A near-disaster is a good reminder: Be safe on the trail.

Ready to ride: The Randall County (Texas) Sheriff's Posse Search and Rescue Unit. Photo by Lynda Harris.

I got an e-mail last week from a friend who rides on the local mounted search and rescue unit. She and her husband, with other members of the unit, participated in a search for a horse who had gotten loose in Palo Duro Canyon, which is the country’s second-largest canyon and is just south of Amarillo, Texas.

This horse and rider had gone riding by themselves, and apparently it began raining upstream while they were in the canyon. The creeks swelled, and in order to get back to base camp, the rider was faced with a deep, difficult crossing. The horse did not come out the other side. The rider was able to pull off his bridle, and he began swimming upstream. Now on foot, she wasn’t able to catch him, and help – in the form of the Randall County Sheriff’s Posse Search and Rescue Unit – had to be called in.

Fortunately, they located the horse, and this case ended with both horse and rider safe. But it doesn’t take much imagination to think how easily it could have been disastrous or fatal for either one of them.

After skipping through a few doomsday scenarios, my thoughts then settled on our outlet here at America’s Horse Daily. Although we’ve mentioned safety tips numerous times, there are some things you can never say too often. If it keeps even one horse and rider safe, well, we hope the rest of you will forgive us for the nagging!

Our friends, AQHA Professional Horsemen Bob Jeffreys and Suzanne Sheppard, agreed to let us borrow some safe-trail-riding tips from their Web site, www.twoasonehorsemanship.com.

Photo by Lynda Harris.

Their first tip is particularly relevant in this case:

• The first thing you can do is to let someone know how long you expect to be gone and, if possible, what route you’ll be following. If you have a map, bring it with you. If not, and you’re riding in an unfamiliar area, stop and turn around every once in a while to take note of what the scenery should look like when you’re returning home.

More tips worth remembering from Bob and Suz:

• Always take along a halter and lead rope. We prefer a rope halter and a 10- to 12-foot lead rope, which can be rolled up in a hangman’s knot and hooked over the saddle horn. This will allow you to remove the bridle and bit if you chose to stop and rest. Should you tie your horse to a tree, make your knot at wither height or above and allow only about 2 feet of rope length between knot and buckle to prevent your horse from getting tangled. Your lead rope/halter can also double as a bridle and reins should you break a rein or a bridle piece. We all know those Chicago screws can come loose at the most inappropriate times (you can fix this by applying nail polish into the hole before inserting the screw).
• If you ride with friends, have a prearranged meeting place should something unforeseen occur, forcing you to scatter in different directions (bee or wasp attacks, for instance). Anyone who is allergic to insect bites or stings should carry the appropriate medication.

Get more tips before you head out on your next ride!

Holly Clanahan
Editor, America’s Horse magazine

Don’t miss the fun, educational and heart-warming stories in the print version of America’s Horse! It goes to all members of the American Quarter Horse Association, and it’ll also keep you in the loop on Association news. We want you to belong!