Children out hacking

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toffeeyummy

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Just wanted to ask, when accompanying children out hacking where is the best place to put them? Ie behind you, in front or next to you? I have just acquired a new horse to go out with my 9 year old daughter on her very safe and non spooky pony. All is going well and normally we go across the fields and tracks but with the ground so wet we've had to use the roads a bit. Whilst not busy main roads they can have a bit of traffic on and some idiots come thundering past. I can't decide which would be the safest position for her to be in? Thanks x
 
On busy roads, inside, riding two abreast. On less busy roads, behind, but still adopt a almost defensive position where you are slightly further out into the road than them, and still an obstacle to go round, so cars slow down a bit more. On quiet lanes let her go in front so the pony doesn't become a follower!
 
I do the same as honey08. If a car has already slowed & is clearly waiting for space to pass safely, we'll go single file & wave it past. We have to go down a few hundred metres of busy road to reach one bridleway, & the odd occasion I've felt I was holding up the traffic riding double I've told daughter to go on the pavement if no pedestrians. Much as I trust her & her pony, a 7yr old & 11.1 in hiviz could easily be mistaken as a cyclist from a distance. So even a considerate driver could accidently get too close. And so pony doesn't object to lone hacking, as well as taking the lead, at least once a fortnight daughter hacks alone (on quiet roads or bridleways) with me 20m or so behind on a bike.
 
Honey08 said:
On busy roads, inside, riding two abreast. On less busy roads, behind, but still adopt a almost defensive position where you are slightly further out into the road than them, and still an obstacle to go round, so cars slow down a bit more. On quiet lanes let her go in front so the pony doesn't become a follower!
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Agree and if anything fast or scary is coming I get them up the inside even if we were single file at that point.
 
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