Where's the most difficult/"I shouldn't be here" place you've...

[FlatBottom]

Ever rode?

For me, it'd have to be the Big Horns. My ol' Scooter definitely impressed me with her rock climbing skills. A few places it was the classic -pull the boot out of the stirup and lean. AND DON'T LOOK DOWN!

I have to say that she is a completely different horse now that she and I made that trip. Next to no spook, calm, she loads better...etc.

[natalie]

I would have to say when we were out elk hunting last October. It was supposed to be our last day, so my boyfriends dad and I decided to go for a ride. Well we got a call on the radio when we got back to the cabin saying two elk and a mule deer were down in one area and another bull elk was down in another area. We got the horses ready again and tried to ride to where the two elk and mule deer were. Well there was a fence so we found an opening and tried to follow a cow path... not a good idea (i only had a halter and lead rope for reins). Muck mud and rock basically going up and down. I think we weaved our way through for about an hour or so. We also ended up staying for another day after that!

[Surface Tension]

My first post in this Horse forum. I'm not a horse lover though.

However I enjoy working with horses, enjoyed owning, boarding, and riding horses. I currently don't own any horses simply because I can't devote the time to work and ride them everyday.

I worked in AK as a wrangler for and outfit that did pack trips and without a doubt the best trail riding you could imagine.

Steep inclines into and descending the mountains, crossing swift rivers was an everyday occurrence. The riggers that most pleasure horses could not endure, simply because of not being in shape nor having the experience that could match a true mountain horse.

Having said that deep mud/swamp, the kind you can lose your boots in is very bad situation to get a horse in. Happened back at home in MN on a ride. My ride, "Toma" a App/Qhorse (grade) gelding @ 16.2hh, gentle, big, powerful, had seen it all type horse. We were on the North Shore Trail and needed to get around a low/wet spot on the trail. I lead my horse through the alders bushwhacking it. We sunk a little but the horse took it in stride. My riding companion followed. His ride balked then freaked when his footing hit the mud. Back stepping and crashing over the alders, it ended up into the mess we were trying to avoid. The only thing that stopped the horse from flailing around and injury was the deep mud it became stuck in.

After calming the horse the task of getting it out started and so did the panic from the horse. We eventually got out, the 5 mile ride home was in the blackness of a moonless night.

Toma knew the trail well, I gave him the reins and he took me home.

[reomom]

I haven't had the adventures that probably most of you have had but one trail ride that I will always remember was just down the road from my house. We had a group of us about 5 I think trying to find these trails that were supposed to be in the woods not far from here. We were so lost and the trails kept disappearing so we would end up stuck in trees with hardly any room to turn around. I kept getting slapped in the face with branches. At one point we were walking down a hill and my gelding stopped and shook like a dog half way down. I had to really hang on when he did that. We finally gave up trying to find the trails and headed home but it was pretty fun.

Not too exciting....

[fishinchicks]

We have only had a horse for the last 3 years, so our trail riding has been pretty limited. When we have gone, it has always been with a trail riding outfit.

We went on a trail ride in Colorado awhile ago that was near the Royal Gorge Bridge area. I am extremely scared of heights, so I was already a bit nervous. My horse was a pretty large, tall beauty that was pretty calm. We were doing alright for the first part, and I was really enjoying the Colorado scenery. Then, we got to a part of the trail that was getting pretty steep, and the trail seemed to be getting narrower. We were going in a zig zag pattern up the hills, which meant that you couldn't see the trail below you. All I could see was the downward slope to the gorge on one side, and up the hill to the other. It was at that point that I had the "What in the world am I doing here" thought. In my mind, one slip of a hoof, and I would be a goner! About the time that thought went through my mind, my horse decided to hurry up to catch the rest of the group, which meant it went into a lope. Not good for the heart! The landscape quickly flattened over the last rise that we loped over, so I was able to settle down and enjoy the rest of the ride. I think I will stick to the flatter grounds around the midwest...

[hondarider550]

Okay, I know that my experiences are not as cool as anybody else's here but I have to share this experience just for the fun. I have not had the pleasure of doing any trail rides yet but am looking forward to joining maybe some of you someday in the future.

My worst OH ...... moment was a few years ago with one of my minature horses. Gus was trained to pull a two wheel cart so I and my son decided to take Gus for a little ride down the road past my place. Gus had an attitude problem and especially that day... We took off with out any problem. Driving Gus down the road at a nice easy pace and staying on the roadway just fine. When we turned back towards our farm Gus was alittle more excited to travel back since that meant food, water, and his best friend Andy... I decided that as we approached our driveway that we should take Gus past the drive way and travel the other direction for a ways so that Gus did not get the idea that we could go home right away always after a drive... Well we got about an 1/8th mile past the driveway and Gus decided that enough was enough! Gus turned us right into the ditch while I am pulling on the reins. Gus fell down the deep ditch with my son and myself being twisted up under the cart... We some how got ourselves loose from the cart and allowed Gus to take off with the cart. He took of for the yard and suddenly heard a crash... When we got to the yard we found Gus and the cart stuck between the barn and a pickup that I had parked next to the barn. The cart was holding Gus from going anywhere else.

Well, we ended up with a couple bruises. The cart ended up with two totally ruined wheels since they were just bicycle wheels and the harness was broken in a couple places.

Never knew that little 32" tall horse could defeat a couple of guys but it sure did that day...

Its good that we can laugh about it now...