by Kelly Clark

Created on: July 25, 2008   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

Top 5 horse breeds for trail riding
A variety of factors should go into the selection of a good trail horse-training, disposition, age, gender, and not least of all, breed. Many of these qualities come down to a matter of preference and the experience of the rider. In narrowing down possibilities, the breed of horse makes a significant difference in how it will behave and perform during a trail ride, so it is important to choose carefully. In my humpble opinion, there are five horse breeds that stand out as the best suited to trail riding.

1. Tennessee Walking Horses

Tennessee Walkers, as they are commonly known, are becoming increasingly popular among trail riders. This horse breed earns the number one spot on this list for it's endurance, gentle disposition, and the graceful gaits that make trail riding almost as comfortable as a pleasure drive in a convertible Cadillac.

Tennessee Walking horses are as well known for their sweet, willing dispositions as their flashy movement, which makes riding a Tennessee Walker is as easy as falling off a log, even for inexperienced riders.

Walkers are naturally gaited and have a four-beat "running walk" that is unique to the breed and very smooth for the rider. My mother, an experienced horsewoman and farrier, once described the smoothness of their faster gaits as similar to riding a skateboard, and I think most riders would agree that for a tranquil pleasure ride, a Tennessee Walker is hard to beat. All of this, combined with their willingness to do almost anything their rider directs, makes the Tennessee Walking horse an ideal equine companion for trail rides.

Tennessee Walkers are generally larger horses-usually between 15 and 17 hands tall, but they can be as short as 13.2 hands and as tall at 18 hands. At between 900 and 1200 pounds, they are definitely of a formidable size and may be undesirable for some riders simply because larger horses are more difficult to mount and a little more intimidating to ride.

Quarter Horse

The Quarter horse can't go without mention in an article about trail riding for many reasons, but the top reason I have listed it at the number two spot is that it is by far the most popular horse breed in the United States, and for good reason!

Quarter horses are an excellent choice for trail riding because they are generally easy to ride and have slower gaits. When well trained, they make a great first horse for new riders and children, and have earned the devotion of thousands of advanced riders as well.

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