding advice from equestrian biomechanics’ expert Stephany Fish Crossman, click here.
• To listen to the Dressage Today Podcast, co-hosted by Crossman and Aviva Nebesky, click here.
• For more on trail riding for dressage riders, click here.

About Stephany Fish Crossman

Stephany Fish Crossman began riding as a young girl in Maine and by 18, she discovered dressage and left college to join Michael Poulin as a working student. After a successful management career in Florida’s hospitality industry, working for large and small animal veterinarians and grooming for Jane Savoie, she attended the now defunct International Academy of Equestrian Studies in Warendorf, Germany, where she graduated with her National Trainer Certificate. She’s also a USDF bronze and silver medalist as well as one of only nine accredited coaches for Mary Wanless’ Ride With Your Mind Biomechanics System in the U.S. She is currently based in Okeechobee, Florida.