Are you careful when you hack out?

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Myhorseeatsmoney

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I am constantly amazed by the behavior of other riders when they hack out? I don't mind chatting but don't take my attention off my horse and try to be aware of anything that is happening around me. My youngster is a good boy but like 99% of the horse population he is not bombproof.

It always amazes me when a horse spooks, the rider falls off because they were not paying attention and then the horse is described as behaving badly.

Mobile phones, yes I carry one whilst hacking but I don't make or receive calls whilst mounted.

What do other riders do that really annoy you when hacking?
 
Sorry, but I don't pay attention all the time! If hacking alone then maybe a bit more, but I love chatting, it helps both people and horses relax much more, they are then far less spooky ( not that ours are anyway ) Ben does the occasional Bambi impression but I've never fallen off him!

Too much attention can be a bad thing, means you are always waiting for the what if's imo, anyway, you fall much better if you are relaxed :)

Ooops and yes i do occasionaly answer my phone, never txt though as I can't see without my glasses on.

Things that annoy me? going too slow :D
 
I don't use my phone while mounted apart from to take the occasional photo. But if i go out in company i do talk alot. Wouldn't blame the horse if they spook and i fell off :)
 
I love having a relaxing ride & chatting. I don't ride on main roads only tracks & quiet lanes which I do pay more attention on. I take photos on my phone & sometimes upload them to fb. I guess if I fall off doing that its my own fault!
 
I'm fairly careful but then I'm pretty new to hacking on roads. We're decked out in hi-viz and as we are on single track roads I don't trot round corners just in case I come head to head with a car.
I usually hack alone but will have company today.
I've been presently surprised by how polite the other riders I've met are: always slowing to a walk to pass us, asking if its ok to pass etc.
 
In all my (too) many years of riding, the number of people who I know personally who have fallen off hacking are very few and far between. Those that have hit the deck have been unavoidable, nothing to do with not paying attention.

Riders falling off if horse spooks really says more about their ability than their alertness I would have thought :confused:

The thing that annoys me (as a car driver) is riders that ride in the middle of the road. Yes, I have placed myself in the middle of the road for defensive purposes but certainly don't do it at all times.
 
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I don't pay much attention out hacking either. If I'm on my own I'm enjoying my horse and the scenery. If I'm with a friend we're usually chatting away.

I can't think of one incident of someone falling off due to not paying attention. Like quirky says, thats more about their ability as a rider.
 
Gosh we chat the entire time, I take photo's & occasionally calls although not on a main road however we are lucky & rarely need to use a main road.....I wouldnt enjoy my hacks if I had to ride like I do in the school although I do use my school work and lessons whilst hacking. Just off for a hack now & know we will come back with a sore throat. Most riders who fall when hacking tend to be alone & probably nervous & worrying the horse (imo).
 
I didn't on Blobby! But he only spooked once or twice when I was riding him. Unless you took him down the route he had a bad experience with, then you really had to be on your toes!

I concentrate 100% with Ned though, it would be unfair to him. He's just getting used to this whole 'hacking alone' business, so if we have a bad experience because I'm not paying attention, then it could put us both off!

ETA: When I'm with the group, I concentrate a bit less, but I'm still on the ball. It does annoy me when I see the kids standing in their stirrups, turned around and chatting to their friends! They get a swift telling off from the YO if she catches them doing that!
I sometimes will make a call if I'm off the road and if I don't know the number I will take a call.
 
I don't pay much attention either. On roads I'm mainly watching traffic, off road I'm enjoying the horse. I'm nearly always riding with my daughter, so I'm teaching her while we ride. Or chatting to a friend. I don't need to concentrate to be aware of what the horse is doing, you can feel it. Even if a horse is spooky, being relaxed & ignoring it has better effect than getting all involved in the spook. And as quirky says, it says more about ability than concentration. I find too that those who hack out constantly looking for what the horse might spook at, end up with more spooking.
 
I have to admit that i have fallen off once when i was paying no attention to where i was going and my horse spooked at something and span round... i landed on the deck on my butt!

I certainly did NOT blame my horse, who was looking rather bemused at his mum sat on the floor nearly weeing myself laughing at my own stupidity, and my friends (who were with me) laughing too! Got up, dusted myself off, got back on and continued with our lovely ride... paying slightly more attention to my surroundings :cool:

Once again, absolutely NOT the horses fault - and I've certainly learned my lesson :o
 
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