If Only Horses Could Talk: Adventures with My Trailblazing Poncho

A couple of years ago, I had the good fortune to buy a real trail horse, Poncho. By “real trail horse,” I mean a horse who doesn’t spook easily, genuinely enjoys being out in nature, loves exploring new places, and is remarkably sure-footed. He responds beautifully to vocal, rein, and leg cues. He’s also an agreeable horse who likes, or at least tolerates, other horses and doesn’t mind being crowded. He does, however, get impatient at times on group trail rides when the horses in front of him don’t move fast enough!

[Photo by G. Sprie]

This “pace problem” is largely due to him being a gaited horse. They tend to move out at a fast-walking pace and can cover distances quite quickly. Being gaited also means that as he gets faster, the ride becomes incredibly smoother. Soooo nice!

Poncho is ¾ Missouri Fox Trotter and ¼ Paso Fino. Paso Finos are known for their fast, intricate footwork, almost like Irish dancing. His Paso Fino side only really comes out when he is agitated or uncomfortable – I call it “riding in the popcorn popper”!

Trusting the Trailblazer: Mountain Adventures

When I purchased him, I was told he had been trained to hunt mountain lions in the mountains of New Mexico. He seems particularly happy when we are on rough, rocky trails; perhaps he is thinking back to his pony-hood days? This is a very good thing! On my last riding trip up to the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, my riding buddy thought a trail leading to the top of the ridge “looked fun.” Our horses worked their way to the top on a rocky, ledgey road that an Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) would have had trouble with. But we made it!

[Photo by G. Sprie]

Many of the trails in the National Forest are loops, and we really hoped that there was another way down, but no such luck. We had to go back down that same treacherous route. I worried about my own ability and asked that we descend while the horses were still less tired and before I could psyche myself out. My friend assured me I could handle it, and more importantly, Poncho could handle it. Poncho does have some arthritis in his neck that affects his right leg, so I was initially less confident.

Then came the treacherous section. I only held onto the rein loosely, leaned back, and simply trusted my horse. He, of course, was fabulous. Each hoof placed precisely, the gentle leap off the ledge to the smooth rock below (that was the only point I briefly came off the saddle), and confidently down to the dirt trail below. Did I mention I ride an English saddle, so there’s nothing for me to hold onto?! I trusted Poncho with both our lives, and he didn’t fail.

Unfortunately, the horses were eager to descend, so I didn’t have a chance to photograph the treacherous part. Maybe when I go back, I’ll get one… or perhaps not!

A Mysterious Stop: Listening to My Horse

The day before, I had another “trust” moment. His BFF, Boogie, can be a bit mischievous. Boogie likes to lead, which is perfectly fine with Poncho. As long as the horse in front is moving along at a good pace, he doesn’t mind where he is in line. Although, this trip, he did spend a lot of time walking beside Boogie, which was quite wonderful.

Sometimes Boogie just stops, or turns back, or decides to go a different direction. His rider must stop him and encourage him to stay on the path or move ahead. At these moments, Poncho merely walks around him and continues in the desired direction. This usually gets Boogie’s attention, and since he wants to be in front, he comes along. However, we had just had an interesting interaction with an overly friendly wild stallion when both horses came to a dead stop on the trail. Boogie wouldn’t go forward and kept turning back.

Poncho wouldn’t go forward either. I encouraged him with some leg bumps, but nope. Not going forward. We discussed trying to make them go forward, but I pointed out that this was not a typical Poncho reaction. He absolutely refused to go a step farther down the trail, and I trusted him completely. Was this one of those situations I’d read about where you truly should listen to your horse? We had plenty of other trails to explore, so we turned them around. They both took off at a trot until a suitable distance had been achieved, then they both relaxed and returned to a calm walk. What was it that had been ahead? A dead horse? A large predator like a bear? We will never know.

I am very thankful fate brought me Poncho. I couldn’t ask for a better horse – a friendly horse, a trustworthy horse. I’ll do my very best to give him the life he deserves. But I really, really wish he could talk to me!

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