1. The use and final training of a horse for the mountains differs considerably from pleasure riding and gaming events even though the basic early training of a young horse will not differ substantially.
2. A backcountry trip offers a great deal of pleasure, but sometimes there are hazards involved. A knowledge of acceptable methods of dealing with these hazards is necessary to insure safety,
3. Lots of miles and 'wet saddle blankets' are the best training aids a horseman can have.]
If you're using inexperienced mountain horses, there are a number of things your horses should learn before they leave familiar ground. A horse must be halter-broken and accustomed to standing tied for extended periods. Tie your horse in the corral at home for a few days before a trip as practice. The horse must be acquainted with any type of terrain you may encounter, including bogs, creeks, deadfalls, trees and narrow trails. Even a gentle horse can become nervous and unpredictable under strange conditions. It will help to develop confidence in a green horse if he makes his first trip with seasoned companions. Often a young horse can be led over or through obstacles that it wouldn't readily negotiate while ridden. A horse must develop confidence in the rider, and the rider must develop confidence in the horse. Another important point is never allow a horse to refuse to do something he is capable of doing. The extra initial time spent in training will eliminate many problems later if the horse realizes it must obey. On the other hand, we shouldn't ask a horse to do something that it is not capable of or trained for.
An animal should also be trained in whatever method of restraint you're planning to use. It's far safer to teach a horse to hobble or picket in your own corral or pasture than in a rocky mountain meadow. A horse should also be trained so it can be mounted from either side. It's almost impossible to mount from the downhill side when on a hillside trail.
Your horse should be trained to accept a rope around or under its tail. This is a common occurrence when leading a packhorse. If your lead horse is not trained to lift its tail and let the rope fall out, you are in for an unexpected rodeo, the consequence of which may be serious. A good way to begin this training is called "rodding'. Begin with the horse in a stall or corral, take a short section of broom handle or dowel, lift the tail, place the rod sideways under the tail. Normally a horse will clamp its tail down on the rod. Leave it there. Eventually the horse will learn to lift its tail letting the rod fall out. When the horse will no longer clamp down on the rod, continue the training using a rope.
If your horse has not been around llamas, backpackers, dogs, mountain bikes or motorized vehicles, an 'encounter session' at home before you enter the backcountry will be very worthwhile.
You can prepare your stock for multiple nights in the backcountry by taking them on shorter trips several times before your longer trip, which also gives you the opportunity for a 'shakedown' trip.
In summation, a good mountain horse needs to be trained to deal with whatever it is likely to encounter in the back country, including, but not necessarily limited to, the following: