Any tips?

Pony_Puzz

Pony_Puzz

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 August 2009
Messages
2,311
Location
Warks
Visit site
I don't mind if you need to ask more questions, ask away.. just please read first
smile.gif
I hope it makes sense!!

Right, so bit of background first might help. I lost my confidence about 4-5 years ago, due to many falls and losing all my confidence to a point of only wanting to handle horses. Over the last 4 years I have just managed to be able to get back on different types of horses and walk, trot and canter again... just! However in the last 2 months my confidence has increased more than any other time in these last few years, this is mostly due to my new pony (I downsized) who is 5 and 14.2hh. I've managed to feel confident in my own school at home (where I lost most of my confidence), started jumping and I'm hoping to go do a clear round or intro test next year as well as progress into the field which I'm not too nervous about. This is mainly due to him being more of a kick on pony, generally not too spooky and me prefering nappy horses to spooky/naughty horses.

I'd like advice though on a very nervous point for me, I am scared senseless of hacking. This is partly due to when trying a horse it bolting off and sending me skidding on my stomach down a road, as well as having spooky horses on the road before. My pony has only ever been ridden on single lane tracks past stationary cars etc, so the person I bought him from did say that she had no idea what he would be like with cars coming up from behind or past him at speed, but that he should be ok. She tended to hack him schooled (nicely on the bit) to stop him looking around and acting more "sharp". I did take him for a little hack to try him, but didn't realise I'd progress with him so quick!

To cut a long story short, is there any hope for me going onto a busy road, which goes past a primary school and through a village, with cars that do over the 40mph speed limit? Also I do have my brother to hack out with but he's rarely around.
I'd appreciate any help!!
laugh.gif
Thank you for reading all this!!
 
hey mate - when i go hacking we have to cross a 50 mph zone and its a bit scary - take it one step at a time - even if its just to the end of the drive and back or get a friend to come on a bike with you or even walk by your side and you will be fine x
 
Absolutely solvable, you will get there. As you know most of my riding is hacking as I have no facilities so I either hack or hack to facilities.

If you are nervous on the roads what about first of all finding an area that you could hack which is mainly bridleways/something similar and just some roads parts and then build up. Obviously hack out with company if you can - more confident horse and rider.

Get a good relationship with your pony built up so you have trust before venturing out - small steps then build itt up. Always wear your hi-viz and have your phone with you. What about trailering to places where there is mixed terrain to hack on?

This is all a bit of a mixed bag list so I hope it helps - I love hacking, I love the places I've seen, the fresh air and thinking time it brings and of course the nice change of scenery it gives both me and the horse
smile.gif
 
Im a nervous rider too. If your pony is young and not seen traffic i would lead him out first so that you know how he will react. Take him for walks in hand so that he gets used to traffic without you worrying about what he is going to do. If you can start with a quiet road and build his confidence slowly. Dont forget your HI VIZ! Enjoy!!!
 
I did think that hacking out maybe by trailering somewhere would happen once I'd gone to this show I'm hoping to go to, as I'd probably feel a bit more confident about new places and such, even if I only go for the experience.

I did think about going up our drive way in stages first before hitting the main road, probably get if possible my brother to walk in front on his mare or get someone to lead her and shes brilliant to hack. Else he will just nap and not want to go
smile.gif
 
As Brambleyhedge said above, but also, could you find someone else to take him out for you on his first hack through the village, just to see how he reacts?
 
[ QUOTE ]
could you find someone else to take him out for you on his first hack through the village, just to see how he reacts?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what I was going to suggest
laugh.gif
 
get a good human to walk with you next to his head, and remember all the school things like soften your hand relax your bottom and leg and talk away about useless things.keep the rein contact very light and dont sieze!! soon you will be fine. and keep smiling it does help! choose a quite time mid morning on a nice bright sunny days! (you might wait a while for them!) but not on a wet, sprayey swishey day. Good luck, kick on and smile!
 
Thanks these are all very helpful!

I was going to try stick my friend on him just to see. She is busy a lot though and I don't know if she would suit him if anything did go wrong (touch wood wouldn't) as she rides quite differently from me.
 
You sound very like me, ten years ago, i would have ridden any horse in traffic. In the riding school, once a month, we went on a mountain ride, which meant crossing the town. Excuse the langauge, but it was tough [****] if you got a pony/horse that didnt like traffic, stick him in the middle and hope for the best. Like you, many falls later and a knock to the confidence, i hated traffic. I had to put my best boy down last week, and he was a [****] in traffic. he was fine with cars but anything bigger and it was "oh! my god, it's scary". Sounds crazy, but i got back my confidence on him, and even though i used to ride him on quiet country lanes, i always met tractors. It's all about your attitude. if you are not scared, then they will go past any traffic, but if you are nervous, then they pick up on it. I figured that out the hard way. I ride a 24 year old mare at the moment, in a quest to get over losing cooper, and she is fantistic.
I used to keep my horses at my dads up to 4 mths ago, and she was always good in traffic, so when i moved house and got land and stables with it, that i took her on the by-pass. (only place i can ride), she was fantastic, trucks passing her at 70 miles an hour. I trust her, and it shows. I'm breaking my 3 year old at the momet, and because of her, i think i'll have the confidence to ride him in traffic and be relaxed. Dont know how you'll get to that stage, but once you have it, you'll be fine. just think positive, easier said than done, but believe me, when i can do it, anyone can. Really hope you get sorted, use that nuturcalm if you can. It does help.
hope you ge sorted, let me know how you get on.
 
take it easy, there's no rush, and there's bound to be hiccups along the way.

do you have a friend, horsey or otherwise who will come and walk down the road with you for 100yards, 50 yards, 20 yards even if that's all you can manage?

the main thing is to not let yourself get to panic mode. nervous is fine, but with a novice pony panic mode is not good. having a friend there to reassure you, talk to you, distract you is ideal. Especially if they have the confidence to take your pony's reins and lead you if necessary.

we all have times that make us nervous on the road - my lad is as safe as they come, but 3 years ago he slipped on black ice, fell and put me in a puddle. fortunately no-one was hurt, but I still worry about it on cold days.

Like I said, don't panic, take it easy, have fun.
 
QR -Walk him out in hand a few times and let him suss out the routes. If you are comfortable with this (i.e handling) then at least this way, he can see the world without you being a bit nervy/tense and possibly creating a situation... Also, flaff around with your car near him, others cars.. replicate some things you may meet out hacking (so do some prep work at home to assist for when you do go out)

Best of luck .xx
 
sounds like you should keep doing what you're doing and you'll comfortable with your own progression. If you're happy doing little hacks now - awesome - keep doing that. You'll know when you feel ok to go out and face the big wide world - you'll probably not even realise it - just like you've already done.
If you can - box up to someone elses school and have a school there and a little hack around their place (if they've got a nice field or lanes to trot around...) that way you don't have to face roads but still testing with something new...

good luck
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top