| Riding With The Trail Boss (pictured above) Med Hat Trails Accompanied by one or two of his dogs, Brent leads riders among the trees, up and down slopes and even across a creek. The pace is leisurely — rarely faster than a walk — and Brent offers guidance when he’s not pointing out features of the landscape. |
| Brent Alan Erwin and Dr. Speck |
About Med Hat Trails
| After years of what he describes as a troubled life without purpose Brent finally fullfilled a dream of owning a ranch and a home of his own. An inheritance from his father allowed him to buy land. Equally important was the "therapy" provided by Doctor Speck who listened to Brent sort things out during their rides together. |
| Pictured above is Brent and Dr. Speck riding in the Annual Carthage Maple Leaf Parade. |
| The Legend of Medicine Hat Trading Co. Established January 2000 |
Trail Boss
Brent Erwin's Medicine Hat Trail Ride teaches beginners to ride
by Bob McEowen
Erwin poses with his favorite horse Doctor Speck.
A wary-eyed visitor studies the horses inside Brent Erwin’s
corral, searching for an answer to a question he’s unequipped
to address. How would I know which one I want to ride? the
visitor seems to ask as he examines each animal’s gaze,
looking for a glimmer of equinecompassion toward an
inexperienced rider.
Brent provides a summary solution when he announces "I
think we’ll put you on Itchy" and begins to lead a chestnut
colored quarter horse out of the compound. He ties the horse
to a fence and hands the visitor two brushes. With a few tips
on grooming Brent leaves rider and horse to get to know one
another and begins to saddle his own steed, a wildly spotted
appaloosa named Doctor Speck.
Once the animals are saddled Brent watches his guest hoist
himself onto a horse for the first time. After a few minutes of
instruction they’re off. The ride begins with a lap around a
pasture before they head into the woods for an hour-long trail
ride.
It’s a typical ride for Brent, a 48-year-old former veterinarian’s
assistant, construction worker and western relics and art
dealer, who operates the Medicine Hat Trading Company Trail
Ride from his home near Carthage.
After years of what he describes as a troubled life without
purpose Brent finally fullfilled a dream of owning a ranch and
a home of his own. An inheritance from his father allowed him
to buy land. Equally important was the "therapy" provided by
Doctor Speck who listened to Brent sort things outduring their
rides together.
In time, a friend asked Brent to teach his son to ride. That
event led to the formation of the Medicine Hat Trail Ride.
"I had the young boy riding and handling a horse so well his
father said ‘Why aren’t you doing this for a living?’"
Trail Ride
Brent Erwin leads a group through a field at the start of a trail
ride at his Carthage home. Erwin specializes in teaching
beginners to ride.
Open for business just one year, Brent charges $20 per rider
for a guided one-hour trail ride. Typically he’ll take no more
than six people at a time and limits his horses to three outings
a day. Each ride includes basic instruction if needed.
Accompanied by one or two of his dogs, Brent leads riders
among the trees, up and down slopes and even across a creek.
The pace is leisurely — rarely faster than a walk — and Brent
offers guidance when he’s not pointing out features of the
landscape. An hour later the new rider has gained confidence
and the satisfaction of overcoming the unknown.
"The joy of teaching somebody to ride is helping them
overcome a fear by doing the thing that they’re afraid of," the
Barton Country Electric Co-op member says. "When they come
in off the ride they’ve actually established some real self
assurance of their capabilities. It’s pretty neat."
Unlike most of the trail rides in Missouri, Brent’s ride caters to
beginners. He does not usually allow guests to bring their own
horses but relies on his own stable which he trusts with new
riders. "I’ve trained my horses. They are care givers and
teachers and baby sitters," Brent says.
While many of his customers are just looking for recreation,
others want to try riding before buying a horse. "I offer the
opportunity to get some experience before you invest in a
horse, the trailer, the land, the boarding, the tack," Brent says.
Brent’s real specialty, though, is teaching children to ride. In
fact, his typical customer is a 10-year-old child.
A large man with long hair and a look reminiscent of an
American Indian, Brent says kids are often taken back by his
appearance. The impression grows stronger when he shows
kids and their parents his one-room log cabin decorated with
animal skins, mounts and Indian and cowboy artifacts.
"They take this all in and I think they wonder what kind of
knife I carry and whether they’re going to end up as a mount
or a skin," Brent says.
The children have nothing to fear. Brent, who also teaches
tennis, offers instruction with patience and understanding.
"I never belittle a child. If a kid doesn’t want to ride I en-
courage him to get down and enjoy the rest of the day while
he’s here," says Brent. "Nobody guilts him or shames him. It’s
OK to be afraid."
It’s an approach that’s not lost on parents.
"He’s very good with kids and people and the horses out here
and does a really good job," says Andy Smallwood of Carthage
whose 9-year-old daughter, Hannah, is a regular at the
Medicine Hat Trail Ride.
"This is the highlight of her week, to come out here and ride.
He’s taught Hannah a lot about horses, not just riding."
Indeed, unlike pony rides or riding sessions in a horse ring,
Brent’s rides offer a more realistic and involved encounter for
the beginning rider.
"It’s pretty much hands on. You go from learning how to groom
and prep a horse for riding to the tacking to the trail," Brent
says. "You get to experience how to pay attention to the
horses senses and the signs he’ll give you with his ears and
his tail, things you don’t get in a controlled environment."
For some, Brent’s trail ride provides a diversion on a family trip
or a chance to try something new. For Brent, teaching people
to ride fulfills a need in him.
"A good Indian friend of mine says there’s two important times
in a man’s life. One is when he’s born and the other is when
he knows why," Brent says. "I’ve found mine."
For information write to
Medicine Hat Trading Co.,
12724 County Rd. 70, Carthage, MO 64836.
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