Tracking Our Trail Miles is Important
Trail miles are the measure of our enthusiasm for the sport of horseback riding, as are competitive riding, driving and schooling our horses to be more thoroughly trained athletes and partners. Reporting our membership's trail miles and saddle hours to our Ohio Horseman's Council is the pathway to sustained support of equine activities at both the County and State levels.
Trail mileage and Saddle hour basics
How to Calculate Trial Mileage
Trail riding is reported as miles and determining miles ridden is an estimate. A general rule is horses on the trail ride between 2.5 to 5 miles an hour depending on gait and speed - walks 3 - 4 MPH; trots 8 - 10 MPH and lopes/canters 10 - 17 MPH. Time how long it takes your horse to walk a mile to estimate their speed.
When heading out on the trail, note the time you start the ride and the time you finish. Multiply your horse's estimated speed by the total minutes of the ride to determine the estimated miles.
Saddle Hours
Any time spent on your horse and not on a trail is considered saddle hours. This includes Competing, Schooling and Pleasure Driving. Keep track of the time spent working with your horse in these areas and document the time on a tracking sheet.
Tracking Forms
We provide two ways to track your trail mileage and saddle hours - manual and computer spreadsheet (Excel). The spreadsheet does most of the work for you and user instructions can be found here. Choose whichever method works best for you or develop your own.
Additional information can be found in the Trail Mileage Saddle Hours Program document.