Celebrating the small wins

Nancykitt

Nancykitt

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I've never been a solo hacker, partly because there's always been someone to ride out with. The last time I rode out solo was literally 20 years ago. (There was a time when i would be more scared at the prospect of a short solo hack than a day out with the bloodhounds!)
Also, OH is always there to help me get the horses ready and hold them at the mounting block, so I've become quite reliant on him really.

However, OH is away working this week and I thought I'd set myself a little challenge: to bring Snoopy out of the field, groom him, tack him up, get on him (!) and go for a short stroll.
There are plenty of people around the village so I wasn't too worried about getting help 'if something happened.'

It took ages to pluck up the courage. Then the sun came out and I thought 'it's now or never.' I had lined up a nice chocolatey treat if I managed to complete my challenge!
Mounting took a bit longer than it should because he was keener than I expected (and doesn't stand still for long at the mounting block) - but eventually I managed to get on.
Just a short ride and he was such a good boy. The sun disappeared, it got windy and started to sleet - but all I could think of was how lucky I was!

So I'm just about to have my treat...I think rewards are so important, especially for nervous ninnies like me!

It might not seem like a huge thing but I do feel in a celebratory mood right now. Whatever *your* small (or big) wins might look like, don't forget to reward yourself!
 
well done! it can be so hard to get over that initial “get on and go”!

solo hacking used to be something of legend for lily, i often have to remind myself how lucky i am to be off on a solo jaunt at all (particularly when she’s leaping theatrically at a misshapen leaf)😆
 
smolmaus said:
Positive reinforcement for the pony but none for me? Doesn't make sense, does it? 😂
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Yep, it makes perfect sense somehow - I had promised Snoopy a rare 'stud muffin' treat if he was a good boy and this actually motivated me.
He could obviously understand me because he behaved so well - and then demanded his sweet treat when we got back!
 
Lois Lame said:
Stud muffins sound tasty. I can see how the thought of giving him a treat it if all went well (i.e. you survived) would have helped immensely. What a good idea.
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I think stud muffins are packed with sugar so they are a very rare treat for the gees! But Snoopy really appreciated it.
One thing that made me laugh was that on the way home I noticed that Ozzy and AJ were - very unusually- not at the haybell. I looked into the field and saw two little faces, side by side, with their chins on the dry stone wall, staring at me & Snoops. They looked so funny!
 
I posted something similar about 18 months ago. Charlie and I had big issues with solo hacking, part of the reason I sold him. When I first had Wiggy hacking solo just never materialised, there was always someone to ride with. Then I injured my back and it took me 10 months to get back on board properly. My friends all looked after me while I was getting back into it so again I never rode alone. Before I knew it, it had been about 2 years. I built it up into something that was way bigger than it was so when I finally got round to doing it, it felt like a real achievement. He then went lame, had a year off work and we had to start all over again! At least this time I had to build it up so we started with 5 minutes every day for a week then added 5 minutes every week which meant my confidence built up nice and slowly. We now hack out solo at least 2 mornings a week in half light, we leave as soon as it's light enough to go on the roads - something I'd never have done 2 years ago!
 
I love this. Especially the lining up of a chocolatey treat. 😁 Well done. Funny what scares us, isn't it? I'm terrified of schooling. I always envision coming off and landing on the fence or something like the wall of death. Yet I'll happily hack alone for hours and hours and think nothing of signing up to an EGB ride solo.
 
Fransurrey said:
I love this. Especially the lining up of a chocolatey treat. 😁 Well done. Funny what scares us, isn't it? I'm terrified of schooling. I always envision coming off and landing on the fence or something like the wall of death. Yet I'll happily hack alone for hours and hours and think nothing of signing up to an EGB ride solo.
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I am the same. I am more worried of schooling than going out solo on a hack 😁.
 
Fransurrey said:
I love this. Especially the lining up of a chocolatey treat. 😁 Well done. Funny what scares us, isn't it? I'm terrified of schooling. I always envision coming off and landing on the fence or something like the wall of death. Yet I'll happily hack alone for hours and hours and think nothing of signing up to an EGB ride solo.
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When we lived in Lancs my instructor thought I was weird because I was more nervous about doing a prelim dressage test in the arena than going out for a day's hunting with the bloodhounds.

I used to say that it was because there were times out hunting when it was possible to just go with the flow and be on autopilot. Actually having to ride and keep the horse under control in the arena was much harder than being a passenger!
 
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