Trail riding

As trail riding is called multi-day treks on horseback. The focus is on the experience of nature, the slow, original and environmentally friendly mode of travel, to achieve better understanding of both the landscape and the horse with which you are together all day while trail riding and of its well-being arriving at the destination depends decisively.

We spend the night at trail riding in the open air, the farmer, in tents or on horse farms that offer overnight accommodation for horse and rider. The luggage is either on the saddle horse saddle bags before and transported behind the seat or on a pack horse carried. Trekking is considered the oldest form of the use of the horse by the people. It uses trained, obedient and roadworthy horse ahead, but also promotes the independence and allows the rider by the most intense " conversation " with his mount. As trail riding horse are particularly the natural riding horse breeds (Robust horse), small horses and Arabs, but also warm-blooded animals and even mules. Important for the walking horse is above all (besides the mental aptitude ) sufficient load-bearing capacity of the spine and a stable and healthy legs.

Preparation

Depending on the duration and difficulty of adequate preparation of horse and rider is required. This includes physical training of the horse, accustomed to any kind of road transport, training of the horse to overcome natural terrain obstacles such as slopes, climbs, rock and scree, narrow paths and narrow passages, water courses, etc., map and compass, first aid (also for the horse ). Several hours or overnight rides require a particularly good physical condition and appropriate training provided by the rider. In Renon from some duration special equipment is needed (saddle, saddle and panniers, weather protection, tent, cooking equipment, Notbeschlagszeug etc.). Skills and knowledge of leather repair, plants, food and feed client, medicine and veterinary medicine, shoeing, languages ​​and local culture, customs regulations, insurance, etc. round off the profile of the traveling rider. Overnight stays are usually pre-planned and logged in sometimes but losgeritten also on " random ".

Implementation

The most typical trail riding go for the weekend or short breaks from seven to ten days duration, some ride three weeks or longer. Most ( Friends ) or alone ridden in small groups. Most trail riders (which is depending on individual style very different) riding about six to seven hours a day, plus breaks. The Hauptgangart is usually step on its specific volume (power quality ) will be encouraged. Often, a good part of the route is in this case, depending on the terrain, the horse out for the purpose of back relief. Since trail riding rather is a form of adventure holidays and no high-performance sports are not the KM services at the center. This therefore vary according to condition, premises and sporting goals. However, one can say that the daily output of a coordinated team rider - horse of a trained Fußwanderers exceeds by about one- third to one- half.

History

In the Middle Ages nobles and the wealthy traveled on horseback similar to today's trail riders, in contrast to the common people, monks and students who went on foot. For centuries, traveling on horseback nothing special. Even Goethe used to cover long distances on different occasions in the saddle - and wrote: Let me apply only on my saddle / Stay in your tents, your tents / And I ride happy in all distance / About my cap only the stars! .

As a famous trail riders shall be the Swiss Aimé Félix Tschiffely, 1925 in Buenos Aires, Argentina 10,000 miles to Washington DC, USA, rode and reported on all the newspapers. In the days since the mass motorization prevailed, this was considered a sensation. And even today, trail riders of contemporaries are often looked incredulous that " such a thing is still possible ."

Star rides

Also popular are trail riders meeting at which the riders individually or together in groups of their own town to ride off and after a few days or weeks at a common feast, for example, on the occasion of large horse shows.

Trail rides with convoy escort

Unlike in the past, horsebox and trailer are most accessible to riders today. Therefore, it is often transported to the starting points of hiking Ritts, or be made from a fixed location or holiday quarter round rides. This variant allows the carrying of more equipment, making comfort-oriented and gives more security. In the narrow sense of self Bewältigens of the course and up- to - put - his horse and rider, it is often no longer referred to as trail riding.

Commercial trail rides

Guided rides are offered by trail ride leaders, mostly from trail riding stations. This set usually also trained trail riding horses and the equipment needed. Saddle strength or the completion of an introductory course is provided here. In part, it is also possible to participate with their own horses. These rides vary in content according to organizers of "all-inclusive gourmet rides with five-star hotel accommodation " to nights in the great outdoors. Scope of services, level of training of riding guides and horses, prices and quality vary considerably.

Many holiday regions in Germany are currently trying, mostly with the support of farmers' organizations to build a network of such stations trail riding.

In the regions of Upper Palatinate, in the Sauerland region in the Eifel and in many other places is " trail riding without luggage " offered on marked routes from farm to farm. The luggage will be transported by car from place to place. Baggage allowance by car is traveling under riders while frowned upon (claim eco-friendly movement and independence ), but is accepted in moderation under the goal of " protecting the horse ".

Even with some specialized in equestrian holidays tour operators you can book various forms of trail rides.

Training

In Germany offer three great organizations with different orientation courses, exams and badges from the terrain riders on the trail riders on the way to trail ride leader. The VFD is involved in addition to the training of recreational riders in particular for the maintenance of bridleways and free access to nature for riders. Also addressed to recreational riders is the offer of the DCE ( Trekking Club ) - here, the focus of the conduct of sporting competitions comparison for trail riding. Another great association in Germany is the IPZV ( Iceland horse - riders and breeders' association ), which also forms the trail ride leader. The German Wanderreiter Academy (DWA ), headquartered in Reckentahl at Montabaur offers training to trail ride leader in a total of 14 levels of training. The training levels include the base Pass trail riding, course and examination railing tab, navigation exercises with map and compass, a Hufkurs, a teaching trail ride, course and exam for trail riders, course and exam for terrain riding guides, riding guides assistance to acquire practical experience, supported treks on their own, a four-day approval ride with other riders and a six-day test ride to trail ride leader. The DWA operates its own Internet portal, is judged in the continuous quality professionally guided trail riding establishments.

The requirements of the riders are so widely spread in the discipline of trail riding that practical training is only possible through training in conjunction with practical exercises. Accompanying this are regular trail rides that are planned and organized independently, required. The typical trail riders is as intense practitioners in the field of cross-country riding always an autodidact. If he has ridden in a homely environment, all interesting destinations, riding multi-day tours in a foreign environment is the logical form of increase. For this form of trail rides the trail riders needed a suitable therefor ( healthy, efficient ) horse. But the trail riders should be physically capable of a longer steep section to go to protect the partner's horse uphill or downhill quickly.

Riding and hiking map

From OpenStreetMap is a special " riding and hiking map " in electronic format for use on a GPS device. They contain important information for the rider: horse soaking, overnight accommodation for horse and rider, condition of roads, trail markings, riding stables, farriers, veterinarians, and more. The terrain contour is shown with contour lines and shading. The map created by the riders themselves, everyone can draw his knowledge and so make available to others. The card is under a free license and is free.

Wide riding

A special form of hiking riding is the " wide- riding". This ( relatively new ) term treks with more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km). The broadest Ride of the story is true of George and Charlie Beck, Jay Ransom and Raymond Rayne (1912 ) through all the lower 48 states of the USA ( 20,352 miles ). The Swiss Felix Tschifelly rode on April 23, 1925 to August 29, 1928 to 16,000 km from Buenos Aires to New York. Günter Wamser was inspired by this pioneering and started 1994 on a ride from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska; In 2007 he presented a report on the first 20,000 km to the border of Mexico to the United States. In 2010, the report of the other 5,000 kilometers through the Rocky Mountains followed.

An international association of Far Rider is "The Long Riders ' Guild, based in the USA, a German-language Internet portal is operated by the " Wide Riders Guild ". Austrians who have purchased a membership in the " Long Riders Guild" because of their services are Evelyn Landerer (Mongolia, Siberia ) and Horst Hausleitner and Esther Stein ( Africa). The latter succeeded in 2003 to traverse the African continent from South Africa to Kenya on the backs of two horses and a pack horse with no technical escort team. For the 5,000- kilometer route they needed more than eleven months. They rode through South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya.