Breaking a youngster, when to hack alone.

Spot_the_Risk

Spot_the_Risk

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Interested in peoples views on this. We are breaking our youngster - we have no school, nor flat field, but we do have quiet lanes and byways, and my cob who is being an excellent nanny. The youngster is unfazed by traffic, bikes etc, and we've hacked her out about six times, always with my cob too - the filly sometimes takes the lead, and sometimes lags a little (normally when she's become a little tired), she's met walkers, riders, loose dogs, push bikes, cars etc, and the dairy cows crossing the road, and hasn't been unduly worried about anything. I think that we should continue to hack her with the cob until her confidence is well and truly there ie she can lead the hack, walk, trot and halt with no problems, stand for cars etc, (henryhorn has given me great advice here, to hack the two horses out together, then one day the older horse turns away from home at a junction, and the youngster carries on home alone) OH feels that she should hack out alone sooner rather than later, probably for two reasons, he's getting fed up of riding my cob (he should be grateful I let him!) and that the filly's dam was terribly nappy, and although she'd shown no signs so far, we don't want to give her the chance to nap.

I'm pretty sure that I'll be insisting that we ccontinue to ride together for quite q while, but would be interested in the opinions of others, especially those who've ridden away a few youngsters.
 
I rode my youngster out alone from the start, as a three year old. She learnt to deal with everything on her own, and not to cling to other horses. All I'll say is, make sure you let someone know where you'll be going, and for how long, make sure you have a secure seat, and ensure they're in a full cheek bit and that you're carrying a crop, to deal with any drama that may occur.
 
Indigo Moose, thanks for the answer, very interesting and not what I was expecting to hear, I thought peple would say only to only ride her in company for a few months!

Chellebean, what are you getting? Ours is homebred, so we know her very well which is why we've decided to back and ride her ourselves, so far so good!
 
i'm getting a 4 year old Vanner x gelding called Sailor! He was broken as a three year old by Richard Maxwell, has been hacked jumped etc... so just needs restarting. :D
My main issue is that people at my yard are all self employed; so all love to hack out and things during the day, which I can't do.
I am getting so so excited though and reading up on everything :D
 
Mine went out a couple of times in company and then went solo. But I had a school so he knew walk, trot, canter, stop before we went. The first time he went on his own he just pootled out for 10 mins and I built it up from there.

In fairness he lives by the A14 so is pretty good with traffic and was a quiet lad to ride away anyway. Plus when he first started hacking it was off road so he wasn't going to meet anything scary.

When it first came to riding him over the A14 road bridge he did get lead the first 10 times at least ( but that's a pretty extreme scenario as it's a main road over a dual carriage way 20 foot below!). Now he'll happily lead others over it :)

I suppose it depends on your horse really. You know her best as you're the only one who's ridden her!
 
i would say lead hem out in a bridle first so he has the comfort of you being right there but no other horse so its a smaller step and as she gets more confident start riding him :)
 
O yeah, should probably mention that mine usually long reign 'out' long before I get on them so are used to just me and them being out. Again, not on the roads but I think it makes a difference.
 
Hi have you thought about long reining her first. Then when she is happy with that, you ride and have some one walking beside you and let them drop back until she is leading the way. Again continue with this until she is happy, then go it alone.
 
I think as soon as possible. Mine was taught to hack by backing lady on his own to begin with and then when he is good, then allow another horse to hack with.
We are in the same situ as u- what with hard ground in the field, we have mainly been hacking. He only came home from backing a week ago and since then have hacked him out once by himself where he was good but whinnied a little is all. Then twice with our other mare. However, the second time today, he began napping! He loves hacking and really strides ahead and was miles in front of our other mare! Our other mare is really pathetic and so whinnied when she couldnt see him anymore and then he really wouldnt move and inch despite pony club kicks till she caught up! so will take him out on his own again until he is out of the habit!
 
The yard I was on when I first broke my welsh mare had no hacking other than a very busy main road which I would never hack alone no matter what I was riding! Therefore it was over a year before she got ridden out on her own.

My new girl has had a very short hack on her own but even though she is barely 5 she is an ex racer so green in some respects but not others. Also we are directly on a bridleway so no traffic etc to worry about.
 
Have you taken her on any walk in hand alone?
I've found it a good place to start and it gives you and idea as to how she will react without the security of another horse there.
As for time frame go with your gut, you will know when she is ready. There is nothing to be gained from rushing, take it as slowly as she needs :)
 
In Lambourn I don't have a school and started my George (4) mostly leading off a Dually from Pie so I knew exactly how he was going to react to everything we were going to meet - (and decided whether I could cope with those reactions or not!) As soon as I was sure he was settled enough as we went out I got a friend to ride Pie and lead me on George so we both had that security - then it was onwards and upwards!
Good Luck
Kelly
 
Walking her in hand, we did this before 'getting on' and she went, didn't nap, but was nervy and hard work, a bit pushy with her head. Long reining just hasn't worked with her - she's always been a people pony, and she just couldn't understand being driven from behind, as soon as the leader fell back a bit, she would stop and wouldn't respond to the driver's directions (and she's bullet proof to having reins slapped on her sides, that doesn't make any difference at all!). We felt that she was very confused by long reining, and didn't want to set up an issue, so we decided to back her, and she responds to the riders spoken direction, and is starting to understand leg/hand, and most importantly I guess, she'd happily going forward and enjoying her hacks. I think a few more rides with OH, then a ride alone with OH following at a discreet distance... unless I change my mind again!
 
IHK - that's pretty much what we did! Borrowed a Dually, led her off mine once, then the next time I rode her and OH led me, did that a few times and now we still have a lead rein attached, but I hold it unless I feel we should be attached to OH.
 
Spot_the_Risk said:
Indigo Moose, thanks for the answer, very interesting and not what I was expecting to hear, I thought peple would say only to only ride her in company for a few months!
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No worries. I'm a fan of the "man up and get on with it" approach - if you treat a baby like a baby, it will continue to act like a baby. If you treat it like the mature horse it will eventually become, it'll get there faster. Mine hacked out in company only occasionally in the first few months, on some of the harder routes (up steep hills etc.), so that she could learn by seeing rather than trial and error. Other than that she was on her own completely.

I personally think hand walking is a horrible idea - if a horse is going to violently react, I'd much rather be on it than trying try wrestle with it from the ground. Then again, that's just my opinion, and I'm sure others have had decent results from it, but I personally think it's just playing with fire.
 
Indigo Moose - I used to be exactly like that before I learned to handle horses on the ground! Then when you get a bit older as well you start going through a lot more checks ...

Spot-the-Risk - well I'm not sure if your other half is as good a lead horse as my Pie ... I'd have to take a look at him!
 
Indigo Moose - yeah hand walking wasn't much fun, I couldn't lead her, she was just too strong, so it meant my OH and the filly battling along the byway, with her not learning much - that was what decided us on backing her! She's had a couple of spooks with me, one was my fault, and one was a couple of Rotties stalking her through a gate and then throwing themselves at the top of it and barking their lungs out when she was leading on a new route, and she span and took a couple of strides away, but I had no doubt she would stop, and I turned her straight back and she followed my cob through.

Good advice, I don't naturally man up, I need to push myself more - thanks!
 
I suppose it depends on their personality - if they are naturally nervous and jittery - take your time. As people have suggested, walk in hand first. I personally just rode her out by herself without a worry in the world, as she is such a cool headed horse. I remember riding her along the road once and met someone leading theirs - they said theirs was 5 and he was very bolshy when he goes out by himself. They were quite shocked when I told them mine was only 3!

At some point, you'll have to "take the plunge" anyway!
 
When out alone I have someone on bike so they are close enough to help if needed but can keep a distance behind or infront that the horse does not know its following it. Or if just walking someone on foot on other side of road. At least a little more security of help if needed. Or person in car driving past about half way round to check all is ok.
 
I backed my homebred four year old at the beginning of March, I only have a field, but it is flat. She has been hacking out with a friend riding her mum a couple of times a week but shes a lot faster than her mum so shes alway been in front. She is fine with cars and vans and nearly the school bus and tractors if I can get in a gateway/drive,need more confidence in that dept.
She had her first solo hack today, around the block, through the village, she planted once when there were escaped lambs on the road, but she went after a couple of mins, but otherwise she was very forward going and sensible.
I knew the roads would be quiet as its Easter Sunday and 99% of the locals were at Badminton!
 
Just my opinion but if you can't lead the horse safely you shouldn't risk hacking it out.

I'd personally go back to the very basics and establish respectful groundwork before I progressed any further along the ridden career.
 
I have a young mare at the moment which I bought a few months ago who hasn't been broken in long. (She is six but for some reason was broken in late.) I have hacked her on her own from the start as I had nobody to hack out with. You can never start too soon IMO.
 
team barney, we can lead her safely on our own land, and from my cob, and she doesn't try to buck, or run away etc, I think she's just stressed at being away from the other horses. She tosses her head about, and it just gets very wearing for the handler, as you inevitably get your hands knocked etc etc - actually nicer to be on board!
 
I would say dont lead them out as we have doen this and the 2 we did it go both then got somewhere and waited for you to get off and lead them past. Long rein. My youngster is now just 4 but was VERY lightly lunged and sat on at 2 and 3/4 as she was matrue and 16.1 she walked out with a pal twice 200 yrds down road and then turned away till last May and has hacked out on her own right from then start. she has learnt to be good in traffic, she is a sensitive mare, but is the best to hack on the yard now. we even coped with 3ft radio controlled boat on the pond 10ft from her and she has light aircraft land very close to her and doesnt care. she is NOT a dobbin ride though but just is good girl.
 
Mine went out alone as soon as she started hacking, she had a human companion for the first few times as I know my Dad won't spook :D But she never gave him a backward glance and marched off ahead.
She's done a few hacks in company, but she's not fussed by other horses! She is an extremely bold younster mind you, not nappy or clingy in the slightest and she adores challenges, she is desperate to get around the next corner!
 
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