From the April 2023 "Over The Back Fence"

by Cori Daniels

In my (what is starting to feel like endless) quest of archiving and organizing 30-plus years of this magazine, I have discovered some very interesting and useful articles. This winter, I read “Intermediate Trail Riding,” by Melvin Bradley in the February 1993 issue. I mentally bookmarked it for potential use in this month’s trail riding issue, and I really could have published it (with a few updates) and it could have passed for new content. Maybe that shows the everlasting allure of trail riding, or maybe Mr. Bradley had a very evergreen style of writing, but either way, it contained such good information that I wanted to share some of it.

“Intermediate Trail Riding” is described by Mr. Bradley as more than one day’s duration, either arranged for or sponsored by a local group or a commercial trail ride. It could cover 15 to 40 miles in a day in a continuous direction, where provisions are made to bring the riders’ equipment forward each day, or it may start from and return to a central camp site each day. In both cases, riders are under supervision of a trial boss. 

“More and more families are having fun trail riding. This activity is reasonably inexpensive, is noncompetitive, and affords relaxation on nature’s scenic trails,” said Mr. Bradley. “Many individuals seek trail riding as a hobby in their retirement. They enjoy many acquaintances from past years and look forward to making new ones on each day’s ride.” 

He details how to decide which trail ride to attend and what type of camping accommodations work for  you, along with what to pack for camping and riding, and how to prepare your animal for the trip. To someone who is a seasoned trail rider who camps out on their own or has attended many rides, this may seem like obvious information. But what stood out to me is that this information would be really helpful for someone who is brand new to trail riding. For example, if you are someone who has only ever trailered out to a location, rode for the day, and returned home that same day, it’s possible that you might have some questions about camping overnight. Dr. Bradley’s article is a great ‘primer’ to prepare someone for their first trail ride, even if it was originally published 30 years ago. In general, trying new things can be nerve-wracking and anxiety-inducing, so having a lot of useful and practical information available can really help these situations. 

For most riders, there comes a time to plan a ‘first trip’ alone or overnight. Remember, mule folks are consistently friendly and helpful, so if you need help or have questions, just find someone and ask! 

Find Dr. Bradley’s article on Intermediate Trail Riding here!