Equestrian Design Guidebook for
Trails, Trailheads, and Campgrounds
Equestrian Trail and Trailhead Design
CEU Interactive Exercise
UNDERSTANDING HORSES AND MULES
1. A horse’s height is expressed in “hands” which is a measurement equal
to ________inches.
2. What are the average size dimensions of a typical horse?
a. Height at withers: ______________
b. Height at top of head/ears: _______________
c. Length from nose to tail: _______________
d. Distance between front/back legs: ____________________
e. Width: _________________
f. Distance between left/right hooves:____________________
g. Height of a rider mounted on a horse___________________
3. How wide is the trail corridor space required to accommodate a rider’s knees
and feet when mounted on a horse? _______feet
4. .The minimum tread width of a trail for equestrian use is _______ inches.
5. The minimum height clearance for equestrian use trails is___________feet.
6. How wide is a packhorse equipped with side panniers? ______ feet
7. Tunnels should have a minimum of ________feet in width for equestrian
use.
8. Horses are exceptionally perceptive in seeing _____________________ of
objects in their environment.
9. The horse sees approximately ________degrees with its monocular vision.
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10. Many horses have difficulty seeing objects approximately _______feet
below their normal line of sight and objects that are directly in front of them.
11. True or False: Horses’ eyes can see more at night than the human eye.
(Circle correct answer.)
12. True or False: Horses eyes adjust quickly to changes in light. (Circle
correct answer.)
13. True or False: Horses can breathe through their nostrils and their mouth.
(Circle correct answer.)
14. True or False: Horses have a poor sense of smell. (Circle correct answer.)
15. True or False: Horses need at least 8 gallons of water per day. (Circle
correct answer.)
TYPICAL HAZARDS TO HORSES AND MULES
16. Horses and riders can easily activate Africanized _______________on trails.
17. The living tissue under a horse or mule hoof is called a _________________
18. Horses can easily slip or fall on _________________surfaces.
19. Underground _________________can cause a horse or mule to break a leg.
20. Horses are very susceptible to _______________________and can feel
Vibrations in the ground and on bridges.
21. Some common vegetation, such as ______________________, water
hemlock, yellow star thistle, and black walnut can be poisonous to horses.
EQUESTRIAN TRAIL DESIGN AND PLANNING ELEMENTS
22. The average gait of an equine can help determine the time and distance an
equestrian travels. List the three typical gaits of a horse and the average
speed per hour for each:
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Type of Equine Gait
Average Number of
Miles Per Hour
23. Equestrian trails should be a minimum of _____________miles in length
and preferably designed to be a ________________trail as opposed to a
straight point-to-point trail.
24 Trails need to be a minimum of ________feet in width to accommodate
harness horses and carts going in opposite directions.
25. The desired minimum radius of a trail’s climbing turn or switchback for
equestrians’ use is ___________feet. The ideal radius is _________feet.
26. Steps used on equestrian-use trails should have a minimum horizontal
threshold depth of ________feet.
27. Trails with __________________________often have the outer edges
damaged by equestrian use.
28. To help prevent erosion, horse trails can utilize rolling _________________
dips and grade reversals instead of water bars.
29. Rock or vegetative _________________________can help prevent trail
erosion.
30. Stream crossings and wet trail areas can be strengthened through the use of
__________________________________.
31. Equestrian trails should cross roadways at a ________________degree
angle to maximize the sightlines for both riders and roadway drivers.
32. Roadway crossings need to provide a ____________________area for
horses and riders waiting for traffic to make a safe crossing.
33. Non-textured paved or hard surface roadway crossings can create a
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dangerous ____________________________hazard for equines.
34. Equestrian trail roadway crossings can be enhanced with the addition of a
traffic light actuator mounted at approximately ______________inches from
the ground level.
35. Bridges need to be a minimum of _________feet in width for equestrian
use.
36. Bridge side barrier rails should be a minimum of _________inches high.
EQUESTRIAN TRAILHEAD DESIGN AND PLANNING ELEMENTS
37. The ideal parking pattern for equestrian trailheads is for
_______________________________parking spaces.
38. How wide should a trailhead parking space be for a horse trailer plus the
staging area for grooming and tacking up a horse? __________ feet
39. What is the approximate turning radius of a 3-horse trailer and pulling
vehicle? ____________ feet
40. The first _________ mile of trail leading out of a shared-use trailhead should
separate equestrians from other trail users’ trails to help reduce the amount
of equine manure usually found on these concentrated trail areas.
41. Roadways in equestrian trailheads and campgrounds are safer if they are
______________________traffic only.
42. Equestrian trailheads and campgrounds should be designed with
____________________curbing to minimize the tripping hazard for horses.
43. Trailhead watering troughs need to have a ____________________so users
can help protect their animals from disease or insects.
44. Provide ________________to encourage equestrians to manage manure .
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45. Equestrians with disabilities can often be easily accommodated through the
installation of mounting blocks and mounting __________________.
REDUCING EQUESTRIAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
46. Considerable trail damage can occur when equestrians ride on
___________ trails.
47. When trails become eroded or trenched, the term used to describe them is
________________________trails, which are a very common and maligned
issue with land managers.
48. Large numbers of equestrians using trails can cause impacts on the land, so
many land managers ask that groups obtain a special use
_____________________ prior to group rides.
49. Equines can chew or eat _________________, tree bark and other
vegetation at equestrian facilities if the facilities are not properly designed.
50. Equestrians should try to seek ____________________areas for stream
crossings to prevent excess silt from traveling downstream.
51. When using a highline to tether horses and mules, position the animals
beyond the _____________line of the trees to avoid root damage.
52. To help discourage horses from pawing the ground while tied to a picket line
or a highline, secure the animal’s legs with _________________________.
53. To reduce impacts to vegetation it is important to _____________________
picket pins and electric fences daily when camping.
54. It is important to follow land managers trail use and grazing
_________________(guidelines) to help prevent environmental damage to
equestrian trail use areas.
55. One of the best ways to reduce equestrian environmental impacts is to keep
trails well _______________________________.
56. Wild birds often make their nests using littered equestrian hay binding
___________________________, creating a great risk to birds and their
offspring.
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Possibility of 66 correct answers:
What is your SCORE?______________
WRAP UP – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Thank you for attending this equestrian recreational planning and design CEU
seminar!
I hope you gained some helpful information from this presentation for the
American Trails International Trails Symposium
If you did not receive a copy of the book, “Equestrian Design Guidebook for
Trails, Trailheads, and Campgrounds,” a limited number of printed copies of this
publication are available at no charge from the U.S. Department of
Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, only one copy per request. The
Order Form is available at: www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/trailpub.htm.
The book is listed alphabetically - Publication # 0723-2816-MTDC. There is no
charge for shipping to addresses in the U.S.
You can also view the complete guidebook in color, including all references,
online at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/fspubs/07232816/toc.htm
If you have any questions or need assistance with topics relating to the design,
planning or use of equestrian trails, trailheads, or campgrounds in the future,
please contact me…I will be pleased to hear from you.
Contact Information:
Jan Hancock, Principal
Hancock Resources LLC
805 N. 4th Avenue – Suite 703
Phoenix, AZ 85003-1306
Phone: 602-252-8387 or toll free: 877-727-7117
Fax: 602-253-2789
Email: HANCOCKJAN@aol.com
Website: www.HancockResources.com
© Jan Hancock – Equestrian Design Guidebook
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