Well, I wouldn’t worry about the mud too much unless it’s like shin deep. Then you’ve got to start worry about him pulling something and hurting himself. And as far as the trees go, is there any way that you can take a folding pruning saw with you and limb them down enough that they can be stepped over. We’ve got a lot of trees down on our trails too so I always try to carry my handy-dandy little saw with me just in case because sometimes there’s a rock wall on the uphill side and a bluff on the downhill side and there’s just NOT any good way to go around. And sometimes they’ll be down on the trail but the main trunk is high enough to ride under and all you need to do is cut out the limbs underneath so you can go through, even if you have to get off and lead. I’ve even had to slide the saddle over to the side at times to make it. It’s a pain, but it’s better than losing the use of the trail.
These trees that have come down would not be hard to just move out of the way. It’s just hard to do and hold a horse at the same time, at least for me. It’s good practice for the horse to get use to, I just don’t want to do it while I’m by myself.
This places he was sinking pretty good, and he isn’t good at going thru them. Pulling something is exactly what I’m worried he will do. But then he’s got to learn to go thru those areas better.
Becky