Whoa there...meeting horses on the trail
In this month's issue of Washington Trails, we have a couple articles
on horses in the backcountry, including a piece by Chris
Bell on how important pack-and-saddle riders are to our Volunteer
Vacation program.
This got me
thinking about horse-and-hiker encounters. Namely, I can never remember
if you're supposed to step to the downhill or uphill side when you
approach equestrians on trail.
Well, after looking back on this article, which ran a couple years ago in our magazine, I remembered you're supposed to step to the downhill as you let the horses and riders pass. Other tips to remember:
Have thoughts about horses on hiking trails? Sign up for an account and
post a comment.
This got me
thinking about horse-and-hiker encounters. Namely, I can never remember
if you're supposed to step to the downhill or uphill side when you
approach equestrians on trail.Well, after looking back on this article, which ran a couple years ago in our magazine, I remembered you're supposed to step to the downhill as you let the horses and riders pass. Other tips to remember:
- Talk to the riders and horses, so that the animals know you're not a threat.
- Remain visible. If you suddenly disappear behind a tree, you might spook the horse.
- Keep dogs under control. A running and barking dog may get trampled underfoot.
Comments