Choose your own hacking etiquette adventure!

[Snow Falcon]

When cantering across the forest we always slow down if we see other riders. I check if it's ok that we continue. I always look back to confirm afterwards.

Youngsters should get used to this when hacking out. I ensure ours go infront/behind during training. They also get used to being left and overtaken-easy when you have a daft child on board a cheeky pony!?

My mare thinks nothing of it hearing thundering hooves behind her and being overtaken.

 

[silv]

f) Pass slowly, wait until well clear & gradually pick your pace back up.

this

 

[SBJT]

Slow down, call out so they know you’re there. Try to pass as fast as both parties are comfortable then when your far enough away check one last time and speed up again.

 

[Flame_]

I caught up some riders on a farm ride once. Trotted up behind them, walked a little way off them and thought they'd acknowledge me. They didn't so I called out, "Is it ok to come past?" One turned and answered, "Yes but can you walk past, please?" and turned round again. I had to shout back, "well, no, not really. My horse doesn't walk very fast and if I walk I will still be behind you forever", got no response so trotted past slowly, watching out for any upset from the horses and there wasn't any. I'm not sure what you are supposed to do if the answer isn't just "yep, come past".

 

[SEL]

Generally curious here, but what would you do if you'd asked politely but the rider said you couldn't pass?

Edited: Shortened answer as decided some was irrelevant.

Had this a few times when I rode on Cannock chase. I'd ask if it was ok if I rode along behind until there was a separate track I could go down. I did have one lady where it was obvious her horse was going to flip if I left her so we rode back to where she'd parked her lorry so she could get off safely. It was her horse's first time out there and I hope by keeping it all calm she had a better experience next time.

When we moved to my current yard even the Thelwell pony was jumpy out hacking. I got off and held her when two riders on much longer striding horses needed to go past. Kept everything relaxed and now she knows there's nothing to worry about.

 

[Auslander]

ALf loses the plot if people fly past him. Chances of him being overtaken in walk are slim, but he wouldnt be keen about that either. He's an old man now, but he doesn't like seeing horses up ahead, and his opinions on the matter can be quite unseating!

It's my problem to deal with, and I wouldn't want to hold anyone up, but I need to know that someone wants to come past, so that I can turn him round and face him away from the passing horse, until such time as his brain isn't going to fall out. Someone who flew past me would get the sharp end of my tongue

 

[AUB]

F: I’ll ask them to let me pass, then pass them in walk and when I’m well ahead of them I’ll trot or canter again. Where I’m based you don’t pass other riders in anything but walk, that’s just the general rule of the woods.

 

[MissTyc]

We've discussed this before and I remember resulting arguments here! I tend to power walk/jig jog by until a critical distance has been reached, then pick up pace. It doesn't come up much as pretty much the same people hack out at the time I hack out, and on fun rides, etc, everyone always seems to be moving at pace. I did once have a lead rein mum hanging onto a little pony scream at me to "stay behind" so I practiced my "slowest walk in the world" for a few minutes until my horse started bouncing on the spot. He would never DO anything, but he will bounce and bop if I'm cramping his style. The school if for slow walking he tells me. Then, the woman screamed "GO!!" so I did, as gently as I could. Throughout the entire thing, the pony didn't even twitch an ear, let alone look like it wanted to take off or follow.

I struggle more with people who want to ride WITH me and then turns out they only do the slowest ever walking or trotting. Another schooling opportunity, but it does annoy me.

 

[Tarragon]

I was on a ride on my own once, and just at the bottom of a lovely uphill bridleway. A large group of about 10 riders from a local trekking centre arrived at the same point at the same time and I held back so that they can go first. The ride leader asked me if ok to go past and I said yes. She walked her horse past me, which was good, then started off at a canter. By the time the middle horses were passing me they were already cantering and the last few horses were as excitable as only the last few horses allowed to canter in a big group can be! Me and my pony were fine, and in fact tagged ourselves on to the end and joined in, but it really could have been a completely different story for someone else. Plus the bridleway was a very narrow and overgrown path (as in one horse wide), and used by walkers, and heaven knows what would have happened if some poor dog walker had been coming down the other way.

 

[Caol Ila]

ALf loses the plot if people fly past him. Chances of him being overtaken in walk are slim, but he wouldnt be keen about that either. He's an old man now, but he doesn't like seeing horses up ahead, and his opinions on the matter can be quite unseating!

It's my problem to deal with, and I wouldn't want to hold anyone up, but I need to know that someone wants to come past, so that I can turn him round and face him away from the passing horse, until such time as his brain isn't going to fall out. Someone who flew past me would get the sharp end of my tongue

Maybe it's a Draft-TB cross thing! I forget -- is he Clyde or Shire?

I had done work with Gypsum on horses leaving, turning different directions, etc., but she was never 100% reliable, especially if they were in front and pulling ahead. I would do the same as Auslander -- face her away -- and if I had the option of turning down a different trail, I would take it. And often, there was no choice but to hold onto your butt and bounce down the trail. An early sign that her legs were starting to go was when she stopped acting like a lunatic in those situations. At age 27.

 

[scruffyponies]

Last year I was riding a very inexperienced horse on a fun ride, wearing a BE number bib with a car L plate front and rear. As I was passing an optional jump, several people jumped it. Mindless idiots are everywhere!
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I don't think it's reasonable to expect people on a fun ride not to jump the jumps... and I say this who has been in the position of being the one with the idiot horse turning himself inside out. It was my problem to deal with. If he wasn't ready, or I wasn't capable, I shouldn't have brought him. Not the same as meeting randomly hacking at all.

 

[ponynutz]

f) ask them want they'd prefer but warn them that my horse might cause more problems for them behind because she will want to overtake

 

[ycbm]

I don't think it's reasonable to expect people on a fun ride not to jump the jumps... and I say this who has been in the position of being the one with the idiot horse turning himself inside out. It was my problem to deal with. If he wasn't ready, or I wasn't capable, I shouldn't have brought him. Not the same as meeting randomly hacking at all.

Nobody expected them not to jump, just to wait 5 seconds until it was not two feet away from my side. Pure manners, imo..

 

[humblepie]

It is one thing mine finds a bit difficult to cope with despite all his years out of racing and regularly competing. He is happy until the horses go out of sight round and corner and then he worries. The other day we met a couple of people at a junction and they went off ahead and he was fine. I thought this is good. Then they trotted off around around a corner and we got a little excited by that but he coped. He has to learn so that is fine. I would always ask and fit in with what they wanted if someone had a problem.

 

[w1bbler]

g) ask politely if its OK to pass & be surprised when the dawdling cob owner asks if it's OK to join you for a gallop ?

 

[Annagain]

On a fun ride last year some friends of ours caught up with us. I was having a bit of a wimpy moment so after going fairly sedately and having a nice chat with them for a few minutes, I said "we're going fairly slowly, don't feel like you have to stay with us". I expected them to walk a bit faster until they were out of sight then get on their way again. One of them misunderstood me (she claims!) and just went, hell for leather. We had no choice but to go with them but C was a star so it actually helped me. I think she knew what she was doing and knew I'd be fine better than I did!

If a stranger did that though, I would not be impressed.