Drag Rider Trail Guiding Class

Learn how to guide a trail ride from the rear. Learn the basics of helping clients from beginning to end and making trail rides a smooth, safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. A good trail ride has guides who operate like a well oiled machine. Learn the tricks of the trade to be a volunteer drag rider at Painted Bar Stables.

CLASS 1: Farm Yard Success
Most of the problems, chaos and accidents do not happen on trail. They happen in the barn upon departure and return. A trail ride that heads out without proper set up, instructions, mount up and departure is doomed from the start. All of the success of a ride is based on what happens at the barn.

Class 1 will focus on:

• The "Down Low" Concept: How to help riders help themselves, while actually doing everything yourself. Understanding what to say to riders and what not to say to riders and how to not attract attention to any non-emergency issues that may reduce confidence and rider self-esteem and come off as patronizing.

• Tacking Up: How we prepare horses, tie them, locate each horse to maximize efficiency and safety, and make sure horses look ready for riding so that clients walk into the barn feeling like they will be given obedient, willing and attractive equine partners.
• Hand Off: How to hand horses off to trail riders and what to say to riders to set them up for success.
• Tack Checks: Specific ways to do last checks on horses in the arena to make sure that everything is safe and minimal adjustments will need to be made once the client is mounted
• Mount Up: How to properly mount riders so that both the rider and the horse is safest and to check rider position to optimize success
• Departing the Barn: Ordering horses to head out and spacing horses for departure

• Return to the Arena: How to Return to the arena and the path to take to properly space horses out and set them up for photos
• Photos: When to do them, when not to do them, and how to get the best shot while still ensuring safety, personal space and etiquette
• Dismount: How to demonstrate a dismount and what is essential to explain. How to offer help without being patronizing and help riders down in the least intrusive manner
• Return to the Barn: How to tie horses properly, how to maintain space, how to make sure riders leave efficiently without feeling like they are being pushed out of the barn

CLASS 2: On Trail Technique

• Ride Order: Understanding where to put specific riders (regardless of horse) and where to put specific horses (regardless of riders)
• Setting Pace of a Trail Ride
• Things to Notice: Timid Riders, Cocky Riders, Horse Spacing
• Communicating with Other Guide
• Stopping on Trail
• Mounting and Dismounting
• Managing Speed on Trail: Splitting up to play Catch Up, The Last Hurrah
• Problems On Trail: Horseflies, Hungry Horses, Dropped Stirrups, Crooked Saddles, Re-Occurring Tailgating, Horses unwilling to traverse Obstacles, Panicked or Fearful Rider
• Emergency Situations: Tack Malfunction, Lame Horse, Runaways, Fallen Rider

TEST OUTS:

Any rider who attends the Drag Rider Class is eligible for a drag rider "test out" to become a certified assistant trail guide.

Test outs are private lessons that can be booked on demand whether the rider will go through a mock guiding experience.

There are three levels of certification:

1. Head Guide: Someone able to take out trail rides individually or be the main authority on rides with other guide support. Must be able to ride third string horses.
2. Secondary Guide: Someone able to lead, middle/split, or caboose a trail ride with the assistance of a head guide and be able to ride second string or third string horses.
3. Drag Rider Caboose: Someone able to ride in the rear monitoring the trail ride and providing assistance, but cannot lead or middle/split a ride.

REQUIREMENTS:

Must be at least 11 years of age to attend the class. To operate in the business, drag riders must be adults or must be official summer apprentices.

Skills required:
Independently tack up a horse
Mount a horse independently
Must be able to trot with extreme confidence and should be able to canter.