Debbie Bibb on Trail Horses

Colorado horse trainer Debbie Bibb works a lot with trail horses. What does it take to get a trail horse ready, Debbie? 

 

It varies. I've seen some horses off the racetrack that have become very nice trail horses. I've seen some of the ranch horses that are nice trail horses, some lesson horses. It really comes down to their temperament, you know, being that calm, easygoing, very willing horse, and also the foundation training.

 

You know, do they stop when you ask them to stop? Do they turn where you ask them to turn? Are they willing to go where you ask them to go? There's a lot of it that plays into it. Any horse that's been very well trained for most events can go be a trail horse because they have that mindset, that willing attitude you want. Some of the things that they have to get used to is, for instance, if they're a show horse, and they've never really seen things blowing out in the wind, out in the open, or some of the big, funny-looking rock formations, they have to get used to that a little bit.

 

But a horse, for instance, that has been in that show ring has seen a lot of bizarre things going on around him in his lifetime, and most of them can't usually adapt very well. 

 

Colorado horse trainer Debbie Bibb.