Trail riding horses: the best horses

It’s not all about competing and shuffling through different equestrian competitions for avid horse riders. Although you can excel at barrel racing, obstacle courses, racing, and even dressage, there is also a less competitive, calmer side to horseback riding. Trail riding is the perfect way to connect with nature and deepen the bond between you and your horse. See what your mount is capable of by braving the wilds, exploring the trails, and exploring the terrain. From a few hours to several days and weeks, trail riding can be a popular equine activity. Depending on your preferences, trail riding can also have a competitive side. You’ll need a sure-footed, hardy, and capable mount in order to succeed in either scenario. Here are the top 10 best horses for trail riding that will certainly help you make your selection – read on to find your perfect match!

Appaloosa #1 

A horse’s skill, agility, surefootedness, and endurance are all essential for trail riding. For competition or pure enjoyment, you’ll need an appropriate mount. One of America’s most recognizable breeds is the Appaloosa horse. In addition to their coloring, they also have a number of specific and enjoyable characteristics that make them ideal for trail riding. Horses with this gait are known to be agile and hardy, and are widely admired for their comfort. Spending many hours in the saddle makes you appreciate this aspect even more. A famous and respected breed of horses, Appaloosas excel at a wide range of equine activities across generations. In other words, if you are looking for a reliable mount on your next trail ride, the old American Appaloosa horse is exactly what you need.

Tennessee Walking Horse #2

Comfort becomes very important when you are out on a trail for hours on end. A mount’s ability to handle rugged and unexpected trail terrain is a major factor in comfort. The Tennessee Walking horse is renowned far and wide for its smoothness and finesse in gait. They are also known for their hardiness and stamina. All a trail horse needs is that. Additionally, Tennessee Walking horses have a very even temperament, are easy to handle, and respond well to training. Beginners on outdoor trails or novice riders can benefit from them too, in many ways.

Thoroughbred #3

Race tracks and competition courses are renowned for Thoroughbred horses. However, those are not the only areas where they excel. The Thoroughbred is a superb trail horse because of its speed, stamina, agility, and gait. Their surefootedness allows you to relax and have faith in your mount for hours on end. The breed is also quite intelligent and eager to please. No matter how experienced you are on the trail, you can expect your mount to respond well to your commands. This breed of horse is slender, muscular, hardy, and spirited, and truly belongs in the great outdoors!

Friesian horse #4

Your mount should be able to endure all the unexpected twists and turns and rough patches you expect to encounter on the rugged wilderness trails. In this regard, the powerful Friesian horse is the perfect mount. Known for their power, great stature, muscular bodies, and fabulous beauty, these horses hail from Friesland in Europe. They have evolved into horses of pure power after being bred for warfare and heavy fieldwork centuries ago. On the toughest outdoor trails, that power comes in handy. Strong and surefooted, the Friesian is capable of handling any terrain. You will feel comfortable even after hours of riding thanks to their size. All of this is crucial to trail riders with experience. Despite their smartness, ease of handling, and ability to respond to commands, this breed can benefit novices as well.

Irish Cob #5

The Irish Cob, also known as the Gypsy Vanner, is similar to the Friesian, but is certainly not the same. Old Irish breed, developed over ages to excel at heavy fieldwork and to pull heavy gypsy caravans. The result was a big, stocky, muscular, and powerful breed with a balanced gait and plenty of endurance. Their calm and peaceful demeanor, intelligence, and eagerness to please make them popular today. Their large stride and powerful build will enable them to tackle uneven terrain with ease on the outdoor trails. A trail ride with an Irish Cob is sure to be a memorable experience, regardless of how long or how short the ride is. Don’t forget to refuel those muscles – make sure the feed is nearby!

The Mustang #6

Known as a wild breed, the Mustang is one of America’s iconic symbols, and a horse at one with nature. Known for its sheer power and ruggedness, the Mustang can make a great trail mount if properly trained. Since they are not entirely wild, they can be trained by professionals well. Trail riding is something that trained Mustangs excel at, but they can excel in a variety of equine activities. As these horses are in their natural habitat, they are sure-footed over rocky, uneven terrain, and are adept at overcoming any obstacle. Compared to some other breeds, the Mustang has a coarser coat and is much more hardy. This makes it a perfect mount for long treks and trails, since it is exceptionally adapted to the outdoors.

Morgan Horse #7

Morgan Horses are excellent for racing, barrel riding, and other equine sports. One of the most iconic American breeds, these horses are lightning fast and agile. Despite this, they are very versatile and adaptable, and can be wonderful on the trail. Since the Morgan Horse was a classic choice for wandering gunslingers during the American Old West, it has its roots in the American Old West. Thus, you can expect an animal with great endurance and willingness to go the extra mile. Aside from this, they are extremely smart and learn new tricks and lessons very quickly. For a novice rider, a Morgan Horse may not be the best choice. They are powerful, able, and best suited to experienced riders. In order for a mount to shine, it needs an equally able rider.

Australian Stock Horse #8

Equine breeds bred in Australia are inherently hardy. The Australian Stock horse evolved to cope with the harsh climate and terrain of this land. The breed is well balanced, boasting even and tempered traits, as well as great reliability. A plus is that this breed excels at trail riding thanks to its sure-footed gait. Generally speaking, they are a great breed for the outdoors because they are smart, agile, reliable, and enduring. They are hardy animals who are willing to work long and hard and are somewhat placid and obedient. In addition to their resilient nature, they are able to adapt to more temperate climates in North America as well.

Icelandic Horse #9

Iceland is the best place to look if we want to find a hardy horse. Animals that were bred in this remote nation had to adapt to its rugged terrains and frigid climate in order to survive. Stocky, coarse-haired, and slightly smaller than usual horse breeds, Icelandic horses are stocky and have coarse hair. Its balance and even gait make it perfect for outdoor trail riding, where their balance and even gait will definitely help you go the extra mile. It may be difficult to find an Icelandic horse on the market since they are somewhat less common. You are bound to have a breed that is reliable, versatile, and surprisingly fast and agile if you accomplish this. You shouldn’t be fooled by their cute looks!

Missouri Fox Trotter #10

Missouri Fox Trotters are naturally adapted to withstand the harsh conditions of the Ozark Mountains. Known as the Fox Trot, this breed was originally bred for hunting. Over generations, this gait has been developed specifically for comfort. You can be assured that the Missouri Fox Trotter will provide you with absolute comfort if you plan on spending long hours in the saddle on your next trail trip. Additionally, this breed is quite sure-footed and agile on rugged terrain. The breed has quite a bit of versatility and can be relied on when times get tough.

In what ways does trail riding differ from other forms of riding?
It goes without saying that not all horse breeds are suitable for trail riding. A horse and rider can both find this activity challenging, so it is important to choose your mount carefully. There are a number of different environments and seasons in which trail riding can take place, and each one presents new and unexpected threats. The threats are many: rocky and uneven mountain paths, snow-covered ice patches, dense forests, desert heat, and faint trails. Trail riding is a lot of fun and excitement, but it must be taken seriously. Check out these traits if you want to make sure that your mount is the right choice for the trail.

Continuity

In order to thrive in the outdoors, a horse must be hardy and enduring. There is no way to predict when rain will fall, strong winds, snow, blizzards, or storms will strike a trail that crosses a wild country. Because of this, horses need to be strong and hardy. The overall trail journey also requires endurance. Horses must be able to endure hours of journeying across rugged terrain – not every breed is suited to this.

The gait

There is always the matter of your comfort. A horse is only as good as its rider: he or she needs to be comfortable if he or she is to endure hours of riding. In other words, you can get sores, stiff backs, and all sorts of pains and discomforts. The horse’s gait is the key to comfort on the trail. While some breeds are not meant for leisure riding, others were specifically bred for it. Smooth, comfy gaits allow these breeds to ride even over rugged terrain with subtlety. It can make a huge difference in your riding experience if you spend hours in the saddle.

Sense of security

It is imperative that the horse cannot falter at any point while tackling rugged terrain in the great outdoors. When you take one wrong step, they can get injured and throw you from the horse. Thus, a horse must be sure-footed on any terrain. Their stride will be balanced and confident. Icelandic horses, Friesians, Clydesdales, Morgans, and many others are among the hardest-working horses. A horse bred for dressage or exhibitions may be less stable when faced with rough terrain than those bred for other activities.