Importance of the Trail Ride
In America, the 1800’s saw the rise of the automobile and the decline of
the horse since machinery could be made to go faster and produce more work than
the horse. Machinery was rated in “Horsepower” so one could know how many
horses that machine could replace, it’s a rude brush off to an animal that has
served us so well for thousands of years.
If not for the horse, humans wouldn't be as advanced as we are now, in
fact, we may not have been around as a species. Horses helped us pull the plow;
bring produce to market, traverse longer distances traveling faster than we
could have on foot. The horse also
helped us hunt for food and aid us in times of war, and entertained us with
racing or other equitation sports.
The future of the horse is uncertain. As urban sprawl spreads across the United
States, there are less and less areas that horses are accepted in. People in general are not opposed to horses,
just as long as they don’t have to live next to one. Areas that once had horses for sale or rent
have had housing developments encroach upon them. Once the homes appear it’s not long before
the horses are forced out by complaints from homeowners who find the smell
offensive, which begs the question, why move next to a horse farm or
stable? Other reasons are monetary:
horse stables aren’t exactly money makers; at least those that cater to those
without deep pockets
.
The modern day horse has survived purely as a pleasure
animal (at least in the United States). There are people who use horses
to compete in events such as Dressage and Jumping events, or more Western
events such as team roping, and there are those who just want a horse for a
quiet trail ride. Another niche that the
horse has filled in recent years is therapy.
For children with special needs, and adults that are injured or
disabled, the horse has been key in improving their quality of life. Better balance, coordination, and muscle
development are all benefits from riding a horse, and for those who are
incredulous about the muscle development have never ridden a horse: five
minutes cantering on a horse will leave you winded if you’re not accustom to
riding.
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| Neapolitan Horse (extinct) |
Will there always be horses?
It seems doubtful that horses could become extinct, but there are
species of horse that are no longer with us such as the Galloway pony, Mazury
and the Yorkshire Coach Horse as well as many more. The Shire is a draft horse developed in
Europe and is at risk due to lack of breeders, and there are some that are even
worse off with only 100 breeding pair left making them akin to the Giant Panda.
This brings us to the importance of rental horses and riding
stables. For most of the public, rental
stables are the only way to experience trail riding without buying a horse. In the good-old-days stables would give you a
horse, help you into the saddle, and you were on your own, and unless you were
a little horse savvy, you may have had a good ride or a harrowing experience
depending on the horse. Most modern
horseback riding stables use guides to make the experience more enjoyable and
to provide safety during the ride in case of unforeseen events. For all, the experience leaves a lasting
impression, and for some it may lead to horse ownership, which promotes the horse industry, for without horse owners the horse in all its varieties would fade
forever. One horse trainer said that the
horse it a mirror to the soul. Having
owned one myself I can tell you it’s that and much much more, but you’ll never
know unless you come out and ride the trail.