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Whether your horse is accustomed to riding out with others or is completely new to it, it is highly likely that it can learn to ride out alone—with you on its back, of course. However, this is not an easy task. It requires small steps, patience, and then some more patience. But it is possible.
Getting a horse to venture out alone into unknown territory is a battle against its instincts, akin to moving a very heavy stone in small increments. It's about combating the horse's herd and flight instincts and learning to respect the premises the horse carries with it. If you recklessly defy these instincts, you only risk getting hurt, as the horse might panic and want to return to its herd. When there's suddenly no herd member at home to rely on, the rider must take the lead role and instill calmness and confidence in the horse—and this can only be done through the horse's trust in its rider. As a rider, you should push your horse to expand its limits, but never to the extent that it has a bad experience.
One of the most important aspects of working with a horse's instincts is to let it investigate things that scare it. Be curious on its behalf and think: "Well, let's go and see what that is." Only in this way can your horse learn to do something other than flee. If you let it rush scared past, you affirm that you both better get away, reinforcing its flight instinct. Instead, approach the object of fear, getting as close as possible—even if you have to dismount. In doing so, you work with the instincts.
The first step towards riding out alone is for the horse to be accustomed to going out with others. Experienced horses are the best teachers; they can show that things aren't dangerous, lead the way, and instill calm in the novice horse. If your horse is already used to going out with others, you can, of course, skip this step. The important thing is that your horse has a reasonable trust in you while out with others. A little looking around is fine—as long as it trusts that when you say it's okay, it really is.
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The next step is to let your horse lead when you are out with others. Initially, it may only need to lead for a short distance, but hopefully, it can eventually lead the entire way. This can be a challenge if you're riding with someone whose horse likes to lead, but try to make it work.
If your horse is to feel secure in nature on its own, you really need to avoid doing anything that might reinforce its instincts. Therefore, it's much better to ride a route where you circle back rather than just turning around midway and going back the way you came. If you can't ride around on a road or trail, you can also make a large turn in a field or similar. Ride, for example, a sort of circle as large as two riding arenas or more, or ride around the edge of the field. Then it doesn't matter as much if the return trip is the same as the outbound one. The horse just shouldn't think you're turning around because something dangerous is happening.
Once you're used to leading the way, you're very close to being able to ride out alone. If you feel more comfortable on the ground next to your horse, try leading it for part of the way before riding it. You don't have to walk the entire route, just part of it. This way, you get a chance to see how your horse reacts to things without another horse present, without the fear of being thrown off.
The last thing you can do before riding out entirely alone is to have a rider walk alongside your horse. This way, you have an extra hand to help if it gets scared or if you need help getting past something. Maybe you're lucky, and it's not necessary. Regardless, it can make you more relaxed to have someone else with you, and this, in turn, will instill more confidence in the horse.
In fact, it's not just the horse's instincts that are tested when riding out alone. As a rider, it can be really hard not to feel a little insecure—or even panic—if the horse becomes unsure. Here, you can benefit from some mental preparation before the ride, reminding yourself that the best chance for a successful trip is if you keep your cool. If the horse doubts, it's the trust in you that will help it overcome its fears. The more times the horse experiences that it can rely on what you tell it, the more confident it will become.
Now, you and your horse are ready to ride out on your own—but don't rush anything. If you have a bad experience, it can take a long time to recover from it. There's a delicate balance in pushing yourself and your horse without being reckless. After all, a horse is a large animal and certainly not harmless if it panics. As I often say: It's not the horse's size that makes it dangerous; it's the instincts that must be respected. If you and your horse learn to understand and control these instincts, you can have the most amazing rides together.
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Gradual acclimation is the safest path to success, and it's often impossible to move forward in training without repeating the previous step many times. This also means that it can (and don't be daunted here!) take several years to teach a horse to go out alone. Therefore, patience, trust, and most importantly, respect, are the three key ingredients in the recipe for becoming a hardened trail team. Remember all this, and success will surely follow. Happy training, and it's time to get out and ride!
