By KARI KRAMER | East Texas Edition

Ken Delana, owner of Quail Hollow Farm, gets a greeting from one of the farm’s trained trail riding horses. The farm, near Edgewood, offers 12 miles of trails, and outdoor arena, and camp ground. — Staff photo by Kramer

March 2, 2006 - Across Texas, trail riding season is about to begin. As each participant prepares in their own way, one man said there are a few things everyone should consider.

Ken Delana owns Quail Hollow Farm near Edgewood with his wife Val. The two have owned the property, which was once just bare land, since they moved to Van Zandt County 10 years ago from Missouri.

At Quail Hollow Farm, Ken has a full-time job (Val works another job but also helps out). Ken oversees all the daily operations on the 260 acres of land. The land now includes 12 miles of trail riding routes, an outdoor arena, a camp ground (complete with large pens for horses and motor home hook-ups), several lakes, a training operation, and more than 50 Tennessee Walkers that are part of Quail Hollow’s breeding program.

Ken, 52, has developed a shared passion for trail riding and Tennessee Walkers. Ken trains horses for trail riding at the farm and said the Tennessee Walkers are great candidates. 

“I like the walking horses,” he said. “Their disposition is calm and easy.” 

He said these gentle family-type horses make great trail riding horses. And after years of working with horses, he has settled on the breed. Still, he has trained several breeds of horses for trail riding, including a wild Spanish Mustang. He said anything can usually be trained for trail riding if it is done properly.

Ken Delana talks about Tennessee Walking studs. He said studs are not always difficult to train. In fact, this 3-year-old will move in response to hand movements and offer a courteous bow to his visitors. — Staff photo by Kramer

Training begins with handling when the horses are weaned. Imprinting is done at this time. Imprinting involves getting the horse used to being touched, picking up its feet, being touched all over, sticking fingers in its mouth, and preparing the horse for all of the human contact it will have in its lifetime.

“That’s very important,” said Ken, who added that imprinting young foals is his wife’s favorite job.

The Delanas’ horses spend all but a few months of their young lives running free on the farm. Having horses that have been very well acquainted with the outdoors can be beneficial, according to Ken.

The most extensive training begins when the horses are 2-years-old, Ken explained. 

He also trains horses for other people and said that his horses, compared to other city- and barn-kept horses, are usually easier to train for trail riding because of experiences with a variety of environments and objects.

“City horses are not used to birds and stuff,” Ken said. “They’re not used to a lot of the stuff that’s out there.” 

The entire process of training a horse for trail riding usually takes between three and six months, but Ken said some can take longer.

“Some horses mature a lot faster,” he explained. In addition, every horse is different so training is adjusted accordingly.

The first part of trail riding training is ground work, including “de-spooking” the horse. During this process, horses must get used to seeing obstacles and structures, and hearing a variety of noises that they will experience through the course of their trail riding career. This is when the horses are exposed to things such as a flapping raincoat, and logs and bridges that must be crossed. Plus, Ken has them get used to standing in, and crossing, water without being afraid. 

When it comes to riding, Ken first uses only a halter and lead rope (no bit). In addition, he works to gain the horse’s trust.

“That’s the main thing, getting the horse to trust you,” he said. “You ask it to do something and it’s willing to do it because it trusts you – it’s not afraid of it.”

It is the bonding and communication between the horse and rider that Ken said he often sees as a problem on the trail. He said often people do not ride their horses enough to establish a strong bond and learn their horse.

In fact, this is where he offered his best advice. “Your horse needs to respect you and you need to bond with your horse.” That takes time, according to Ken.

“It ain’t going to happen just once or twice a year when you decide to trail ride,” he said. “You need to ride your horses more often.”

Riding their horses on other occasions is only one part of the responsibility that horse owners, who wish to ride in trail rides, have. Ken said that the rider, not just the horse, must know the ins and outs of trail riding.

First, Ken said that riders should warm up their horses for at least five minutes. This should be done from the ground, not in the saddle, so it’s easier to see if the horse is moving correctly and comfortably.

On the trail, Ken said he has seen several problems with people who do not know how to handle their horse.

“A lot of people don’t know who to engage and disengage their horse,” he said. “People don’t know how to control their horses.”

He recommended that people get with a friend or attend a training event to learn the basics of trail riding. 

“They need to get with somebody that’s been on trail rides,” he suggested. He said people should learn how to keep their horses out of danger, how to move the horse around obstacles, and how to be courteous to others on the trail.

“The people have got to know trail ethics,” he said. “You don’t want somebody bumping and running into you, and the horses don’t like it either.”

Throughout the spring, several area Extension offices and horse clubs often offer educational programs to help the horse owner who wants to trail ride.

For those seeking the perfect horse for trail riding, Ken suggested searching at a reputable breeder first. While any breed can usually be trained for trail riding, Ken prefers the gaited breeds, such as the Tennessee Walkers. Ken said the gaited breeds tend to be much calmer, in his opinion. In addition, he said for long trail rides, the walking breeds are usually more comfortable to ride. 

“It’s a lot more comfortable – a smoother time,” he said, and added that the smooth ride means riders can ride further without getting sore.

Above all, Ken noted it’s important to have, or buy, a calm horse that will adapt better to trail riding conditions. He said to avoid “spunky” breeds, such as Thoroughbreds and Arabians. “They’ve got too much energy,” he offered. “You don’t want something that came off the racetrack and try to make a trail horse out of it.”

Ken also advised against the urge to buy cheap horses, nor horses from sale barns. “There’s a reason they’re there,” he said. Regardless, though, of where a horse is purchased, if the seller claims the horse is trained, Ken suggested having the seller ride the horse. “If it don’t act good with them, it’s not going to act good with strangers.”

Finally though, Ken again stressed it’s the relationship between the horse and owner that’s important. “I think the whole key to a good horse is spending time with the horse,” he said. “Not just in the saddle, go out and pet your horse, groom your horse.”

Then, when the time is right, the horse can enjoy the trail riding experience as much as the rider.

Ken hopes others will become familiar with trail riding and all it has to offer. In fact, Quail Hollow Farm is open to anyone or groups who wants to ride, any time.

For more information on Quail Hollow Farm and their monthly scheduled trail rides, visit www.QuailHollowFarm.com. Watch the Country Calendar for trail riding events and training seminars.