Saluda, North Carolina – The Equine Safety and Success Network (ESSN) has announced the release of its Guided Trail Riding Safety Guide, a new educational resource designed to support safer trail riding operations through practical risk awareness, operational clarity, and professional decision-making.
The guide is part of ESSN’s broader Equine Safety and Success Guide™ framework and responds to recurring patterns observed in trail ride incidents, liability cases, and operational breakdowns across the equine industry.
According to Randi Thompson, founder of the Equine Safety and Success Network, guided trail rides are frequently treated as routine activities despite the complex safety decisions they require.
“Guided trail rides are often viewed as low risk because they feel familiar,” Thompson said. “But when incidents occur, courts and investigators look closely at preparation, judgment, and whether risks were recognized and managed before they escalated. This guide helps operators understand where those safety decisions actually occur.”
The Guided Trail Riding Safety Guide focuses on key operational moments that commonly precede incidents, including pre-booking controls, front-desk screening, group management on the trail, return-to-barn control, dismounting procedures, and post-ride debriefs. Rather than prescribing rigid rules, the guide emphasizes awareness, documentation, and professional judgment grounded in how equine liability cases are evaluated.
The guide is intended for guided trail riding operations and trail guides. It also addresses common misconceptions surrounding equine liability statutes and clarifies that statutory protection depends on how risks are managed in practice, not simply on signage or assumptions.
ESSN also noted that the Guided Trail Riding Safety Guide is the first in a series of focused safety guides within the Equine Safety and Success Guide™ framework. Additional guides currently in development include the Riding Instruction Safety Guide, the Group Riding Lessons Safety Guide, and the Horse Training Safety Guide, each addressing safety, decision-making, and professional responsibility within distinct equine environments.
ESSN’s materials are educational in nature and are not legal advice. The organization’s work draws on decades of industry experience, safety consulting, and analysis of equine-related injury cases.
The Guided Trail Riding Safety Guide is being released as a pilot program, initially through the Equine Safety and Success Network private Facebook group, as part of a phased professional rollout designed to encourage feedback, discussion, and real-world application from active equine professionals prior to wider distribution.
For more information about the Equine Safety and Success Network or to request access to the Guided Trail Riding Safety Guide, interested professionals may seek entry through the ESSN private Facebook group.
Media Contact:
Randi Thompson
Equine Safety and Success Network (ESSN)
randi@randithompsonlive.com