Confidence and solo hacking.

[pistolpete]

I am still struggling to get out solo with my pony. Can I hear your successs stories of scared to brave hackers please? We are pretty brave now in company but still get worried on our own. I try really hard to stay relaxed but he knows I’m faking!

 

[BSL]

Take it slowly. Circular routes if possible. Ten minutes of good hacking alone is better than an hour of grief.. Don't forget schooling can be done whilst hacking. Choose your weather, ground conditions. So worth the effort. Nothing like a peaceful hack out with your trusty steed...Take a bum bag with treats, a whistle for emergencies and your phone. You will be fine, enjoy the freedom and adventure.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I have had my boy since he was 3 and he has just turned 8. In the past I have attempted to ride solo but he just screamed for his friends so this winter I have worked really hard on his separation anxiety. Putting him out 10 minutes before the others, leaving him out when they come in, walking him out in hand in areas he knows and last week I took the plunge and rode him to a local trainer for a lesson.

I was absolutely terrified but took some Rescue Remedy, tacked him up and off we went. I was absolutely amazed at him. He was a total pro, took everything in his stride, didn't nap, stood for me to do gates, didn't call at all and we had a great time. I rode a route he is used to which helped but since then I have taken him out alone again and he was as good as gold.

I have found 99% of apprehension is in the mind. I always rode alone with my old boy and didn't even think it unusual. Now I'm in my mid 50's I worry more.

 

[SO1]

Start by making sure when you are in company you sometimes take the lead and make sure your pony is confident taking the lead on the routes you want to go solo.

Then when the weather conditions are good try on your own.

Is there a particular reason you feel nervous have you had a bad experience hacking alone or is your pony not confident.

 

[EllenJay]

Firstly identify what you are scared about with solo hacking. For me it was an illogical fear that once I turned to home he was just going to go flat out. So I rode out by myself and on the way home got off and lead him. I slowly started to ride him closer to home until I eventually rode all the way.

The best advise I got was “just remember - you can ride”. That has helped me through a load of scarey moments.

 

[vmac66]

I hacked out on my own this evening for the first time. I was so nervous going out and sang a lot of the way round. If I though there might be something scary I trotted past it. Was worried my mare was going to tank off when we turned for home. She didn't, in fact she was an absolute star despite me being so nervous. This time ladt year I couldnt have done it. X

 

[poiuytrewq]

Have you got someone that might come with you on foot? That way you have moral support but it’s as good as hacking alone really, it will also give more idea of how your pony will handle it. When your somewhere quiet the walker can drop back a bit so your alone but still have backup quickly if you want it?
Good luck

 

[chaps89]

Lots of sensible advice above
For me it was having someone ride him first then walk out with me when they got back- starting at literally going to the end of the drive and back. (Luckily he wasn't prone to napping!) That way I knew he had been out on his own and all was well and really built things up slowly.
What made the biggest difference though was moving and having to do it on my own - there wasn't anyone to rely on so if I wanted to ride out we went alone. Again, we started small and built up but my confidence built up very quickly that way.
Also useful was identifying the cause - him bogging off in open spaces. We avoided that for quite a while just by staying on roads and tracks. Is there a trigger for you that you can work on safely in an enclosed space or avoid whilst you build your confidence up?
Happy Hacking

 

[Griffin]

I would only go short distances (that I could walk back from leading if necessary) to start with. I also wear a body protector, hi viz on me and horse, take a phone and let someone know where I am going. My horse loves hacking and is super sensible, so I tell myself I am doing it for her, which helps me make myself go.

 

[Morgan123]

I'm just in from a long in-hand walk with my current one to help his confidence hacking alone - also a nice way of hanging out together! Hacking alone is his main issue so my plans are:
Fun hacking in company
In hand walks on his own (sometimes fully tacked up)
Sometimes do "gremlin walks" e.g. used clicker to encourage him to touch scary things like wheelie bins etc (works wonders if you've never done that)
Then start hopping on sometimes part-way through an in hand walk.

Worked great on other horses, but just short steps one at a time. Also works if the issue is in your head rather than the horse's!

 

[kinnygirl1]

I'm nervous hacking alone ... Not because my horse has done anything untoward, I just worry about the what ifs which somehow seem magnified when alone. However last year my horse had surgery and had a mostly hacking rehab so I kinda had to make myself do it. My tips for success are plan a short circular route at a quiet time of day, wear body protector as well as usual safety gear, relax your position so that you're almost a bit slouchy( fools body into relaxation), give yourself permission to get off and lead for a bit if you feel you want to, there's no shame in it. Then once you've done it once, do it as much as you can so that it almost becomes a bit boring, then gradually lengthen your route. I'm still not the bravest hacker by any means but I do feel more comfortable with it if I just keep doing it... Sometimes even just a 10 minute round the block if I'm feeling nervous can reassure me that I can do it. Good luck.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I have the same issue. My solo hacking nerve has departed.
My pony has done nothing wrong. He hacks fine in company & has walked in hand alone. Lots of good advice here, so I shall be walking him in hand & Hopefully we will be reporting a success soon.
Good luck OP, confidence is a fickle thing, but once it comes back, grab it with both hands!

 

[southerncomfort]

I would lead out in hand but have the horse tacked up. After about ten minutes hop on and tell yourself you'll ride for 3 lamp posts (for example) and hop off again. Next day try for 4 lamp posts and gradually build up the amount of time in the saddle.

This worked for me. Gradually I realised just how sane and trustworthy my horse is and I began to enjoy it again.

 

[pistolpete]

Thanks everyone. Loads of really good ideas. I will report back.

 

[Antw23uk]

Loads of great advise and it will be so worth the effort OP. There is something very awesome about being out for a few hours just you and the horse exploring the countryside. I love really early morning hacks when its quiet and you see so much wildlife. Wouldnt have a horse that didnt hack alone. Good luck.

 

[Merrymoles]

Mine is a nervous nelly alone so we have done the same, shortish, route again and again until it got boring (for him, not me ) This weekend I took him somewhere different and he was tense at times so I did a lot of singing but it was generally a success and he behaved beautifully, despite "scary" stuff like scarecrows along the way.

Tonight we are back to the old route to reinforce that everything is OK and then maybe a different route later in the week. I think it really is a case of practice, practice, practice until it becomes comfortable. I, too, have suffered with nerves with him and I have practiced faking confidence until I am sure he can't really tell when I'm faking. If I start to tense, so does he, so I immediately have a bit of a slump and can feel him thinking "oh that's OK then".

 

[pistolpete]

Well I wimped out today as it was really quite windy. I did take him for an in hand stroll though alone do we did something.

 

[Merrymoles]

I'm glad you took him for stroll - anything is better than nothing for building confidence!

We did our normal route last night and he was very tense at times but behaved beautifully throughout so I am learning to accept that he will probably never be completely comfortable hacking alone but will try to behave and I'll take that!

 

[Fransurrey]

I don't class that as wimping out. You're setting yourself up for failure if you're not happy with weather conditions.

I came off a few weeks ago and partly because I know the reason and partly because of injuries, I started running with my horse. Good excuse to shed the flab for both of us. I did actually ride for the first time yesterday, but would have had no qualms whatsoever about getting off (or simply not getting on in the first place!!). If it's because of your nerves rather than history of flying lessons from horse, then tacking up and walking out is a good one, getting on when/if you feel up to it. That's how I've always got mine hacking alone.

 

[googol]

Push yourself and just do it!! If possible go out with a sensible companion a few times first and then just make yourself be brave. That’s what I did and I am so grateful to have lovely memories of hacking just me and my horse. You will regret not doing it more than u regret doing it!(unless there’s any proper reason you shouldn’t!!)

 

[pistolpete]

Been out in company again today and I swear he was braver than usual. Will try solo again at the weekend.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Been out in company again today and I swear he was braver than usual. Will try solo again at the weekend.

Yay!

 

[MumofWhiz]

I've been going out alone on Breggey for a few weeks now and loving it. What has made a real difference to me is listening to Faye Lowe's Hacking with Confidence NLP recording before I go to sleep - it has this lovely phrase 'I will look after you and you will look after me'. After a week's worth of listening to that just before I go to sleep, hence when I'm really relaxed, it is fooling my brain into believing that when I say it I have this relaxed feeling. Also counting the hoof beats in various paces is used so 1-2-3-4 for walking, 1-2 trot etc. She has a website - I think it is called Horse Confidence UK or something like that but you can also find it on Facebook. My friend who bought Breggey is suffering with her nerves at the moment so I am just walking around with her on foot and I think on the weekend we're going out with me on the bike so she has some support. Good luck - it's horrid to be nervous but it can be beaten!!

 

[pistolpete]

Well it was going well. I had to get off today though as he had a squeal and a leap! Managed to clamber back on when he’d calmed down so not totally bad.

 

[MagicMelon]

Talk to the horse, honestly it really helped me chill out - just randomly chatting about any old rubbish out loud. I lost all my confidence after some accidents with previous horses so I stopped hacking for about 8 years, I then backed my current mare and forced myself to start getting her out. I dont have anyone to hack out with as mine are kept at home, I literally hated it to begin with but I decided that if I was worried about anything (like a herd of cows galloping over for example) then I'd just get off. So I did a few times then eventually I started to trust her and my confidence started to come back, but chatting away definately helped take my mind off looking for things she might spook at.

 

[pistolpete]

Thank you for that. I am planning to have mine at home next year which is part of the worry.