Sharing the trail: simple trail etiquette for horses, hikers, and dogs

This is a simple guide to trail etiquette with horses, hikers, dogs, and bikes sharing the same path. Trails feel peaceful until someone forgets basic trail etiquette. A loose dog, a bike that comes in fast and silent, or a rider who will not slow down can turn a good day into a dangerous one in a few seconds. Horses are big, but they are also prey animals. When they feel trapped or chased, they can kick, bolt, or run over whatever is in front of them.

When my daughter was nine, we had a dog run at her horse. The owner encouraged the dog instead of calling it back. Amber, her mare, did what many horses will do when they feel threatened. She kicked. The dog could have been killed. My daughter could have been badly hurt. None of that would have been the horse’s fault. It would have been the fault of the person who did not control their dog.

Good trail etiquette is about respect and safety. It is not about who is “more important” on the trail. It is about knowing how your actions affect others. Horses cannot tell a dog to back off or ask a bike to slow down. Riders have to speak up. Hikers, cyclists, and dog owners have to listen.

A few simple habits go a long way. Keep dogs leashed or under close voice control. Ask before you approach or pass a horse. Give horses extra space and time to move to a safe spot. Slow down and speak in a calm voice so the horse knows you are a person, not a threat. Remember that the rider is trying to keep everyone safe, including you.

On the Quiet Miles ride, we will meet hikers, bikes, dogs, and other riders. We will do our best to yield, communicate, and share the trail with respect. I hope this little Trail Break can be a gentle reminder that safety starts with simple choices and a little bit of thought.

Print the page or take a screenshot if you like. You can work the word search on your own or share it with kids in your life as a simple way to talk about how to behave around horses on shared trails.

Prefer a printable version? Download this Trail Break as a PDF

Trail Break 3: Trail etiquette with horses word search

Word List

• HORSE
• DOGS
• HIKERS
• BIKES
• YIELD
• PASS
• SIGNAL
• LEASH
• SPACE
• QUIET
• RESPECT
• TRAIL
• SHARE
• RIGHT
• SAFE

K F Q U I E T C P D H K I R H
J K D C H O I G P L K K L Q Z
F H C O R E B T B E N Q F Y M
Z F D Z C H F E Q I F N V M Y
K H I K E R S A F Y S M O H R
I R I G H T X K S U D P C N S
Z Y W H L A N G I S O L A E C
T M T J W H G G Q N G Z Q C R
K U S P B S U G E S S H V E E
L J T R D A U L B S E T S D W
W H L S F E L I O R R P P G U
L U S H Q L K I A G E O E P C
R A J M R E S H A C P F H Q Y
P Y Z D S D S V T R S U T C Y
C V V Y E D T K G K T U D B K

If you like this Trail Break, you can find more puzzles collected on our Trail Breaks on the Quiet Miles page.

Trail courtesy sign image courtesy of the National Park Service, Point Reyes National Seashore.