More and more horse owners across America are turning to trail riding as their recreational equine-based activity of choice. Breed registries such as the American Quarter Horse Association, American Paint Horse Association, and Appaloosa Horse Club are recognizing this phenomenon and are encouraging it with special awards for miles ridden.

As more horses take to the trails in all parts of the United States, the potential for equine health problems and injuries increases. Unfortunately, many riders, especially newcomers to the backcountry, do not have a solid base of knowledge concerning what to do when a crisis arises and a veterinarian is not available.

The key to remedying emergency situations is to be prepared in advance. Horse owners should sit down with their veterinarians and ground themselves with information on how to handle various emergencies on the trail. With the help and advice of a veterinarian, they also should have at their disposal an equine first-aid kit whether they are weekend trail riding or traveling for days in the mountains.

To illustrate the types of emergencies that can arise when riding away from home, we’ll describe three scenarios involving real incidents and what was done on the trail to remedy them. We will describe how the scenarios played out, and what the experts say might have been done differently in some cases