An update on ,how long to hack on your own.

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sue12345

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HI, Probley about a month ago i asked how long did it take you to pluck up courage to hack out alone on the roads. I had lots of lovely understanding replies and some that just said "for gods sake why have a horse, just do it". If you remember i "just did it" and sang yellow submerine at the top of my voice all the way round. I am afraid it's all gone horribly wrong. Three weeks ago i went out again on my own, my horse shied and unseated me, i was still on board but round his neck but then he slipped. I hit the road and he fell on top of me. He ran off and luckily found his way home. I had my phone and was able to call for help. I spent a week in hospital 5 days of which in intensive care. Most of my ribs broken, my shoulder broken and a punctured lung. Not sure why i'm posting this, just need to off load it. Was once told that your fears keep you safe. I should have listened to my fears as i am now in a worse situation. Can't work, drive, ride. Can only just manage to dress myself. Very greatfull to my hubby for loooking after me and a friend for the horses. Sorry for having a moan, can't moan to hubby as he's just glad i'm alive.
 
Oh my goodness!! Horrible for you, I hope you are better soon.

I would forget hacking on your own for a while. Get yourself better and build your confidence with your horse little by little.
 
Oh no poor you, I hope you get better very quickly, it sounds horribly painful!
Re: hacking alone, didn't see the first thread but do think you just have to go with what you are happy with. I am really sorry to hear that you have had such a bad experience!
 
I'm so terribly sorry to hear what happened but I think you were just awfully unlucky as that sort of thing is a freak accident and could happen to anyone.
Fingers crossed for a quick recovery!
 
Sorry to hear about your accident and wish you a speedy recovery. It sounds like an unlucky series of events, firstly your horse spooked, then he slipped and then he fell on you. If you had managed to remain in the saddle when he spooked then the slipping and falling probably wouldn't have happened. If and when you get back in the saddle then it would be wise to have lessons which are aimed at having a secure seat. Once you are happy you have that then you can take your time and work your way up to hacking alone again but tbh dont even think about that,just concentrate on getting better, you hubby sounds very nice and caring.
 
Oh you poor thing, what an awful accident, and I totally understand why your husband is glad to have you alive. Regarding hacking, well, we're all different. Hacking is never a problem to me, but I get nervous about riding in a school. We actually backed our homebred this Spring by hacking her out in company. Praying for your speedy physical recovery, and I hope you can ride again happily as soon as you are able.
 
So very sorry to hear this. What spooked your horse so badly? If it were me I would only hack with other people from now on. It really should be a pleasure thing not a " run the gauntlet" thing. Hope you get better soon.
 
Poor you, I wish you a speedy recovery.

It does sound like an unfortunate series of events, rather than something specific as such.

When you are sufficiently mended and back on board, only do what you are happy to do and don't let anyone push you into doing too much too soon.

There's no law says you must hack, or you must do dressage, or you must jump etc

Just do what you feel able to do.

Best wishes, HB :)
 
padderpaws said:
So very sorry to hear this. What spooked your horse so badly? If it were me I would only hack with other people from now on. It really should be a pleasure thing not a " run the gauntlet" thing. Hope you get better soon.
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Thanks every one. He spooked at a big flappy lorry coming up his side and he span round. Trying to do it on my own as don't have any one to ride out with.
 
Don't stress yourself, get well first, then think about riding, invest some money in a good instructor who will spend the time with you, get you safe and secure in the saddle, take you through the steps needed to get some confidence and get you back to hacking out IF that is really what you want to do !! If not then don't = there are plenty of things we can do and enjoy with our horses without scaring ourselves Sh**Tless.
Afterall we have horses for relaxation and enjoyment - if we want to scare ourselves we chuck ourselves off cliff edges !!!!!!!!!!

Get well soon x
 
i really feel for you - i am petrifies of hacking on my own as my horse bolted and now i am getting my confidence back - still yet to go out on my own tho. I wish you a speedy recovery and lots of vibes xxxx
 
sue12345 said:
Thanks every one. He spooked at a big flappy lorry coming up his side and he span round. Trying to do it on my own as don't have any one to ride out with.
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That's quite bizarre, I've had my girl for almost 2 years and she is pretty damn bombproof with any vehicle: tractors, buses, lorries, trains, motorbikes, scooters, diggers, police cars (inc sirens going) - so I do mean pretty much everything - EXCEPT she recently spooked at a medium size lorry with the flappy sides, she did a quick 180 and tried to shoot off, luckily I stuck to her and stopped her. On the way back from the hack - guess what we came across - same lorry coming back. Blow me down, she did another 180 but I was ready for her that time and stopped her in her tracks.

She hasn't spooked at any other vehicles since - mind you haven't seen that lorry again.

It does sound unlucky that you were unseated and the other events unfolded.
 
So sorry to hear about your horrible accident. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Please do not feel pressured into doing anything until you are ready to. Hope you will soon be back in the saddle and able to enjoy your horse again soon. xx
 
So sorry to hear about your accident and wish you a speedy recovery. Don't rush back into anything get some knowledgeable help and take it one step at a time. I had a nasty accident over a year ago and I am only just back to hacking confidently in company am no where near ready to hack alone. As someone else said there are plenty of things you can do besides hacking so just do whatever feels comfortable xx
 
So sorry to hear this, had read your original post, but didn't feel i could add anything helpful!

Hope you recover well. Thank goodness you have a caring husband to care for you and a good friend to deal with your horse.

When you get back to caring for your horse I hope you can find an instructor who can help you. I used to have a lovely instructor who occassionally would take my horse out for a hack by himself just to see how the horse reacted to things, as it then made our lessons better as he could teach me methods to deal with any behaviour i was likely to encounter when hacking. It was invaluable.
 
Nasty accident but they happen with horses, having someone with you probably wouldn't have prevented the horse spooking & stopped you coming off though, or how hard you hit the ground. Hope you make a speedy recovery & it hasn't stopped you from doing what you love. Life's a bitch just bitch right back.
 
OH no hun what a horrid thing to happen!!! I hope you make a speedy recovery

Do you have a school to ride in? If so take as long as it needs just riding in the school. If you never hack again, so what. As long as you are riding happily and safely.

I have had my horse 18 months and only hacked out about 10 times. I have had a fair bit of time off having 2 lots of surgery on my ankle but even so could have hacked more and I don't even have to go on the roads.

I prefer schooling and do get a little nervous hacking. Having said that I went for my first hack since my latest surgery and had a lovely time (alone as like you there is no one to go with)

I really should not be nervous either as my lad is about as unspooky as they come, but he can get rather excited.

So like I said take you time and if that means you only enjoy riding in the school who cares!!!! Ignore anyone that says any different:D
 
Once you are mended why not find someone to hack out with you. Put some adverts in your local tack shops/feed merchants or ask your farrier.
Because my horses have always been so rock solid I have hacked out with numerous different people over the years who have had issues and got them back to hacking out by themselves.
Hope you make a speedy recovery and are back in the saddle again soon.
p.s. every horse spooks every now and then it is just a matter of knowing what they don't like!
 
:(So sorry to read this. Don't beat yourself up though, as you have enough bruises already.;)

Hacking on your own is not the Holy Grail, it's just another thing to do with your horse that should be enjoyable. If it's not, don't do it, whatever the reason.:)

Get well soon x
 
elsbells said:
Couldn't agree more - my mare is a pain in the butt to hack out on her own on the roads, even scared my husband with her spinning round and he's pretty unflappable. I tried walking out with him and unless I led her past scary things she wasn't uch better.
She's fine in the fields tho, and our farmer landlord is kind enought to let us ride around his arable fields as long as it's not too wet, so I've been doing this for most of the year and it's far more enjoyable for both of us. Many horses never hack out except for the odd spin round the field - I used to ride a show hunter who was lethal on the roads and he was much happier NOT hacking.
Funny how things come round tho - six months ago there was hardly anyone on our yard who was hacking, now there are some girls working for the YO and their main job is to get the youngsters hacking and give the show horses a relaxing hack, so there's plenty of company and I had a very successful ride round the lanes on madam with them the other day.
Get yourself better and then have a rethink - if you really want to hack what about putting an ad inthe local tack/feed store to see if anyone locally would go out with you from time to time.
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