At what age do you let kids hack out alone....

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merlinsquest

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As title really..... I let Zoe go out round the block alone for the first time today....... No roads etc, just rough lanes.. so no speeding cars, but the possibility of a tractor etc.

I was a nervous wreck as Merlin can spook and spin .......

She had a bit of trouble getting him past the spooky spinny spot (a farm about halfway round the block) but managed.

I ended up going after her as she was longer than I anticipated and as she had no fone I couldnt check if she was ok, and nearly killed myself chasing her tail.... I thought she had gone the other way round and was hoping to meet her halfway
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She was chuffed to bits..... I nearly had a breakdown.
 
I was first allowed at 12 I think, just round the farm at first. Now I am 14 and am allowed to do pretty much everything alone. I get the bus to the stables, get ready, am allowed to go out for about 2 and a half hours, on a few busy roads. I am very grateful to my parents for letting me do this, I tell them where I am going and having a phone is an absoloute must, I wouldn't be allowed out without a phone. Does zoe have one? If she doesn't, then it might be worth getting her a basic cheap one just to use in emergencys or whilst riding?
 
Zoe has a brill purple LG Viewty..... she just forgets to take it!!!

I think as much as anything its that I dont really trust Merlin not to dump her and run away!!!!!

She is sensible enough, its him who has the responsiblity problem!!!
 
I started when i was 13. It was only down the lane but i had to take my phone.
I still wont hack without my phone. I dont feel safe without it
 
I would say she's probably fine if she's a confident rider over tha age of 12/13 but I wouldn't le her out without a phone. I don't leave the yard without my phone and I'm 27! Yes, I did used to hack out without one before they were invented but I wouldn't take the risk now because you never know what can happen and it would just solve alot of bother for her in getting help if one of them does get injured. I bet that if you said she could only go out on her own with a phone she's remember pretty quickly
 
I hacked out from the age of 13 on my own with a loopy arab! the girls that ride my pony are 13 also but there are two of them and they won't hack out on their own - but I am happy with most of the kids riding out form 12/13 (but it doesn't mean that I haven't been known to go out for my own hack - on the same route as they are going to make sure all is ok!
 
I went out alone aged 11, but there was little or no roadwork & I had someone on foot with me the first few times. That was in 1982 though...
 
Depends on the horse and the maturity of the rider...about 13 I'd say, but only with a phone and if you know the route she is taking an what time she should back.
 
I think I didn't start hacking alone until I was about 16yrs but we only had busy roads until that time and I had a nappy pony so not a chance of getting past the end of the road alone! I would say if the child is a capable rider and you know exactly where she is going then she'll be fine. Always take a phone, stick to known routes and keep them short to start with and let someone know how long you plan to be. I'm now 21 and still text my mum when I leave the yard and make it back in one piece if I'm hacking on my own.
 
I was about 9-10. i didnt have a phone then though
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. I was on a very safe mare, on private woodland with only about 4 acres of wood, there was always a busy yard, so people were in and out of the woods. Mum or dad were always waiting for me though. at 11 I was left at the yard 11-4 with my friend who was the same age with her pony and we were allowed to hack everywhere with a mobile.
 
At my old yard there was a track that was in a loop but with no chance of cars just people fishing i was doing that from about 12...new yard will probably go out a few times with a friend round the lane so i know where im going then i will do it on my own (that is when hes sound again)
 
Today was the first day, she is 13 and it was only round the block and on the spur of the moment so her fone of course was at home..... I could have given her mine, but then she couldnt have called me!!!

I am unsure as to whether to let her carry on
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But I suppose she survived and he isnt a nutter, just your usual unpredicatable horse.......

It will be a long time before she can take him anywhere other than round the block at least I know if she isnt back in 20 mins tops, to go and look for her!!!
 
I always hacked out on my own. I learnt to ride when I was 6 and was hacking out on my own from the age of 8. I loved it, I didn't have my own pony and rode from a local riding stables but going out on my own I could kid myself that the pony was MINE . . . . . we could go out of the back of the yard straight into woods and heathland but I also used to ride home (main roads) and ride up to Southampton Common (even worse main roads) but there was less traffic in those days.
 
i used to hack out when was 10yrs with a 7yo we when everywhere together, around the lanes. really bad looking back on it, have seen alot of young riders around here at the mo 7/8yrs riding down our very busy main road. worries me everytime i see them out.
 
I was allowed to hack alone whenever I wanted from when I got my pony at 12 but most of the time i didn't even try becaue she was so naughty.

I was probably allowed to just hack whereever and whenever when I was about 14 and my once mischevious pony became a saint.

My mum would NEVER let me ride without a phone, even in the school, but then she is quite overprotective.
 
Ahh i'm 14, been riding at a riding stables, but soon hopefully getting a share horse or loan, and I NEVER want to hack alone as a child/young teen. But thats because i've heard stories of whats happened when people go out on their own, and they have seriously worried me. And also, my parents wouldnt let me i doubt, as they dont let me ride without a body pro, let alone hacking on my own.

But with your own horse that you know and trust i suppose its different.
 
I was 11 and my sister was 9.

Mum says you have to let go and trust us- give them a phone and hi-viz stuff and a route to take and a 'time limit' and it will be okay.
 
My daughter is 12 and won't be hacking out on her own anytime soon if I can help it. TBH, I don't think anyone should hack out alone although I realise plenty of people want to and have to...me included
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When I was 17 my horse slipped over and pissed off and I broke my ankle...I was glad I was with someone at the time as I was in the middle of some woods and there wasn't a soul around and no mobiles then..
 
Never! And never will if i have anything to do with it. There is safety in numbers and unfortunately these days its just not safe to let kids go out on their own (not helped by we hack straight out onto forest, so should there be an accident it could be hours before they were found, if they went out alone).
Then you have to think about the "lunatic fringes" of society, we recently had a 12 yr old girl attacked in the woodland down the road, and yes i agree with you Honeypots, nobody in our yard hacks alone, kids or adults.
 
think i was about 12 when i started hacking out alone, but had been hacking out with mum/friends for about 4 years beforehand. im sure she will be fine x
 
At my yard there are no other people to hack out with, other than me.... and short of a double up!!!! well you get the picture
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Also merlin is an idiot in company
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so she is better off on her own in that respect!!!

It was the first time today and to be honest its a square route round about a mile at the most..... I think it only took me 15 mins to march round it looking for her today
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I would not let her go any further afield as merlin is too special to me anyway.... but if she was on a bombproof pony then I would be happier as long as she had a fone...... but still only round the lanes.

I was around 13/14 when I started to ride out alone but didnt have my own pony so it was a bit different.

Infact, my mother still hates me going out alone and i am 42!!!! She is sure that someone is going to put out a trip wire and get me off somehow just for a laugh!!!
 
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