Boxing out for hacks

Persephone

Persephone

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I am so sick of the lack of decent riding from my yard that I have decided to box off a few days a week with neddy :)

So does anyone else do this? If so what kind of places do you leave your car and trailer?

Is there anyway I can find out places that are ok to park? Or do you just scout the area in advance?

I have heard of one pub that is helpful if you call them and ask nicely, that have a sizeable car park, but other than that I'm a but stumped!

Thanks :)
 
I do this from time to time - usually we go to somewhere with a cross country course and just pay for a day pass, or go on organised rides through the riding club. but I have in the past rung up the local pubs and as long as I booked a table for lunch they were fine about it!
other thing you could do is speak to people through your local riding club - sometimes people are happy for you to park at their yard and go for a hack
 
I used to do this every saturday, especially in the winter. I personally had a sensible horse who did not mind me parking at the side of the road and unloading, but I alwasys travelled her tacked-up, so I didn't have to do anything other than put the ramps up. If I were you, you need to scout ahead and find a potential quiet parking place. For security reasons not to remote, or you can find your trailer has gone when you get back. You do need to consider the security of your vehicle when you do this. I personally parked on the side of the road where there was plenty of visibility for someone to pass me car and trailer. Car parks can be difficult because you will be so long, and sometimes people park under your ramp !
 
Lots of people do it over here due to unsafe roads and no bridleways, but we do have quite a few forests which are open to riders and which have parking areas - ours is 3 miles away, and is such fantastic hacking that I never mind boxing to it. We have about 3 other forests within half an hour's drive. We also have amazing sandy beaches about an hour away which are well worth the trip :)

When I lived in Hampshire there was a booklet done on rural rides - I think it was a BHS/Riding Clubs joint publication. It gave parking places, routes, mileage, timings etc, and possibly info about pubs and stuff but I can't really remember - perhaps there's one for your area as well?
 
we used to at our old yard as there wasn't much hacking otherwise.

We did a bit of a scout around first to see if there were any handy wide verges (travelled tacked up, and only did this on super quiet roads). We also sometimes used village hall car parks. We always called in advance to see if it might be ok to use it, and made sure we never used it if there was anyone using the hall. We made sure we made a decent donation at Christmas to the hall fund as a thanks for letting us use the car park. You could also see if a yard would let you park up (people do this at our new yard)?
 
I'm planning to do this sort of thing this year.

My initial ideas are - the Ridgeway. Lots of freeparking just off the A34.

Visiting friends at other yards and hacking out with them.

There are a couple of estates which allow hacking with annual passes; I might sign up for one of those and visit regularly. I'm looking out for places with day passes too.

Holiday with horse. We're off to the IOW for a long week-end. B&B for me, OH and the horse.

AS for regular, once a week hacking. I might ring around a few livery yards and ask for permission to park and unload. I think this will be easier on week-days than week-ends and I'll offer to pay a small fee. Once I've hacked around a bit I might find somewhere suitable to park off-road on other occasions.

All we can do is try it out and see how it goes.

Good luck.
 
im quite lucky with my hacking as my horse is kept on a farm so we can hack round the farm takes about an hour, but for longer hacks (i refuse to hack on the roads anymore after one hit and a few near misses, due to driver speed) For longer hacks i box up and go a few mins up the road to a place called ashton court which gives us about 2 1/2 hours of varied hacking , woodland hill work ect,,, is lovely and do it about once a week!!
 
I was thinking about doing this this year. I was very worried though about..

a. How the hell do I get on my horse with no mounting block!!
b. Gits stealing my trailer when my back is turned.

Any ideas??
 
BonneMaman said:
I was thinking about doing this this year. I was very worried though about..

a. How the hell do I get on my horse with no mounting block!!
b. Gits stealing my trailer when my back is turned.

Any ideas??
Click to expand...

Take a lightweight plastic step with you. Obviously this is fine when you set off - you will have to hope that you won't have to get off again during your ride. Have you taught your horse to stand parallel to a gate? Luckily Manni will and so if I have to get off to open a gate, he will stand next to it while I clamber up.

Take a wheel lock for your trailer, lock the hitch and put a steering wheel lock on your car.
 
Persephone said:
I am so sick of the lack of decent riding from my yard that I have decided to box off a few days a week with neddy :)

So does anyone else do this? If so what kind of places do you leave your car and trailer?

Is there anyway I can find out places that are ok to park? Or do you just scout the area in advance?

I have heard of one pub that is helpful if you call them and ask nicely, that have a sizeable car park, but other than that I'm a but stumped!

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

Don't know whereabout 'down south' you are located, but if you are in Kent you could look on this site: http://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/countryside_and_coast/horse_riding/riding_routes.aspx

There are parking suggestions on the route descriptions.
 
P, you can come over my way if you like, we have room to park.
There is great forest, heath, hill and beach riding, but you do need a permit for the beach. I may even get up the nerve to go with you.
 
I do this twice a week, I take the horses either to local woods or the Milton Keynes bridleways. I always put a steering wheel and trailer hitchlock on as I have suffered 2 attempts to steal the vehicle while in Milton Keynes; I am also careful where I park now. I just take a bucket for mounting or stand on the ramp. If hacking in the woods I take a hunting whip to keep loose dogs away. I am hoping to move to somewhere with good hacking though!
 
Anyone in the midlands, Shipley country park has a.huge car park you can park in and fab rides, also elvaston castle has a specific horse box car park with an attendant watching for security. Sherwood pines also has a specific horse parking area. All have great hacking and worth travelling for :)
 
When I kept my horse in London I would box up my horse and take it to Ashridhe Forest/Stockenchurch and Hatfield Forest. It made a great change from riding on the roads!
There is also the new www.emagin.org web site which shows routes and parking places.
If you need help using the web site call: John Young 02476 840 584 He is very helpful
(Also tag your saddle and bridle with a dog tax with your contact details on just in case you get seperated).
 
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