Trail rides aren’t just a break. They’re a reset button, a full-body workout, and a surprise pop quiz, all rolled into one. At Lunari Equestrian, we train with a focus on balance, rhythm, and the ability to respond, not react. That mindset doesn’t start and end at the arena gate. If your horse has a passport but has never seen a tree, this one’s for you.
Whether your horse is a jumper, dressage partner, or prospect, incorporating trail work is not just refreshing, it’s essential for both horse and rider.
Show horses are not mechanical parade floats designed to carry us in polished circles for applause. They are intelligent, emotional creatures and they need a break.
The competition horse lives in a structured world. Circles. Patterns. Precision. Trail riding offers your horse a psychological and physical reset, a moment to breathe, observe, and engage with their curiosity. You are not abandoning the training. You’re balancing it.
Confidence comes from exposure to the world, not just arena exercises. Spooky horses aren’t born, they’re under-exposed. They don’t need to be bubble-wrapped. They need to get out.
Trail riding introduces them to real life. Wind, wildlife, branches, squirrels with attitude, and all without the pressure of “getting it right.” You’re giving your horse emotional regulation, reduced reactivity, and a stronger trust in you as their rider. And you’re doing it in nature’s obstacle course.
Think of trail riding like a highly underrated crossfit class you didn’t sign up for, but should have.
- Uneven terrain = improved foot placement and natural strength training
- Hills = Congratulations, your horse is now doing glute day.
- Long rides = endurance
- Turns, trees, rocks = Surprise lateral work
Without even realizing it, you’re strengthening stifles, hocks, shoulders, and core. And as a bonus, your own core strength improves as you try to stay on when a leaf flutters sideways. Trail work helps horses carry themselves more confidently and riders learn to stay balanced, soft, and connected over varied ground. Trail work isn’t a vacation from training, it’s just training without the sand judging you. Use it to reinforce everything you practice in the arena!
- Leg yields across wide open fields
- Shoulder-in along a dirt road
- Haunches-in through a winding path
- Straightness between trees or along fence lines
Bonus points if you do a stretchy trot while dodging a bush. Now that’s feeling nature.
The best part? You’ll learn to ride without rails. Suddenly, straightness has to come from your seat and hands and not the fence quietly doing the work for you. On the trail, the world doesn’t care if you drift left or collapse your hip. That’s your cue to tune in more deeply. Which rein is actually your outside aid now? Is your seat centered? Are you supporting the inside bend or falling into it? Straight lines without rails are one of the most overlooked and advanced flatwork skills. When you can maintain balance and bend on open ground, your arena work improves!
A show horse that’s never left the arena is like a student who’s only studied theory, no fieldwork, no life experience. They may understand, but they lack adaptability and performance. And when things go wrong, they have no reference point to draw from.
Trail riding builds real-world intelligence. Physical, emotional, and energetic. It creates horses that don’t just execute movements, they understand how to move through pressure, process new stimuli, and stay connected to their rider. It teaches your horse to think with you, not just because of you. And when the wind kicks up during warm-up at your next show?
They’ll say, “I’ve seen worse. Remember the Great Plastic Bag of Doom on that trail ride last fall?” It teaches them to think and not just react. And it reminds you to loosen up and ride like a human being who loves horses.
So yes. Get out there. Let them see the world. Let them climb a hill and sidestep a log. Let yourself let go a little. Trail riding isn’t just “fun.” It’s function. It’s training. And it might just be the best work your show horse does all week.