There’s something special about saddling up your horses for a long trail ride on a crisp fall day. It’s especially exciting to load them up in the trailer for rides on local trails or state parks. Traveling with a trailer, however, comes with much packing. You need to be prepared for anything, whether it’s packing extra water for hot weather, a first aid kit for injuries or even extra tack. It can be exhausting and time consuming to pack and unpack your trailer (and truck).

So with all this extra work, it’s understandable if preventing the spread of invasive species isn’t usually the first thing on my mind. I’ve realized recently, however, that preventing the spread out on the trails isn’t as tricky as I had anticipated. The main thing I need to do is groom my horse, which I already should be doing! I always have a hoof pick, curry and wide-toothed comb in my groom bag. Invasive species can easily get caught in my horse’s hooves, but by regularly picking and brushing them out, they don’t stand a chance. Burrs and other plants can get stuck to her coat, but the curry comb does wonders to brush them off. I always comb through her mane and tail daily to keep the knots out. It’s so easy to prevent the spread while out on the trails! By doing the regular grooming that I already do, I can ensure that the trails stay as pretty as they always have.

— Steward

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