Trail Riding or Ring Work?

[FEIJuniorBound]

What do you prefer? I love doing ring work. I find that out on the trail I get bored and I cannot keep my horse using himself the same way I do in the ring. Also I feel like I am not utilizing my time wisely if i am not in the ring schooling my horse in a more serious manner. Where would you rather be?

[Marchadors]

I much rather be out on the trail. I don't get bored on the trails. I continuously change the pace and area for riding. Yes it can get boring if it is only walking along a long flat boring stretch of ground. I prefer to mix it up with some flat fields, rolling hills/coulee's, mud, water, jumping deadfall, thick bush and more. Keeps the horses on their toes, so to speak.

I find I get bored rather quickly in the ring so I tend not to do hardly any ring work.

[horse99]

I do mostly ring work, but that's mainly because there are no trails easily accessible to my boarding stable and I don't have a trailer right now. I absolutely cherish when I do go on a trail ride though, and I think the horse likes it too. It does take a few minutes for him to settle on the trail, only because he doesn't get out all that much, but then he is just awesome. And we don't do anything to crazy i.e. no water, or thick brush. I think we'd have to work our way up to that So I guess you could say I like doing both.

[peppysan]

I would definitely rather be riding out then stuck in the ring. I had enough of that growing up so now I just want to head out on the trails. I totally think it depends on what ones goals are with their horse. At this point, I just want to enjoy my horse and the scenery, but I can see how some horses are purely for performance and show and so there is that heavy pressure to school every day and then there is no time for anything else.

[horse99]

Gorgeous view peppysan what a ride that must have been and your boy is quite the stunner!