Am I too young to hack without an adult?

[Kaylum]

have seen adults who shouldnt be riding out on their own. It's up to your parents to be honest. I was riding out at 9 but that's cause my parents never bothered what I did.

 

[Ahrena]

I rode out alone from age of 12.

Horse was not particularly well behaved and i wasn't the best rider (fresh from rs!) but my mum wasn't horsey..

Always had a phone. No one knew where i was going as often went exploring and would be out for about 5 hours!

 

[kate.jessop]

As a 11/12 year old I was hacking out by myself on my 13.2hh 27 year old loan pony whenever I could.

Unfortunately we said goodbye to her august 2012 at the grand age of 29 but I will never forget heading out in the summer on weekends or after school on a long rein not having to worry about anything. I used to love cantering up the hill and just exploring! I remember talking to people on the yard about nice places to go and just following their directions, I used to just go and explore in the woods.

Even though it was only a few years ago, looking back it was crazy.. most parents wouldnt dream of letting their 11 year old hack out all alone but my mum trusted her 100%. I know how lucky I was to have been able to spend part of my childhood with such a special pony and I wish more little girls could have the same experience I did!

 

[BronsonNutter]

I was hacking out alone at 12 (I didn't get a pony till then, else it would probably have been sooner!) - and me and a friend, who was just a year older than me, used to go off XC schooling together (no adults) then too

I did always take a mobile phone with me though, and we both knew basic first aid/what to do in an emergency. It might be worth speaking to your parents and agreeing on an 'emergency plan' for incase something goes wrong - eg. for if your friend falls off, your pony injures themself etc. Thankfully I never had to ring an ambulance for anything till I was 20, but it meant I was prepared!

 

[Madz123]

I was riding out from the age of 13 with a friend a year older than me my mother wasn't keen on this at all at first so we done little hacks to start and be back by the time we said we would and gradually got longer, my horse wasn't exactly safe but my mother got to know I new the boundries and started to trust me also I had to have a 'back up' plan should something happen and a mobile on both of us, good luck with it, I found just going along with my mum at first helped as she thought she new best lol

 

[poppet]

I let my daughter and her friend hack out at 14 and also with her sister who is 13. The horses they rode were extremely well behaved. About a 40 min hack with just over half of it off road, the road part was very quiet.

I had ridden the route and had also walked with them quite a few times prior to taking a deep breath and letting them go. My friend had to assure me that they would be fine. Maybe persuade your parents to do that and once they are familiar with where you are going and how well behaved the horses are then they will be more relaxed.

It's a big step for them and you!!

 

[DreamingIsBelieving]

I'm 14 and since I started part loaning Jock a few months ago (who is a billion times safer than the last horse I parted loaned) I've been going on 40 minute hacks (including roadwork) on my own. I always carry a mobile and have hi-viz for myself and Jock. My Mum knows that I'm very safe on the roads and Jock is pretty much bombproof, and even when he does get spooked, he'd never do anything stupid like bolt or jump into the middle of the road.

It depends on the rider and the horse. By what you've told us I see no problem in you going on hacks with your friend. But your parents know you better than I do, so maybe you could try to find out from them why they don't like the idea of you going out without an adult?

 

[DragonSlayer]

My son is 15, almost 6ft tall and i don't let him hack alone! Him and the horse are fine, it's the other idiots.....riding and road safety or not, he's got plenty of time to ride out in his own and with mates when he's older....

 

[tinap]

Agree with Dragonslayer!! I've just started letting my daughter go out with her friend & they are both almost 17yrs, been riding since aged 5 & did their Road safety years ago! It's not them or the ponies I don't trust but the idiots on the roads. If her friend isn't able to ride out, I go out on my bike with her

 

[amyneave]

I started hacking by myself when I was about 14 I think.

 

[EAST KENT]

Good Lord,what a restricted life these kids lead,`fraid to say I must have had rotten parents..not only disappearing off with a girl of 9 when I was 7,but going hunting in her company when I was 8. Kids NEED to explore and get independent and I might say take risks,it is part of growing up.
My age people did not have mobile phones or high viz..we are still hee.

 

[tinap]

& when I was young (which is not that long ago seeing as I am 35) I didn't know 1 single person that was ever hit/killed by a drunk, speeding or mobile phone wielding driver. Unfortunately at 17, my daughter has already lost 1 friend to a speeding driver & has another who was very seriously injured by a drunk driver. If its off road hacking then fair enough. We aren't lucky enough to have any that doesn't need at least a few miles of roadwork first

 

[Gloi]

I feel sorry for teenagers that aren't allowed to hack out alone these days. I had the best time of my life when I was 13 - 16 with my pony. I used to be out on him, sometimes with my friends and sometimes by myself, every moment when I wasn't at school. It's a wonder I didn't wear the legs off him, we rode for miles and miles.

 

[poiuytrewq]

My daughters yr 8 coming up 13 and I let her hack with a friend a few times. I have let her hack my horse who's more level headed than hers alone but only on a short hack that didn't involve roads. She's proven herself sensible and I trust her completely but it's drivers etc I worry about.

 

[PorkChop]

I let my two daughters, aged 9 and 11, hack out off road for short rides.

I personally think we try and protect our children too much, or maybe I am jut a bad mother.

Ultimately it is not your decision though, and you do have to respect that.

 

[mandwhy]

I think you are old enough, especially as you have off road hacking and you would be going out as a pair rather than actually on your own - there is a big difference there if one of you has a fall! Responsible adult or not, you would have someone there to get help/get you home.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

My friend allows her 13/14 yr old to hack his very trustworthy pony on his own, if he goes on a circular route which she can see from the yard. They are fortunate though that their yard is on a hill and there are several short circular routes, which are almost completely visible from the yard. Would this be an option for you OP?

 

[simplyhunting]

I've been hacking alone since I was 11, and I think that happened to be my 4y/o youngster But I'd known the area for years, knew all short-cuts, horse was a mostly sensible sort for her age and most was off-road. Even cycled to the field, did have a mobile though-by age 13/14 was hacking to shows/ hunting alone staying all day and hacking back when hounds came home. If you're sensible and going as a pair should be fine? Just make sure somone knows where you're going and your mobiles are charged up - enjoy

 

[newgirl]

I know we parents seem like such killjoys but try to be patient & understand that whatever age you are your parents will always worry about you! My daughter is nearly 14 & against my natural instinct I have recently started letting her hack out on her own. It's not my daughter I don't trust & it's not her pony, I just know that accidents happen & unfortunately an accident involving a slight, 14yr old & a big heavy pony, can be serious. Not to mention cars driving too fast on country roads. Your parents are probably happy for you to gain experience of riding on your own & having been into horses when they were younger, they will understand the freedom & bonding you want to have with your pony, but the nervousness they feel comes from deep inside because you are their child & in my case I have to fight my natural instinct as a mother to let my daughter out on her own!! If you have children of your own one day I'm sure you will feel the same

 

[billylula]

Feeling very reading this thread. My daughter has been hacking out around our village (no main roads) since she was 12. By herself. Totally bombproof pony and she worked up to it.

 

[billylula]

She hunts alone also or with a similarly aged friend. I trust them and they have mobiles.

 

[longdog]

My daughter started hacking out with friends when she was around 13. Def have a mob with you, I think the age for RRS is 12? My d was 12 when she did hers.
It does depend, of course, where you are, what the roads are like etc, but def 13 is not too young in my opinion.

 

[056775]

I 100% think you are old enough....Is there a pub within a few miles of the stables...

Suggest they drive there for Sunday lunch/a drink and you hack to meet them. Trot up to meet them and then back you go...

They will be able to drive past as you go, see how much you enjoy it and also gets them involved a little. You can then hack back and every one has had a nice afternoon

Also might be worth saving up for as much reflective gear than you can shake a stick at to show the rents how much you are concerned for you and ponies safety... And never give them a hard time for making you wear your BP!!!

 

[Natti]

13 was when myself and a friend started hacking out without an adult, our parents knew where we were going and we always had our mobiles with us. We often went out most of the day, although there are loads of good bridle paths around where I live, and not many busy roads If you can show your parents that you are a competent rider and sensible about it I cant see a problem with it

 

[maree t]

My daughter just turned 14 and she is only just being allowed out alone. She has been hacking out with similar aged friends and her brother for several years when it became impossible for me to keep up anymore !!.
We live in a forestry commission area so loads of good hacking but we have had a stranger hanging around and following kids on their ponies so we have strict agreements on where they go. I dont worry when she is out with her brother but if friends come to ride then I am more wary as they are usually girls and have had a scare with this bloke.
I find it very hard not to worry but realise that they have to keep moving the boundaries as they grow up. I let them go hunting on their own and have to watch them roaring round at hunter trials so I dont think riding out on their own is the most worrying thing that they do,
they always carry a phone and wear loads of hi viz

 

[DragonSlayer]

Good Lord,what a restricted life these kids lead,`fraid to say I must have had rotten parents..not only disappearing off with a girl of 9 when I was 7,but going hunting in her company when I was 8. Kids NEED to explore and get independent and I might say take risks,it is part of growing up.
My age people did not have mobile phones or high viz..we are still hee.

Restricted life? His life is what I want to preserve. When he has gained more road knowledge (probably through when he starts driving) then I'll be comfortable. The 'Good Lord' is the one I DON'T wish my son to be meeting before his time...

I feel sorry for teenagers that aren't allowed to hack out alone these days. I had the best time of my life when I was 13 - 16 with my pony. I used to be out on him, sometimes with my friends and sometimes by myself, every moment when I wasn't at school. It's a wonder I didn't wear the legs off him, we rode for miles and miles.

Don't feel sorry for my son, that's not your job.

 

[BeckyD]

Eeek I hacked out alone down a very quiet lane and then on a bridleway from the age of 10 (on a totally bomproof 21yo shetland x whose idea of speed was how quickly she could get her head down to the grass) and I passed my BHS road safety test aged around age 11 (I guess you could do it younger back then - I'm sure it was at my second PC camp and I only went twice, once aged 10 and once aged 11?). After I passed that I was allowed to hack out on the roads on my own. By the time I was 15 I used to go out for half a day or more on my TBx horse on my own including along very main roads (A roads). Maybe things were different back then?!

Looking back I was far too young (although I was mature for my age and terribly sensible) to have coped had something gone wrong but thank god nothing ever did. I nearly fell off a few times when the various horses spooked, and a couple of times I got well and truly lost, but I always found my way back again somehow (albeit hours late! crikey did I get in trouble - we didn't have mobiles then!). I also used to hack to shows alone, compete alone, then hack home alone

Accidents do happen but I think it comes down to parental views upon risk - which by and large also depends upon the attitude of the child. Until you're an adult you are pretty much having to do what your parents say - they are after all, only trying to keep you in one piece!!

 

[lpeacock]

I used to hack out on my 16.2hh warmblood in year 9 on my own. However I would always leave a note on the board, what time i left, what route I was doing and have my mobile.

My new horse I would not hack out on my own and I am now 21 just because he is an idiot and he is not quiet enough.

Maybe get your parents out on the bike to begin with so they can see how you deal on the road and how the horse copes. Once they are happy that you will be ok and the horse doesnt mind traffic then they may be much happier about you going out on your own/with a friend.

I completely understand where they are coming from, it is not you on your horse but the idiots on the road who are not considerate around horses whilst driving!

 

[Alice Victoria]

I understand your issue. I had this when i first started riding a horse for a friend of my mum’ s last summer (i am 14 nearly 15, and was 14 at the time) My mum was happy for me to ride when her friend walked with me, but not happy for me to go out on my own. This soon became an issue when my mum ‘s friend went on holiday and asked me to ride the horse.

My mum refused to let me go out on my own, however this was necerssary to do to exercise the horse properly. I found that by asking my mum to come out with me and walk a couple of times, so she could see how safe the horse was and so she knew exactly where i was riding, she felt a little better about letting me ride alone. I started off just going out for 30mins, and always carry my phone. Now my mum see’s how safe the pony is she is happy for me to go out for a couple of hours, aslong as i stop every hour and get off and text her to tell her i am safe.

(This is bearing in mind my mum is absolutly terrified of horses and wont touch one, and hates me riding at all) i understand your mum may not be like this, but it is an idea to try.

 

[Emma1991]

My sister is a bit younger than you, 13, but she's just started to be allowed to hack out as long as there's someone on the ground either walking or cycling. Maybe to start with put it to your parents that only one of you will hack at a time? Eventually they'll see you are both being mature and responsible and maybe let you hack together?