Tip #20: Be Careful Who You Ride With !

     This is a really BIG DEAL !!!     

      Be careful who you ride with.  

• the more horses that are together, the crazier they get
• the faster a horse goes, the crazier he gets
• a group of horses and going fast - "hold onto your horses!"
• if one person doesn't have good control of the little darling - there could easily be serious trouble if the horse acts up and the rider doesn't know what to do.  It'll spread to the rest of the herd - meaning you..
• other riders' horses hopefully are very well despooked and/or know how to handle fear without bolting, etc., ie, camera clicks & flashes, jackets coming off, a dog running out, something falling from a horse, well - you get the idea - or it will cause trouble for you and your horse.
• if you don't like going fast, be sure that no one in the group is going to go fast either and that they respect and understand your wishes. 
• if you are working on training your horse for trail riding, only ride with folks that understand this and that will be patient with you and your darling while crossing his first creek, bushwhacking, going over a bridge, etc. You don't want to be with those that are in a hurry and saying, just make him do it.
• SUMMARY - what those you are riding with do, can have a very direct effect on you and your horse and your safety.  So, careful with who you ride with !!!!!!!!!!!

Mary Dixon                  Adventure Horse Riding in NYS                   RideNYS.com