The Hucul or Carpathian is a pony or small horse breed originally from the Carpathian Mountains . It has a heavy build and possesses great endurance and hardiness. The breed is also referred to as the Carpathian pony , Huculska , Hutsul , Huțul , Huțan or Huzul . The breed gets its name from the Hutsul people , who live mostly in the Carpathians in Ukraine and in Romania , but also in an area in the East Carpathian Mountains north of the river Bistritz , officially named “Huzelei”.
30-467: Hucul ponies are usually calm with a good disposition, and are used for both hacking and pulling timber in otherwise inaccessible forested areas. They are usually bay , black , chestnut , or the grullo variation of dun , with a dorsal stripe and zebra stripes on the legs characteristic of the breed. Their conformation traits include a short head with a relatively short neck, compact body, short legs, and sound feet. The Hucul bears some resemblance to
60-674: A bridle path now refers to a route which can be legally used by horse riders in addition to walkers, and since 1968, by cyclists but not motor-cyclists. In the US, the term bridle path is used colloquially for trails or paths used primarily for people making day treks on horses, and used primarily on the east coast, whereas out west the equivalent term is simply trail . The United States has few if any formal designations for bridle paths, though horses are generally allowed on most state and federal trails, roads and public routes except where specifically restricted, although rules differ among locations. There
90-609: A form of backpacking . Mount Tamalpais , California , USA, and the surrounding areas in Marin County, California are recognized as the birthplace of mountain biking . In the 1970s, mountain biking pioneers such as Gary Fisher , Otis Guy, Charlie Kelly and Joe Breeze were active. The 2006 film Klunkers chronicled their story, solidifying Mount Tamalpais' legendary status as a trail riding destination. There has been considerable controversy around trail access for mountain bikes, both in terms of environmental impact and
120-510: A hucul stud farm was established by Gennady Romanenko in 2016. Trail riding Trail riding is riding outdoors on trails , bridle paths , and forest roads , but not on roads regularly used by motorised traffic. A trail ride can be of any length, including a long distance, multi-day trip. It originated with horse riding , and in North America, the equestrian form is usually called "trail riding," or, less often "hacking." In
150-398: A variety of surfaces, from wide forest roads to narrow, muddy woodland tracks. Extreme trail riding, such as Megavalanche are mountainbike downhill marathon style events combining gravity-assisted sections with those that emphasize the riders' levels of fitness, endurance, and nerve. Outfitter An outfitter is a shop or person that sells specialized clothes (an outfit
180-743: Is a set of clothing ). More specifically, it is a company or individual who provides or deals in equipment and supplies for the pursuit of certain activities. In North America, the term is most closely associated with outdoor activities such as hunting , fishing , canoeing , hiking , rafting and trail riding using pack stations . In this context, outfitters include those that offer services for outdoor tourism including accommodations and guide services. Many retail stores and chains that sell outdoor sports gear call themselves "outfitters", such as: Bass Pro Shops , Cabela's , Mountain Equipment Co-op , and REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.). In
210-678: Is called "hacking" in United Kingdom , and in parts of the eastern United States and Canada. In other parts of the United States, particularly the American west , the term trail riding is used interchangeably with pleasure riding when on natural trails or public lands. Many horses are suitable for pleasure riding, including grade horses and other animals of ordinary quality and good disposition. Such horses are sometimes called hacks , particularly in those areas where pleasure riding
240-447: Is known as hacking. In recreational trail riding, having fun and enjoying time spent in natures rather than speed and form are the goals. There are competitive events that occur on natural trails to test the endurance or trail riding ability of a horse. The level of difficulty varies by distance, trail, and terrain. Endurance riding encompasses races of varying lengths, usually from 25 miles (40 km) to 100 miles (160 km), where
270-627: Is no legal distinction between footpaths and bridleways, and it is generally accepted that cyclists and horseriders may follow rights of way with suitable surfaces. Public rights of way are somewhat limited in Northern Ireland . There are long-distance routes throughout Europe, including some through the Swiss Alps that involve crossing high Alpine passes . There are also extensive routes through France that include both steep, rocky, alpine terrain and minor country roads or off-road on
300-669: Is particularly popular at ski resorts such as Mammoth Mountain in California , USA or Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia , Canada, where ski lifts are used to get bikes and riders to the top of the mountain. Long rides on hiking and mountain paths have some resemblance to cycle touring but the latter usually take place on tarmac . However, Mixed Terrain Cycle-Touring , nicknamed "rough riding" in Canada and
330-732: Is some criticism of trail riding when excess or improper use of trails may lead to erosion , the spread of invasive plants , conflict with hikers , or harassment of wildlife. Off-road or trail activity is usually not permitted, as such activity may also raise the risk of soil erosion, spread weeds, and cause other damage. However, many responsible equestrians , mountain bikers, and off-road motorcyclists, especially those who get involved in these sports by joining an organized club, perform hours of trail maintenance every year. Many organizations also sponsor educational events to teach newcomers about safety, responsible land stewardship and how to improve riding techniques. Many long-distance trails throughout
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#1732791420058360-591: The United States outfitters may be required to hold a state license to operate. Many outfitters provide equipment and services on lands administered by the National Forest Service and other federal agencies. These outfitters may be required by those agencies to obtain special use permits. In the state of Montana all fly fishing guides are required to register and work under the permit of an outfitter. Legislation exists in other states and
390-644: The Canadian province of Alberta , guides and outfitters are monitored by and members of APOS (Alberta Professional Outfitters Society). APOS members adhere to strict guidelines in regards to their outfitting operations, thus APOS is the governing body of the outfitting industry in Alberta. In the province of Quebec , the Québec Outfitter Federation Inc. ( Fédération des pourvoiries du Québec inc. ) represents 375 member outfitters. In
420-678: The UK and Europe, the practice is usually called horse or pony trekking. The modern term also encompasses mountain biking , mixed terrain cycle-touring , and the use of motorcycles and other motorized all-terrain vehicles . It may be informal activities of an individual or small group, or larger events organized by a club. Some equestrian trail rides in the USA are directed by professional guides or outfitters , particularly at guest ranches , while many equestrians who own horses trail ride on their own in local, state, and national trail systems. In some parts of
450-457: The US and "rough stuff" in Europe, is a form of trail riding, because it involves cycling over a variety of surfaces and topography, on a single route, either using a mountain bike or hybrid bike . A new style of travel called adventure cycle-touring or expedition touring involves exploring remote regions of the world on sturdy bicycles carrying lightweight gear. This type of trail riding is in fact
480-611: The ability of the horse and rider to navigate specific natural and man-made obstacles encountered along the trail. Mountain bikes are typically ridden on mountain trails, fire roads, logging roads, and other unpaved trails. These types of terrain commonly include rocks, washouts, ruts, loose sand, loose gravel, roots, and steep slopes. Mountain bikes are built to handle this terrain and the obstacles that are found in it, like logs, vertical drop offs, and small boulders. Mountain bikes, therefore, are more sturdily constructed than regular bicycles, have larger knobby tires, more powerful brakes, and
510-403: The animal. There are competitive events at horse shows , called trail classes , which test the horse and rider's ability to handle obstacles resembling those commonly found on trails, such as opening and closing gates, crossing logs, and navigating forward, backward and to the side. There are also judged trail rides , which occur on a natural trail, but assess trail-class-style points based on
540-667: The efforts of breeders, the world population of these horses now exceeds a few thousands. Most of them live in Western Europe. In Poland in 2019 there where 1446 mares and 167 stallions registered in the Stud-book of Origin of Hucul breed. There are also breeding studs in Slovakia , Romania , Czech Republic , and Ukraine . Many ponies in Europe also have Hucul blood. In recent years the popularity of this breed has spread as far as England . In Vinnytsia oblast of Ukraine,
570-462: The first horse to cross the finish line and be deemed "fit to continue" by passing a veterinary examination is the winner. Competitive trail riding is another distance competition that differs from endurance races, as the first horse to cross the line does not necessarily win, but rather the competitors are required to finish within a minimum and a maximum time with their horse in the best condition and with additional scoring for horsemanship and care of
600-646: The horses were carefully bred to preserve the purity of these bloodlines. In 1922, thirty-three horses were sent to Czechoslovakia to establish a herd there which would become the Gurgul line. World War II caused a severe decline in the number of Hucul horses in Czechoslovakia. After the end of the war, only 300 Hucul horses remained there. Even though a stud-book was established in 1924 in the Huzelei after Polish cavalry officer Michal Holländer encouraged it, it
630-655: The lower gear ratios needed for steep grades with poor traction. Trail riding on a mountain bike can be: Off-road bicycle trails are generally function-specific and most commonly waymarked along their route. They may take the form of single routes or form part of larger complexes, known as trail centres. Off-road trails often incorporate a mix of challenging terrain, singletrack , smooth fireroads, and even paved paths. Trails with an easy or moderate technical complexity are generally deemed cross-country trails, while trails difficult even to experienced riders are more often dubbed all-mountain , freeride , or downhill . Downhilling
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#1732791420058660-569: The now-extinct Tarpan . Said to have originated in the Carpathian Mountain range of Eastern Europe covered by present-day Ukraine , Poland , Slovakia and Romania , it is named after the small sub-ethnic Ukrainian group of Hutsuls . However, the horse breed is much older than the Hutsul people. The Huculs are probably depicted on the monuments erected by Roman Emperors Domitian and Trajan , as Dacian draft horses. The breed
690-504: The safety of other trail users. As a result, bicycles are generally restricted from narrow, single-track trails, though bicycles are allowed on most fire roads. However, mountain bikers in the United States generally have access to multi-use trails. In England and Wales, bridle paths and some other rights of way , such as byways and 'Roads used as paths' (RUPP), are open to cyclists, but footpaths are not. However, in Scotland there
720-500: The same regulations as pedestrians or hikers where those requirements differ from those for cyclists. In most states, horses are classified as livestock and thus restricted from areas such as the right of way of the interstate highway system , though generally permitted to travel along the side of other roadways, especially in rural areas. Rail trails , which are redeveloped disused railways converted into multi-use trails, often provide invaluable trail riding areas in many parts of
750-626: The world have sections suitable for horse riding, some suitable throughout their length, and some have been developed primarily for horse riding. Within the United States National Trail Classification System, equestrian trails include simple day-use bridle paths and others built to accommodate long strings of pack animals on journeys lasting many days. Some trails managed by the U. S. Forest Service and other governmental entities may restrict access of horses, or restrict access during certain times of
780-422: The world, trail riding (of whatever kind) is limited by law to recognized, and sometimes function-specific, trails that are waymarked . In other places, trails may be less maintained and more natural. Certain trails are limited by trail use types. Trail riding can be combined with other activities, such as camping , hunting , fishing , orienteering and backpacking . Often, horses under saddle are subject to
810-477: The world. A bridle path , also called a bridleway, equestrian trail, horse riding path, bridle road, or horse trail, is a trail or a thoroughfare that is used by people riding on horses, though such trails often now serve a wider range of users, including equestrians , hikers , and cyclists . Such paths are either impassable for motorized vehicles, or vehicles are banned. The laws relating to allowable uses vary from country to country. In England and Wales
840-402: The year. Access to trails and pathways on private land is generally left to the discretion of the landowner, subject to the general trespass laws of each of the 50 states. The term pleasure riding may encompass trail riding. This refers to a form of equestrianism that encompasses many forms of recreational riding for personal enjoyment, without any element of competition. Pleasure riding
870-746: Was mentioned for the first time in written resources around 400 years ago (as the "Mountain Tarpan"). Unlike the Polish Konik , the Hucul has been only rarely cross-bred with domestic horses. In the 19th century, the Huculs were used by the Austro-Hungarian Army. In 1856, the first stud farm was established at Rădăuţi , Romania . Several bloodlines were established by the foundation stallions Goral, Hroby, Ouşor, Pietrousu and Prislop, and
900-534: Was not until the early 1970s that breeders established an organization, Hucul Club, to prevent the extinction there caused by the declining number. In 1982 they established a stud book with fifty purebred animals and the goal of increasing the numbers in that region. In 2004 Polish Horse Breeders Association was recognised by the European Union as keeper of the Studbook of Origin of the breed. Thanks to
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