Self Defense For Trail Riders

Are you prepared if someone tries to attack you?

By Scot Hansen, Horsethink.com

Have you ever wondered how you would react if someone attempted to grab your reins or pull you from the saddle while you were out trail riding?  Almost everyone who rides alone has had these or similar thoughts at one time or another.  Some riders have no idea what they would do, while others simply aren’t sure if their first instinct would be the best move.  Still others are certain that they know what to do and that their horse will perform perfectly for them because he does in the arena only to find out that their horse doesn’t respond the way they expect.

As the saying goes, knowledge is power.  And knowing what to do and when to do it can spell the difference between getting away safely and being a victim.  Just as important as knowing what to do is knowing what NOT to do.

Here are five things that you can do to increase your safety and success in a situation like this.

Be aware of your surroundings.  This includes knowing where the trails lead and where there are alternative routes to get back to your trailer or home base should you need to alter your course to avoid a confrontation.  It also means making certain that you know where your cell phone works along the trail and where it doesn’t.  Cell phones work in some of the strangest places and don’t work where we think they should.  It’s important that you actually use your cell phone to make some test calls while you’re riding.  Don’t simply rely on the “signal bar” on your phone to indicate reception and calling ability.  Wouldn’t it be a shame for you to have ridden a long distance to get help for you or a friend and in the process passed three or four places along the way where you could have placed a call to authorities to request assistance? 

With so many different people using the trails, it’s difficult to know who is friend or foe.  But by being aware of certain traits of predator behavior, you can improve your ability to react if needed.  One of the most common behaviors for a predator is to try and act overly nonchalant and overly friendly in an effort to get close to you before springing his trap.  He will often do this by asking a simple question like, “Can I pet your horse?”  There’s nothing wrong with telling someone that they can’t pet your horse.  It isn’t unfriendly, it isn’t rude, and at any time you can change your mind if you feel that it’s safe to do so.  It’s better to slow things down and assess the situation with additional dialog than to assume everything is fine and let a total stranger approach you.

Trust your instincts and act on them.  At one time or another, we’ve all had the feeling that something wasn’t right with a situation or a person.  This is a self-preservation mechanism that was designed to keep us safe.  It’s the same sense that your horse, dog, cat or any wild animal uses to protect itself.  This very sensation is also the one most common for a human to disregard as “just being paranoid” -- to ignore it or talk themselves out of listening to it.  Don’t ignore your instincts.  It’s your first early warning sign that indicates you may need to react and gives you time to ensure that you’re prepared.  Acknowledging this feeling doesn’t mean that you have to ride around on the edge of your saddle.  It simply means that you’re going to be alert and vigilant.

Be prepared and know what to do.  This is crucial to your well-being.  Remember, however, that your preparation isn’t only about you – it’s about your horse, too.  One of the most important things you can do for you and your horse is to become an alert and active rider.  Many people tend to drone along on a trail ride, a bit too relaxed to be able to respond if they needed to.  At the moment you or your horse “smells” trouble, you need to ride like you know how to handle your horse.  This includes asking your horse to stop and start.  Have your horse pick up the pace of his walk, cross the trail from one side to the other if it’s wide enough, and maybe even turn around and ride in the other direction for a few strides. 

By taking these simple steps, you’ve accomplished more than you may realize.  Not only does this get YOU thinking, but it also gets your horse thinking.  And, most importantly, it gets your horse listening to your cues and aids.  When you’ve been riding at the walk in a relaxed manner for a while, it will take longer for your horse to interpret and respond to your sudden cues.  Even if he reacts quickly, he may simply be startled and not respond correctly. 

Know the capabilities of your horse.  It’s also critical that you know what your horse will do in a stressful situation.  Many riders THINK they know what they would do and how their horse will react if trouble comes.  However, time and again, riders in one of my “Self Defense for Trail Riders” clinics have discovered that their horse won’t do what they thought it would. 

One of the most common misconceptions is that a person can ride his horse right over the human predator.  This isn’t as easy as it sounds, and even horses that will drive cattle, bump into or knock over a cow, run into an object, and seemingly go wherever their rider points them won’t always go into or over a human.  One of the most obvious reasons for this is that we spend so much of our time teaching the horse not to walk on us or other humans – to respect our space. 

Usually the first time a rider tries to have their horse ride into someone, the horse will balk or try to go around the person on the ground.  One additional trait that the human has, unlike the cow or a stationary object, is that a human fights with his hands and can get into your horse’s face unlike any of the other animals.  All of us will do what we need to in order to protect our face and eyes, and so will your horse.  Most react by pulling their head out of the way and trying to avoid the waving hands.  Don’t assume that your horse will walk into a human if you ask.  Some will, but most won’t without specific training.

Learn effective techniques to be safe and use your horse to help you.  For many riders, their first reaction to escape a bad situation is to gallop away from or past the human predator.  This may be a viable option for you.  But before you do this, make sure you know what you’re getting into.  A fast gallop may get you away from the human predator, but it may put you in even more danger.  For one thing, about the time you and your horse are up to full speed, you may gallop around a bend in the trail and come face to face with an innocent hiker coming in the other direction.  You’d better know if you can stop your horse on a dime if this happens, as it would be a terrible accident to collide into a hiker or worse yet a couple of children.  

Most trails are not conducive to a fast gallop for any distance.  Since most humans can run the speed of an easy lope and would be able to keep up with you, it requires some speed to escape, so being able to ride and control your horse at the gallop is important for this to work.  Ironically many people who ride haven’t ridden their horse in an “all out” gallop for years, and more often than not when they discuss it at a clinic most admit they aren’t sure how well they might do.  Trying to find out how well this works on a narrow trail isn’t the best place to discover that your horse is difficult to stop or that a 35 mile per hour gallop is a bit unnerving to ride. 

You should learn and practice the specific self defense techniques that will keep you safe.  Learn how to maintain your balance and retain your seat.  Learn how and when to use strikes or kicks so that you can do it safely and not put yourself in more danger by being easily taken off your horse.  Learn how to use your horse to help defeat an attack.  Work with your horse to train him to respond in a crisis situation.  Make safe riding an every day practice, and your new safe and healthy habits will come to your aid in an emergency.

Side Bar Points

Be aware of your surroundings.

Know where you’re riding and where the trail system goes, and know where your cell phone works. 

Trust your natural instincts.

If your “gut” tells you that the person approaching is suspicious, accept it and act on it.  Don’t ignore it.  Remember that this is your own early warning system.

Be prepared.

The moment you sense danger, wake you and your horse up and begin to be prepared for what might come. 

Know the capabilities of your horse. 

Don’t assume that your horse will ride into or over someone.  Most won’t when put to the test.

Learn effective techniques to protect yourself. 

Don’t assume that galloping away is the safest and easiest method to escape.  It may put you and your horse in even more danger.

            This in-depth clinic gave us six techniques for self defense, both on horseback and on the ground. Scot brought out the importance of training both for you and your horse. It quickly became apparent that the horses that could back, turn and respond to leg aids promptly would be far safer on the trail.

            Scot is a very articulate communicator and made the six steps very easy to understand, both for the horse and rider. He grabbed our attention at the very beginning and kept us captivated until the end. He addressed all questions readily and gave helpful responses. I left feeling more confident about my approach to potential danger on the trail. He addressed the pros and cons of using weapons as well.

            Scot’s experience as a police officer, both patrol and in a mounted unit, qualifies him to address this topic in a professional manner. His insights are invaluable when dealing with a potentially dangerous situation.

            If you own or manage a boarding/training facility I would recommend this clinic for all your clients. If you trail ride at all I would get connected with a clinic near you. See www.horsethink.com for a clinic schedule.

Scot Hansen presents a video, “Self Defense for Trail Riders,” to show you what you and your horse need to do in the event someone tries to attack you on the trail. The techniques are broken down so that you can easily see how to position yourself and what aids you need to give your horse.

Available at www.horsethink.com.

Scot’s bio:

Scot is a natural horseman and retired mounted police officer, having trained both riders and horses to work the streets.  His award-winning “Self Defense for Trail Riders” clinics and training video have been widely accepted as the principal resource for safe trail riding and self protection.  He has extensive knowledge of how horses think and learn and offers professional training and clinics in “Thinking Horsemanship” and other topics for both adult riders and youths.  Find out more about Scot and his work at www.HorseThink.com.  To inquire about hosting a clinic in your area, call 425-830-6260 or e-mail Sandy@HorseThink.com.